Activities for an Investigator

1. Investigations
This website includes various activities and experiences to encourage children to investigate the world around them.  They can use house hold objects/materials to make amazing discoveries about how things in the world work.

2. Scholastics
This website is done by scholastics and has 30 cool science experiments students can explore and make things with.  The link to a youtube video that you can watch to get a better understanding of    how the experiment is followed through.

 3. Science Kids
Here are experiments that are easy to follow and can be done at home with all ages of children.  They can have fun with them and get their magnifying glass out and investigate what is happening and why they believe it is happening.

4. Science Fun

On this website you will find tons of activities for your children to do and experiments they will enjoy to explore.  Students will be able to explore and learn about different sciences while having fun in the process.

5. Science Buddies

From this website comes a list of experiments and hands-on activities students will be thrilled to perform.  The activities can be done with just everyday household objects/materials and most of them take, at most, a few hours.

6. Weather Explorer 

On this website you will find activities that students can perform to explore the weather and what can cause weather.  It will help them understand the system the water cycle goes through and how it goes through that system.

7. National Geographic

By performing the science experiments students will be investigating the different sciences and typic in science to get a better understanding of how the world works.  They will be able to investigate and explore each aspect of science to as much detail as they would like.

8.Exploratorium

These are smaller examples of some of the most popular exhibits at the exploratorium that the students can perform at home.  They will be able to do the same exploration at home that they would be doing at the exploratorium.

9. Earth Science

There are a group of activities that children can do to explore the different aspects of science.  This website provides you with standards that will be met and what grades the experiments and activities would be appropriate for.

10. PBS

Here you will find activities and experiments you can perform for students to help them learn about earth science.  There are activities for all grades and different levels that you can investigate to explore information about the earth and the systems that are involved.

Investigation Box

Ashley Hale

Science Methods

April 30, 2014

Investigation Box

Materials:

-Plastic container with lid

– storage box/used for activity 2

-Krazyglue

-Plastic wrap

-Aluminum foil cups

-Lamp with a shade

– will be in classroom but not included in box

-CDs

            - Not included in box

-Sharpie

-Bic pen

-Gel pen

-Paper towel strips

-Pencil

-Ruler

-Clear tape

-Plastic cups

-Plastic Plates

-Plain white paper

-Magnifying glass

Activity 1:

            Students will use a recording sheet and an inkpad and read the directions on the sheet.  They will take their fingerprint of each finger of each hand and then use a magnifying glass to investigate and determine what type of fingerprints they have (whorl, arch, or loop). Here is an example of what they would be doing on smaller paper:

Activity 2:

            Students will develop a latent fingerprint on a cd.  The students will first run their hands through their hair and make a few fingerprints on a cd.  They will then place the cd in the center of a plastic container.  Place 7 drops of superglue on an aluminum tart shell and place that in one corner.  In the opposite corner they will put warm water in an aluminum tart shell and then cover the whole container with plastic wrap.  They will place the whole container over a lamp with a shade for 15mins and observe what happens.  The next day the fingerprints will be dry and they can observe them more closely.

Activity 3:

-Who stole Scooby’s Scooby Snacks?  There was a note left in the box of snack written in pen, but whose pen is it?  Fred as a black Sharpie, Velma has a black Bic pen, and Daphne has a black gel pen.  You have gathered each pen so you can do a test to see which one of Scooby’s friends stole his Scooby Snacks.

            Students will use three different pens and have 3 different strips that are pre-cut from a paper towel.  They will also have a pre-cut strip of a writing sample to figure out who wrote the note.  They will measure about 2 centimeters from the bottom of the strips and mark it with a pencil.  They will then take one of the pens, put a dot on one of the strips, and tape the opposite end around the pencil.  The students will repeat this for the other 2 types of pens.  They will put the strips over a cup that has enough water in it to reach just past the dot.  The students will also hang the sample of writing in a cup as well.  They will leave them in the water in the cups for 5mins and then observe the different colors and compare them to the one with the writing on it.

Books:

Detective Science by Jim Wiese  

How to be a Detective by Dan Waddell

The Master Detective Handbook by Janice Eaton Kilby

Cue Cards:

1.     Fingerprinting:

a.     Draw your left hand on the left side of the paper and your right hand on the right side of the paper.

b.     Take a piece of scrap paper and scribble a patch with a pencil big enough to roll your fingers in.

c.      For each of your fingers roll them in the patch of pencil and then use the clear tape to put over your finger and match it to the same finger on the paper.

d.     Use the magnifying glass to determine what type of finger print each of your fingers have and then write that under that finger.

