elementary science

How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

December 20, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a cute but simple tutorial to show you how to make a pipe cleaner monkey with just a couple of basic craft items. Also, look at my page Rainforest Activities for Kids for more animal crafts and activities.

You will only need a few pipe cleaners, a couple of wooden beads, and some paint to make your own.

Besides, you can make any kind of monkey you like using this tutorial, changing up paint colors and features.

How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

We made a howler monkey to go along with the rest of the themed ideas here.

Howler Monkeys are a tropical species of monkeys that live in both lowland and mountain habitats.

For example, they live in the rainforests of Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Columbia, as well as throughout South and Central America.

Their loud howls can be heard up to 3 miles away, so it’s no wonder where they got that name from.

But our little pipe cleaner monkey is quiet and well-behaved.

Howler Monkey Books

Add some of these books and resources to your reading day.

6 Books & Resources for Kids Who love Howler Monkeys

Your kids will love some of these fun resources about howler monkeys.

Howler Monkeys (Monkey Business)

Howler monkeys are named for their distinctive calls, which they let loose at dawn and at dusk. This informative resource doesn’t monkey around in describing what howlers like to eat and where they live. The volume includes an explanation of howler monkey group behavior as well as an examination of efforts being made to preserve their endangered populations.

Howler Monkey Figurine

Our Howler Monkey figurine is designed with remarkable accuracy, showcasing the creature's distinctive features and vibrant coloring.

Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

World's Loudest Animals: Howler Monkeys |

Don't tell these howler monkeys to pipe down — they're considered to be among the loudest animals on Earth. They won't quiet down unless they're sleeping, which they do about 15 hours a day.

Howlers and Other New World Monkeys

Questions and answers explore the world of New World monkeys, with an emphasis on howler monkeys.

Meet the Howlers!

Playful, poetic text and vibrant art introduce young readers to howler monkeys. Extra facts within the text give readers the low-down on these loud, sloppy, and rude rain forest dwellers.

Photo Credit: learncreatelove.com

Howler Monkey Printable Craft

How about this Howler Monkey Craft?

Next, add some of these facts.

Zoology of The Howler Monkey

Next, have your child write out the classifications of the howler monkey, look below.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Atelidae
Genus: Alouatta
Scientific Name: Alouatta

Howler monkeys are made up of 15 different species.

Colombian red howler
Black howler
Yucatán black howler
Mantled howler monkey
Brown howler
Red-handed howler
Maranhão red-handed howler
Bolivian red howler
Guyana red howler
Ursine howler
Coiba Island howler
Amazon black howler
Spix’s red-handed howler
Purus red howler
Juruá red howler

Also, here are some facts about howler monkeys.

6 Facts About Howler Monkeys

Howler Monkeys are both the largest and the most abundant monkeys in the world with the Guatemalan Howler Monkey being the biggest of all the New World monkeys.
They get their name from the howling sound that they make and are known as one of the loudest land mammals due to the special bone, the hyoid, in their throat that helps them make louder calls. Only the males make these sounds, never females. You can listen to those loud sounders here in the World’s Loudest Animals: Howler Monkeys.
Their long, strong prehensile tales can be up to five times the length of their body, anywhere from 20”- to 30” long.
9 out of 15 species of the Howler Monkey make their home in the Amazon.
Howler monkeys usually live in troupes of up to 15 males and females with a dominant member of each sex.
An unusual thing about them is that both male and female juveniles will leave the group they were born in and join up with a new group, so most spend the adult portion of their life in a group they are not related to.

This little Howler Monkey Figurine is a great addition to blocks, and sensory bins, and can be used to create a tropical diorama as well.

How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey

What You Will Need:

4 brown pipe cleaners
2 wood beads
2 smaller wooden beads
2 googly eyes
Brown craft paint
Small paint brushes or fine-tip paint pens
Hot glue gun/sticks.

First slip beads over a skewer and paint them brown or whatever color you like). You will probably need a second coat before letting it dry completely.

