Help With New Topic

[Guest]

Hello everybody,

Our topic nxt half term is 'science'. I though it would be fun - looking at floating - sinking - experiments etc but as it's getting nearer am becoming a bit worried that my ideas are not expanding much! Am away for most of easter hols so going to try and begin planning before (or that's my plan anyway!). Does anybody have any good iedas for activities/stories that might link or book/websites to help? Would really appreciate your help.

 

Thank you. Emma x

[Posy]

Off the top of my head, these books Who Sank the Boat

Mr Archimedes Bath

are good starting points for introducing floating and sinking and water displacement.

I have also told the story about the bird who wanted a drink and couldn't reach the water so he dropped stones into the pond until the water level rose (tick his box for demonstrating perseverance) This was a great succes in the water tray and outside using tall narrow containers-good counting and estimating

We made a display of 'all these float' and 'all these sink'- children experimented at water tray and later painted pic of remembered item

 

Barb

[Guest]

Does it have to be water related or can it be anything? I tend to do all my planning around a story. Off the top of my head these are common/popular stories that I can think of that could have lots of science outcomes:

 

The Little Red Hen: growth of seeds; sequence of seed to plant, to flour, to bread; making bread/butter - how the materials change; comparing differences between raw/cooked egg; predicting and then investigating which materials prevent eggs from breaking when they're dropped on them; do plants REALLY need water to grow - how can we find out? Once an egg is broken can it ever be put back together again? Try with glue/tape/plasters...Sorry, I've wandered off into Humpty Dumpty!

 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar: life cycles; observing similarities/differences between diff types of fruit - seeds, pips, colour, shape; how can we find out about fruit? Can we hear/touch/smell/taste/see it? - work on senses

 

Mrs Wishy-Washy - which bubbly stuff (very technical description ) makes the most bubbles/will get things cleanest? Explore dry compost and then put water in it - how is it different? What does it feel like?Displacement - what happens to the level of water when you put something in it? (There's another story 'Mr Archimedes's Bath' (by Pamela Allen I think) which deals with this too)

 

Incy-Wincy Spider: compare spiders to other minibeasts - how are they same/different? Compare spiders to other spiders - how are they same/different? Let's try and keep Incy-Wincy dry by making a roof for her drainpipe. Which material would be best? How can we find out? Go on a spider hunt - where do they build their webs? Why? Use non-fiction texts to find out spider facts. Somewhere on here someone posted pictures/ideas about a spider aquarium type thing (another technical description!). Find some dead flies ( ) and look at them under microscopes/magnifying glasses - spider food!

 

Jack and the Beanstalk: looking at all the different varieties of beans there are; growth, again - record stages with a digitial camera; do different beans grow exactly the same kind of plant? Do plants really need compost to grow? 'Jasper's Beanstalk' would work just as well. There's an author called Lois Ehlert who's done two fabulous books called 'Growing Vegetable Soup' and 'Planting a Rainbow' which really lend themselves to growing-type things.

 

I'll try and see what else I can come up with.

[Guest]

Sorry Barb. I've doubled up on your post - took too long typing!

[Marion]

3 Little Pigs materials

Peace at last sound

erm

[Guest]

Does it have to be water related or can it be anything?

 

It can be anything at all!!! Anything with a science slant. Thanks for ideas do far.

[Posy]

That's okay Moose, you had tons more ideas than me!

Barb

[Guest]

You may find some inspiration here

 

Most stories lend themselves to science investigations with a little bit of lateral thinking

[Guest]

Off the top of my head, these books Who Sank the Boat

Mr Archimedes Bath

are good starting points for introducing floating and sinking and water displacement.

I have also told the story about the bird who wanted a drink and couldn't reach the water so he dropped stones into the pond until the water level rose (tick his box for demonstrating perseverance) This was a great succes in the water tray and outside using tall narrow containers-good counting and estimating

We made a display of 'all these float' and 'all these sink'- children experimented at water tray and later painted pic of remembered item

 

Barb

50614[/snapback]

 

Barb,

 

What is that bird story? It sounds great.

 

EmmaJane

 

How about looking at push/pull etc. Could read The Enormous Turnip. Could push toy cars through paint and 'drive' over paper. There's a story about learning to ride a bike, called Don't Let Go. Could do experiment using toy vehicles and ramps - children design a ramp which will make their vehicle go furthest.

 

Look at bodies - staying healthy, what are we made from etc.

 

Life cycle of a butterfly/caterpillar. I'm sure many of us will be doing this one after Easter. Loads of related activities.

[Marion]

Think its an Aesop's fable

http://www.pacificnet.net/~johnr/cgi/aesop...r&&crowpitc.ram

[Posy]

That's the one Marion.

I taped the story from a Come Outside video and we made our own book

Barb

[Beau]

This is a fab site with lots of ideas. Some are quite advanced but if you look through the different packs there are loads which are suitable for younger children.

 

http://www.the-ba.net/the-ba/Events/Nation...ChallengePacks/

[Guest]

Great site Carol-I particularly like the colour chaos bit. There are some lovely experiments on there. Thanks.

Linda