Whizbangers and Wonderments Science Activities for Children

by Abruscato, Joseph A.

• ISBN13: 9780205284092
• ISBN10: 0205284094
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-07-26
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

Educate and entertain young people with these enlightening science activities for grades 3-6! Packed with unique activities for lesson and unit plans This book is interdisciplinary, relating science to language arts, math, and the arts Answer killer science questions, such as "Why do feet smell?" and "Why are computer keyboard letters mixed up?"Our world is a wonderful, wonder-filled place. Sooner or later, each of us will be warmed by a glowing sunrise, cooled by a gentle rain, transfixed by a dancing butterfly, or rocked by crashing thunder. Wondering about these extraordinary events is the first step towards understanding our world. Elementary-age schoolchildren love to think about these and other killer science questions, such as "Why do feet smell?" and "Why are computer keyboard letters mixed up?" This brand new resource is special because the structure and content of this book supports and follows the recently developed National Science Education Content Standards for grades K-8, which are being used to structure K-8 elementary science curricula and texts--teachers need activities which support and follow these standards. This book is interdisciplinary, relating science to language arts, math, and the arts through sections in every chapter called Word Play, Magnificent Math, and Art Connections. Unlike any other text on the market, this book includes "Amazing But True" sections (with answers) which stimulate discussion and challenge students to use the Internet as a source for research. Teachers will love this book for its uniqueness, ability to stimulate young minds, and activity ideas for lesson and unit planning.Whizbangers and Wondermentsis a title that is hard to forget and an activity resource book that is hard to put down! It is a volume which will bring the excitement of hands-on/minds-on science to young people.Joseph Abruscatois a former public school science teacher who is presently teaching science methods and curriculum development to pre-service teachers at the University of Vermont. All of his students are engaged in school practicum work that includes the planning and teaching of science units and lessons. He has also authored or co-authored a variety of materials for teachers and students includingTeaching Children ScienceandThe Whole Cosmos Catalog of Science Activities.

