This week our theme complements our students’ Unique Curriculum unit for the month. Our sensory groups explored boxes related to different science fields. The fine motor groups made science themed art projects and the language group performed some science experiments!
SENSORY GROUP
This box focused on Meteorology—the study of weather.
We had all the elements for a thunderstorm with a rainstick, fan, and thunder tube.
The rainstick was a hit!!!
Science access point: recognize different types of weather conditions.
Entomologists study bugs! There were all sorts of bugs to find in this box of slime.
The bright pink color was especially eye catching!
Science access point: recognize a model of a real object.
Ok, they were REALLY intrigued by this box so we HAD to add more photos 🙂
Since plants grow from seeds we thought a box full would be perfect for a box about botany! The students always love running their hands through the seeds—they have a really cool feel! Yes, they get everywhere but SO worth it 🙂
Hidden in the seeds were yellow and green fruits and vegetables.
Science access point: match objects with similar observable properties, such as color.
The students became little paleontologists digging for dinosaur bones in kinetic sand.
Two dinosaur molds were also included.
Science access point: apply a push to move an object.
Our space themed umbrella was a big hit. There were stars, planets, and a rocket ship to find!
We recorded an actual NASA countdown and rocket launch on a voice output device.
Science access point: recognize a space themed object.
Oobleck lava flowed down a laminated volcano in our messy play. So despite the fact that our “lava” ended up looking more like peppermint syrup, the students still had fun 🙂
Bath crackles added a fun sound element here.
Science access point: recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move.
The kinds of animals an oceanographer might study, including sharks and an octopus, were found in our water play.
We also included two different sized scoops.
Science access point: match living things with their habitats.
The oceanography theme was continued with Bath and Body Works ocean lotion. We also used the bath gel for our water.
Our students are really doing a great job using the communication boards to tell us where to apply the lotion!
Science access point: recognize one or more external body parts.
FINE MOTOR GROUP
On Tuesday the students painted with corn syrup. We used this template: beaker
First, we identified the shape of our background paper.
Math access point: recognize an objects with a two-dimensional shape.
The students painted their paper beakers using corn syrup tinted with blue food coloring.
We have done this technique before and always love the results!
Science access point: recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move.
TA DA!!!
Our science experiment is ready!
What did we just discover!!!!
On Wednesday we used our beaker template again but this time we painted with marbles.
First, we counted how many marbles we were going to use.
Math access point: associate quantities with number names.
Then, we scooped the marbles from the paint cups and put them IN the box.
Math access point: identify spatial relationships.
With the lid secure, it was time to SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE those marbles. We changed our glitter song words slightly and of course, lots of giggles ensued 🙂
Science access point: recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move.
TA DA!!!
Our experiments are ready!
We LOVE science!!!!!!!
LANGUAGE GROUP
We became scientists this week and did some experiments of our own. Of course, like real science experiments, they don’t always work out how you thought they would!
The first experiment we did was Fizzy Colors. We started by having a student request to HELP POUR a box of baking soda onto a tray.
The box was given to her and after she tried and could not open it herself, she was prompted to ask for HELP.
Our students poured some in. We checked the box and saw there was MORE to POUR so another student got to HELP.
After the baking soda was emptied, we had 4 DIFFERENT students HELP PUT some food coloring all over the baking soda.
We started with 10 drops of each color (red, blue, yellow, green) but found that more color had more of a reaction.
Finally, the fun part! Each student got to smell some vinegar–the faces indicated whether they liked it or not 🙂
Finally, the fun part! Each student had a TURN to drop some vinegar on the food coloring using droppers.
So much fun watching it bubble up! Again, more color and more vinegar results in more fun!
For the next experiment, we made Elephant Toothpaste. We started inside by pouring some hydrogen peroxide into a water bottle (teachers did this part). The hydrogen peroxide has to be at least 6%. We found, after looking in several places, that it is best to order this as it’s difficult to find.
We wanted to make 2 DIFFERENT elephant toothpaste experiments so we had our students choose which 2 colors we would make them. Each student voted on the color they WANTED and the top 2 colors were used: yellow and blue. Our school colors!
We added about 15-20 drops of coloring into each bottle and watched as the liquid inside changed colors.
Then we PUT some dish soap in, closed the bottles, and swished them around.
Next, we PUT 3 tbsp of warm water and one packet of dry yeast into a cup and stirred it up until it had a milky texture to it. We did this twice since we were making double the recipe.
Now for the experiment! We went outside because we had read that this can get messy.
We POURED the yeast mix into the hydrogen peroxide mix and watched what happened.
Not the result we expected so we may have to try this one again sometime. We found that sometimes, experiments don’t always go as planned 🙂
This whole unit was a blast—–we had so much fun and learned we really do LOVE science!
Join us next time for more fun and learning—–Group by Group!
Don’t forget to check your SPAM folder for your confirmation if you plan to follow us.