Lay one pipe cleaner vertically and twist another one across it horizontally about 2” from the top to give your monkey arms.

Slide one painted bead from the bottom.

Twist another pipe cleaner horizontally across just below the bead to hold it in place and make back legs.

Now, double over the tail, arms, and legs, twisting together, and bend the ends into hands and feet.

Cut off all but 1” of the neck, bend it over, then twist.

Cut 4 1” lengths from the 4th pipe cleaner and bend into a v, then twist around the feet and hands.

Slip the head onto the neck you cut and hold it in place with a dab of hot glue inside.

Once dry, take a tiny brush or paint marker and add features like eyes, a nose and a howling mouth.

Use a tiny bit of hot glue to add google eyes as well.

Finally, your monkey is ready to shape and bend, he can even hang from pretty much anything you want to hang him from with his little prehensile pipe cleaner tail.

Have fun creating a whole troupe of monkeys to hang all around, thankfully these monkeys stay quiet!

The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

December 19, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re making a fun stretchy batch of seed slime as we learn all about the colorful blue jay and his winter food. Also, look at my Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests.

But we won’t just make seed slime, we are going to provide our preschool- elementary learners with an entire themed but still open-ended tray to explore.

This slime is wonderfully stretchy, not too sticky and is a great base for adding seeds and more.

If you live in most of eastern and central North America to the Northwest, chances are you see these colorful birds plentifully in your backyard.

The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

They are a very loud bunch, making a loud jeering sound but you will also hear clear whistled notes and gurgling sounds.

Throughout the warm spring and summer months blue jays live and feed their young on a diet of mostly insects but in the cold of winter, they forage for seeds, nuts, fruit, berries, and grain to give them their much-needed energy.

We are using some of the seeds to create our slime and the rest can be put out to help feed backyard birds throughout the winter.

I have some tips for setting up a welcoming yard for Jays and other birds.

You will also find some fun facts and more hands-on ideas to build a lovely winter unit for the Blue Jay.

Books and Activities About Blue Jays

I lean toward living books for independent reading and to read aloud, then I look for reference books.

Books & Resources For Kids Who Love to Learn About Blue Jays

Blue Jays are a fun bird to learn about anytime of the year and turn it into a full unit study with toms of these resources.

The Adventures of Sammy Jay

Sammy Jay thinks he's a very fine gentleman and is proud of his handsome blue coat and high cap. But Sammy often does things he shouldn't do — like stealing. Nobody likes to be told he's a thief — especially Sammy Jay! Much of the time, he just struts around, trying to look important when he thinks someone is looking at him. Filled with pranks and rivalries, this delightful tale — enhanced with Harrison Cady's charming illustrations — combines humorous animal escapades with gentle lessons about wildlife and nature.

The Tale of Jasper Jay

Some of the feathered folk in Pleasant Valley said that old Mr. Crow was the noisiest person in the neighborhood. But they must have forgotten all about Mr. Crow's knavish cousin, Jasper Jay. And it was not only in summer, either, that Jasper's shrieks and laughter woke the echoes. Since it was his habit to spend his winters right there in Farmer Green's young pines, near the foot of Blue Mountain, on many a cold morning Jasper's ear-splitting "Jay! jay!" rang out on the frosty air.

Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-Luck Jay

When Jemima, a young orphaned blue jay, is brought to wildlife rehabilitator Julie Zickefoose, she is a virtually tailless, palm-sized bundle of gray-blue fluff. But she is starved and very sick. Julie’s constant care brings her around, and as Jemima is raised for eventual release, she takes over the house and the rest of the author's summer. Shortly after release, Jemima turns up with a deadly disease. But medicating a free-flying wild bird is a challenge. When the PBS show Nature expresses interest in filming Jemima, Julie must train her to behave on camera, as the bird gets ever wilder. Jemima bonds with a wild jay, stretching her ties with the family. Throughout, Julie grapples with the fallout of Jemima’s illness, studies molt and migration, and does her best to keep Jemima strong and wild. She falls hard for this engaging, feisty and funny bird, a creative muse and source of strength through the author’s own heartbreaking changes. Emotional and honest, Saving Jemima is a universal story of the communion between a wild creature and the human chosen to raise it.