Author Biography

Joseph Abruscato is a former public school science teacher who is presently teaching science methods and curriculum development to pre-service teachers at the University of Vermont. All of his students are engaged in school practicum work that includes the planning and teaching of science units and lessons. He has also authored or co-authored a variety of materials for teachers and students including Teaching Children Science and The Whole Cosmos Catalog of Science Activities.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Fizzers and Poppers (Matter and Energy)
Standards: Physical Science [PS]*
History and Nature of Science [HNS]
Kitchen Chemistry
Activities
Balloon Blower-Upper [PS 1]	2	(2)
Candy Testing [PS 1]	4	(1)
Eggshell Excitement [PS 1]	5	(2)
Make a Fizzler [PS 4]	7	(1)
Nice Spice [PS 4]	7	(3)
Split (Yes, Split) Milk [PS 4]	10	(1)
Starch Detective [PS 4]	11	(2)
Superfoam [PS 4]	13	(1)
Word Play
Wanda, Wally, and the Wacky Water [PS 4]	14	(1)
The Drama in a Drop [PS 4]	15	(2)
Magnificent Math
Hot Water [PS 4]	17	(1)
Cool Graphing [PS 4]	18	(2)
Art Connections
Color Collisions [PS 4]	20	(1)
Crystal Paint [PS 4]	21	(2)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [PS 1-6]	23	(5)
Matter and Motion
Activities
Boro Slime: Make It, Test It [PS 1]	28	(2)
Starch Slime: Make It, Test It [PS 1]	30	(2)
Oobleck---Regular and Alien: Make It, Test It [PS 1]	32	(3)
Who? What? Rosalyn Yalow and Marie Curie [HNS 2]	35	(2)
When? Where? A Matter-and-Motion Puzzle [HNS 3]	37	(3)
Word Play
Pyramid Power [PS 5]	40	(1)
Match It [PS 5]	41	(2)
Magnificent Math
Marbles and Surfaces [PS 2]	43	(1)
Bicycle Adveture [PS 5]	44	(2)
Art Connections
Seashell Mobiles [PS 2]	46	(1)
Colorful Kites [PS 5]	47	(3)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [PS 1-6]	50	(6)
The Energies
Activities
Spectacular Spectrums [PS 3]	56	(3)
Weird Lenses [PS 3]	59	(2)
Racing Ice Cubes [PS 3]	61	(1)
Whisper Tubes: The Sound Bouncers [PS 6]	62	(2)
Who? What? Maria Goeppert-Mayer and Chen Ning Yang [HNS 2]	64	(2)
When? Where? An Energy Puzzle [HNS 3]	66	(2)
Word Play
The Battery-Powered Skateboard and Much More [PS 6]	68	(1)
Word Wonders [PS 6]	69	(2)
Magnificent Math
Measuring Magnet Power [PS 3]	71	(1)
Smart Battery Shopping [PS 3]	72	(2)
Art Connections
Rainbows Outside and Inside [PS 3]	74	(1)
Solar Energy Prints [PS 3]	75	(2)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [PS 1-6]	77	(7)
Part II Creepers and Peepers (Life Sciences)
Standards: Life Science [LS]
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives [SPSP]
History and Nature of Science [HNS]
Science and Technology [S&T]
Plants
Activities
Supermarket Seeds [LS 2]	84	(2)
Jungle Room [LS 3]	86	(2)
Do You Eat Drupes and Pomes? [LS 4]	88	(2)
Do You Eat Tubers? [LS 4]	90	(2)
Flower Power[LS 5]	92	(2)
Word Play
Interview a Plant! [LS 4]	94	(1)
Word Wonders [LS 4]	95	(2)
Magnificent Math
Tree Chart [LS 3]	97	(1)
Plants in a Square [LS 7]	98	(1)
Art Connections
The Plant Picture Challenge [LS 1]	99	(1)
Printing with Plants [LS 1]	100	(1)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [LS 1-7]	101	(7)
Critters Small, Monsters Tall
Activities
It's Alive! Or Is It? [LS 1, S&T 3]	108	(3)
Magnificent Mealworms [LS 2, S&T 3]	111	(3)
Glorious Guppies [LS 2 & 7]	114	(3)
Deer Here, Deer There [LS 3 & 7]	117	(3)
The Most Beautiful of the Butterflies [LS 2-5]	120	(3)
Who? What? Jane Goodall and Ernest Just [HNS 2]	123	(2)
Word Play
Lost Words [LS 1-8]	125	(2)
Life Science Scramblers [LS 1-8]	127	(2)
Two Strange Mammals [LS 8]	129	(1)
Magnificent Math
Speedy Species [LS 8]	130	(1)
How Tall? [LS 8]	131	(2)
Art Connections
Plaster Tracks [LS 1]	133	(1)
Mixed-Up Creature Collage [LS 1]	134	(2)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [LS 1-7]	136	(8)
Amazing You
Activities
Sugar Checking [SPSP 1]	144	(2)
Fat Finding [SPSP 1]	146	(1)
Your Body Guards [LS 6 & SPSP 1]	147	(1)
Weak Bones, Strong Bones [SPSP 1 & LS 6]	148	(2)
Think Fast! [LS 6]	150	(2)
Who? What? Charles Richard Drew and Daniel Hale Williams [HNS 2]	152	(2)
Word Play
