Fahrenheit Friday!
Science Investigations and Experiments
If you LOVE teaching science using investigations and experiments...check out this blog post about how I implement Fahrenheit Friday in my first-grade classroom!
First, you need to look at your district's scope and sequence and see which thematic units you are teaching in what month. During those units, you will need to look at your science standards and see which of those standards you can use for your investigations and experiments. In this post, I will give you a month-by-month layout of my thematic units for science and social studies and what investigations/experiments that I have used for each one.
Here we go!!!
On Fahrenheit Friday, we all go out to our neighborhood or classroom and put our lab coats on. We sit on the carpet and listen to a story. We make an anchor chart of our learning. We review what the scientific method is and then talk about what we are going to investigate that day. We talk about what scientists do: investigate, observe, ask questions, thinks, experiments, discovers, collects data, sorts data, takes guesses and tests their data.
We review this anchor chart:
At the beginning of the year, we do this scientific method foldable and glue it into our science notebook:
There are a lot of great discussion questions that you can ask your students during science and I use this to engage the students into being excited about what they are going to investigate. I had a parent make my lab coats one year and it has been one of the best things that I use in my classroom. The students really feel like scientists and are so excited to wear them.
But, I have some rules...
Don't spill anything on your coat.
If you use the restroom, take it off and put it on your chair.
Button it up when you put it on.
After you take it off gently lay it on the back of your chair.
I have had these lab coats for many years and I always wash them about twice a year.
Here is a month-to-month breakdown of my thematic units and which science investigations/experiments I do within that unit.
August/September:
What is a Scientist: The Blooming Flower
All About Me: Investigating Fingerprints
Weather: Cloud in a Cup, Tornado in a Jar
Apples: 5 Senses
The Blooming Flower
Investigating Our Fingerprints
Cloud in a Cup
Tornado in a Jar
5 Senses with Apples
October:
Force/Motion/Energy: Investigating Types of Energy
Owls: Dissecting Owl Pellets
Columbus/Maps: Magnets/Investigating Maps
Investigating Types of Energy
Investigating Owl Pellets
Investigating Maps
November:
Native Americans: Growing Corn with Natural Resources
Sand, Soil and Water
Rocks/Soil: Edible Dirt Cup
Investigating Corn
Edible Dirt Cup: Layers of the Soil
December:
Christmas Around the World: Investigating Evergreen Trees
Evergreen Trees
Pinecones
January:
Winter: Ice Experiment/ Igloo STEM
MLK/Black History: Diversity Duo
Igloo STEM
Diversity Duo
February:
Groundhog Day: Investigating Shadows
Objects in the Sky: Phases of the Moon, Constellation Investigation
Presidents/America: Lincoln Log Cabin STEM
Investigating Shadows
Phases of the Moon
Constellation Investigation
Lincoln Log Cabin STEM
March:
Texas: Oil Experiment
St. Patrick's Day: Rainbow Investigation
Oil Experiment
Rainbow Investigation
April:
Rainforests: Terrarium Investigation
Plants: Investigating Sunflower Seeds
Life Cycles: Investigating Butterflies, Ladybugs and Frogs
Terrarium Investigation
Investigating Ladybugs
Investigating Sunflowers
May:
Earth and Volcanoes: Volcano Experiment
Oceans: Investigating Sharks and Whales, Ocean in a Jar
Investigating Shells
Volcano Experiment
Investigating Whales and Sharks
Investigating Shells
Ocean in a Jar
After we do each experiment/investigation, the students record their data on their science template and then glue it into their science notebook. At the end of the year, their notebook is full of science experiments!
Here are some examples of our science notebook:
If you are interested in doing Fahrenheit Friday with your students, check out my science investigations resource here. You will not be disappointed and your students will LOVE science! This resource includes step by step materials and directions, classroom photos, lesson plans, and science notebook templates.
Happy Teaching!
Love, Kara
Science Investigations and Experiments
If you LOVE teaching science using investigations and experiments...check out this blog post about how I implement Fahrenheit Friday in my first-grade classroom!
First, you need to look at your district's scope and sequence and see which thematic units you are teaching in what month. During those units, you will need to look at your science standards and see which of those standards you can use for your investigations and experiments. In this post, I will give you a month-by-month layout of my thematic units for science and social studies and what investigations/experiments that I have used for each one.
Here we go!!!
On Fahrenheit Friday, we all go out to our neighborhood or classroom and put our lab coats on. We sit on the carpet and listen to a story. We make an anchor chart of our learning. We review what the scientific method is and then talk about what we are going to investigate that day. We talk about what scientists do: investigate, observe, ask questions, thinks, experiments, discovers, collects data, sorts data, takes guesses and tests their data.
We review this anchor chart:
At the beginning of the year, we do this scientific method foldable and glue it into our science notebook:
Don't spill anything on your coat.
If you use the restroom, take it off and put it on your chair.
Button it up when you put it on.
After you take it off gently lay it on the back of your chair.
I have had these lab coats for many years and I always wash them about twice a year.
Here is a month-to-month breakdown of my thematic units and which science investigations/experiments I do within that unit.
August/September:
What is a Scientist: The Blooming Flower
All About Me: Investigating Fingerprints
Weather: Cloud in a Cup, Tornado in a Jar
Apples: 5 Senses
Cloud in a Cup
Tornado in a Jar
5 Senses with Apples
October:
Force/Motion/Energy: Investigating Types of Energy
Owls: Dissecting Owl Pellets
Columbus/Maps: Magnets/Investigating Maps
November:
Native Americans: Growing Corn with Natural Resources
Sand, Soil and Water
Rocks/Soil: Edible Dirt Cup
Edible Dirt Cup: Layers of the Soil
December:
Christmas Around the World: Investigating Evergreen Trees
January:
Winter: Ice Experiment/ Igloo STEM
MLK/Black History: Diversity Duo
February:
Groundhog Day: Investigating Shadows
Objects in the Sky: Phases of the Moon, Constellation Investigation
Presidents/America: Lincoln Log Cabin STEM
March:
Texas: Oil Experiment
St. Patrick's Day: Rainbow Investigation
April:
Rainforests: Terrarium Investigation
Plants: Investigating Sunflower Seeds
Life Cycles: Investigating Butterflies, Ladybugs and Frogs
May:
Earth and Volcanoes: Volcano Experiment
Oceans: Investigating Sharks and Whales, Ocean in a Jar
Investigating Shells
After we do each experiment/investigation, the students record their data on their science template and then glue it into their science notebook. At the end of the year, their notebook is full of science experiments!
Here are some examples of our science notebook:
If you are interested in doing Fahrenheit Friday with your students, check out my science investigations resource here. You will not be disappointed and your students will LOVE science! This resource includes step by step materials and directions, classroom photos, lesson plans, and science notebook templates.
Happy Teaching!
Love, Kara
