I guess I'm going to see if I can have two postings on one date. I found this terrific site through an e-mail from Thinkfinity about different winter ideas you can do with your students. I stumbled upon a link for the Exploratorium and I am so glad I checked it out! The Exploratorium is actually a museum in California, but the Web site has so much to offer.
Across the top of their home page is a menu bar. Go to "Who Are You?" and select Educators to find suggestions and links for teachers of all grade levels. If you go to "Explore" and select one of the items, you will see all sorts of things to make and to do. For example, clicking on "Human Body" brings up 23 hands-on activities, online exhibits, articles, videos, etc., all about the human body.
The other part of the site that I found most interesting was the Shop. Simply click on the "Shop" selection from the menu and all sorts of items for purchase are shown, many for ages 5 and up, so even the youngest students can find something interesting and on their age level. For example, I found a 'Make Your Own Chewing Gum Kit' and a ' Make Your Own Gummies Kit', each for $12.90. I found a 'Thread Art' kit for $6.90 and a 'Silk Screen Factory' for $29.95. I also saw some Giant Microbes (cute stuffed figures) for $8.95 like the Common Cold and the Red Blood Cell. There was also a Binary Clock offered for $26.95, a Pi Ice Cube Tray for $11.95 and a Periodic Table Shower Curtain for $32.95. There are all sorts of DVDs, posters, puzzles and toys, and even magazines. Some of these are specifically made for preschool students.
This site is worth a few minutes of your time to review, even if you aren't a science teacher. If you can't find something to use with your students, you might find something to use with your own child/children. Enjoy!
