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My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas}

15 Best Children’s Books About The Trail Of Tears

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I have the 15 best children’s books about the Trail of Tears. Also, look at my Free The Trail Of Tears For Kids Fun Unit Study Ideas And Lapbook for more hands-on ideas.

I have listed some for young elementary, but I feel a middle school student would enjoy them too.

You know that is one reason why I am so passionate about unit studies because you can include all ages.

15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears

It was hard to find books that hit about middle school for Tiny, but I found a few he liked.

First, the Trail of Tears is a very sad time in American history.

And it’s one best seen through the eyes of those that walked the trail.

Living books bring to life the topic you’re studying.

It certainly is such a sad topic to teach about, but our children need to see the sad and ugly side of history too, which is why I am trying to keep this unit study for upper elementary grades and higher.

TRAIL OF TEARS UNIT STUDY

Also, a couple of the books listed below I am using for information in the lapbook because they have good reference material.

Look at my list and here is my original list, then I added a few more later.

Some are repeats when we studied it again, but added a few more. Besides some books are just worth reading it again ad again.

  • The Trail of Tears (Step into Reading) This is a great book to include your younger kids. I love the fact that at this age, it should not give the ugly side yet of the way the U.S. treated Native Americans.  It should introduce them to a love of the culture.  All three of my boys read this book when they were younger.
  • The Trail of Tears (American Moments) This is one of the books Tiny read, which I feel could be for a middle school kid. The age level says 9 years old, but again, there is so much background information  that enriches this subject that it would be meaty enough for a middle school child. It has a  helpful timeline in the back and lots of pictures.
  • The Trail of Tears: A History Just for Kids  This is another one we have and though it doesn’t give the age, it is jam packed full of information that a middle school child would find interesting.I like how it presents a question for thought, then proceeds to give background information and explain it.
  • Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears A book about a 9 year old little girl that has to move and leave her home. So sad.

BOOKS ABOUT THE TRAIL OF TEARS

15 TRAIL OF TEARS BOOKS FOR KIDS WHO LOVE TO READ AND BE READ TO

Add one or two of these books to your home library or for your unit study about the Trail of Tears.

More Trail of Tears Activities

15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears
15 Best Children's Books About The Trail Of Tears

HOW TO GET THE FREE TRAIL OF TEARS LAPBOOK

Now, how to grab the free lapbook. This is a subscriber freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.
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4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

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I have a free 4-week hands-on Alaska unit study. Also, grab more ideas on my Best Homeschool Unit Studies page. Too, look at my Arctic Region and Arctic and Inuit Unit Study Free Lapbook & Hands-On Ideas.

Alaska is the largest state in the United States and is a land of breathtaking natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.

Furthermore, from the towering mountains and sparkling glaciers to the vast forests and abundant wildlife, Alaska offers a wide range of opportunities for exploration and learning.

4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

We will explore the state’s diverse ecosystems, learn about its indigenous peoples, and discover its unique place in American history.

Too, I prepared this 4-week unit study with multiple ages in mind.

Further, this study will foster a deep appreciation for Alaska’s unique culture, history, and environment.

We’ll include geography, science, history, art and a bit of math.

BOOKS ABOUT ALASKA FOR KIDS

First, look at these books about Alaska.

When I can find them, I include living books.

Then I add reference books.

13 Alaska Books for Kids Who Love to Be Read to and Love to Read

Add some of these books about the beautiful state of Alaska to your learning day or to your unit study about Alaska.

Then, here are some amazing facts you can use to introduce Alaska.

8 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT ALASKA

  1. Dog mushing is the official state sport of Alaska and has roots in the state reaching all the way back to sled dog use which dates back to 1000 AD.
  2. Alaska is the largest state in the US, it is double the size of Texas at almost 600,000 square miles.
  3. The state flag was designed by a 13-year-old boy as part of a contest held in 1926 and was voted on unanimously by the panel of judges. His design of eight stars to represent the Big Dipper, placed on a blue background to represent the sky, and the forget-me-not flower (Alaska state flower).
  4.  More than half of the glaciers in the world are located in Alaska. These glaciers cover 10 times more Alaskan land than people do.
  5. The name Alaska comes from the Aleut, an Indigenous people of Alaska, and means “the great land”.
  6. Alaska is the only US state that has coastlines on the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Bering Sea.
  7. There are over 130 volcanoes, including 90 that have been active in the last 10,000 years located in Alaska.
  8. Alaska has over 12,000 rivers, streams, and creeks, including seven of the 20 largest rivers located in the US with the Yukon River being the largest.