.Latent Fingerprints   :

a.     Run your hands through your hair and then touch the cd in 3 places.

b.     Put the cd in the center of the box.

c.      Put 7 drops of krazyglue on one aluminum piece and put that in one corner.

d.     Make the other one into a little cup and put warm water in it and put it in the other corner.

e.     Cover the container in plastic wrap and put the lid on top of the plastic wrap.

f.      Put the whole container on top of the lamp for 15mins.

g.     Use your magnifying glass to observe what happened on the cd after the 15mins.

3.     Who stole Scooby’s Scooby Snacks?  There was a note left in the box of snack written in pen, but whose pen is it?  Fred as a black Sharpie, Velma has a black Bic pen, and Daphne has a black gel pen.  You have gathered each pen so you can do a test to see which one of Scooby’s friends stole his Scooby Snacks.

4.     Chromatography:

a.     Gather your three pens and the 3 strips along with the sample strip.

b.     Fill the cups to the line with water.

c.      Put a mark 2 centimeters from the bottom of the strip. Use one pen on each strip.

d.     Wrap the strips around a pencil and lay the pencil on top of the cups.  Make sure the paper is touching the water

e.     Leave the paper in the cup for 10mins.

f.      Pull all of the strips out and decide which one matches the sample piece and that is who stole Scooby’s Scooby Sancks.

Good Reads

1. Electric Mischief: Battery-Powered Gadgets Kids Can Build

In this book in the Kids Can Do It series, Electric Al shows kids how to make their very own electric backscratcher, illuminated fork and more kooky creations using step-by-step instructions and easy-to-follow illustrations. Features information on battery connections and switches, as well as lots of ideas for building on the basics. Projects include " electric dice " a bumper car " a noisemaker " a robot hand.

Students in 4th grade learn about electricity and a lot of them enjoy seeing how things work and then trying to create them on their own.  This book gives them the opportunity to be creative and be able to create electrical gadgets they can use and be proud of.

2. Heroes of the Environment

This inspiring book presents the true stories of 12 people from across North America who have done great things for the environment. Heroes include a teenage girl who figured out how to remove an industrial pollutant from the Ohio River, a Mexican superstar wrestler who works to protect turtles and whales, and a teenage boy from Rhode Island who helped his community and his state develop effective e-waste recycling programs. Plenty of photographs and illustrations bring each compelling story vividly to life.

This book talks about ways to keep the environment clean and in the primary grades there is a big focus on teaching students how to keep the earth clean.  Students learn about reduce, reuse, and recycle along with how you can reduce the harm on the earth.

3.Navigating: Stars and Planets

This intergalactic travelogue takes space lovers where they have never gone before. They visit Mars, disappear inside a black hole, dodge asteroids, and speculate on the future of human endeavors in space, all without leaving their chairs. With links to the best space-related information on the Internet, this book is—you guessed it—a blast!

I enjoy this book because students enjoy learning about worlds that are not their own.  They enjoy discovering the world around them and how things are different in different places.  As the students read this book they will be able to find information about earth along with other planets.

4. Erosion: Changing Earth's Surface

Did you know that rain, waves, wind, snow, and ice can change the shape of Earth’s surface? They can create valleys, sea stacks, caves, and rock arches. Learn about the natural forces of erosion and how they shape the land.

As children learn about the weather and how it works they also talk about how the weather can effect the earth.  They will learn about how different things that happen in the environment can cause interesting structures that are naturally made.

5. Flash, Crash, Rumble, Roll

Did you know that lightning bolts can be over a mile long? Or that they may come from clouds that are ten miles high? Storms can be scary, but not if you know what causes them. Before the next thunderstorm, grab this book by veteran science team Franklyn Branley and True Kelley and learn what causes the flash, crash, rumble, and roll of thunderstorms!

I enjoy this book for a classroom because when given the right chance children are curious and a lot of them love to learn cool unique facts.  Children learn about the weather and when they learn about the weather a way to get them interested is to bring up interesting facts and this book can be a great source of interesting facts about weather.

6. Animal Heroes: True Rescue Stories

Presents true stories of animals helping humans, including animals trained to assist people with disabilities and pets that saved their families in life-threatening situations.