The Blue Jay–120 Piece Puzzle Fun

THE HARDEST CHALLENGE - With hints on the back that won't take away from the fun of the game by making it too difficult, the Fruit And Birds series will provide hours of screen-free entertainment and mental relaxation for the whole family, and is sure to become a permanent decoration in your home.

Birds Blue Jay Plush with Authentic Bird Sound

With one squeeze, Audubon birds produce beautifully authentic bird calls provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s bird recording archives.

Next, look at some facts about blue jays.

5 Fun Facts about the Colorful Blue Jay

Blue Jays are large songbirds with blue, black, and white feathers.

The pigment that is in Blue Jay feathers is melanin and brown. The blue color is caused by light scattering through the cells on the surface of the feather barbs.

Blue jays are omnivores, which means they consume plants, animals, nuts, and seeds. They eat corn, seeds, fruits, insects, frogs, mice, and sometimes eggs and nestlings of other birds.

The Blue Jay frequently mimics the calls of hawks and does this sometimes when approaching a feeder to scare the other birds away.

Unlike some other species of bird both the male and female Blue Jay look identical so you cannot identify the sex by color. Males are just slightly larger than females.

Also, look how to attract blue jays to your yard.

How to Attract Blue Jays and Other Birds To Your Backyard

Blue Jays mostly do well foraging on their own. If you want to enjoy these beauties and other birds in your backyard here is what you can do to bring them in and keep them happy, so they return again and again.

Provide shade and shelter- If you already have bushes and trees, you have a natural attractant for birds. Birds need trees for shade, to rest in, for protection, and to build their nests. Trees can also be a great source of food for birds, providing insects, fruits, nuts, and berries.

Provide food- Add a bird feeder or a few to your yard to provide a variety of seeds. The more variety the more bird species you will attract. Blue Jays in particular prefer open-platform feeders. Suet blocks are a great option in the winter as well for seeds as they offer healthy easy-to-digest fat that hungry birds need for energy.

Provide clean water- Add a bird bath to your yard, in the shade where they are protected, and watch how many feathered friends show up to drink and bathe. Be sure to keep the water clean by adding fresh daily and scrubbing out the bowl often to prevent them from getting sick from bacteria.

The more you can offer to birds that they need the more frequently they will return and give you a colorful show.

Additionally, here are more slime seed ideas.

More Slime and Seed Slime Ideas

How to Make Fun Watermelon Seed Slime For Summer Learning
Bird Seed Slime
Chia Seed Slime

More Backyard Birds Activities

Finally, look how to make fun seed slime.

Fun Seed Slime

You will need:

Bird seed
1 cup white or clear school glue
1 Tablespoon baking soda
2-3 Tablespoons contact lens solution
Tray for set up
Bird figurines
Brown pipe cleaners

First, in a large bowl combine white or clear glue and baking soda, and mix well before moving on to the next step.

Slowly add in the contact lens solution ½ a teaspoon at a time, stirring to mix well between every addition.

As you mix it will become less sticky, if you add too much too fast once mixed it will be too hard and lose its stretch.

You will know it is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and does not stick to your hands.

Mix in your seeds, as much or as little as you like.

I wound up using about ¾ of a cup.

Now, to create a fun invitation to play with your slime.

You can use a divided round tray from Dollar Tree or just grab whatever tray and bowls you have on hand.

Place the slime in a larger bowl and fill smaller bowls with additional seeds so they can mix them in themself, bird figurines, and small pieces of brown pipe cleaner.

Look at this fantastic stretch!

Little pieces of pipe cleaners can be poked into the slime to create little nests for the birds.

