Andrea Knight

Teacher · Learner · Author

Something from Nothing

👉 Being able to make something from nothing can be a valuable life skill. Making mountains out of molehills is the dramatic exception, of course. In my last post, I wrote about letting kids linger for a little bit after they announce "I'm bored." It's ok to be bored. Being bored allows time for creativity to develop. Boredom also motivates a search for novelty and can lead to new goals. If we … [Read more...]

Easter Activities for Kids

A quick search online, and you can find tons of Easter activities for kids. Many of them are craft projects and kid-friendly recipes, but my teacher-heart is always on the lookout for science experiments. I created this Easter science unit years ago, but over time, I found ways to cut the costs and simplify the planning. For example, I used to lug my heavy Crockpot to school to slowly melt a … [Read more...]

The Human Body: A Smart Art Science Project

This Smart Art science project has evolved over the years, often with input from my students. We've had fun thinking of arts and crafts supplies we could use to represent different parts of the human body. I think we've been pretty clever, using straws for windpipes, balloons for stomachs, and sponges for lungs. The project requires some prep and does take a little time to build, but it's easy to … [Read more...]

Famous Inventions Kids Love – Bubble Gum

Thank goodness for inventors and all their famous inventions. There are the basics like cars, light bulbs, and (one of my personal favorites) hot water heaters. Then there are some less obvious ones like thumbtacks and zippers. There are even a few I resisted at first, like backup cameras in cars. I mean who needs those? (Apparently, me.) If you can believe it, I didn't even want an iPhone when … [Read more...]

Sound Experiments

This science unit is so fun. It's loaded with my favorite sound experiments, like this one. I first saw this idea in a library book and, to be honest, I didn't expect it to be that big of a deal (or even work, if I'm still being honest). But to my surprise, it actually delivered. I think I suffer from Pinterest-Fail PTSD. Singing Spoons is a fun way to show kids how volume and pitch change … [Read more...]