I’m preparing for
my science workshop that I will present at the Texas First Grade Conference in
Austin next week and I thought it might be helpful to demonstrate how to take a
simple activity and integrate the scientific process. Notice all the 21st Century Skills (creativity, communication, problem solving) that will be integrated as well.
Sparking
Interest - I’m going to give each participant a strip of paper that I have
cut out for them and challenge them to see if they can make it fly. (Cut 8 ½” x 2 ½” rectangles. Cut down the middle 3 ½” from the top
as shown. Cut in ¾” slits on
either side.) After a little
struggling, I will demonstrate how to do it by folding in the two sides and
bending each of the top sections in different directions. You can attach a paper clip to the
bottom or just roll it up a few times to give it some weight. After giving everyone a chance to make
their helicopters and experiment flying them, we’ll all hold our helicopters in
the air. On the count of three we
will drop them and pat our chests with our palms. It will actually sound like a helicopter flying.
Question –
I will show 4 varieties of helicopters made out of different types of
paper. What is the best
material to make a helicopter?
Hypothesis
– Which one do you think will fly best?
Why? Label the helicopters
A (copy paper), B (construction paper), C (newspaper), D (tag board). Have each child come up to the
board and write their name under the one they predict will fly best.
Experiment
– Choose 4 children to hold a helicopter high in the air. On the count of 3, each child releases
their helicopter. Eliminate the
fastest one and put a star by the one that flew best. Experiment again with three. Eliminate the fastest one and put a star by the one that
flew best. Experiment with
two. Eliminate the fastest and put
a star by the one that flew best.
Observe -
Ask each child to write or draw what happens as you experiment.
Data –
Which helicopter flew the best?
How can you tell?
Conclusions
& Communication - Encourage students to discuss results with a partner.
*Repeat the
experiment to verify results.
*Let children
create their own flying objects from paper.
See, we can be
scientists, too!
*Don’t forget that
you can download a free copy of “I Know a Scientist” from my website this
month.