I like how this book give real examples of how animals are in danger and how people rescue them.  The show them how animals can be saved and extremely interesting ways they are rescued from danger.

7. Life on Earth and Beyond

Is there life beyond Earth?
NASA astrobiologist Dr. Chris McKay has searched the earth's most extreme environments on his quest to understand what factors are necessary to sustain life.
Pamela S. Turner offers readers an inside look at Dr. McKay's research, explaining his findings and his hopes for future exploration both on Earth and beyond. Behind-the-scenes photos capture Dr. McKay, his expeditions, and the amazing microbes that survive against all odds.

I like this because it gives children a different look at what goes on outside of the earth's surface.  I gives real pictures and explains real research that was done to discover things outside of earth's surface.

8. This is Your Life Cycle

In this hilarious and inventive picture book, your host, Bob Beetle, takes special guest Dahlia Dragonfly down memory lane, highlighting the most influential creatures and experiences during her time as a nymph. You’ll meet three mystery guests, who’ll share their personal stories about Dahlia, and along the way you’ll find out about the different stages of a dragonfly’s life, the various predators they face, what they eat, and other amazing facts. And who knows what else might happen because, as always, we’ll be filming live in front of our all-insect studio audience!

Students learn about the life cycle of different animals and how the life cycle works in school.  Having a book that not only gives you information but also is funny and entertaining can get students engaged and wanting to learn.

9. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

When fourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba's Malawi village was hit by a drought, everyone's crops began to fail. Without enough money for food, let alone school, William spent his days in the library . . . and figured out how to bring electricity to his village. Persevering against the odds, William built a functioning windmill out of junkyard scraps, and thus became the local hero who harnessed the wind.

This book can show students that you do not have to be an adult to do something that can change a town.  Even if it is just them they can make a difference in the world by picking up and conceiving energy or finding more efficient ways to do things.

10. Citizen Scientist: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery From Your Own Backyard

Anyone can get involved in gathering data for ongoing, actual scientific studies such as the Audubon Bird Count and FrogWatch USA. Just get out into a field, urban park, or your own backyard. You can put your nose to a monarch pupa or listen for raucous frog calls. You can tally woodpeckers or sweep the grass for ladybugs. This book, full of engaging photos and useful tips, will show you how.

This gets kids excited to learn about animals and encourages them to go out and explore their backyard to learn more.  They can make their own investigations by looking in their backyard studying the different animals that they find.

Science Lessons

1. Potato Power

This is an lesson/activity where students will learn how a battery works by making a simple circuit using potatoes to light up an led clock.

2. Protecting Our Planet

The students are learning about pollution and other ways humans impact the environment.  They will also learn ways they can prevent or decrease the negative impact humans have on the environment and ways they can help keep the earth a great place.

3. Living on the Moon

Students will have the opportunity to learn facts about the moon and what factors would affect us if we would have to live there.  They will then create how they believe a colony on the moon would work and why they created it the way they did.

4. Glue Making

Students will learn the properties of glue and how glue works.  They will also learn about the history of glue and as their final project they will make their own glue.  They can build something or make a craft to see how well their glue holds up the the store bought kind.

5. Plop! Plop! Fizz! Fizz!

This lesson will show students how water and other chemicals can cause erosion and weathering.  The first activity they have the students doing is putting a life safer in their mouth and then talking about why they believe it got smaller.

6. Time Machine

Student will be divided up into groups and assigned a time period to study.  They all have to study the same area, I would recommend the state the school is located in, and answer questions about how the area was different year and years ago.

7. Weather in a Liter

Students can each make their own experiment by cutting a 2 liter bottle in half and adding ice to the top of the bottle that will be sitting upside down in the bottom of the bottle.  They will observe what happens throughout the day and relate that to the weather and what happens to make weather. 

8. Rock and Roll

Student will first categorize school supplies and pasta so they understand how to look at characteristics and put them into categories.  Using this knowledge students will then inspect rocks and minerals and classify them into different categories.

9.The Dirt on Soil

 Student will explore the different components in soil along with the different types of soil.  They will also explore the process of how soil is formed and the different characteristics of soil.

10. Tree Cookie Combat

The students will learn about what a tree needs to grow and how it survives and fights agains other plants and organisms to get what it needs.  They will also learn about how to tell how old a tree is and a simple explanation of why it is like that.