Living Things Interactive Notebook and Activities for Kids

(Not familiar with the NGSS standards? Then take some time to read "Getting to Know the Next Generation Science Standards: Kindergarten" first.)

Today, I'm going to focus on the "From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes" standard....which I just simply call my "Living Things" unit. I'll show you all the different parts to my Living Things Interactive Notebook.

This standard can really cover a lot. I mean, you could go into a whole unit on plants, and then another on different life cycles. You could cover different kinds of habitats...there's just so much that you could dive into. So you'll have to pick and choose what works best for you. As far as the interactive notebook goes, it might be something that you just pick pages from as you cover the units you're teaching.

Each science interactive notebook set, including this one, comes with a set of corresponding classroom posters to hang around your room. The vocabulary I chose for the Living Things unit are the seven characteristics of living things:

Each idea covered also comes with its own interactive notebook cover.

The cover pages for each core idea will help your students keep their notebook well organized.

Here is the vocabulary reinforcer:

The Pocket full of Vocab matches the poster set (shown above). Have students pull the cards out of the pocket and review the meanings of the terms. They can quiz themselves, quiz a neighbor, and even write short definitions on the back to help them remember.

After you've talked about the seven characteristics of living things, you can have students look at the pictures below and determine which are living and which are non-living.

Most of your kids are going to know the obvious animal pictures, but many might not realize that plants are alive!

Next, you're going to reinforce your lessons on what living things need in order to survive:

Students will flip open each flap and jot down what that specific picture needs to survive. This is a great opportunity to again bring up the similarities and differences in the needs of living things. The pumpkin needs dirt...but the jellyfish doesn't. The pig does, though! 

What about the habitats of living things? How do different living things get their nutrients to grow? 

Use a pencil and paperclip to spin and tell about where the different animals live. Cut, paste, and glue the correct form of nutrients on the "Where is My Food?" activity page, and practice your illustrating skills under the flaps on the "Where do I Live?" page! 

As I mentioned in a different interactive notebook post, I've noticed that kids LOVE to prove how smart they are. So I created this page that not only reinforces your class discussions throughout the various Living Things units you cover, but also give the kids a chance to feel smart, review their friends, and practice what they've learned.

Students simply pull out one of the many questions and either answer the questions or do what it says.

There are so many fun directions you can go with this standard. Use the interactive notebook to reinforce everything you talk about in the classroom. It will serve as a great "memory book"...a reminder, as they flip through each page, of what activities they did and what conversations you guys had on the topic.

-Til next time

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Science Interactive Notebooks Our Sun Warms

(Not familiar with the NGSS standards? Then take some time to read "Getting to Know the Next Generation Science Standards: Kindergarten" first.)

Today, I'm going to focus on the Energy Interactive Notebook.

Each science interactive notebook set, including this one, comes with a set of corresponding classroom posters to hang around your room. Here are the posters that come with the Energy set:

Each idea covered also comes with its own interactive notebook cover.

The cover pages for each concept will help your students keep their notebook well organized.

And just like the first standard we covered, the next page is the vocabulary reinforcer:

This Pocket full of Vocab matches the poster set (shown above). Have students pull the cards out of the pocket and review the meanings of the terms. They can quiz themselves, quiz a neighbor, and even write short definitions on the back to help them remember. 

This graphic organizer page will help your students remember all the things you talked about during class discussion time.

You could also project this page on your smart board and fill it out together as a class before students do it on their own.

After you take your students outside to experiment with shadow making, you can bring them back in to complete this activity page.

The boy in the picture is getting too warm on the beach. Your students will need to draw something that will reduce the warmth of the sun on his body. Some ideas might be a beach umbrella, a sun hut, or some type of tarp lean-to.

This is a great unit to bring up astronomers in! Who are they? What do they study? What do they use?

Lift these flaps and write some information down about them. 

As I mentioned in a different interactive notebook post, I've noticed that kids LOVE to prove how smart they are. So I created this page that not only reinforces your class discussions on Energy and the Sun, but also give the kids a chance to feel smart, review their friends, and practice what they've learned.

Students simply pull out one of the many questions and either answer the questions or do what it says.

An ice cube investigation is included too!

Here's what kids will be investigating:

Can you slow down the melting of an ice cube?

You'll need to make up some ice cubes ahead of time.

Have your students predict the outcome and write it in under the flap. Then they can survey and tally up the predictions of their classmates. Have them graph out the results.

Place an icecube on a tray or paper plate and set it somewhere in the room on or on the window sill. Time how long it takes that ice cube to melt. Draw and record the results. Then have students create two different types of structures that could reduce the warmth of the sun on the ice cube. Place ice cubes under them and time how long they take to melt. This will be something you'll want to do and then come back to from time to time. Maybe you do one of your center rotations and then come check on the cubes. And you can totally be flexible with the time it took. If your kids were out to recess when the cube melted, just create an estimated time for your kids. They won't know the difference! ;)

This 'Our Sun Warms' Emergent Reader is a great way to bring up initial discussions with your Kinders on the sun.

Each page gives facts and information about the sun and what it does to the Earth and living things on the Earth. 

