Here’s what you need for Week 1: Rocks:
Books (find at your local library or order below on Amazon):
- The Street Beneath My Feet by Charlotte Guillain and Yuval Zommer
- The Pebble in My Pocket by Meredith Hooper (or read it here on OpenLibrary)
- Volcano Wakes Up! by Lisa Westberg Peters (or listen to this read aloud)
- A Rock is Lively by Dianna Hutts Aston (or listen to this read aloud)
Supplies (use what you have, but here are links to shop if you need anything):
- paper + access to a printer (don’t have one? we like this model)
- laminator + laminator sheets (optional, but recommended for repeating lessons)
- 8×12 sheets of felt (light blue, dark blue, green, dark brown, red, orange, yellow, light brown)
- paper + access to a printer (don’t have one? we like this model)
- our earth’s layers template
- glue
- scissors
- black marker
- towels
- 2 boxes or bins (optional)
- 4 glasses or jars
- cotton string (or other absorbant string/yarn)
- 4 large paper clips
- Epsom salt
- baking soda (this is often cheaper at a grocery store)
- mineral scratch kit
- white and milk chocolate (baking chocolate or almond bark are perfect)
- grater or vegetable peeler (kid-safe options like this one are also available)
- cutting board
- foil
- baking tray (or candle warmer)
- colorless gelatin
- 2 small bowls (that hold about 1 cup of liquid)
- small rocks and sediments (rocks broken down into smaller pieces)
- dirt with small pieces of rock or tiny gravel
- linking blocks (you can also use DUPLOs)
- 12 rocks (use what you can find outside, or these river rocks would work)
- paint
- frosting
- rice cake (these are cheaper at a grocery store)
- graham crackers (these are cheaper at the grocery store, too)
- Small water bottle (or big if you want to make a bigger volcano)
- About 3″ of clear tubing with 7/8″ outer diameter (fits perfectly inside opening of water bottle)
- About 4 feet of smaller clear tubing (the original post uses 5/16″ outer diameter and 3/16″ inner diameter, but actual dimensions are not critical)
- brown play dough (you can also use 4 times this recipe with about 1/4 cup of instant coffee replacing the 15 drops of food coloring. This makes about 8 cups of dough.)
- vinegar
- food coloring
- single hole punch (you can also use scissors or a craft knife)
- funnel
- measuring cup
- clear sheet of thin plastic (you could use an empty laminated thermal pouch)
- dish soap (optional)
- clean eggshells
- a variety of soluble solids: table salt, rock salt, sugar, baking soda, Epsom salts, sea salt, borax, or cream of tartar
- small heat proof containers (coffee cups work well)
- spoons
- egg carton and wax paper (or mini-muffin tin)
- ingredients for this recipe
- air-dry clay or playdough
- coins
- crayon
Here’s what you need for Week 2: Rivers, Lakes + Ponds:
Books (find at your local library or order below on Amazon):
- Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner (or listen to this read aloud from the author)
- What is a River? by Monika Vaicenavičiene
- Rivers & Lakes: Nature Hide & Seek by John Norris Wood
Optional additional reading:
- The Treasure Hunter’s Handbook by Liza Gardner Walsh – If your family spends a lot of time outdoors exploring streams and ponds, this is an excellent resource you will use for years. For this lesson, pages 24-34 will be most helpful. (You can also find it on OpenLibrary here!)
Supplies (use what you have, but here are links to shop if you need anything):
- paper + access to a printer (don’t have one? we like this model)
- white cardstock + colorful cardstock
- laminator + laminator sheets (optional, but recommended for repeating lessons)
- food web illustrations printable
- 13 small paper cups
- glue or tape
- paper plates
- paint (blue, green, white, pink)
- green craft foam (or green cardstock)
- glue
- medium paper clips
- small stones (optional)
- magnetic wand
- thin green and black markers
- masking tape
- measuring tape
- a sheet of freezer paper
- a sheet pan or sensory bin
- water-based markers
- spray bottle
- food coloring
- black marker
- ruler or yard stick
- watercolor paper
- small jars or other small containers for paint
- eye droppers (3-4)
- easel, or something to prop up painting
- foil baking sheet (you can often find them at dollar stores for cheaper, or you can use a sensory bin)
- blue and brown play dough
- real or artificial leaves, sticks, rocks, and grasses
- animal figurines (optional)
- plastic sandwich bag
- ingredients for this recipe
- a brad
- paint brushes
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