Going bananas
While unpacking the groceries together, my five-year-old queried how long it would take for the bananas to be ripe enough to eat, providing a perfect entry point to developing a science experiment.
Play
Child-led inquiry and spotting STEM in the everyday isn’t always easy in our busy everyday lives so we have created these resources for inspiration. We want to give you support and guidance in a virtual co-constructed learning environment.
The phases of the Moon
The terms waning, waxing, gibbous, full moon and new moon are terms we use to describe the Moon. We also might use the word phase. All of these can be explained with a little imagination and some playful experimenting.
No good crying over spilt milk
This is a lovely design and technology experience. Children can look at the table setting and decide what objects are ‘fit for purpose’: What is it about the jug that makes it easy to pour? They learn about table settings, whether the knife goes on the right or left. What if you are left-handed?
Head, shoulders, knees and toes
From scraped knees to hair brushing, body parts and their names play a big role in children’s everyday lives. But, our memories of how we discovered them and when we learned their names are often a little hazy. See how many of these songs you know!
Can you blow bubbles on the Moon?
Bubbles are fascinating: The spherical shape, the sheen and the rainbow colours, the way they float and move with the air currents… They are a source of wonder; but how do they form? What makes them pop? What holds them together? AND can you blow bubbles on the Moon?
A giant leap for technology
Technology has changed rapidly in the last 50 years. An investigation into changes in telephone technology or pictures of old cars can spark many conversations. These might lead into a closer investigation of form and functionality then and now and how technology affects everyday life.
The moon has a round face
My Dad taught us this game. It’s a common campfire game and it’s annoying. I like to use it to spark a conversation about the Moon and its attributes. AND it’s a great way of discovering the children’s prior knowledge.
In space, no one can hear you scream
For sound to travel from one place to another, it needs something to move through. On Earth, air allows sound waves to move from one point to another. Sound can also move through water and the coat hanger is also useful for investigating how whales and dolphins communicate over such long distances. Sound waves travel through vibrations…
Comparing physiologies: Giant Pacific octopuses
Children can have some interesting perspectives on what is inside them. Cultural perceptions can also make a huge difference. Why not investigate their prior knowledge by starting a conversation about the biology of the Pacific octopus or another sea creature they have studied?