Need ideas for long term preschool science experiments!!?

Question

I teach 4/5 year olds at a local preschool. Any ideas of a long term science project? Someone suggested hatching chicks from eggs but I would rather do something different.

Thank you!

Answer 1

I woudl have a vegetable garden.  The kids can plant, water and tend to teh garden.  Afterward, they can eat the vegetables, it's a great science project and it teaches them how important it is to eat healthy.

Answer 2

There is a package you can get at Walmart in the pet department called Triops.  They are little water creatures that you hatch out of eggs. They look like little horseshoe crabs but only get to be the size of brine shrimp.  They are very easy to grow.  I helped my son do them for his six year old's science fair project.  The package cost about $3.00 and comes with everything you need to grow them such as eggs, food, and instructions on how to raise them.  My son is now 14 and still begs to get them every time we see them.  It really is fun to see them swimming around the bowl!  They only live about five or six weeks but they can lay eggs that you can dry out and restart hatching them again if you want.  Check them out at   triops.com

Answer 3

Plant lima beans, and graph the growth. Put one plant in sun, one in shade or feed one plain water and one plant food.

Answer 4

ummmm.... very interesting question...

i'll suggest that you should let them plant some plants like peas, carrot, strawberry ( i love strawberry it's so easy to grow!!!) and maybe flowers and let them keep it one each person or as a group... then you teach them how to feed them...

or

you could make ant as a pet.. like get some jar and put soft sands in there and find ant's hole at backyard then dig them and put them in the jar... feed them while they are trying to create a holes under the sands... then, children can watch them how do they look like when they build ants under ground....

if you want some more.. you can mail me...

Answer 5

The same places that cell the eggs and incubators also sell caterpillars, habitats for them, and food. Let the children observe a caterpillar's lifecycle and then release their butterflies somewhere near the school.

You could also have them grow plants. This is usually easy and very interesting to young children. It's exciting to take turns watering the plants, make observations (maybe draw or take pictures of them every week as they grow), and learn about the things plants need to grow and survive.

Growing mold isn't as long term, but also a good one. May be too gross or messy for little kids though, and you'd have to check with school admin and parents to make sure no one has any alergies and it can be done safely.

See if there is anywhere near your school where you can build an animal habitat. Learn about the things different animals need to survive, and create those things (i.e. a bird bath, a flower garden, a shaded area, etc.)

Answer 6

I am so excited you asked this! When I was doing my student teaching, one of my "projects" was a Terrarium! It was so much fun for both me and my students!

1) get a pretty large empty glass jar (like the size of the "economy size" pickle jars)

2) the jar should be on it's side so you have more room for your plants-- gravel (like from the play ground) goes on the bottom, potting soil (maybe even a few earth worms!) is next, and some small green plants(flowers don't usually work very well...I used "monkey grass")

3) before you s***w the lid on, be sure to water it just enough to make the soil damp (not muddy).

place in a window for sunlight and do not open the jar. Your kids will be able to witness the water cycle because you watered the soil and with it sitting in the window, the sun will cause evaporation and condinsation on the inside of the jar so it will fall back down into the soil again. You can also point out the "structure" of the land...such as rocks are on the very bottom for the roots to hold on to and the soil is for the neutrients for the plants and that the sunshine makes the plants grow, etc...

These things last for years and ideally, you never have to water them again! Occasionally, you might have to trim the tops of the plants...if you do that, you might have to add a tiny bit more water...just feel of the soil to see if it still feels damp. You don't want there to be too much water because there is no where for it to go and the plants will wilt. I hope this helps and if you have any more questions, let me know! Good luck!

Answer 7

get seeds for each chilren and have them plant their own plants, they can also paint their flower pots as well

Answer 8

If you actually do the project, then your kids will love you. My teacher did it and i still remember it.

Answer 9

How about composting? You would have to look up how to do it (Google "Cathy's Crawly Composters"). You can purchase some "red wiggler" worms and feed them organic scraps from lunchtime then observe after a long time how the food has been transformed.

Answer 10

Basically, preschoolers would like something fun yet educational. Since kids likes bubbles,you can let them experiments with something related to bubbles. You can teach them what makes a bubble, how to  make a bubble, alternate bubble solution, etc. It can be something really simple. But remember, don't use anything related to Glycerin, because it's poison.

Answer 11

a butterfly house - you can order the larvae, watch them make their chrysalis and evolve into beautiful butterflies.

tie a knot in one end of a panty hose leg, fill with grass seed and water - it will be a chia pet - pretty funny looking.

Ant house -but I would never have one of those in my preschool - yuck= what if they got out?

Can you have a pet?  Get a millipede or hissing cockroach to keep and take care of.

Answer 12

i did this one when i was in pre -kay.  u add butter ingretients with the class and let them shake it and it become butter and bring crackers to everyone so they can eat it with butter.  if not get a butterfly cage( a HUGE one) and put calapiters and some leafs and bars for them to do a cucoon. u and ur kids get 2 see them see the process of becomeing a butterfly. then when it come to a butterfly let  them free in to nature! plz make me the best one! :(