March 23 Activities
S- science. Watch an episode of Wild Kratts on the free PBS Kids app or other free animal documentary for Kids from PBS, NatGeo Kids, Smithsonian, or other free collection and write a report or make an informational poster! If you write a report, make sure to start with an introduction, telling which animal you’re researching, and follow up with at least 3 facts (K-2) or paragraphs (3-4), or more! If you make a poster (you can always do both!), make sure to write at least 3 facts (if you are in K-2, 5 facts or more if you are in grades 3-4), and leave room for Headings and your hand-drawn or printed pictures of your animal! Color and hang on the fridge to teach your family about the animal you learned about in the episode!
A few video resources: (there are A LOT more out there!)
YouTube “animal documentary for kids”: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=animal+documentary+for+kids
PBS Kids: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrNnk0wFBnCS1awGjq_ijGQ
NatGeo Kids: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXVCgDuD_QCkI7gTKU7-tpg
Smithsonial channel: UCWqPRUsJlZaDp-PVbqEch9g
T- technology. Sort your plastic food containers! See how many match up, and how many don’t. Find the difference (subtract the smaller number from the bigger number)!
If you have tubs with no lids, brainstorm some uses for them! Think of sorting coins, hardware, pencils, etc! Organize your “random stuff” drawer!
Got extra lids? See which shape makes the best frisbee (outside of course, and don’t forget to collect them when you’re done)! Which shape flies the furthest? Which shape is easiest to throw? Which shape flies the straightest? Use other leftover lids to make tops! Cut a circle out of the lid, punch a hole (carefully) in the middle, and put a pencil* or straw through the hole, and spin!
For an art experiment, try a few with different colored pencils or crayons on a blank piece of paper! Do they leave colored paths behind them? Can you make a pattern?
E- engineering.
Grades 3-4, watch Dream Big on YouTube*.
Use materials or toys you have at home to build your favorite engineering challenge from the movie: a bridge, a building that can stay up while you shake the “ground,” a mini version of The Great Wall of China, as straight and tightly pieced together as you can, or a “robot” that can accomplish tasks or can go through obstacles (with your help, of course!). Don’t stop there, keep building!
Grades K-2, watch this crash course** (or short sections at a time for younger kids), and (using toys or household materials) build your favorite engineering challenge (a bridge, a car, a house, or a robot that you can “control” (maybe with your hands, like a puppet) from the video! If you liked it, subscribe to the channel for more fascinating STEM videos for kids!
*If you are in Grades 3-4 and are having trouble accessing the internet or YouTube, here’s a list of things to try to build:
A bridge that goes between a couple chairs placed a few feet apart, a two or three floor building that won’t fall if you shake it for 15 seconds, a puppet “robot” that will go through some obstacles (such as under chairs, over steps, pick things up, or push things across the floor, etc), build a mini Great Wall of China that can stand up to some pushing or shaking… Keep being creative!
**If your student is in Kindergarten to second grade, and you have trouble with the internet or YouTube, try building the following:
A bridge at least one foot long, and six inches above the ground, a car that can roll four feet without falling apart, a puppet robot that can be used to pick something up and hold it for 20 seconds, a one or two floor house that won’t fall down if you rock it gently for five to ten seconds… Be creative and use what you have around the house!
M- math. Teach your family Rock, Paper, Scissors, MATH! It’s a fun take on the usual game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, except instead of picking one of the three options on the “shoot” count, put up a random number of fingers.
Grades 3-4: Multiply the two numbers of fingers that were put out on “shoot!” For example, if I put up 4 fingers, and you put up 3 fingers, the first person to shout the product (12!) wins that round. Play as long as you want, and keep score of your wins on a tally sheet. If possible, use both your hands when you “shoot,” making larger numbers to multiply.
Grades K-2: Play the same as above, but instead of multiplying, simply add the two numbers of fingers. Kids more comfortable with math can use both hands to make larger numbers to add, or can subtract! Make sure you start with the larger number of fingers to subtract (for example, if I put up 3 fingers, and you put up 5 fingers, we’d want to do 5 “take away” 3 to find our answer. 5-3=2)!