Weather mythology is a rich literary genre, with connections to science, critical thinking, and social studies. Here are some of our favorite lesson plans: Compare Thor and Zeus Thor is the Thunder God in Norse mythology. He has a magic hammer, a magic belt, and a cart pulled by a… Continue reading
There’s nothing like a good festival! We rarely miss the Insect Festival at the University of Arkansas. Here, the kids give actors in the Insect Theater a hug. The Insect Festival is an opportunity for the students in the entomology department to share their enthusiasm for arthropods with schoolchildren… Continue reading
A visit to the zoo may be the ultimate field trip. We went to the Kansas City Zoo, which is designed to make visitors feel that they’ve been all around the world in one day. Interpretive exhibits take you from an Australian sheep farm to an African house, with… Continue reading
We love science museums and discovery centers! Whether it’s the stuffy old fashioned Museum of Natural History with stuffed creatures in glass cases or the hands-on kind, a science museum is always a pleasure. Science City is like a science playground. Science City’s website — well, let’s just say they… Continue reading
For kindergarten, science is about exploration, observation, and wonderful surprises. Get outdoors and try some great summer science experiences with your kids! Many of these will be suited to preK and elementary as well. Have each child find a flat object with a clear shape. Lay the objects on… Continue reading
“Retrofuture” refers to earlier ideas about what our current time would be like. Now that we’ve hit the 21st century, we have lots to choose from — people making predictions in the 1900s often chose the 21st century to write or draw or make movies about. Have your students explore… Continue reading
Some of our favorite robot lesson plans… Robot Design You can certainly build working robots in your classroom, using Lego Mindstorm: LEGO 8547 Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Robotics Kit LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT One-Kit Wonders: Ten Inventions to Spark Your Imagination The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book: A Beginner’s Guide… Continue reading
Meld science, art, and literature into a robot classroom theme this year — or just have fun with a robot themed classroom. Don’t miss the cupcakes at the end of the post! There’s plenty ready made: The Carson Dellosa Robots Classroom Collection includes desk plates, door sign, calendar, and borders.… Continue reading
As the weather warms up, it gets harder to pay attention in class and easier to stare out the window and think about recess. This isn’t the only effect of heat, though. Explore the amazing power of heat with a simple classroom experiment. You’ll need sugar, water, a hot… Continue reading