How To Make A Newton’s Cradle With Popsicle Sticks | 5 Sir Isaac Newton Facts

December 12, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m showing you how to make a Newton’s cradle with popsicle sticks for a fun and educational homeschool project.

You have likely seen the contraption with spheres clacking back and forth on desktops.

This is called Newton’s cradle which demonstrates his third law.

It is a device that shows the conservation of momentum and the conservation of energy with swinging spheres.

How To Make A Newton's Cradle With Popsicle Sticks | 5 Sir Isaac Newton Facts

Newton made amazing contributions to science and math and was considered the father of modern science, and the first physicist.

He was the epitome of STEM long before it ever became a catchphrase.

While STEM/STEAM is an important part of everyday homeschooling, National STEM/STEAM Day is celebrated annually on November 8^th.

And I think learning how to make a Newton’s cradle with popsicle sticks is a fantastic way to observe it.

5 Isaac Newton Facts

If you are looking for a great reference book to have on hand that covers scientists from early times to modern Superstars of Science is a fantastic entertaining book.

It is a book for elementary through middle school students to enjoy and learn the people behind the inventions, laws, and more including Newton.

Then, look at these facts about Sir Isaac Newton.

Sir Isaac Newton was an English polymath (someone whose knowledge covers a wide range of subjects in particular arts and sciences) He was a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author.
Newton has 2 birthdays. He was born on January 4th, 1643 on the Gregorian calendar, which we use today. Back in the 17th century at the time of his birth the Julian calendar was used and according to that, he was born on December 25 1642.
The story of the apple falling on his head is only partly true, he did witness an apple fall from the tree and it gave him the idea of gravity, but it didn’t hit him on the head.
Newton founded the branch of math called Calculus, mechanics, and optics and was key in the advancement of early modern chemistry.
While he is most famous for his 3 laws, he had many other contributions like being one of the first to make a reflecting telescope.

Books About Sir Isaac Newton for Kids

Next, add some of these books about this famous scientist.

7 Books For Kids Who Love Learning About Sir Isaac Newton

He was one of the most important scientists of his times. Your children will love adding some of these books to their reading day.

Newton's Rainbow: The Revolutionary Discoveries of a Young Scientist

Famed for his supposed encounter with a falling apple that inspired his theory of gravity, Isaac Newton (1642–1727) grew from a quiet and curious boy into one of the most influential scientists of all time. Newton's Rainbow tells the story of young Isaac―always reading, questioning, observing, and inventing―and how he eventually made his way to Cambridge University, where he studied the work of earlier scientists and began building on their accomplishments. This colorful picture book biography celebrates Newton's discoveries that illuminated the mysteries of gravity, motion, and even rainbows, discoveries that gave mankind a new understanding of the natural world, discoveries that changed science forever.

Isaac Newton

A biography of Isaac Newton.

Isaac Newton: Greatest Genius of Science (Genius Scientists and Their Genius Ideas)

A biography of the seventeenth-century English scientist who formulated the theory of gravity.

World History Biographies: Isaac Newton: The Scientist Who Changed Everything

Born in England in 1643, Isaac Newton grew up in the age when Renaissance thinkers were challenging accepted ideas throughout Europe. Fascinated by all earthly science, Newton developed laws of motion and universal gravitation which also furthered our understanding of the movement of celestial bodies. This vibrant biography profiles the famed physicist as an acclaimed mathematician, astronomer, alchemist, philosopher, and inventor as well. Readers will discover the genius who inspired Alexander Pope to write.

The Ocean Of Truth: The Story Of Sir Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton is one of history's most renowned scientists. He independently developed the mathematical technique known as Calculus, wrote a treatise on the properties of light and color that is still consulted by scientists, and worked out the mathematical details of the law of gravity. What is less well known is the depth of his Christian faith, and the amount of writing, speaking, and research he devoted to defenses of the tenets of Biblical belief. This book makes Newton come alive for readers.

Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal'd

A surprising true story of Isaac Newton’s boyhood suggests an intellectual development owing as much to magic as science. Before Isaac Newton became the father of physics, an accomplished mathematician, or a leader of the scientific revolution, he was a boy living in an apothecary’s house, observing and experimenting, recording his observations of the world in a tiny notebook. As a young genius living in a time before science as we know it existed, Isaac studied the few books he could get his hands on, built handmade machines, and experimented with alchemy—a process of chemical reactions that seemed, at the time, to be magical. Mary Losure’s riveting narrative nonfiction account of Isaac’s early life traces his development as a thinker from his childhood, in friendly prose that will capture the attention of today’s budding scientists—as if by magic. Back matter includes an afterword, an author’s note, source notes, a bibliography, and an index.

Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities (30) (For Kids series)

Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids paints a rich portrait of this brilliant and complex man, including 21 hands-on projects that explore the scientific concepts Newton developed and the times in which he lived. Readers will build a simple waterwheel, create a 17thcentury plague mask, track the phases of the moon, and test Newton’s Three Laws of Motion using coins, a skateboard, and a
model boat they construct themselves. The text includes a time line, online resources, and reading list for further study. And through it all, readers will learn how the son of a Woolsthorpe sheep farmer grew to become the most influential physicist in history.

Additionally, look at Newton’s laws.

Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion

Newton’s First Law – “Law of Inertia” – Every object moves in a straight line unless acted upon by a force. Example- a ball will roll down a hill unless something stops it-friction or another object for example.

Newton’s Second Law – “Law of Acceleration” -The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force exerted and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.

Example- In karate, breaking a board or slab of bricks.

Newton’s Third Law – “Law of Interaction” (also “Law of Action and Reaction”)– For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Example- Firing a bullet, when shot from a gun, the gun puts a force on the bullet and propels it forward.

Also, look at more ideas to learn about Sir Isaac Newton.

More Ideas for Learning About Sir Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton’s Quotes & Copywork
Gravity and Isaac Newton Experiments
Isaac Newton Study And Science Lessons
Making Newton’s Laws Easy
Then grab some minibooks About Sir Isaac Newton and His Apple on my Apple Unit Study and Lapbook page.

How To Make A Newton’s Cradle With Popsicle Sticks

You will need:

12 jumbo craft sticks
String
6 marbles
Hot glue gun/glue sticks
Scrap wood (old Jenga blocks)

First, use hot glue to create a square out of 4 craft sticks.

Take 2 craft sticks and mark every half inch along the stick starting 1 ½” in on each end.

Glue one to the top of another craft stick to form a T, be sure the marks are facing outward.

How To Make A Newton’s Cradle

Add another stick to the bottom of the T to create a capital i.

Make two of these.

Attach one of the capital i’s to the square base with a generous amount of hot glue and use a small piece of scrap wood like the old Jenga block I used here.

You want to be sure the marks you made on the top stick face in toward the square base center.

Cut 8 six-inch pieces of string.

Fold each string exactly in half.

Hot glue a marble to the very center of each string.

On the opposite capital i piece that you have not attached to the base yet hot glue each string right over the top of the marks you made.

Line up the tips of the strings with the edge of the top, then cover with another craft stick.

This tidies it up a bit and helps keep the strings more secure.

Attach the second capital i to the opposite side, affixing again with a scrap of wood to stabilize and strengthen it.

When the glue is dry lay down the frame and hot glue the other end of the string over the other marks on the cross piece lining it up with the top.

Place upright and check to make sure that the marbles line up at the same height, once you are satisfied with that, glue another stick over the strings.

To use, pull back on one marble and release, as it hits the second one the kinetic energy is transferred, and it stops while the next one moves to hit the 3rd and it repeats over and over until the energy dies out.

How to Make a Cool Fibonacci Lemonade and 8 Things to Learn about Fibonacci

December 11, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m showing you how to make a cool Fibonacci lemonade and we are learning all about the famous mathematician and his contributions.

For a kid who isn’t typically wild about math or science, making this layered Fibonacci lemonade will get them excited to learn about both.

