We love science projects...especially when we have such fun hands-on opportunities to see life science at its best!  When my first graders get enthralled in an exciting project, many chances for meaningful reading and writing take place on a daily basis.  Below are our three major projects with activities and links included for more information.  Hands-on Science is a huge hit in our classroom!

 

Mealworms- 

In the fall we buy medium size mealworms at a pet store and watch them change into Darkling Beetles.  We keep the mealworms in a plastic shoebox with holes cut in the lid.  The mealworms live in a bed of oatmeal which also serves as food.  Every few days we put in small apple chunks also.  Depending on the size of the mealworm, it can take from six weeks to five months for the beetles to change.  Each child also has a small plastic babyfood container with one mealworm that they can take home to watch.  If children are not allowed to take their mealworm home, they add it to our big colony.  My students have a daily journal to record changes in as well as a learning packet to use for exploration.  Enchanted Learning has some materials to include in this unit. Here is another site on mealworms for more information for teachers.

 

 

 

 

Eggs to Chicks (Embryology)- 

In March or April we begin our Embryology Unit.  The date is dependent on when our County Farm Extension Bureau has the eggs available for us.  It takes 21 days for chick eggs to hatch.  We have also done duck eggs which take an extra week to hatch.  The children have a daily science journal as well as a learning packet to work in.  We candle (look at shadows inside) the eggs to track actual changes.  Once he eggs hatch we keep them for about one week before the chicks are returned to a farm.  Here are some interesting sites to check out:  Chickscope from University of Illinois , University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Service , Chick Hatch Video-Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, IL.

 

Caterpillars to Butterflies-  

In May we do our final project raising Painted Lady Butterflies.  We get caterpillars from Insect Lore and watch their metamorphosis into butterflies.  Once again the students have a daily journal and a learning packet.  This time for the journal writing, the children model their writing after the book, Diary of a Worm.  Just like in this book, they write in the first person, taking on the viewpoint of the caterpillars or butterflies.  Excellent thinking and application of learning occurs when the children apply the facts they learn and write from a new viewpoint rather than expository.  They are very proud of this "new" writing and can't wait to share all the clever things they come up with.  Here are some web sites with more information on this butterfly project: Ms. Jacoby's Painted Ladies and Butterflies in Our Classroom.