The best way for children to learn about the surrounding world (especially science) is to explore it through hands-on, interactive lessons! Below you'll find ten interactive science activities/lessons for prek through fourth grade. The lessons are categorized under a grade level, but each could be adapted to fit other grades. After the description of each lesson, you will find the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) connection and a link to a website to learn more about the activity/lesson. Enjoy!
Kindergarten
1. Creating a Garden
With a few simple materials, you can create a "garden view box" for children to explore the joy of observing seeds grow into plants. All it takes is a sturdy cardboard shoebox, a tray to hold run-off water, scissors, sheet of strong, clear plastic acetate, duct tape, potting soil, sand, and several types of seeds. Children will love watching the growth! Children will add garden vocabulary to their schema, learn about taking care of living things, learn about patience, work with classification of plants, and learn about observing. Click on this link Creating a Garden to learn more!
NGSS Connection: K-LS-1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals need to survive.
2. Learning about the Seasons
Children typically talk about seasons in kindergarten. It can be such a fun topic to teach with the right attitude and lesson! One excellent way to talk about seasons is reading a book and creating an anchor chart with your students. This lesson starts by reading two books: A Tree For All Seasons and Watching the Seasons. During the read aloud, you can point out pictures and key words. After reading both texts, create an anchor chart to show what you have discovered so far. Next, explore the outdoors and have children create their own book. Click on this link Learning about the Seasons to learn more!
NGSS Connection: K-ESS2-1 Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
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| Anchor chart example |
2. Learning about the Seasons
Children typically talk about seasons in kindergarten. It can be such a fun topic to teach with the right attitude and lesson! One excellent way to talk about seasons is reading a book and creating an anchor chart with your students. This lesson starts by reading two books: A Tree For All Seasons and Watching the Seasons. During the read aloud, you can point out pictures and key words. After reading both texts, create an anchor chart to show what you have discovered so far. Next, explore the outdoors and have children create their own book. Click on this link Learning about the Seasons to learn more!
NGSS Connection: K-ESS2-1 Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
First Grade
1. Making Music with Water
Many of us have seen on television someone making music with glasses that are filled with water. Have you ever tried it though? This activity allows children to explore with the sound made from materials (glasses) vibrating. All you need is some drinking glasses (5 or more), water, and a wooden stick (such as a pencil). Fill the glasses up with different amounts of water and explore with the sounds produced by gently hitting the glasses. Children learn about the different tones made and how the amount of water in the glass affects the sound. Learn more from this link Making Music!
NGSS Connection: 1-PS4-1 Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate.
2. Phases of the Moon
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| Four stages of the Moon using Oreos |
NGSS connection: 1-ESS1-1 Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
Second Grade
1, States of Matter: Fizz Ball
| Fizz balls |
This hands-on activity is a great way to explore the states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. After explaining the definition of solids, liquids, and gasses, have children predict what will happen when a fizz ball makes contact with water. Drop a fizz ball into hot water and watch the solid rapidly fizz (much like gas going up in the air). Children can document their predictions and the results. Children will love watching the fizz ball! To learn more click on this link States of Matter Lesson: Fizz Ball!
NGSS connection: 2-PS1-1 Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
2. Butterfly Life Cycle
The life cycle of a butterfly can be a fascinating topic for children to explore! One hands-on activity I have done with children involves creating a representation of the life cycle using paper plates and various sizes of dry pasta. All you need are paper plates, markers, dry pasta (spirals, orzo, small shells, and bowtow), glue, and crayons. Allowing children to create the life cycle using dry pasta seems to really stick in their minds. Remember to have children label each stage! Check out this link to learn more Butterfly Life Cycle.
NGSS connection: 2-LS4-1 Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
Third Grade
1. Fun with Fossils
Exploring fossils can always be exciting for children. Another awesome activity you can do with your children is make a fossil from glue! I would recommend first searching through real fossils and have children document the different patterns they see. They can use the information they have found to create their very own fossil. To create your own fossil you will need white glue, modeling clay, and seashells (or other naturally hard objects such as tree branches). To learn how to create your own fossil check out this link How to make your own fossil!
2. Engineering Challenge: Building a Free Standing Tower
Engineering projects allow children to use their creativity while exploring math and science. For this activity all you will need is marshmallows and toothpicks. Students will be challenged to build a tower using only those two materials. To increase the complexity, add constraints to the design challenge such as: must be free standing, must stand without support for ten seconds, and must be at least four inches tall. Students will love the challenge and you will be surprised with what they will come up with! Learn more by checking out this link Tower Challenge!NGSS connection: 3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
Fourth Grade
1. Egg Drop Project
You might have heard of doing an egg drop project, but have you thought about all the learning that happens when children take part in an engineering project such as this? Engineering projects are a fantastic way to have children exploring with materials and the science world. In this project, children are given the mission to design a system that will protect an egg from a fall. You can use a variety of materials to build your egg protectors such as: plastic straws, popsicle sticks, bubble wrap, tape, plastic bags, boxes, newpapers, and more. Allow children to create a egg protector, test it, and redesign it to make improvements. To learn more click on this link Egg Drop Project!
NGSS connection: 3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
2. Force and Motion Experiment
We know many students love playing with cars and ramps, especially boys! This force and motion experiment allows students to do that, while also learning about the speed of objects and various inclines. To complete this activity, you will need materials to build tracks with various inclines and toy cars. You could use cardboard for the ramp and books to help create different angles. It is best to begin with a small incline and increase each "race track" to a little larger incline. Have students make their own hypothesis about which car will go faster and then test it! To learn more about how to set up the race track, click on this link Force and Motion Experiment!
NGSS connection: 4-PS3-1 Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object.
2. Force and Motion Experiment
We know many students love playing with cars and ramps, especially boys! This force and motion experiment allows students to do that, while also learning about the speed of objects and various inclines. To complete this activity, you will need materials to build tracks with various inclines and toy cars. You could use cardboard for the ramp and books to help create different angles. It is best to begin with a small incline and increase each "race track" to a little larger incline. Have students make their own hypothesis about which car will go faster and then test it! To learn more about how to set up the race track, click on this link Force and Motion Experiment!
NGSS connection: 4-PS3-1 Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy of that object. 
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