Keep in mind that not all school subjects may fit naturally into a unit study. Don’t force a fit with a subject.

However, it is a chance to tie concepts in and fit as many ideas as you can in a fun way.

MATH & LANGUAGE ARTS ALASKA UNIT STUDY WEEK 1

Many math themes can tie in naturally which will force math concepts.

For instance, look at this list of ideas

  • If you’re working on measurement then measure the distances between cities. Use a ruler and string.
  • Talk about the time zones in Alaska and understand what are time zones. Use a chart to show times in the different time zones in cities
  • Create a bar graph to show animals found in the ocean, tundra and forests
  • Plan a sled dog race and calculate speeds and times of travel based on various speeds
  • Research fish populations and graph the ones you learned about

4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

In addition, If you are looking for a read aloud that the entire family will love Sweet Home Alaska is the sweetest story.

For example, it is Little House on the Prairie meets American Girl and is about a family who makes their way from their home in Wisconsin to Alaska as part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.

Besides, that deal gave a couple hundred destitute Midwestern farm families a chance to start over in Alaska, which was then just a U.S. territory.

SCIENCE ALASKA UNIT STUDY WEEK 2

Next, look at some of these ideas to learn about science.

4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

Too, compare sled dogs to house dogs and learn about the differences.

Of course, the study of Alaska makes for a great geography unit study and include history.

HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY ALASKA UNIT STUDY WEEK 3

The geography is unique with towering mountains, glaciers and coastlines.

Too, Alaska is located in the far northwest of North America. And it’s bordered by Canada to the east and the Arctic and Pacific Oceans to the north and south.

  • In Northern Alaska there is a tundra. It is a unique ecosystem. Learn about the low growing plants there and the caribou and arctic fox who make the tundra their home. How to Make an Easy 3D Tundra Biome Poster Project
  • The Yukon River is one of the largest rivers in the United States. Learn how the river is important to wildlife and life in Alaska.
  • Then gold was discovered in Alaska in the 1890s. The Klondike Gold Rush attracted thousands hoping to strike it rich.
  • Investigate Denali. It is the highest peak in North America.
  • Then the southern part of Alaska includes lush forests including the boreal forest. It is filled with spruce, evergreen and fir trees.
  • Native groups like Inupiat, Yupik, Tlingit, and Athabascan have lived in Alaska for many years.
  • Russian explorers arrived in Alaska for the fur trade in the 1700s.
  • Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables
4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

Also, for a phenomenal reference book that you can use for more than one theme grab the beautiful and fact filled The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A.

4 Week Free Alaska Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

ARTS & CRAFTS ALASKA UNIT STUDY WEEK 4

Finally, study and learn about the beautiful arts, crafts and culture of Alaska.

These activities will foster your children’s love of Alaska while tying in important concepts.

What other ideas have you done?

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

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We did a fun Arctic Region Salt Dough Map to learn about the Arctic region. Also, look at my pages Arctic Region and Arctic and Inuit Unit Study Free Lapbook & Hands-On Ideas for more fun.

The Arctic Ocean is about 5.5 million square miles of water and sea ice floats on top of the ocean.

Sea ice or the polar ice cap covers most of the ocean and some of the ice is perennial meaning it is frozen year around.

The Arctic is surrounded by land in Greenland, Canada, Russia and parts of these countries as well as part of Alaska is in the Arctic Circle.

So, I thought making a salt dough map would be the perfect way to show the geography of the land and polar ice cap.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

Salt dough maps are not only appealing to all ages, but they are just plain fun to do.

We had a bit of controversy in our house before we started this because the Arctic region covers land and the polar ice cap.

According to my boys the polar ice cap is like “frozen land” that is moving. So they wanted to be sure it showed up that way on the map.

They decided to give it “texture and form” by using the dough to show that portion.

BOOKS ABOUT THE ARCTIC FOR KIDS

First, look at some of these books about the Arctic.

I prefer living books when I can find them.

12 Arctic Books about People & Animals of the Arctic

Studying about the region of the Arctic is a fascinating topic. Grab some of these books about life in the Arctic and animals of the Arctic.

This is unique for us because unless we study the Antarctic, it probably will be our only salt dough map that looks like this meaning a portion is white.

So many other parts of the world have defined land, water and land forms masses that are blue for water, green for land and brown for mountains.

Having the white portion on the map representing the polar cap is unique.

Dye is optional if you don’t want to paint but we chose to paint ours this time.

