It’s no secret I love science and holiday science is extra special. I’m not sure how far ahead you plan your lessons. If you’re like me, it’s not consistent. I’d love to have several weeks planned out at a time, but (honestly) it rarely happens. Still, I’m already thinking about Valentine’s Day… maybe you are, too. So this week, I’m sharing some of my favorite Valentine science investigations. This first one, Valentine Floats, is the yummiest and it’s a great way to introduce or review the three states of matter, solids, liquids, and gases.
Instructional Materials
The investigation is included in my holiday pack, Valentine Science: 5 Lovely Science Investigations for Primary Students. Each investigation prompts children to predict, observe, take notes, discuss results, and make connections while writing and drawing about their ideas. This lesson includes:
- teacher notes and tips
- student recording sheets
- a How does that work? sheet, explaining the science concept
- anchor charts to outline the steps and make the process more concrete for young learners
Planning Tips
These are my two favorite ideas for using all 5 investigations:
- Plan one investigation for each day of Valentine week. The theme is fun and the activities are not only engaging, but they encourage high-level thinking and reflection.
- OR, my favorite, plan a fun Valentine Science Day with your team and do all five investigations on Valentine’s Day! Gather some parent volunteers to help out and set up 5 science stations in different classrooms. Set a schedule that works for your team and rotate the classes through each station.
Happy teaching!
