First Grade

Science Activities

Magnetic Scavenger Hunt

     This blog introduces this activity for a student in Pre-K, however it is easily adapted for children in first grade. Use more items that are a mix of magnet metal and non-magnetic materials to make it a little more engaging for students.  Ask students what they notice about the material that is magnetic, what do they have in common?  Also use more sand/rice/beans to hide the scavenger items.

String Telephone

     Use this experiment to introduce sound waves.  It's a really fun and simple experiment to show kids that sound travels through vibration.  If you watch closely you can see the string move when you speak into your end of the telephone.

Good Reads

What is Sound? (Sounds All Around Us) by Charlotte Guillain

     Use this book along with the String Telephone activity to show children that sound is made by vibrations.  They'll see in this book that a lot of different and unexpected things create vibrations that we can hear.

What Makes a Magnet? by Franklyn M. Branley

   
     Use this book before doing the Magnetic Scavenger Hunt.  In the book she tires to do different things with her magnet, like fishing.  She also creates her own magnetic scavenger hunt! What a great way to get children excited about exploring magnets!

Resources

Check out these links for more fun and interesting activities to do at home with your student!

The First Grade Parade

This blog is created by a first grade teacher, get to know her in her Meet the Teacher Section.  She has some great activities not only in science but in other subjects as well.  My favorite science one is on Insects!

Fun In First Grade

This blog is also teacher created, get to know a little about her in her Meet the Teacher Section.  She has all kinds of fun and interesting activities that you could easily do at home.  I really enjoy her unit on rocks!

Kindergarten

Science Activities

Water Play

       Help children build an understanding of  the conservation of water by explore how much water different containers can hold.  Do any containers that look different hold the same amount. Which ones hold the most? Which containers hold the least.

Cotton Ball Clouds

      Have fun identifying different kinds of clouds with your student.  Help them understand the differences in clouds by creating their own with cotton balls and glue.  Have fun and create neat shapes like a kitten or a dragon.

     

Good Reads

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw 

     
      This book would work well to introduce clouds and how clouds can look different, and take different shapes.  Use this book before doing the cotton ball cloud activity, or going on a cloud hunt. 

Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today?: All About Weather by Tish Rabe

 
      This is a great book to introduce the weather, and different types of weather that exists.  Who doesn't love exploring new things with the crazy Cat in the Hat!

Resources 

Click the links below to check out some other blogs with great science activities for Kindergarten students! 
  

Chalk Talk

This blog is made by a teacher for teachers.  If you're not a teacher don't be put off!  This blog is full of great lessons and activities that you could easily be done at home with out a teaching certificate!  

Kindergarten Crayons

This blog is made by a group of Kindergarten teachers.  There are a ton of activities for science, math, and literature.  Check them out and see if you want to try any at home!