Well, that wraps up the "Our Sun Warms" portion of the NGSS. Writing about the warm sun makes me wish it were summer time right now! Next up on our NGSS list will be "Earth's Systems"...which I call my Weather Patterns unit. 

-Til next time,

         

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Force and Motion Engaging and Fun Activities for Kids

(Not familiar with the NGSS standards? 
Then take some time to read "Getting to Know the Next Generation Science Standards: Kindergarten" first.)

Today we're going to talk about moving and grooving with your littles as you explore Force & Motion! I'm going to share a variety of activities and resources that you can use in your classroom that will keep even the squirreliest of your kids both intrigued and engaged.

To start off, it's important that your students know ahead of time what will be expected of them during this unit.

Here is a FREE poster set (choose Kindergarten or First Grade) that you can download, printout, laminate, and hang up around your classroom for your science lessons.
It goes along with the performance expectations of the NGSS.

There are three different styles you can choose from: Chalkboard, Polka Dot, or Less-Ink Option.
Kindergarten NGSS "I CAN" Posters*
First Grade NGSS "I CAN" Posters*

Now that you have that download, let's dive into some resources!

I'd like to first share what I have used and found to be most successful in helping my littles not only understand the concept of Force & Motion, but master it as well.

This is a Motion & Stability: Forces & Interactions Interactive Notebook.
(There is an Interactive Notebook section for each of the NGSS concepts taught so that you can collect them all in one composition notebook...a perfect way for students to review and reflect on past lessons learned!)

It comes with a set of corresponding Force & Motion Vocabulary posters to hang around your room. The posters break down the vocab as simply as possible so that even five years olds can understand what each term means. I remember the first time I learned that I had to teach Force & Motion to my Kindergarten class. I myself hadn't learned it until I was in high school...how was I supposed to help little kids understand it?! Anybody else feel that way? I had to really sit down and think about the fact that kids use force and motion every single day. Why wouldn't we teach them about it?

Here are the posters that come with the Force & Motion set:

It includes an interactive notebook cover so that your students can separate and organize all of the science concepts you cover throughout the year.

The next page is the vocabulary reinforcer:

This Pocket full of Vocab matches the poster set (shown up above earlier). Have students pull the cards out of the pocket and review the meanings of the terms. They can quiz themselves, quiz a neighbor, and even write short definitions on the back to help them remember. 

The next page has students simply determining which object are pushed and which are pulled...

...to get them thinking about how forces are involved in their daily interactions with the world around them. Give them some opportunities to walk around the classroom or playground and observe how they push and pull various objects. 

Also, take some different sports balls and bounce them around. Talk about direction and motion. How can they change the direction or movement of the balls?

I've noticed that kids LOVE to prove how smart they are. So this page that not only reinforces your class discussions on Force & Motion, but also give the kids a chance to feel smart, quiz their friends, and practice what they've learned.

Students simply pull out one of the many questions and either answer the questions or do what it says.

A bowling investigation is included, too! 

Can a bowling ball knock over pins without being touched by a person? Grab a soft ball and stack up some plastic cups and find out!

First, have the students predict the answer to the investigation question. Then have them survey the class, tally up the votes, and graph out the results of the survey.

Next, get experimenting! What happens if you blow on the "bowling" ball with your mouth? Does it move? Does it knock over any pins? What if you blow through a straw? Can you roll another ball into it? Place it on a ramp? 

Which way knocked over the most pins? Or which way was most effective in knocking over the pins? Lift up the bowling pins and draw a picture of what worked best!

That includes all of the Interactive Notebook components. 

But you may want even more Force & Motion activities for your class! 

Try this additional Force & Motion Activities Pack.
It includes a Flip Book, Emergent Readers, Sorts, and also has the same Bowling Investigation & Vocab Poster Set that the Interactive Notebook has. 

Have fun moving and grooving! 

-Til next time

             

*Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards was involved in the production of, and does not endorse, the above resources mentioned.

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Science Interactive Notebooks The Five Senses

Are you a Kindergarten teacher struggling to effectively implement the Next Generation Science Standards? Don't worry, I've got your back! Join me in this series on how to successfully implement the NGSS in your classroom.

(Not familiar with the NGSS standards? Then take some time to read "Getting to Know the Next Generation Science Standards: Kindergarten" first.)

Today I'm going to introduce you to my Science Interactive Notebooks...a simple way to practically and effectively engage your students.

Now before I begin any of the NGSS standards in my class, I always go over The Five Senses first.

So that's what we are going to focus on today: The Five Senses: Interactive Notebook.
Each science interactive notebook set, including this one, comes with a set of corresponding classroom posters to hang around your room. Here are the posters that come with the Force & Motion set:

I start the book off with a fun cute & paste activity that reinforces what body parts are involved with the Five Senses.

You can give your girls the girl page, and your boys the boy page...or you may even have some students that want to do both! (Or maybe you have your fast finishers do both.)

