hands on history

Free Titanic Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas

January 28, 2023 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today I have a free Titanic lapbook. Be sure to grab my other page lapbook ideas and best homeschool unit studies.

It was the beginning of the twentieth century when the Titanic sank on April 14/15 of 1912.

Science was advancing in all areas of life.

Free Titanic Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas

And on October 1910, the New York Times published a review of the Olympic, Titanic’s sister ship.

It ended with the words “In short, so complete will be the system of safeguarding devices on board this latest of ocean giants that, when she is finally ready for service, it is claimed that she will be practically unsinkable and absolutely unburnable.”

Facts about the Titanic

Doing a Titanic lapbook and with these unit study ideas, your students can weigh the advances of science and still learn history.

For example, look at some of these facts.

Titanic was built in Belfast by the shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff.
The largest movable man-made object ever made (at that time).
Passenger capacity: 2,435
Total crew: 885
Length: 882.5 feet
Width: 93 feet
Height from bottom of ship (keel) to top of funnels: 175 feet
The Titanic set sail on its famous journey at 12:00 noon on April 10, 1912.
On Friday April 12 and Saturday April 13 in clear weather, the Titanic sailed.
On Sunday, April 14 at 11:40 pm, the Titanic struck an iceberg.
There were 2227 passengers on board the Titanic at the time that it sank.
The Titanic was designed to stay afloat with four watertight compartments flooded.

Too, look at some of these tear jerker books.

Books about the Sinking of the Titanic

Be sure to look over these books.

Most of them we found tear jerkers.

10 Resources and Books to Learn About the Titanic

Add a few of these unit study resources to bring your unit study to life about the Titanic.

A Night to Remember by Lord, Walter

It was almost a minute by minute description of what happened that night of the sinking of the Titanic.

Polar the Titanic Bear

A story of a boy, his teddy bear, and their escape the Titanic's sinking, originally told to the boy by his mother shortly after their family's escape from that tragedy, features beautiful illustrations and a fascinating glimpse into the past.

Exploring the Titanic

A best-selling, award-winning history of the Titanic disaster and discovery is presented in a hardcover edition and combines informative photographs and paintings with "you are there" text.

Luck of the Titanic

Valora Luck has two things: a ticket for the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner in the world, and a dream of leaving England behind and making a life for herself as a circus performer in New York. Much to her surprise though, she's turned away at the gangway; apparently, Chinese aren't allowed into America.

Brick Loot Titanic Building Bricks Set Compatible, fits Lego

Contains 217 Building Bricks

High Quality 100% Compatible Bricks by Brick Loot

Made of top quality ABS Plastic

Collectible set, very nice size to display.

Fully Compatible with LEGO, Mega Bloks, and most major brick-building sets

The Bravest Man in the World

From master storyteller Patricia Polacco comes the tragic and beautiful story inspired by Wallace Hartley—the musician who played with his band to calm the passengers of the Titanic as the ship sank.

Dangerous Waters: An Adventure on the Titanic

A stowaway, a stolen book, a murderous villain: an adventure on the most famous shipwreck in history.

The Titanic: An Interactive History Adventure (You Choose: History)

YOU are aboard the Titanic, the world’s largest ocean liner. The ship is sinking, and the ocean water is freezing. Will you survive? Do you get on the lifeboat or try to wait it out? Do you come to the rescue of the ship or continue in your path? Everything in this book happened to real people. And YOU CHOOSE what to do next. The choices you make will lead you to life or death.

Titanic Crossing

Sailing to America on board the Titanic, young Albert faces grown-up decisions about life and death when the magnificent ship is struck by an iceberg and begins to sink. Reprint.

Titanic: Fortune and Fate : Letters, Mementos, and Personal Effects from Those Who Sailed on the Lost Ship

Arranged according to the hopes and emotions of the passengers of the ill-fated Titanic, an album of photographs of artifacts from the ship, collected by Virginia's Mariners' Museum, tells the stories behind them and their owners. 100,000 first printing.

Titanic - Memorabilia Pack (Original Version)

Titanic replica documents - A must for all those interested in Titanic.

All documents are faithfully reproductions of original Titanic material.

Also, look at these hands-on ideas.