How to Make a Cool Fibonacci Lemonade and 8 Things to Learn about Fibonacci

The measurements of ingredients and the way that they are added is a simple and easy-to-understand lesson in mathematics.

While learning about density this activity gives your child an equally fun and understandable science lesson.

Besides the lemonade, you can demonstrate simply with graph paper and by observing the pattern occurring in nature.

First add some of these books for fun reading time.

Books About Fibonacci For Kids

Also, I lean toward living books to be used as a spine for studying a subject and then like to add in informational books.

6 Books About Fibonacci

Add some of these books about Fibonacci to your library.

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci

As a young boy in medieval Italy, Leonardo Fibonacci thought about numbers day and night. He was such a daydreamer that people called him a blockhead.When Leonardo grew up and traveled the world, he was inspired by the numbers used in different countries. Then he realized that many things in nature, from the number of petals on a flower to the spiral of a nautilus shell, seem to follow a certain pattern. The boy who was once teased for being a blockhead had discovered what came to be known as the Fibonacci Sequence!

Fibonacci Fun: Fascinating Activities With Intriguing Numbers

From "Raising Rabbits" to "Prickly Pinecones", 24 easy-to-use, reproducible activities and projects introduce students to Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio. Grades 4-8

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature

A Caldecott medalist and a Newbery Honor-winning poet celebrate the beauty and value of spirals. What makes the tiny snail shell so beautiful? Why does that shape occur in nature over and over again—in rushing rivers, in a flower bud, even inside your ear?

With simplicity and grace, Joyce Sidman's poetry paired with Beth Krommes's scratchboard illustrations not only reveal the many spirals in nature—from fiddleheads to elephant tusks, from crashing waves to spiraling galaxies—but also celebrate the beauty and usefulness of this fascinating shape.

Wild Fibonacci: Nature's Secret Code Revealed

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34. . . Look carefully. Do you see the pattern? Each number above is the sum of the two numbers before it. Though most of us are unfamiliar with it, this numerical series, called the Fibonacci sequence, is part of a code that can be found everywhere in nature. Count the petals on a flower or the peas in a peapod. The numbers are all part of the Fibonacci sequence. In Wild Fibonacci, readers will discover this mysterious code in a special shape called an equiangular spiral. Why so special? It mysteriously appears in the natural world: a sundial shell curves to fit the spiral. So does a parrot's beak. . . a hawk's talon. . . a ram's horn. . . even our own human teeth! Joy Hulme provides a clear and accessible introduction to the Fibonacci sequence and its presence in the animal world.

The Rabbit Problem

How does 1+1 = 288? A family of rabbits soon supplies the answer in this funny story! Hop along to Fibonacci's Field and follow Lonely and Chalk Rabbit through a year as they try to cope with their fast expanding brood and handle a different seasonal challenge each month, from the cold of February to the wet of April and the heat of July. This extraordinary picture book is packed with gorgeous details and novelty elements including a baby rabbit record book, a carrot recipe book and a surprise pop-up ending.

Coloring Fibonacci in Nature

Assembled here is a collection of outline illustrations inspired by the Fibonacci number sequence found in nature. They appear everywhere in nature, from the leaf arrangement in plants, to the pattern of the florets of a flower, the bracts of a pinecone, or the chambers of a nautical shell. The Fibonacci Sequence is applicable to the growth of every living thing, including a single cell, a grain of wheat, a hive of bees, and even all of mankind.

8 Things to Learn About Fibonacci

Fibonacci was a medieval Italian mathematician who introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals to Europe.
His real name was Leonardo Pisano Bogollo, and “Fibonacci” was just a nickname, and roughly meant “Son of Bonacci”.
He is most famously known for something called The Fibonacci sequence. The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers that goes like- 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13…
The next number in the sequence is found by adding the two previous numbers, so the next number in that sequence would be 8+13+21, and then the next would be 13+21=34 and so on.
This sequence appears in nature- in nautilus shells, pinecones, hurricanes, spiral galaxies, and flowers. It is also called “nature’s secret code.”
In the 19th century, a statue of Fibonacci was set in Pisa to honor him, not too far from the famous Tower of Pisa.
November 23 was marked as Fibonacci day because when you write the date in the mm/dd format (11/23) the digits in the date form the Fibonacci sequence-1,1,2,3
He did not invent the sequence, but it was named after him because he popularized it by publishing it in his work- Liber Abaci, a Latin manuscript on arithmetic.