The next page is a vocabulary reinforcer:

This Pocket full of Vocab matches the poster set (shown above). Have students pull the cards out of the pocket and review the meanings of the terms. They can quiz themselves, quiz a neighbor, and even write short definitions on the back to help them remember. You'll see this page in each and every science interactive notebook...with the corresponding vocab terms of course.

The next five pages go with each of the five senses. Students color in the objects on the page that correspond with the sense labeled at the top.

Now, if you look closely, you'll see that the sample picture has some objects colored in that shouldn't be! (No, you can't TASTE toilet paper or worms...and you can't FEEL shooting stars!) If you have students that color in objects that do not relate to the sense, simply have a quick discussion about why it doesn't belong, and then place a big "X" over the object. 

What can you do with your Five Senses? Use a pencil and paper clip to turn this activity into a Spin 'n  Tell.

Whatever picture it lands on, that's what you describe...For example, my spinner lands on the nose picture. That means I describe things I can smell with my nose: I can smell my mom's apple pie when I come home from school. I can smell the flowers outside of the house...and so on.

On this page, students color the pictures on the flaps. Then the lift up each flap and circle which of the Five Senses are involved with interacting with that object.

So for the rose picture, I would circle sight (I can see it.), smell (I can smell it.), and touch (because I can feel it.) We might even go more in depth and talk about how the rose would FEEL different ways depending on which part of it we touch...sharp if I touch the thorn, or soft if I touch the petal. I can't eat it or hear it, so I don't circle those options for this picture.

The next activity is one that you will also find with each and every science interactive notebook theme of mine. I've noticed that kids LOVE to prove how smart they are. So I created this page that not only reinforces your class discussions on Force & Motion, but also give the kids a chance to feel smart, review their friends, and practice what they've learned.

Students simply pull out one of the many questions and either answer the questions or do what it says.

The last activity is a Popcorn Investigation! Take your students down to the teachers lounge for a special trip to help you microwave some popcorn! Then bring it back to the classroom and divvy it out.

As the kids eat the popcorn, have them think about how each of their senses are being used. Did they hear the popcorn being made? Can they smell the butter? What does it look like? How does it feel in their hands or mouth? Then have them go back to the page and write their observations under each flap.

And there you have it!

Does that all make "sense"?
(Ok, ok, lame joke, I know!) 

-Til next time

         

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Getting to Know the Next Generation Science Standards for K and 1st Grade PLUS FREEBIES

Ever since the Next Generation Science Standards came out, I have overheard or often been asked for help by teachers who flat out admit the struggle they have with effectively implementing these still fairly new standards in the classroom. Especially with kids at the Kindergarten and First grade levels. 

So today's post is the first in a series I'm going to do on the Next Generation Science Standards for Kindergarten and First grade teachers. 

Here's what it's going to look like: 

First, (today) I'm going to do an introduction to the standards, (including the standards themselves and the performance expectations as well). Then I'll jump right into the Kindergarten standards and then move on to the First grade standards. By the end, I guarantee that you will be feeling more confident about boosting science instruction in your classroom while effectively engaging your cute little learners! I also have some FREEBIES for you today!

For you to be successful in teaching the science standards, it's important that you know and understand them yourself...to know what they are asking of students...to know what future ideas or concepts you are building a foundation for.

There is a great series of videos on YouTube from Bozeman Science, created by Paul Anderson, that goes into great detail explaining everything you need to know about the Next Generations Science Standards-great in depth behind-the-scenes information that will help you understand them at a whole new level. 

I highly encourage you to check these videos out. If anything, even just the first video in his series on the NGSS. You won't be sorry you did.

So what exactly are these standards asking our students to do? Well, at the Kindergarten level, here is what is expected of students:

And at the First Grade level, here is what is expected of students:

It's important that students know what's expected of them, so here is a FREEBIE that you can hang around your classroom. Having a visual hanging up will help them stay focused and on task.

Now let's move on to the standards. Do you already know what ideas you'll be teaching?

At the Kindergarten level, you'll be covering these Core Ideas:
-Motion & Stability: Forces & Interaction (I call this the "Fore & Motion" unit.)
-Energy (I call this the "Our Sun Warms" unit.)
-From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
(I call this the "Living Things" unit.)
-Earth's Systems (My "Weather Patterns" unit.)
-Earth & Human Activity (My "We Love Earth" unit.)
-Engineering Design

At the First Grade level, you'll be covering these Core Ideas:
-Waves: Light & Sound
-Structure, Function, & Information Processing
(I call this my "Grow. Survive. Thrive." unit.)
-Space Systems: Pattern & Cycles
-Engineering Design

When it comes to the NGSS, I firmly believe it's important to keep the standards simple. The more you complicate them, the harder of a time you're going to have getting your littles to understand the concepts that are involved.
Here are two sets of FREE "I CAN" Poster Sets for your classroom. One is for Kindergarten and the other for First Grade:

Tomorrow I'm going to share a topic that I like to cover before I dive into the standards with my students. If you have any questions about NGSS or the standards, please feel free to email me at TheBarefootTeacher@gmail.com. Just remember, I did not create these standards and am in no way affiliated with them. I'm simply a fellow teacher, sharing my interpretation and ideas on the NGSS!

-Til next time

           

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