Color WHEELS

Since many things that are "transportation" have wheels, we like to make something I call "Color Wheels". The kids are always amazed at how these turn out and are so excited to see a crayon take on a different shape - oooooo!!

I put a bucket of crayons in the middle of the table and invite the children to remove the papers and break the crayons into pieces. When they are finished preparing their crayons, give them paper cupcake liners and put their crayon pieces in their liners. Put them in a muffin tin and then put the crayons in a warm oven. When they are melted or squishy, remove them and let them cool.

When we did this I didn't have muffin liners and it almost worked better......To get them out, I just sat the muffin tin in hot water to loosen the wheels from the sides and they came right out.

Sink or Float?

Today we discussed how a boat and different objects are able to float! Floating and sinking depends on an objects density. If an object is more dense than water, it sinks. If it is less dense than water, it floats. An object is more dense than water if it weighs more than the same amount (volume) of water! WOW - what great new vocabulary words we learned today!!

One of the experiments we did was we rolled a lump of clay into a ball and put it in the water? What happens? Then, we molded the clay into the shape of a boat, and put it back in the water. What happens? AWESOME!!

Why does a ship float? Steel has a higher density than water, so why does a steel shop float? (same idea as the clay experiment). The inside of the ship is hollow and contains air which is less dense than water.

Animals in Winter

So right now in preschool we are learning about Animals in Winter.....I don't know why I always have so much fun with this theme!! Anyway, today for a science experiment, we discovered what it would feel like to be a Polar Bear swimming in the icy water (kind of). First, have each child put their bare hands in a bowl of freezing ice water. We like to count and see how long they can hold it in there (great counting practice). Every class I always get at least a couple of brave souls who leave their hand in there as long as they possibly can - I always stop them at 30!! Who knows how long they would actually leave it in there - crazy kids!!

Then, take a rubber glove and have one child make a fist and have them put there hand in the glove (obviously you aren't going to have them put their fingers in the finger places :). I like to wear a rubber glove also, basically for less clean up.

and cover that child's hand with shortening.

I just plop it on until the whole fist is covered....I use quite a bit. I take my glove off and then I cover the child's fat covered hand with plastic wrap (this is for easier clean up also).

Now just have the child put their hand in the icy water now.......the kids think it is the coolest thing that they now can't feel the icy cold water. I don't count this time because we would be there all day.....I just let them see how a Polar Bear (or a penguin or a seal or any other freezing Arctic animal) might feel. Once you are done with the first child, I carefully slip the fat covered glove off and have the next child slip in their fist. It works pretty smoothly.

You can do this as a large group, small group, or even work it in to your choice centers at the messy table or something for less down time for the kids. We did it as a group at the end of the day. How fun!! Now.....go experiment!!