Hands-on Ideas for Learning About the Titanic

Hands-on ideas makes history come to life.

You’ll love some of these ideas.

Make an iceberg.
Sink or Float. This is good for younger kids to start understanding what makes one object sink or float over the other. For example, discuss weight, density, and shape.
Learn about buoyancy with an orange.
How to make a cardboard Titanic YouTube.
Learn about water resistance.
Titanic Sank April 15 – Free History Cards

About the Free Titanic Lapbook

Like most all of my lapbooks and lapbook ideas, I create my lapbook with multiple ages of kids in mind.

Too, I prefer graphics which are not baby-ish but that will be accepted by a wide range of ages.

First, I turned the file folder landscape for this one. It just fit the length of how a ship would look.

So all the minibooks fit with a landscape view.

Next, here are the minibooks that come in the download and can help you plan your unit study.

A beautiful outside color cover. 2 parts. One for the top flap of the file folder and the other one for the bottom of the file folder.
Growler and Berger Bits minibook.
White Line Star About the Passengers Pocket
Then and Now minibook
Titanic Sinking Timeline
Floating Hotel and Titanic’s Voyage
About First, Second and Third Class
Impressive Stats minibook

How to Get the Free Lapbook

Finally, how to grab the free lapbook. It’s a subscriber freebie.

1) Sign up on my list.
2) Grab the freebie instantly.
3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Rocky Mountains Oregon Trail Fun Large Diorama Craft for Kids

January 26, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Trekking through the Rocky Mountains Oregon Trail was an arduous journey. Too, I have more ideas and activities on my Westward Ho Unit Study and Lapbook.

The Rocky Mountain National Park was established in Colorado on January 26th, 1915.

In honor of this amazing National Park, I thought we would take a virtual trip by creating a miniature section of the Rocky Mountains with a diorama.

Rocky Mountains Oregon Trail Fun Large Diorama Craft for Kids

And to be more specific, we’re creating it as it might have looked along the Rocky Mountains Oregon Trail section.

How exciting and scary a time it must have been.

The Rocky Mountains are distinctive and easily identifiable just by their silhouette but are unique depending on where you are along the western mountain chain.

We were inspired by this amazing drawing of the Cherokee Pass through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. It is by Daniel Jenks from 1859.

And we created this fun and large diorama with just a few different simple items.

But first look at these facts about the Rocky Mountains.

Rocky Mountain Facts

The Rocky Mountains stretch through more than 3000 miles and over 6 states which are New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana.
Rocky Mountain is one of the nation’s highest national parks.
There are many indigenous people living in the Rocky Mountains like Bannock, Sioux, Blackfoot, Cow People, Apache, Kutenai, and more.
There is a super volcano in the Rocky Mountains called Yellowstone Caldera. It’s located in the Yellowstone National Park in the United States.
The Rocky Mountain National Park is open all year.
In 1806, the Lewis and Clark Expedition became the first scientific reconnaissance of the Rocky Mountains; they gathered a lot of important information as well as specimens.
There are over 250 different bird species which live in the Rocky Mountain National Park.
The Rocky Mountains are rich with natural resources like gold, silver, copper, tungsten, zinc, molybdenum, and lead.
The Rockies have over 100 separate ranges.
Bighorn sheep are the symbol of Rocky Mountain National Park and there are over 400 residing in the park.

Westward Expansion Resources

Also, add some of these fun books.

10 Westward Expansion Resources

Add in a few books and resources to bring the study of the Oregon Trail to life during the United States expansion of the west.

Your Life as a Pioneer on the Oregon Trail (The Way It Was)

Your Life as a Pioneer on The Oregon Trail, has some funny illustrations and great information for this unit study.

Little House on the Prairie Series 7 Books Collection

Of course ALL the Little House Books are some of the best about pioneer life.

The Ingalls are the most famous pioneers and westward moving families.

Westward Expansion (A True Book: Westward Expansion)

A True Book: Westward Expansion takes readers on an amazing journey to a fascinating time in U.S. history when the country was experiencing dynamic change and expanding westward.