Tiny grabbed some blue glitter thinking that it might work good on the blue or water part of the map.

EASY SALT DOUGH RECIPE

  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 cups salt
  • 2 Tablespoon cream of tartar
  • 1 piece of cardboard.. For example, lid from a used box or pizza box lid (clean as possible)
  • acrylic paint
  • pencil and black sharpie
  • tape to hold your map down
  • Optional blue sprinkles, dye
  • The map we used as a template is here by Atlas on the Arctic.

I don’t have pictured the acrylic paint we decided to use later instead of the dye.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

I printed the map on 3 pages because we used a pizza size cardboard lid and too, we didn’t want our map too big.

If we were focusing on one country, we probably would have made it a bit bigger.

Since this is the top of the world, we wanted it to keep it with an aerial view.

Tape the map lightly to your box to hold it in place.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

Trace over the map outline with a pencil to make a faint outline.

You’re just trying to get a pattern to follow.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

Too, color the entire back side of your map which is a nifty tip and then the faint outline is more noticeable.

Also, if your template is big enough, at times, I have just glued the template straight onto the box.

If it is a simple outline you can just try free hand.  In my earlier days, I used traced paper too. But this way is easy enough and we like it.

Then come back with a black marker to trace over your pencil outline.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

We went ahead and made our dough because Tiny couldn’t wait a minute longer to get his hands into it. 

I do like to add in the cream of tartar because I think it makes the salt dough smoother, soft and creamier.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

It also kept and didn’t get dry while we painted.

So we painted the water and it doesn’t take too long for it to dry.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

Also, on these kinds of maps you can lightly spray paint. As long you spray pay lightly you can still see your outline.

Slowly, they formed the land and the frozen polar ice cap.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

Then what is it about making this salt dough map that makes every kid bring out all the tools they have from their play-doh making days?

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

We let our map dry for a day or two. I have read where you can put in the oven also to get it hard but you have to watch it. And bake it on low.

We weren’t in a hurry, so we just let it dry for a while after they painted it.

Important: Don’t forget to put holes in the dough where you want to put your map flags or animal tooth picks before it dries completely.

It is hard to place them after it dries completely.

We added one more country after it dried and you can use an ice pick and tap LIGHTLY so it doesn’t crack.

Kind of twist it and tap lightly and we got it in without breaking the land.

The boys wanted to make their own flag for the North Pole so they added that before it dried.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

I created some flags so that we could locate these countries and areas.

Next, we placed all the flags after we read about the area again.

Ta da, all done and tons of fun.

There is no better way to study geography. Okay, I can think of a few more ways but they all have to be fun.

I have a little something for you too. I have made these flags on the Arctic.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

Also, I have flags that just have animals on it for the younger sweeties.

You know most young kids equate countries or lands with where an animal lives.

Land of the polar bear and land of the seals equals the Arctic.

As they grow older, they know the countries, etc. So I created a set of map flags.

One page has the countries or regions, one is blank if you want to write them in yourself and one page has flags with the animals, igloo and the Saami, etc

Use the page with flag markers that are blank to write in your own animals or points of interests.

HOW TO GET THE FREE ARCTIC PRINTABLE MAP FLAGS

Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.

Arctic Region Salt Dough Map and Free Map Flag Printables

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) Sign up on my email list.

2) Grab the freebie now.

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Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re making a diy lego math calculator. Also, look at my Ancient Civilizations page about Ancient Egypt for more ideas!

Ancient Egypt was an advanced society.

We know that from the structures and texts left behind.

Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator

The Great Pyramids are one of many structures that are considered marvels in engineering and mathematics for the time.

Math isn’t always a subject kids are excited about.

How did something that has history to the beginnings of society get such a bad rap? That’s a good question.

One of the issues with any academic subject is a desire to keep common people from understanding.

Hieroglyphics themselves were designed as a language of the gods and not meant for common people.

Common people are smart and developed a less complex form of writing called demotic.

Creating barriers to learning has created mistrust in academics from the earliest time in history.

Ancient Egyptian Geometry

The other issue is human nature. People like what they understand and can do easily.

Complex mathematics systems quickly became more time consuming than many hard working people had time to pursue.

Basic mathematics became an integral part of life just as it is today.

Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: How to Build a DIY LEGO Calculator

Ancient Egyptians used addition and subtraction much like we do today, with one glaring exception… they were missing a zero.

Two other civilizations later developed zero (independently of each other -Indian and Mayan civilizations).

The lack of zero made large numbers very tedious to write and read.