Food's Fantastic Voyage [LS 4]	154	(1)
System Check [LS 6]	155	(2)
Magnificent Math
Fast-Food Figures [SPSP 6]	157	(2)
Exercise and Calorie Survey [SPSP 6]	159	(2)
Art Connections
Faces, Please! [LS 4]	161	(1)
Body Proportions [LS 4]	162	(3)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [LS 1-4 & SPSP 1]	165	(7)
Part III Rocks to Rockets (Earth/Space Sciences)
Standards: Earth and Space Sciences [ESS]
History and Nature of Science [HNS]
Rocks and Continents
Activities
Find It, Size It, Name It! [ESS 1]	172	(2)
Rock Breaker [ESS 1]	174	(1)
Soil Detective [ESS 1]	175	(1)
The Layer Cake Rock [ESS 1]	176	(2)
Puff Goes the Volcano! [ESS 4]	178	(2)
Mountain Maker [ESS 5]	180	(2)
Shape the Land [ESS 5]	182	(1)
Word Play
Create a Puzzle [ESS 4]	183	(1)
The Rock Reporter's Notebook [ESS 4]	184	(2)
Magnificent Math
How Thick? [ESS 4]	186	(1)
The Global Grid [ESS 4]	187	(2)
Art Connections
Stone Sculptures [ESS 1]	189	(1)
Sand Painting [ESS 1]	190	(2)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [ESS 1-5]	192	(6)
Oceans and Weather
Activities
Air, Air Everywhere! [ESS 3]	198	(2)
Air Weighs In [ESS 3]	200	(1)
Making a Coral Reef [ESS 4]	201	(2)
Underwater Cracks in the Crust [ESS 5]	203	(2)
Who? Whatr? Eugenie Clark and Alfred Wegener [HNS 2]	205	(2)
Word Play
The Round-Trip of a Drip [ESS 2]	207	(1)
Solving Weather Mysteries [ESS 3]	208	(2)
Magnificent Math
The Layer Cake Atmosphere [ESS 3]	210	(1)
Oceans: How Deep? How Wide? [ESS 5]	211	(2)
Art Connections
Paper Snowflakes [ESS 3]	213	(2)
Making a Wave Bottle [ESS 4]	215	(1)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [ESS 1-5]	216	(6)
Taking Up Space
Activities
Tracking the Moon [ESS 2]	222	(2)
Piecing Together the Planets [ESS 6]	224	(1)
Planet Places [ESS 6]	225	(2)
Who? What? Benjamin Banneker, Caroline Herschel, and Mae Jemison [HNS 2]	227	(2)
When? Where? Taking-Up-Space Puzzle [HNS 3]	229	(3)
Word Play
Planet Poetry [ESS 6]	232	(1)
A Message from the Space Shuttle [ESS 6]	233	(2)
Magnificent Math
Planet Thermometers [ESS 6]	235	(1)
Weighing In on the Planets [ESS 6]	236	(2)
Art Connections
String Star Sculptures [ESS 2]	238	(1)
Moon Phase Flip Book [ESS 2]	239	(2)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [ESS 1-6]	241	(7)
Part IV Ecology, Technology, and You (Ecological Sciences)
Standards: Science and Technology [S&T]
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives [SPSP]
History and Nature of Science [HNS]
Preserve and Protect
Activities
The Biome Box [SPSP 3]	248	(2)
Measuring Acid Rain [SPSP 4]	250	(1)
How Many People per place? [SPSP 7]	251	(2)
Where Are the Rainforests? [SPSP 10]	253	(1)
The Rainforest's Layers of Life [SPSP 10]	254	(2)
The Perfect City [SPSP 11]	256	(2)
Measuring Noise Pollution [HNS 1]	258	(2)
Measuring Air Pollution [HNS 1]	260	(1)
Word Play
Adopting an Endangered Animal [SPSP 4]	261	(1)
Gretta and the Vacant Lot [SPSP 7]	262	(1)
School Bus Rides and Spaceflights---Risky Business? [SPSP 9]	263	(2)
Magnificent Math
Charting Changing Populations [SPSP 2]	265	(1)
The Water Wasters [SPSP 5]	266	(2)
Art Connections
Storm Safety Posters [SPSP 8]	268	(2)
Designing an Energy-Saving House [SPSP 11]	270	(2)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [SPSP 1-11]	272	(6)
Imagine and Invent
Activities
Making the Coolest Ice Cream [S&T 1]	278	(2)
Making the Perfect Paint [S&T 1]	280	(1)
Making a Terrific Toothpaste [S&T 4]	281	(2)
Making Water Safe to Drink [S&T 5]	283	(3)
Who? What? Thomas Alva Edison and Philip Emeagwali [HNS 2]	286	(2)
When? Where? An Inventions-around-the-House Puzzle [HNS 3]	288	(2)
Word Play
Robo Pets [S&T 2]	290	(1)
What a Wonder-Filled World! [S&T 2]	291	(1)
Bionic People Parts [S&T 3]	292	(1)
Magnificent Math
Invention Timeline [HNS 3]	293	(1)
Cruising on the Concorde! [S&T 5]	294	(2)
Art Connections
That's My Thaumatrope! [S&T 4]	296	(1)
For the Birds! [S&T 4]	297	(2)
Amazing but True! Brainstretchers [S&T 1-5]	299	(5)
Appendix A Activities for National Science Education Content Standards K-8	304	(5)
Appendix B National Science Education Content Standards K-8	309	(2)
Index	311