The Oregon Trail 4-Book Paperback Box Set Plus Poster Map

In this boxed set, choose your own trail and complete the journey to Oregon City with all four paperbacks in this exciting series! It's 1850 and your first goal is to get your family, covered wagon full of supplies, and oxen to Chimney Rock on time.

The Oregon Trail: Journey to Willamette Valley Boardgame

It's a race to Willamette Valley as you join the wagon train and seek your fortune in the West!

Apples to Oregon:

Apples, ho! When Papa decides to pull up roots and move from Iowa to Oregon, he can’t bear to leave his precious apple trees behind. Or his peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, and pears. Oh, and he takes his family along too.

Locomotive

It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America’s brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to
ocean

The California Gold Rush and the '49ers

Try your luck, and search for your fortune in California! Follow the joy and heartbreak of the '49ers during the California Gold Rush.

Daily Life in a Covered Wagon

In 1853, the Larkin family loaded up their wagons and headed west in search of a new life. But how did they do it? What did they eat? How did they survive sickness, and attacks from cattle thieves? Drawing on diaries and letters, and illustrated with photographs of actual object from the past, Daily Life in a Covered Wagon explored what life was really like on the wagon trail.

Covered Wagons, Bumpy Trails

Illustrations and simple rhyming text follow Mother, Father, and Baby John as they make the difficult journey by wagon to a new home across the Rocky Mountains in the fertile Sacramento Valley of California. By the creators of Gold Fever.

Additionally, learn about some of the animals which lives in the Rocky Mountains.

Rocky Mountain Animals and Birds

If you were a pioneer heading west through the Rocky Mountain Oregon Trail, what type of wildlife would you see?

This is the perfect next step to create a mini study from this project.

Let your child choose one of the animals that are common to the Rocky Mountains and create a report, write a story, paint a picture, or create a presentation on their chosen animal.

Brown Bears
Coyote
BigHorn Sheep
Black Bear
Mule Deer
Mountain Lion
Gray Wolf
Elk

Also, look at some of the birds.

Yellowthroat
Red Crossbill
Nuthatch
Dipper
Meadowlark
Towhee
Song Sparrow

Additionally, here are more hands-on Westward Expansion Activities.

Hands-on Westward Expansion Activities

Finally, look at how to make this Rocky Mountains Oregon Trail diorama.

Besides the little Safari Ltd. Toob animals you can get everything used in this diorama from Dollar Tree with plenty of supplies left over for future projects.

How to Make a Rocky Mountain Oregon Trail Diorama

You will need:

A foam board
Paper bags
Newspaper
Aluminum foil
Craft paint
Paintbrushes
Blue and green cardstock
Hot glue gun/sticks

Put puddles of brown, gray, and green paints on a paper plate.

Wad up a small piece of newspaper up and dip it in your paints.

Press the newspaper around the foam board as if you were sponge painting.

Cover the foam board with a light coat of the mixed colors to represent the rocks, grass, and earth.

Use a beige paint to create a trail going through the mountains. Set aside to dry while you begin working on the mountains.

Open 3-4 paper bags.

Slip them over your hand/arm one at a time and take the same paints and newspaper and cover all sides and the top of the bag.

Rocky Mountain Oregon Trail Diorama

You can leave some spots bare as the brown from the bag will blend in as earth.

Slip over a jar or something and allow it to dry completely.

Stuff the bags loosely with newspaper and foil as you like but not so full that you can’t “mold” it.

You just want them to give your bag some structure.

Twist and mold the bags to create the sharper angles and peaks of the Rocky Mountains silhouette.

Hot glue the base of the mountain along the back of your base board to secure into place.

Pinch and shape the mountains as needed to fix them up.

To create a water feature at the base of the mountain, tear up some blue paper in whatever shape you like and glue down.

Cut a bunch of green triangles of different sizes then make little cuts on each side to make pine trees.

Fold ⅛” piece of the bottom over and then glue them onto the board with the largest in front and the smallest closest to the mountains.

This creates some perspective.

Create the snow peaked caps by drizzling paint on the top and brush lightly just a little down the sides.

Finally, add some of the wildlife you would see traveling through the Rocky Mountains.

This North American Wildlife Safari Toob provided the bulk of the animals used here.

