Measuring Up In Science With Hands On Stations

At the beginning of each school year I like to make sure that my students are ready for using science tools by creating and sharing Science Center's geared around measurement. 

Not only does that help them understand how to measure, but it also will help them get ready for each of our FOSS kits that require them to measure with a variety of tools! For my older students,  I focus on the tools that will allow them to measure capacity such as syringes, measuring cups, and graduated cylinders. We focus on helping them measure length, width, and height with a ruler, tape measure, and meter stick.  Finally, we focus on mass or weight using a scale and a balance. Measuring the weight of something can be as easy as using cubes or as complicated as using grams. With my younger scientists, I focus on learning how to use a hand lens properly, how a balance balances and how can we fill capacity tools to a given line. Depending on the grade, the more I use a variety of tools that get them working hands-on.

We also focus on the universal way to measure things in science which is the metric system. That means working with centimeters ... grams... and milliliters! If you need to focus on Customary Standard Unit, do what is necessary for you. I use the metric system in our science room in all of my classes kindergarten through 5th grade. 

 What I love most about starting our school year off with measurement stations in science is that I can have my kindergarten through 5th graders be able to do Hands-On activities!  To get them started on the right track when we start our experiments is critical to saving valuable time especially when it is hard enough to fit science into a busy school day for my dear teacher friends. 

I want to share with you  ways to  to be able to set up stations so that you too can add measurement into your science lesson time making science child's play! 

Themed Stations Are the Way to Go!

It doesn't matter if it's kindergarten through fifth-grade you can set out tools and station cards and then go from station to station with guiding them on how to use the tools then you can release them to be able to try using those tools on their own. 

Finding a theme in measurement is a great way to get them excited about doing something that  isn't always easy for them. We don't spend a ton of time on measurement so this is another way to tie science and math together. From Measurement Olympics to I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell which I use...creating themes allows those kiddos to be able to be excited as they learn the tools along the way. 

I have them show me what they know. With the stations in place it also allows me to walk around the room and help students that are having a difficult time. While others are busy, I can reteach and support struggling students. 

So grab those hand lenses... those balances and scales...a handful of rulers and even those syringes as well as timers and you are set to go. If you want to save time setting them up, grab these Science Measurement Review Packs! 

Find these Packs {HERE}

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Mathletic Measurement Events

At the beginning of the year, as I welcome our new third graders into my science room, I start off with a metric measurement mini unit. This review is very important as we dive into our FOSS Earth Materials unit which has the students needing to measure circumference, width, height, weight, and more!

The Common Core State Standards for Math as well as the NGSS Science Standards both emphasize a need for our students to become proficient in measurement.

The fundamentals include:
-length
-mass
-volume
-time
-temperature
-perimeter and area
-graphing/reading a graph

This pack covers everyone of those key components except for temperature.

As we help them focus on SI or International System of Units (otherwise know as the metric system) as well as customary standard unit here in the US, we can find fun ways to add math into other areas of their day...such as science!

Take a look at my Mathletes as they participate in the metric measurement stations!

Get your mathletes actively learning metrics...Find it HERE on TPT!

I love how the kiddos are measuring volume. They are measuring the water that they squeezed out of a sponge. Practicing how to measure in milliliters is a fun way to learn math!

The standing long jump has them working as a team as they measure distance in centimeters. Once they jump three times they average!

One of my favorite mathletic events is the weight lifting station! Grab those marbles kids! Then measure the weight in grams!

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Measuring Up The First Day Back!

What a great first day of school. Working with every Kindergarten-fifth grader in our school is amazing. It may be a bit of juggling as I transition from a 5th grade class that is followed right away...not a minute between by a first grade, but I am up for it! Today, was called hit the ground running! Because I know all of them!!!! I can get started with not too much review!

My fourth graders worked on things that help our learning STICK! Then we worked right into magnets! See the transition! We did a KWL followed by them getting to just explore and play!

I love watching them figure out the balls...the magnet chips, and the magnets. I then add the vocabulary words attract and repel on the board. I ask them to show and tell their team what each word means. It is amazing that each student can show what they know! I then gave them a bag of items to test. This year...we are doing FOUR OUT THE DOOR! They must show me what they give themselves as a self assessment on my rubrics with four being the best! I have included the rubrics for you. One is for content...one is for writing, one is for analyzing, and the last is for effort.

                           Science Rubrics Download...FREEBIE

We use FOSS so we did a quick FOSS sheet and then I read a book from EPIC books about magnets! We learned about Iron and Steele and how they attract things that are magnetic! Great quick read and a free sight for teachers!

I also taught my firsties about scientists tools! The kiddos loved the stations! I had them using scales, thermometers, rulers, and timers! The hands on activities helped my little ones get through a whole hour with not too much fuss!

Third graders are also doing similar stations as they learn the metric system! Get them up and moving...get them working as a team! Get them self-assessing! Science=Success!

