Science is everywhere! When tadpoles “magically” morph into frogs in the backyard rain barrel, that’s biology. Dewy grass this morning? Dew point and temperature are at work. Time outside is a great way to take a break from screen time. Here are a few ways to reinforce science learning when you and your family are outdoors.
For Students in Grades K-5
1. Take a walk outside and notice the landscape around you. Can you identify organisms that are living? Can you identify objects that are non-living?
2. Make observations about the sun in the sky. Go outside in the morning and observe the sun in the sky. Where is it located? Go outside in the late afternoon and observe the sun again. Where is it located now? Explain to a family member why you think the location changed.
3. Find two plants outside that look interesting and sketch them both on a piece of paper. What features do they have in common? What do plants need to survive?
4. On a clear night, look at the sky and see if you can observe stars and the moon. Notice how some stars appear to shine brighter than others do, how stars appear to be different sizes, and how the moon lights up the sky.
5. With parent permission, find two very different spots in the ground to observe soil (for example, dirt from a flower bed and dirt from a location near a water source like a stream). Take a scoop of soil from each location and put it in a cup or bucket. Observe the texture of the two soils. Is the soil dry or moist? Can you see different particles in the soil? Are there any rocks or pebbles in the soil? Think about how the two soils are different and how they are the same.
6. Make observations of the weather outside for five days and keep track of your observations on a piece of paper. Is it sunny, cloudy, windy, or rainy? Based on the weather patterns you observed, what do you predict the weather will be on the sixth day?
For Students in Grades 6-12
7. Challenge family members to a 10-meter race. Calculate each person’s speed by dividing the distance over the time it took each person to complete the race.
8. With parent permission, download an app or take a guidebook out on a nature hike to identify plants you see in the area around your home. What adaptations do you see? How do these adaptations help this plant survive in Georgia?
9. On a clear night, look at the sky and observe and make sketches of the moon. Use the sketches to explain the phases of the moon to a family member.
10. Use household materials to develop a rain gauge. Collect the rainfall over the course of one week. Use kitchen tools to measure the amount of rainfall. In your research, answer this question: How does the amount of rainfall you collected compare to the average?
11. After eating fruit, collect the seeds. Research what conditions the plant needs. With parent permission, identify an area outside to plant the seeds. What conditions will the seeds need to germinate? How can you help provide the growing plant with what it needs?
12. Collect rocks from outside your home. Try to identify the different types of rocks you find by researching and investigating each rock’s properties.
We’ll be sharing more tips so watch for the next installment of DLD Daily Dozen!