What Did Daniel Boone Wear And Easy Fringe Shirt Activity for Kids

January 25, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Studying about American Frontiersman Daniel Boone is fascinating and if your child is wondering what did Daniel Boone wear, you’ll love todays activity. And grab my unit study and on my page Daniel Boone – North American Explorer.

I will share a super easy tutorial with you to make Daniel Boone’s famous fringed shirt that is perfect for a costume to use for a history project, co-op or fieldtrip.

What Did Daniel Boone Wear And Easy Fringe Shirt Activity for Kids

Also, Daniel Boone was a skilled hunter, a trapper, and a trailblazer.

He is often shown in illustrations wearing a coon skin cap, but the truth is that he did not wear one.

He instead preferred a felt or beaver hat with a wide brim similar to what the Quakers of his home in Pennsylvania would have worn.

About Frontier Clothing

For traveling he would have worn buckskin leggings and a loose-fitting shirt made of animal skin.

Buckskins were made from deerskin clothing worn by Native Americans. They became popular with mountain men and frontiersmen due to their warmth and durability.

Fur was of course a very popular material because every part of the animals that were hunted were used, and it also helped keep them warm.

He would also have worn a leather belt with a hunting knife, a hatchet, a powder horn, and a bullet pouch attached to it.

He probably wore moccasins or moccasin boots while traveling through the wilderness.

Additionally, homespun clothing on the frontier was mostly wool or linen.

Rough cotton was mixed with wool to create a blend known as linsey-woolsey.

Homespun dyes were natural and made from items such as berries, nut shells, tree bark, and flowers.

Look at this post Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History).

Clothing from the American frontier was completely hand woven and hand stitched.

Unfortunately, we do not have many clothing artifacts from this period because life was generally rough on fabrics.

And what was still usable was recycled into quilts and other things.

Then, look at some of these books and resources below.

Books About Daniel Boone & His Life

10 Resources for A Daniel Boone Unit Study

Whether you want to add a hands-on unit study or are looking for a few resources, you'll love one of these.

1. Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer

Struggle against the Shawnee defenders of Kentucky. Drawing from popular narrative, public record, documentation from Boone's own hand, and recollection gathered by 19th-century antiquarians, the author employs the methods of the new social history to produce a portrait that defines Daniel Boone and the times he helped shape.

2. Who Was Daniel Boone? (Who Was?)

Called the "Great Pathfinder", Daniel Boone is most famous for opening up the West to settlers through Kentucky. A symbol of America's pioneering spirit Boone was a skilled outdoorsman and an avid reader although he never attended school. Sydelle Kramer skillfully recounts Boone's many adventures such as the day he rescued his own daughter from kidnappers.

3. The Dangerous Book for Boys

The bestselling book—more than 1.5 million copies sold—for every boy from eight to eighty, covering essential boyhood skills such as building tree houses, learning how to fish, finding true north, and even answering the age old question of what the big deal with girls is—now a Prime Original Series created by Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Greg Mottola (Superbad).

In this digital age, there is still a place for knots, skimming stones and stories of incredible courage. This book recaptures Sunday afternoons, stimulates curiosity, and makes for great father-son activities. The brothers Conn and Hal have put together a wonderful collection of all things that make being young or young at heart fun—building go-carts and electromagnets, identifying insects and spiders, and flying the world's best paper airplanes.

4. Willy Whitefeather's Outdoor Survival Handbook for Kids

From treating a bee sting to building an overnight shelter, kids will gain the knowledge and confidence they need to survive outdoors.All ages

5. Daniel Boone: Frontiersman (Heroes of History)

Written for readers age 10 and up -- enjoyed by adults!In search of open spaces and land to call his own, Daniel Boone fearlessly led a band of brave settlers into the bountiful Kentucky wilderness. Daniel's expert hunting ability, incredible outdoor survival skills, and courage under fire helped his companions stay alive in a dangerous and unknown land despite threatening encounters with soldiers, Indians, and even other settlers.