Division and Fractions

Ancient Egyptians didn’t use a common denominator and relied on unit fractions.

Unit fractions have a 1 as the numerator.

Fractions would be written mostly as ¼ + 1/5 + 1/8 + 1/10. Splitting loaves of bread would become a complex task of dividing.

In modern mathematics, that would be simplified by a common denominator of 40.

10/40 + 8/40 + 5/40 + 4/40= 27/40

Many fractions were written using parts of an important symbol, the eye of Horus.

Eye of Horus Fractions

Since fractions are actually division problems. Division became a difficult task using multiple fractions to arrive at an answer.

Multiplication in Ancient Egypt – Rudimentary Calculators

Ancient Egyptian multiplication was a system of duplication that was arduous, but similar to skip counting that we use today.

Let’s work through some examples of Ancient Egyptian multiplication. . I think you might have a deeper appreciation for modern mathematics after these examples.

Multiply 5×8

Simple Mutiplication Table

The answer is 40. This is accomplished by doubling (multiplying by a factor of 2)

What if you are looking for a number other than multiplying by 2,4 or 8?

5×6

Using a Multiplication Table

2+4=6

Look at those corresponding numbers on the 5s side and add:

10+20=30

What about 5×5?

Using a Multiplication Table with Kids

1+4=5

Corresponding numbers on the 5s side and add:

5+20=25

How to Create A LEGO Math Calculator

You can create your own Ancient Egyptian Calculator using Lego bricks.

I used a basic building board and some odds and ends blocks we had laying around.

Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator. Ancient Egypt was an advanced society. We know that from the structures and texts left behind. The Great Pyramids are one of many structures that are considered marvels in engineering and mathematics for the time. Your kids will love this fun hands-on math activity. You can create your own Ancient Egyptian Calculator using Lego bricks. Click here to see how!

This calculator is for multiples of 4.

The yellow blocks are the 1s and the green blocks are the multiples of 4 (4s).

DIY Lego Calculator

To figure out 6 X 4, combine those quantities:

How to Build a LEGO Math Calculator

8+16=24 / 6 X 4=24

You could have kids make these for numbers 2-9.

This would be a great way to instill logic into the tedious task of memorizing math facts.

MORE ANCIENT EGYPT ACTIVITIES

Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator. Ancient Egypt was an advanced society. We know that from the structures and texts left behind. The Great Pyramids are one of many structures that are considered marvels in engineering and mathematics for the time. Your kids will love this fun hands-on math activity. You can create your own Ancient Egyptian Calculator using Lego bricks. Click here to see how!

Written by Kim at The Learning Hypothesis.

Looking for more hands-on math fun?

41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This list of 41 easy hands-on faith-neutral science activities for kids is not only fun, but simple to do at home. These awesome activities for kids can be used in multiple ways.

Look at these 4 ways on how to use these quick hands-on faith-neutral science activities.

  • If you’re homeschooling for faith-based reasons you want to add your own science worldview. Doing faith-neutral science activities doesn’t mean you need to leave your faith checked at the door; it does mean you can add your family’s values to an activity. Whether you homeschool for faith-based reasons or you’re a secular homeschooler, you can use these activities;
  • To respect a multitude of beliefs if you’re teaching a co-op, it’s best to have on hand science activities that all kids can do regardless of belief or lack of it;
  • Because activities don’t have to be complicated, these are ideas you can do at home with little prep; and
  • Last, but not least, the BEST list of ideas always comes from educators like us using what we have in our home or things we can purchase easily at the local store.
41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids

FAITH-NEUTRAL SCIENCE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

So these ideas comes from the brilliant and creative homeschool moms in my Facebook Group. (Yes, I’m biased). Hats off to them for being awesome home educators.

1. Check the Accuracy of the 5 Second Rule.

You need three petri dishes and gummy bears. Test the idea that if you pick up food from the floor before 5 seconds would it have bacteria.

One dish is labeled as the bacteria of a gummy bear which didn’t touch the floor, one for a gummy bear which was on the floor for 5 seconds, and one that was on the floor for a minute.

Put the dishes away for a week and check the results.

How to test the results?

After 3 days my son checked it and using a marker he circled areas where bacteria was growing and then checked again after a week.

2. Compare Transparency, Translucency, and Opacity.

Paint mason jars with a mixture of white glue and food coloring (or paint).

When you put a light inside, you can see how opaque or translucent the jar is.

3. Learn about Aerodynamics.

We rolled old socks into balls and threw them around.

