I know quite a few districts and states are on an “extended break” due to COVID-19. This is brand new territory. I want to prioritize doing what’s best for students, families, and educators.
I encourage you to provide these activities as offerings to families, not requirements.
Many families are being pulled in different directions. They need childcare. They need to work. They may be working from home. They may be out of work. They may be ill. They may be stretched financially. They may be hungry. On the other hand, some families want something meaningful for their children to do while they’re home.
For some kids, educational activities to complete would be helpful. For others, it would present a burden.
I know many teachers are parents first and will have their own kids with them at home. They have parents and grandparents who may need care. They have lives outside of school that should be considered. I hope providing these resources helps make your job easier.
As a curriculum creator, I’m trying to figure out where to direct my time and resources. I want to support teachers and students in the best way I can. I’ve had a lot of requests for resource suggestions for learning at home so hopefully I can help by sharing information and resources.
I pulled 8 activities from paid resources that I thought would be best for home use. Here are the 8 Science Penguin resources available to you:
- 4 outdoor scavenger hunts
- 4 life science projects
There’s no need to sign up for anything. Just simply download for your personal use.
Outdoor Scavenger Hunts
My daughter and I went on a nature walk this morning and it occurred to me that my focused outdoor science scavenger hunts might be helpful to families looking for engaging science activities. These were originally written for school use, but I’ve modified the directions slightly for use at home.
These 4 scavenger hunts are taken from my Out the Door to Explore resource. They require no prep, just some space outdoors.
Download now! Scavenger Hunts
Life Science Home Projects
A 5th grade teacher shared that she sent these projects home as something optional for students to work on. I love it. Two out of the four projects require no outside research.
These are the kind of projects I know I would have loved as a kid if I was stuck at home for a few weeks.
These 4 life science projects are taken from my Science Challenge Projects resource. I modified these four activities slightly by ditching the grading rubrics since they were designed specifically for projects completed at school.
Download now! Life Science Home Projects
I hope this helps educators and families who are looking for activities to stay busy at home!
Ari Mosquera
Owner, The Science Penguin
The post 8 Free Elementary Science Activities for Educators and Families appeared first on The Science Penguin.