6. History Pockets: Explorers of North America, Grades 4-6+

The book includes the following pockets:

Introduction to Explorers of North America
Christopher Columbus
John Cabot
Hernando Cortes
Jacques Cartier
Sir Francis Drake
Henry Hudson
Daniel Boone
James Cook
Lewis and Clark
John Wesley Powell

7. Daniel Boone: Trailblazer

Born in Pennsylvania in 1734, Daniel Boone cut a path west, carving his name into trees. Although he endured repeated property losses, he became a household name and was greatly admired for his surveying skills and the many claims he laid, opening the west for further settlement.

8. Survive & Thrive: A Pocket Guide To Wilderness Safety Skills, Plus 16 Quick-Check Skill Cards

Gear up for outdoor adventure, learn to stay alive, and help yourself thrive – feeling confident that you can handle whatever comes your way!

Accidents happen and nature can be unpredictable, which is why this ultra-portable survival kit is a must-have for casual nature explorers and slightly more adventurous campers in need of essential outdoor guidance that they can carry along with them.

9. Bear Grylls The Complete Adventures Collection 12 Books Set

Titles In This Set:The Blizzard ChallengeThe Desert ChallengeThe Jungle ChallengeThe Sea ChallengeThe River ChallengeThe Earthquake ChallengeThe Volcano ChallengeThe Safari ChallengeThe Cave ChallengeThe Mountain ChallengeThe Arctic ChallengeThe Sailing Challenge

10. Daniel Boone: Young Hunter and Tracker (Childhood of Famous Americans)

A general account of the life of the prominent American frontiersman who is especially remembered for helping to settle Kentucky

Next, add in some fun hands-on activities.

More Daniel Boone North American Explorer Activities

Finally, make an easy no sew fringed Shirt

How to Make a No Sew Fringed Shirt

You will need:

A cream colored, oatmeal colored, or white long sleeve t shirt
1 square of cream 9×12” colored felt
Twine or string or leather shoe lace
Hot glue gun/glue sticks
Fabric scissors
strongly prepared coffee or tea

If you need to dye a white shirt you will also need – a large bowl, hot water, strongly prepared coffee, or tea.

When I was ready to create this project, I could not find a simple cream or oatmeal colored shirt to mimic the buckskin color of what Daniel Boone would have worn.

So, I simply dyed my own.

To do this I poured about 6-8 cups of hot water into a large bowl and then added about a half a pot of strong coffee and stirred well.

Dunk your shirt and flip it several times to be sure it is entirely saturated. Allow it to sit in the coffee for 20 minutes.

Rinse and squeeze out excess water.

Toss into the dryer on high for about 20 minutes to set the stain.

Wash and dry as needed after that prior to wearing.

Obviously if you found one you can skip these steps for dyeing it.

Fold over a 9×12” piece of felt lengthwise.

Measure ⅓” to ¼” of an inch down from the fold and mark lightly with a pencil.

Cut ¼” strips up from the bottom through both pieces of fabric right up to your marked line.

Continue all the way across.

Cut felt on the folded line and then cut one of the strips in half.

Spread the shirt out flat and find the center.

Apply hot glue to the back of your longer piece of fringe and press down in the center approximately 4” down from the collar.

Fasten your shorter pieces on either side of the long piece and across the arms with hot glue.

Allow hot glue to dry and harden.

Cut a 2” slit in the neck with 2-3 small holes on either side.

Lace string or twine through the holes to finish it off.

Popcorn Science Mini Unit Study Which Brand Pops the Best

January 19, 2023 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You’ll love this popcorn science mini unit study. Also, you’ll love my mini corn book on my fall unit study and Best Homeschool Unit Studies.

This mini unit study includes the whole family in on the tasty fun, with plenty of hands-on activities, books, videos, and more.

Also, I have a fun science experiment that is easy to do for all ages and expandable for a more in-depth activity.

Learn about the history of popcorn with some fun facts.

Dive into an experiment, make a sensory bin, play a game, read a book, or watch a quick video.

And enjoy this fun collection of corny ideas for your unit study

10 Popping Popcorn Facts

January 19th is National Popcorn Day.
It’s over 5000 years old.
The first commercial popcorn machine was invented in 1885 by Charles Cretors.
Convenient microwaveable popcorn was invented by the Pillsbury company in 1982.
The unpopped kernels at the bottom of a bag are called old maids.
Kernels are made up of about 4% water and that water causes it to pop when it’s heated up.
Nebraska produces the most popcorn in America at about 250 million pounds per year.
Way back in the 1800’s, it was often eaten as a cereal with milk and sugar.
The scientific name is Zea Mays Everta.
It was not allowed in movie theaters in the early 1900’s.