Then, we compared the looser sock balls, tighter sock balls, and tried an unrolled sock. We talked about aerodynamics, then threw some more socks! 

4. Make a Fraction Salad.

Science includes math. So when you study fractions make a fraction salad.

Cut grapes in halves, apples in quarters, and bananas in sixths (or eighths, depending on the size of the fruit). Then we ate it!

5. Growing Ivory Soap Science.

Microwave Ivory soap for about a minute or stop every few seconds so your kids see the changes in the soap.

Discuss air pockets. Microwave another bar to compare to see why Ivory soap expands and why it’s lighter.

SCIENCE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

6. Investigate Condensation.

Review the terms condensation, precipitation, and evaporation.

Condensation is harder to understand and to see.

So place a pea seed in a jar with lid and moisten cotton balls.

Watch the pea sprout with the condensation built up inside.

7. Build a DIY Easy Bird Feeder.

You can use many things to build feeders, but we loved using left over pumpkin halves to build feeders in the fall.

Look at this other post How to Make Easy DIY Bird Feeders.

8. Science Art – Make Pressed and Painted Leaves.

After leaves fall from trees, press, then paint underside of leaves and make prints on canvas.

9. Sprout a Sweet Potato.

Sprout a sweet potato is easy fun science or just to have some pretty green in your house at the time of the year when all plants seem to die.

10. Learn About Patterns – Perler Beads Creations.

Make easy patterns while learning about them or create themed ones like Minecraft using the Fun-Schooling Book.

Use Perler Beads to make your creations for any science topic or a science fiction creation.

HANDS-ON SCIENCE AT HOME

11. Learn about traction.

You need leftover boxes from your Amazon orders or any box will do, but normally we have plenty of empty Amazon boxes.

Make two easy ramps with your leftover Amazon and run toy cars down them.

41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids

Then, try sticking different things to the surfaces to create traction for the cars, like sandpaper, bubble wrap, whatever you have in the house.

This is a quick and easy quick play to learn about ramps, speed, and different effects the surface provides.

12. What Affect Different Liquids has on Items?

Take gummy bears and put then in different liquids to see how it would effect them.

We used vinegar, salt water, baking soda, coke, water and just plain water.

Compare the fun results.

13. Edible Math Graphing.

Use a bag of skittles (preferable big so you have enough to eat afterwards) and separate by color. Graph the results.

Eat, enjoy and repeat. (oops with another bag)

Also, look at 25 Creative and Tasty Edible Math Activities That Keep Learning Fun.

14. Understand Dissolving.

Put salt in warm water and cold water and determine which ones dissolves more of the salt and why.

FAITH-NEUTRAL SCIENCE IDEAS

15. Learn about Yeast and How It Produces Gas.

Make home made pizza dough and individual pizzas.

Learn about yeast and the gas production that causes it to rise while enjoying the end results and the different flavors of pizza.

Look at my post How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model.

16. Dissect Owl Pellets.

41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids

Easy science.

Grab a kit and read a book about food chains to round out the experience.

Grab the book Owl Puke.

And here is an Owl Pellet Dissection Kit.

17. Diorama of the Planets or 18. Diorama of Different Habitats.

Whether you use styrofoam balls, wood. or paper mache this is a fun project.

Another idea is to make a mobile of the planets.

If you do habitats you can easily use what you have in the house and do one for the tundra, rainforest, and a desert.

Look at these fun and free printable planets and here is a printable to create a coral reef diorama , an Arctic polar animals diorama, an Amazon Jungle or Rainforest Animals, and Dinosaur habitat,

19. Grow (attempt) Celery.

Growing celery from the stump butt of one bought from the store can be fun even if it’s a fail.

Science is about attempting a variety of activities. Kids learn about what not to do in science.

BEST HANDS-ON SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

The celery did not grow, but the kids learned why to not over water vegetables.

20. Make an Outline of the Human Body and Add a Few Organs.

41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids
Picture courtesy luv of @loveandlearninghomeed

For younger kids make an outline of the human body and then have your older kids learn where body organs go.

Here is a link for the free printable organs.

21. Why do Leaves Change Color?

We looked at why leaves change color by soaking leaves in methylated spirit (denatured alcohol) which drew out the green (chlorophyll) and left the other colors.

41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids
Picture courtesy luv of @loveandlearninghomeed

22. Practical Math Using the Iditarod.

Make a litter of sled dog puppies (socks filled with rice) to study the Iditarod.

Practice math by weighing your puppies (sometimes adding or removing rice), calculating food amounts, etc.