Happy Back to School! Happy Classrooms!

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Metric Measuring with the Little Old Lady Who Swallowed A Shell

Okay, so let's just say my students are struggling with the introduction of metric measurement. Okay, measurement in general. So, I was searching for a fun way to tie in a good book to measuring in science. Wallah, who doesn't love this little old lady? Funny thing is we just got a huge shell donation from a neighbor of our school and let's just say the shells are incredible. I made these stations in hopes that a little fun with a little old lady will help them make metric measurement connections. Here are the stations in action...

TPT Metric Measurement Stations

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Peek at My Week...9/15/14

Time for Peek at My Week hosted by Mrs. Laffin's Laughings.


K=Kinders will learn the five senses... we will focus on learning all five (through song, and focus on sight this week). Using the smartboard document helped focus on the review...The 5 Senses Smartboard Activity

using SMARTBOARD exchange. For each sense I had an activity. For example: smell we passed around a scented candle to guess the smell and then vote if we liked it or not. For sight I put 8 items on a tray of various colors and shapes and we looked at them and then I covered the tray. I also revealed pictures for them to make the sound of what they saw. We made the sound of drums, frogs, baby chicks, a phone, and fire truck. After that, I passed around objects for the kiddos to feel. I passed around dear antlers, a teddy bear, pumpkins, a ball, and a cucumber. We wrote down descriptive words to share. Last, but not least we tried cucumbers from our school garden. We talked about how they tasted. We made a graph to show if we liked it, didn't care for it, or were not sure.

1st=Students will be introduced to the five vertebrate. We will learn what a mammal is and compare us to other mammals. I started my lessons with what would happen if all the baby animals got out of their cages away from their mothers? We described what the mother would look like it it was: a panda bear, a bat, a snake, a turtle, a frog, and a flamingo. We then made a chart to classify them. Hair or fur, shell (which is a type of scale), scales, moist skin, wings, and feathers. Even though bats have wings, they have fur, so we put it with the panda. I read the book, 

I challenged them to think about how they look like their family members and how we could fit into one of the groups we listed before. We made the connection that we are  mammals which was really hard for some to grasp. We drew our favorite animals and played a riddle game after listing the 5 vertebrate along with other clues. We then hung up the pictures under our categories to start making connections. We finished by playing the Animal Characteristics Game that we will play each week until our unit is done.

2nd= Students will learn about air through bubble experiments and answer the question, "How do we know air is there." We used the FOSS unit and the scientific process to prove that Air is there, Air is matter, Air takes up  space, and Air can be captured. Kids love water. Kids love amazing discoveries. Kids don't always like to write and reflect. We are working on that one.

3rd= Students will demonstrate the use of  the metric system to measure length, weight, and volume.
Students in third grade have not measured too much so far. When I asked them to recall what tool I would use to measure my weight, three out of the four classes replied, "a ruler." I was worried. However, after setting up stations for volume, mass, and length it got a bit better. Here is a freebie for you to use that I made to remind them of tools to use... We used this Measurement Flip Book to help us write down the definitions and tools inside the book.

We then completed stations that I placed on the smartboard. Here are some of the ideas: length and weight of the scissors and marker at your table. The length and weight of the block at your table. Show me the following volumes with your syringe: 17 ml, and 35 ml. We finished up with this free worksheet I found on line at math salamanders

4th= Students will answer the question, "what objects are attracted to magnets" and determine a pattern. Students will be introduced to new vocabulary that coincides with answering the question. We used the FOSS lesson to help us go through the scientific process. We finished up with our vocabulary reflections in our science notebooks: discoveries, observations, and vocabulary.

5th=Students will learn the difference between dependent, independent, and controlled variables through experimentation and demonstration. I started off by asking them what is a variable. No one knew. I then proceeded to have them follow the directions to make a paper airplane. I continued to use the words variable and control in context as kids struggled with the directions. When we were all finished I once again asked what a variable and control is. They got it. I defined the three types. Then I asked the students how can we change the airplane? We had to remember only change one thing and then test it. We practiced on my model airplane and found we could determine a dependent variable, an independent variable, and the controls. I showed them a power point of pictures of pendulums. I asked what they had in common and to define pendulum. I showed them a bird bobber, swing set, perpetual motion balls, a hypnotist's necklace, and a grandfather clock. I told them they were now in clock repair school because time flies when your having fun in science. My clock was going way to fast and I needed help fixing it. We first had to build a control which was this week. We build our controlled pendulum and then tested it. We all got the same results. Wallah, a control. We wrote in our science notebooks once again to wrap up.

Take a look at my littles building...measuring...and sharing!

Stay tuned for next's weeks...peek at my week!

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Garden Measurement

We are busy with our third grade scientists. They are learning how to use the metric system in order for them to learn how to be geologists. Next week, they will be getting rocks to measure. Why not go outside and use the garden get a head start!

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