Also, you’ll love some history facts.

Besides being a delicious snack, your child will appreciate a bit of corn and popped corn history.

History of Corn and Popcorn

It was introduced to early American settlers by the Indians.

The first corn farmers were the American Indians, the Aztecs, the Incas, the Mayas and others.

Additionally, there are varieties like black corn, pink corn, red corn and white corn, besides the better-known yellow corn.

Writing of Peruvian Indians in 1650, the Spaniard Cobo says, “They toast a certain kind of corn until it bursts. They call it pisancalla, and they use it as a confection.”

Pre-Inca Peruvians worshipped a corn goddess adorned with a crown of corn ears radiating from her head like the spokes of a wheel.

How does corn grow? The kernel is the seed. The seed is planted in the soil. The stalk begins to grow. The stalk is the stem. Leaves grow from the nodes.

Ears of corn grow from the nodes. Each plant is male and female. The silk catches pollen from the tassels.

Then pollen travels down the silk and fertilizes the kernels.

Next, here are some book ideas.

Resource for a Fun Popcorn Study

10 Fun Popcorn Unit Study Resources

Grab some of these resources for a fun popcorn unit study.

1. The Physics Of Popcorn : Discover And Learn With 22 Experiments

In The Physics of Popcorn, you’ll discover the truth about toast, learn how the microwave oven works, and conduct experiments with static electricity!

2. Tomie dePaola's The Popcorn Book

Tony likes to cook. Tiny likes to read. And both twins like to eat . . . POPCORN!So while Tiny cooks it, Tony reads about it: what popcorn is, how it's stored and prepared, legends and stories about it, and its history in Europe and North America.

3. Pop!: Otto, the Kernel Who Didn't Pop

Meet Otto, a young Kernel who’s been dreaming about the day he would pop. But what happens when Pop Day finally arrives, and things don’t go as planned? When all the Kernels pop except for Otto, he's left wondering what went wrong. Otto returns to his jar, alone, until a delicious smell leads to an exciting discovery. Perhaps Otto didn’t need to pop to do everything he’d always dreamed of!

4. Popcorn! (Charlesbridge)

Pull up a chair and dig in! POPCORN is chock-full of tidbits about one of America's favorite snack foods. Learn what makes popcorn pop, how Native Americans liked their popcorn, and how television almost wiped out popcorn's future. Cooking tips, recipes, and resources included.

5. Growing Popcorn (James's Garden)

From seed to bowl of popcorn, James learns the value of patience and neighborly generosity as he grows a backyard crop of corn with his family. Included is a recipe for stovetop popcorn that you too can share with your neighbors and friends!

6. Popcorn Party -Fast Paced Family Game of Dice, Cards, Matching and Pops

HIGH FLYING FUN: What’s a party without the popcorn? With matches being rolled on just about every turn, you never know who will be popping next in this high-flying, catch-the-kernel food frenzy!

FAST PACED ACTION: Get your game face on and get ready to roll, pop, match, and catch to win! But watch out; don't try to catch the kernel when it's not time or you may get popped with a penalty!

7. Popcorn Dice

Popcorn Dice is a fast & fun dice game for the whole family!

Gameplay is simple to learn and games usually take less than 15 minutes.

Roll your dice to pop your popcorn, but careful not to let it burn.

8. Word Families Game

WORD GAMES FOR KIDS: Children create and learn words with common endings in this fast-paced game

EDUCATIONAL GAMES STRENGTHEN VOCABULARY: Strengthens vocabulary, spelling, and fluency

9. Learning Resources Smart Snacks Count 'em Up Popcorn

Learn numbers and counting with food you can play with

Build number sense and recognition, and practice counting

Set includes 15 jumbo popcorn pieces to count into 5 different-size bowls (printed with numbers 1-5)

10. Moose Racing Popcorn Poppin'

TIME FOR POPCORN FUN: Wind up the timer at the bottom of the popcorn bucket by pulling the string.