Look at this Fibonacci rectangle.

Demonstrating the Fibonacci Rectangle

Create your own version of the Fibonacci rectangle with a sheet of graph paper.

Coloring in 2 squares, each in different colors.
Above that create a 2×2 square in another color.
Continue moving in a spiral around the center, 3×3, 5×5, 8×8, 13×13, and higher if space permits.
Label each set of squares to see the sequence with a pen.
Draw the spiral starting in the center most corner.

Do you see the shape of a nautilus shell?

If you don’t have graph paper on hand you can find a free printable for it here.

Another great example is this Fibonacci Art project that combines math and art to teach and incorporates using a compass which may be a new math tool for some learners.

The problem that Fibonacci presented in his Liber Abaci was this:

“A certain man put a pair of rabbits in a place surrounded on all sides by a wall. How many pairs of rabbits can be produced from that pair in a year if it is supposed that every month each pair begets a new pair, which from the second month on becomes productive?”

Fibonacci Lemonade

How do the layers stay separate in this Fibonacci lemonade?

The higher the sugar content in liquid is, the more dense it becomes.

So each layer has a different density and does not mix with the others if added carefully.

How to Make a Cool Fibonacci Lemonade

This one is a little bit tricky but with a little patience and maybe a couple of attempts you get a cool layered lemonade that still tastes delicious.

The idea is that the ingredients for each layer replicate the Fibonacci Sequence- adding the amounts of the ingredients in the previous two layers together to get your new ratio of simple syrup to water.

You will need:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Lemon juice
3-7 food coloring colors
Smooth clear glass
Ice
Spoon
Small paper cups or bowls

First, heat the water up in the microwave until very hot but it does not need to be boiling.

Stir in sugar until completely dissolved, and make sure it is well mixed or the layering will not work.

The easiest method I found for making the layers is to get little paper cups or little bowls as I have here to mix each of the layers in.

Fibonacci Lemonade

Add a drop or two of food coloring to each bowl.

To keep it simple, the order you have for your bowls is the order you will add to the drink.

I am listing the layers in the Fibonacci sequence, but you will want to reverse the order you put them with the most sugary one at the bottom of the glass.

Remember the sequence looks like this… 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13…

Here are your layers…

1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup
1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon simple syrup -top layer
1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 teaspoons simple syrup
2 teaspoons lemon juice and 3 teaspoons simple syrup
3 teaspoons lemon juice and 5 teaspoons simple syrup
5 teaspoons lemon juice and 8 teaspoons simple syrup-bottom layer

Put each of these measurements into your bowls and stir to mix, remember the highest ratio of sugar and lemon juice will go in first.

Fill a glass with ice.

Pour the bottom layer in.

For each of the next layers, you want to pour slowly and carefully over the back of a spoon so the splash does not disturb and combine the layers.

If your layer goes in a little too fast it may blend with the previous layer so take your time adding it.

We added just a little water to ours at the end and it was perfectly sweet and lemony but mixing it up makes it an ugly muddy color.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

December 7, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Do geckos live in the rainforest? Asking questions and discovering the answers are wonderful ways for kids to learn about the world around them. Too, you’ll love my Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon page.

What is the largest reptile? Let’s answer some of those questions for them.

Reptiles are fascinating and can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

So, wherever you are there are amazing reptiles to observe and learn about. Most kids are fascinated with this topic.

I have learned that kids get so much more out of a lesson when they do rather than just listen.