Also learn how dog sled pups are named.

Make beef stew and serve in (brand new and washed) dog bowls and watch Sled Dog.

And look at my post How to Make a Popsicle Stick Stem Dogsled | Balto Unit Study.

23. Make an easy spinal cord.

Make the spinal cord out of penne pasta and gummi rings, the pasta being the vertebrae and the gummi rings the disks.

41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids
Picture courtesy luv of @loveandlearninghomeed

I have more Build An Edible DNA Model and Fun Edible Spine.

24. Engineering Challenge.

Do an engineering challenge to build a shelter with materials you find.

41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids
Picture courtesy of @loveandlearninghomeed

Also, look at How to Create Swiss Family Treehouse Blueprints With Kids.

25. Nature Observing.

Look for evidence of insects and animals. Read about habitats and trees in your local area, then take a nature hike.

Too, I have this post 26 Fun Nature Unit Studies for Multiple Ages.

26. Experiment with a resister to electricity.

Experiment with an electricity kit.

41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids
Picture courtesy of @loveandlearninghomeed

We determined that the current reduces when you add a resistor so the light bulb will be dimmer.

We also added a fan to a circuit.

HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

27. Glow Germ Experiment.

This is a fun one to do in a co-op or with siblings.

Click here to read about how to do the glo germ activity.

28. Learn about Capillary Action.

We explained capillary action by cutting celery stalks at the bottom and putting them in containers with food dye.

After a few hours if you cut the stalk you could see the food dye had been drawn up.

Then, after a day or so the leaves were showing the food dye.

29. Apple science.

Cut open a few different apples and inspect the seeds. Look at my posts Apple Lapbook and Apple Unit Study.

Learn about how the number of seeds directly correlates with the pollination of the apples which of course will lead us into a study on pollination.

30. Understand about blubber.

Learning about the Arctic and Antarctica are doing a blubber hand.

You insert one hand in ice water with just a glove or ziplock bag and the second hand is immersed in shortening (blubber) before put in cold water.

The kids can compare the difference with the blubber.a

31. Dissect a Shark.

And look at How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity, Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity and How to Make A Megalodon Shark Tooth Fun Homeschool Project.

FUN SCIENCE AT HOME

32. Make bouncy eggs.

Make bouncing eggs by soaking eggs in vinegar for three days.

The calcium of the eggshell will dissolve and leave the membrane of the egg which will be bouncy.

This will be to demonstrate the effect of acid on minerals like calcium.

33. Learn about weight and floating.

Make boats out of tin foil and weigh them. Make a note.

Then find things around the house and weigh them before putting them in the boat, again taking note.

Find things like pennies, paper clips and small toys.

Make it a challenge by the winner being whoever gets the most things in their boat without it sinking. They can draw pictures in their science journals too.

34. Chemical reactions.

Use silly putty to show chemical reactions. Click here to learn about the chemical reactions.

35. Color of Leaves.

Pick up leaves and examine them with a magnifying glass.

36. Make balloon operated cars.

Here is a fun video lesson to watch on how to make an easy balloon operated car.

SCIENCE TO DO AT HOME

41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids

37. Study Arthropods.

Finish your unit with an Arthropod scavenger hunt!

Kids use a scavenger hunt to find certain arthropods, take pictures of them, and then create a beautiful power point presentation as their final assessment.

38. Make a Tree Book.

Put together a book on trees.

This is a great activity if you have a ton of trees around. Go on a leaf hunt.

Then iron them in wax paper and look up each leaf and write facts about them.

Put the wax paper in plastic sleeves and put them in a notebook and keep it as a keepsake to look at all year round to remind us of the different and beautiful trees we have around us.

39. Composting.

You get short term and long term benefits from this hands-on idea.

Composting is quick to set up, but you do have to wait a few years to eventually get new dirt.

Too, i have Gardening Projects For Homeschool Easy Composting With the Amazing Dr. George Carver (Free Printable About Compost).

40. How Does Drag Work?

Make paper airplanes. Here is a link on how to make a paper airplane.

41. Make Crystals.

You can make crystals out of a solution and measured the temperature to start with, in the middle, and at the end.

Make different colors, discuss about geodes and how they form as well as other crystals like ice, salt, and sugar.

The best way to teach is hands-on and having these faith-neutral science kid’s activities at your finger tips allows you to plan quickly with just a few things on hand.

For example, look at How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids.

What easy science ideas have you done?

Look at these other fun ideas you’ll love:

Hugs and love ya,