FOLLOW THE RULES: Pop the die, once the die has popped, you follow the instructions on the die (next, reverse, repeat, skip or choose)

In addition, here are more corn posts.

Corn and Hands-on Ideas

Geronimo Stilton Field Trip to Niagara Falls Summary And Fun Corn Craft
Fall Unit Study {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More}
Preschoolers will love exploring their five senses with this Popcorn 5 Senses Activities
Your little one will love learning How to Make Dancing Popcorn through this easy experiment.
If you were a Little House fan you will remember the popcorn and milk “trick” from Farmer Boy. Recreate it in your own kitchen with your child with the Popcorn and Milk experiment.
This Popcorn Letter Practice is not only great for prewriting activities but doubles as a sensory bin too.
Popcorn: How It’s Made YouTube
Why Does Popcorn Pop? YouTube
How Popcorn Works YouTube
For a quick activity, toss some unpopped kernels and a few popped ones in a shallow dish, include tongs for fine motor practice, a magnifying glass to examine popcorn closer, and some letter beads to practice spelling out popcorn related words with little ones.

Finally, here is a fun and simple experiment.

You can easily add on to this experiment by adding more brands, different varieties, or by trying to pop them via different methods.

Track the results. For example, by microwave, pan pop and air pop.

Or by using this method I am showing you that is the easiest for all age groups- microwaved in a paper bag.

Popcorn Science Experiment

Before you begin you want to stress to your child that in a scientific experiment

You want to keep all variables the same except for one thing which is the brand.

It is very important that you use the same method to pop all 3 types of popcorn and that you use the exact same amount for each one.

You will need:

3 different brands of popcorn
3 paper bags
Smalls bowls
Pen

Directions:

Start by having your child make a hypothesis (an educated guess) on which brand they think will pop the most and the least.

Label each of your paper bags with the brand of corn you are using.

Then, have your child count out 100 of each type of popcorn into little bowls, make labels to keep track as you transfer popcorn.

Transfer each bowl to the correct paper bag and roll it down tightly.

Heat in the microwave for 3 minutes.

Repeat for each bag.

Remove bags and have your child either count the number of unpopped kernels left or the number of popped for each and write it down on your label.

Talk about the results, was their hypothesis correct? Were they surprised by any of the outcomes?

6 Facts About When And Where Was Daniel Boone Born And Edible Log Cabin

January 17, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When and where was Daniel Boone born is an important part of American history. And you’ll love my unit study and other ideas on my page Daniel Boone – North American Explorer.

And when American explorers and pioneers first arrived to new land, one of the first things they had to do was build a house.

In areas where there were plenty of trees, they would build log cabins.

6 Facts About When And Where Was Daniel Boone Born And Edible Log Cabin

Long before contractors and blueprints people needed to build functional housing that would protect them from the elements, animals, and other dangers.

They had to do it without the aid of lumber mills. There was no cutting of smooth even boards and no place for nails.

Even once lumber mills, and railways were established to make getting goods easier as people pushed westward these things were impossible to come by.

American explorers like Daniel Boone built their sturdy homes by literally stacking tree trunks one on top of another and overlapping the logs at the corners.

First, before we learn more about the pioneer cabins, look at some of these facts about Daniel Boone’s early life.

6 When And Where Was Daniel Boone Born Facts

Boone is most known for his connection to Kentucky. But did you know that he was born and grew up in eastern Pennsylvania?
On November 2, 1734, frontiersman, Daniel Boone was born.
As a boy, Boone did not attend much school.
Boone was born in eastern Pennsylvania. He spent much of his childhood hunting and farming along with his father and brothers.
He was the sixth of eleven children born to a Quaker family.
His family farm has been preserved as the Daniel Boone Homestead.

The original log cabin that his father built is no longer standing. However, the cellar is a piece of the original homestead.

You can still visit the last standing Daniel Boone cabin built by him in 1795 in Carlisle Kentucky where he lived with his wife and 10 children until he moved westward to Missouri.

In addition, I’ve rounded up some fun books and resources when you’re studying about Daniel Boone.

10 Resources for A Daniel Boone Unit Study

Whether you want to add a hands-on unit study or are looking for a few resources, you'll love one of these.

1. Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer

2. Who Was Daniel Boone? (Who Was?)

3. The Dangerous Book for Boys

4. Willy Whitefeather's Outdoor Survival Handbook for Kids

From treating a bee sting to building an overnight shelter, kids will gain the knowledge and confidence they need to survive outdoors.All ages

5. Daniel Boone: Frontiersman (Heroes of History)

6. History Pockets: Explorers of North America, Grades 4-6+

The book includes the following pockets:

Introduction to Explorers of North America
Christopher Columbus
John Cabot
Hernando Cortes
Jacques Cartier
Sir Francis Drake
Henry Hudson
Daniel Boone
James Cook
Lewis and Clark
John Wesley Powell

7. Daniel Boone: Trailblazer

8. Survive & Thrive: A Pocket Guide To Wilderness Safety Skills, Plus 16 Quick-Check Skill Cards

Gear up for outdoor adventure, learn to stay alive, and help yourself thrive – feeling confident that you can handle whatever comes your way!

9. Bear Grylls The Complete Adventures Collection 12 Books Set

10. Daniel Boone: Young Hunter and Tracker (Childhood of Famous Americans)

A general account of the life of the prominent American frontiersman who is especially remembered for helping to settle Kentucky

Facts About Pennsylvania

In 1681 William Penn, and Englishman and a member of a Christian group called the Quakers, founded the British colony of Pennsylvania
The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia in 1776.
Philadelphia was once the capital city of the United States.
Besides Daniel Boone other famous Pennsylvanians include the patriot and inventor Benjamin Franklin, painter Mary Cassatt, author Louisa May Alcott, marine biologist, writer, and conservationist Rachel Carson, and inventor Robert Fulton.
Pennsylvania became the second state on December 12, 1787.

Also, you can add some facts about Pennsylvania.

Geography of Pennsylvania

If you're learning about Pennsylvania or the geography of the states, add these books to your study.

Pennsylvania: What's So Great About This State? (Arcadia Kids)

DO YOU KNOW… WHY Pennsylvania is known as the birthplace of the nation? (Hint: It has to do with ideas and ink!)

Pennsylvania (A True Book: My United States) (A True Book (Relaunch))

Pennsylvania is one of America's oldest states-and also one of the most interesting. With its natural beauty, diverse population, and rich culture and history, it has a lot to offer.

The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps!

In 51 charmingly illustrated infographic maps, explore every state of the USA from Alabama to Wyoming and the nation’s capital to discover more than 2,000 facts that celebrate the people, cities, nature, and historic events that have helped make America what it is today. You'll also get an expansive guide to the state flags and US presidents.

Then, here are more Daniel Boone North American Explorer ideas.

Daniel Boone North American Explorer Activities

Finally, make this edible log cabin.

How to Make an Edible Log Cabin

You can make your edible log cabin on a smaller scale with little pretzel sticks.

However, we found it harder to use them.

You will need:

Pretzel rods
Frosting
Graham crackers or peanut butter bars
Ziploc bag

Directions:

You can do your frosting one of two ways.

Either just spread it into place with a spatula or scoop it out of the container and place in a ziploc bag.

Snip off a small piece of the corner and use it like an icing bag and tip.

Add frosting to the bottom of two pretzel rods to help “glue” them into place on whatever plate you are using.

Place them parallel to each other just a little smaller than the length of a pretzel rod.

You can lay one on top to measure the distance.

You will want to break pretzels in half to use on one side to create a doorway. Then an even smaller piece on the other side.

Begin adding frosting to the top of each “log”.

Alternate both sides in one direction and then both sides in the opposite direction.

Add frosting as needed.

Use a knife to cut off a little indention on each end near the tip.

This is much like pioneers would have to create a notch in the logs for a more secure fit.

Continue layering the logs to build it up to desired height.

To create the roof with a little pitch, put two pretzel rods across the center.

Then stack two more on top with frosting.

Pull apart the layers of the peanut butter bars.

Or use graham crackers to “glue” the roof in place by putting frosting on the underside of each end.

Also, you can also use them to create a solid door.

Here is a close up of the final roof.

You can add additional decoration if you like with additional cookies or candy.