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October 9 – October 13

Marvelous Explorations Through Science and Stories: MESS is a science-centered early childhood curriculum enhancement. Each unit includes field-tested science experiences, suggestions for ways to integrate each topic across the curriculum, lists of recommended books and science materials, and ideas for involving families in children’s learning at home and in other settings.

Here is this week’s MESS-inspired curriculum for Crown Hill Explorers’ Nature-Based 3s class.

Experience 3: What is a Seed?

Look for seeds on the playground. Watch squirrels and birds as they hunt for and eat seeds.

Science Concept

Plants are living things that need water, light, nutrients, and air to survive, and can move, grow, and reproduce.

Place a variety of seeds and magnifying tools in the Center for further exploration.

Creative Arts (Art): Have the children create seed collages by gluing seeds onto paper.

Show the children the collection of seeds. Encourage the children to think about what these small things might be:

• Have you ever seen things like these before?
• What are they?
• Where do we find them?

Tell the children the names of the seeds that you are familiar with. Explain that if the seeds are buried in the ground and provided water, and the temperature is right, they will grow to be plants. Talk about how people sometimes plant seeds, but that seeds in the natural world are spread by the wind and moved around by animals such as squirrels and birds.

October 2 – October 6

Marvelous Explorations Through Science and Stories: MESS is a science-centered early childhood curriculum enhancement. Each unit includes field-tested science experiences, suggestions for ways to integrate each topic across the curriculum, lists of recommended books and science materials, and ideas for involving families in children’s learning at home and in other settings.

Here is this week’s MESS-inspired curriculum for Crown Hill Explorers’ Nature-Based 3s class.

Experience 2: Colors in Nature

Aim

Children will describe and compare natural items by color.

Materials

• color chips

• specimen viewers

• paper bags

Science Concept

Things can be described, compared, and classified on the basis of their characteristics.

Vocabulary

names of colors (e.g., green, brown)

dark,  light

Activities

Show the children the color chips and help them identify the colors.
Explain that you are going to go on a nature walk outdoors to look for things that match the colors on the chips. Review your nature rules.

During Science Circle distribute one color chip to each child. Go to the outdoor play area.  Have the children search for plants, animals, and other items that match the color on their chip.

Collect items in paper bags, specimen viewers. Photograph items that are out of reach or best left undisturbed.

 

Extension

Make “chips” or samples of shapes or patterns (e.g., stripes, spots, diamond shapes). Have the children search and sort patterns in nature.

Science Center

Place an assortment of natural objects in the science area along with the color chips. Have the children sort the objects according to color.

September 24 – September 30

Marvelous Explorations Through Science and Stories: MESS is a science-centered early childhood curriculum enhancement. Each unit includes field-tested science experiences, suggestions for ways to integrate each topic across the curriculum, lists of recommended books and science materials, and ideas for involving families in children’s learning at home and in other settings.

Here is this week’s MESS-inspired curriculum for Crown Hill Explorers’ Nature-Based 3s class.

Experience 1: What Is Nature?

Aim

Children will observe some of the elements of the natural world.

Materials

• collection of natural items such as rocks, leaves, pinecones, feathers, and small animals (our snails, roly-poly bugs, spiders as well as our collection of animal specimens in resin squares)
• specimen containers
• clipboard with paper and pencil, camera, and magnifying tools

Vocabulary

biodiversity – the variety of life on Earth

habitat – the natural area where something lives; it provides for all of the living thing’s needs (e.g., food, shelter, air, water)

interdependence – the complex web of interactions among living things

predator – an animal that eats another animal

prey – an animal that is eaten by another animal

resource – material that provides support or sustains a system (e.g., food, air, water, gas, wood, etc.)

September 18 – September 22

What is the focus this week?

We will be introducing the children to the human body and the five senses.  We will be exploring the major body parts and what they do. Children also will use their senses of sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing to learn about the world.

What science concepts are covered?

Humans are living things that need food, air, shelter, and water to survive and can move, grow, and reproduce.

Human bodies have many different parts, each with special functions. We learn by using our senses.

We use tools to collect data and extend our senses.

We will trace each child’s body and have them draw their faces, add hair and clothing.  We will label their body parts.

We will make popcorn: listen to the sounds it makes, watch it as it changes from kernels to popcorn, smell it as it heats up, touch it and taste it!

We will be exploring our world with magnifying glasses.  They will have a chance to ‘see’ their body and the world through the magnifying glasses.

We will read a book –  Look, Look, Look that explores the same object in three different views.