For example, today we’re creating a replica of a real lizard like the Turnip Tailed Gecko from the Amazon Rainforest.

I can tell you that years from now they will remember facts they learned about it, like how their mouth is black inside, or that they sacrifice their tail to escape predators and the funny-looking way it regenerates.

Questions and Answers About Reptiles

First, look at some facts about reptiles.

What defines a reptile? Reptiles are air-breathing, cold-blooded vertebrates that have scaly bodies rather than hair or feathers; most reptile species are egg-laying (but not all).
What kinds of animals are reptiles? Lizards, snakes, turtles, alligators, and crocodiles.
Do Geckos live in the rainforest? Yes! You will find geckos like the Turnip Tailed Gecko, Bridled Forest Geckos, and the Amazon Lava Lizard to name a few. In fact, geckos live on all the continents except Antarctica.
What is the world’s largest reptile? That title goes to the saltwater crocodile, one was even recorded at over 20’ long.
How many different types of reptiles are there? There are more than 8,200 different species of reptiles, most of these are snakes and lizards.

5 More Questions and Answers About Reptiles

Do all snakes lay eggs? No only about 70% do, but snakes in colder climates have live births because the eggs would not survive the cold.
What is the biggest species of lizard in the world? That would be the Komodo dragon, it can grow as big as 10 feet long.
What are turtle shells made of? A turtle’s shell is made of bone and is a part of the turtle’s spine. It is made out of two pieces, the carapace (top) and the plastron (bottom), and covered in scoots that are made of keratin.
How fast can alligators run? Alligators can run up to 35 mph for very brief periods, which is faster than Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world.
Do chameleons really change colors to blend in? Blending in is not the main purpose. Their natural appearance allows them to blend in well with their habitat and evade predation. Another reason is that chameleons can’t regulate their own body temperatures, they change their skin color to reflect or absorb sunlight and thereby deflect or absorb different amounts of heat. Yet another reason for the color change is that changes in the chameleon color may also signify a chameleon’s mood.

Also, add one of these books to your lists.

Note I prefer living books more than textbooks. So, I know you’ll find some of them helpful.

Reptile Books and Resources

Add some of these books and resources about reptiles to your library.

Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles

A fascinating picture book biography of a pioneering female scientist who loved reptiles!While other girls played with dolls, Joan preferred the company of reptiles. She carried her favorite lizard with her everywhere--she even brought a crocodile to school!When Joan grew older, she became the Curator of Reptiles at the British Museum. She went on to design the Reptile House at the London Zoo, including a home for the rumored-to-be-vicious komodo dragons. There, just like when she was a little girl, Joan hosted children's tea parties--with her komodo dragon as the guest of honor.

Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.Nature Anatomy is the second book in Rothman's Anatomy series – you'll love Nature Anatomy Notebook, Ocean Anatomy, Food Anatomy, and Farm Anatomy, too!

The Ultimate Book of Reptiles: Your guide to the secret lives of these scaly, slithery, and spectacular creatures!

Sink your fangs into the hidden worlds of these scaly and sensational creatures with leading reptile scientist and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Ruchira Somaweera as your guide.Meet the coolest cold-blooded animals ever. From lizards to snakes, turtles to crocodiles, something called a tuatara, and even enormous prehistoric reptiles (think real-life sea monsters!), you’ll discover what makes a reptile a reptile; how these creatures live, hunt, hide, and raise their young, and the wild adaptations that make them so unique. Learn which snake is the most venomous on the planet and which are surprisingly gentle creatures, which reptile is born with a highly developed third eye in its forehead, and which one is so tiny it could balance on the tip of your finger—plus loads of super important conservation information and impactful ways to join the fight to save endangered reptile species right from home!

Professor Noggin's Reptiles and Amphibians Trivia Card Game

PLAY & LEARN: Professor Noggin’s series of educational card games encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects.
FUN FACTS: How about Reptiles versus Amphibians?! That's just one of the topic cards in this kids card game. Find out more fun facts from Eggs to the Komodo Dragon!