homeschoolscience

Free Homeschool Geology Unit Study And Easy DIY Eggshell Geode

July 10, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free homeschool geology unit study. Also, grab more ideas on my best homeschool unit studies page.

Find out how to create your own diy eggshell geode, gather a list of fabulous books, and learn some interesting facts alongside your child.

Geology is the study of the Earth, on and under its surface, and the processes that shape it.

This applies to tectonic plates, the layers of the earth, volcanoes, rocks, and minerals to name a few common studies.

For this homeschool geology unit study, we are going to focus a bit more on the rocks and minerals aspect of geology.

Free Homeschool Geology Unit Study And Easy DIY Eggshell Geode

Petrology is the study of the 3 types of rocks – igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary and the processes that form and transform them.

Mineralogy is the study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of the mineral makeup of rocks.

5 Fascinating Facts For Your Homeschool Geology Unit Study

A mineral is a solid, naturally occurring substance made up of one or more elements and a gem is a precious or semi-precious mineral that has been cut and polished.
People who explore caves to enjoy and examine stalactites, stalagmites, and other rock and mineral formations found there are known as spelunkers.
A rock can begin as one type and can change many times. Rocks are always changing; it just takes a very long time for these changes to occur.
Diamonds are the hardest mineral.
Meteorites are rocks from space, and they help scientists learn more about the solar system.

Also, look at more geology activities.

MORE GEOLOGY UNIT STUDY ACTIVITIES

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Too, add some more geology unit study ideas.

Homeschool Geology Unit Study Activity Ideas

This Geology Gem Stone Slime is a fun sensory idea for examining and extracting stones.
Watch Introduction to Geology on YouTube to find out more about what it includes.
Rock Activities For Kindergarten And Fun Edible Rock Cycle
To find out more about rocks and minerals specifically, you might enjoy Rocks for Kids.
Grab this free earth science book.
Edible Rock Cycle Fudge and Hands-on Rock Activities
Watercolor the beautiful layers of an Agate.

This is a great simple experiment to demonstrate stalactites and stalagmites formation.
Learning can also be delicious like this activity that includes making Rock Candy Geodes.

More Best Homeschool Unit Studies

Then, look at this fun list of books to add to your homeschool geology unit study.

5 Geology Unit Study Resources

Add these books and resources for a fun homeschool geology unit study for children of multiple ages.

Great STEM Science Kit - Geology

DISCOVER CRYSTAL TREASURE - Break open these rocks to reveal amazing crystals inside! Geology doesn’t get more exciting than breaking open rocks and finding crystal treasures. Ag great STEM activity that also makes an excellent gift for girls and boys!

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.

Basher: Rocks & Minerals: A Gem of a Book

Simon Basher is back with another zany primer to science! Following his 3 successful titles on the basics of chemistry, physics, and biology, BASHER SCIENCE: ROCKS AND MINERALS is an in-depth look at the ground beneath our feet. Like his other titles, Basher presents these topics through charming and adorable illustrations and pairs them with basic information told from a first person perspective. He develops a community of characters based on the things that form the foundations of our planet: rocks, gems, crystals, fossils and more. And what's more, he makes it understandable, interesting, and cute. It's not what you expect out of a science primer.

Advanced Professional Rock Tumbler Kit - Turn Rough Rocks into Beautiful Gems

Turn rough rocks into polished gems: Discover and learn the fun process of rock tumbling with the Advanced Rock Tumbler. Pour in the rough stones and grit and let the machine do its job!

Everybody Needs a Rock (An Aladdin Book)

Everybody needs a rock -- at least that's the way this particular rock hound feels about it in presenting her own highly individualistic rules for finding just the right rock for you.

As you can see, studying geology covers a lot of other science topics. For example, there are volcanoes to tectonic plates to learn about.

So, I’m adding some vocabulary words which will help you to round your study.

Geology Vocabulary Words

fossil – the preserved remains of things that lived long ago
ocean trench – a narrow, extremely deep valley formed when the seafloor dips down as one tectonic plate slides under another
continental drift – a process in which continents slowly move over time on the surface of the earth
geologist – a scientist who studies the makeup of the earth and the forces and processes that shape and change it
basalt – heavy, dense rock formed from cooled, hardened lava
magnitude – an earthquake’s strength
plate tectonics – a theory that Earth’s crust and the solid top part of the mantle are broken up into sections that fit together but move against each other
tsunami – a gigantic wave of seawater caused by an earthquake in oceanic crust
fault – a crack in Earth’s crust
crater – a bowl-shaped opening at the top of a volcano or geyser
mineral – a solid, nonliving substance found in the earth that makes up rocks
hot spring – a naturally flowing source of hot water
obsidian – a dark rock or natural glass formed from lava that cooled very quickly
granite – a common igneous rock that forms from magma that cooled within Earth’s crust

Finally, look how to make this fun diy eggshell geode.

Homeschool Geology Unit Study- DIY Eggshell Geode

You will need:

Eggshells
Egg carton
Borax
Epsom salt
School glue
Food coloring

Gather some eggshells from breakfast.

Plan ahead and try to crack them in unique ways rather than just in half.

Wash thoroughly and carefully peel away the thin membrane inside the eggshell.

Turn upside and allow it to dry.

Once dry, pour a generous amount of school glue into your eggshell and roll it around to coat well to the edges.

Pour all the excess glue into the next shell until you need more or are finished coating all the shells you are using.

Fill each shell with Epsom salts, rolling around to get it all in the glue, this serves a few purposes.

DIY Eggshell Geode

First, it gives the borax crystals something to grab onto and helps encourage their growth all over the inside of the shell.

Secondly, it gives a little more “bulk” to your geode, letting your child have the satisfaction of a little bit quicker experience.

Shake out the excess Epsom salts.

Let the Epsom salt and glue dry and harden together.

Heat water to almost boiling on the stove or in the microwave.

I find it easiest to do it in a large heat-safe measuring cup with a pour spout for pouring later.

Stir in a few tablespoons of Borax, mix well, and continue adding until the water no longer absorb any of the powder when thoroughly stirred in.

There should be a bit of powder sitting in the bottom, this is how you know it is supersaturated.

Place the eggshells with the opening at the top wherever it is on the shell, the carton comes in very handy for this step.

It holds it well and safely catches the overflow. Place it where it will be for the next 24 hours, undisturbed because you don’t want to move it around until it’s ready.

Place a drop or two of food coloring inside each egg.

Carefully pour your saturated water into the eggshells right up to the very edge.

Allow to sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours, flip the eggs to drain and dry. The longer you let them sit the larger the crystals.

You can paint the outside of the shells if you like or leave them as they are.

Voila, you have beautiful handmade geodes that open the door for wonderful discussions on how geodes are formed.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

June 29, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a popsicle stick flashlight activity and some fun facts about Nikola Tesla. Also, your kids will love this Electricity Hands-On Homeschool Science Activity.

Also, you’ll love learning about Nikola Tesla’s life and inventions.

Tesla harnessed the power of the alternating current but worked with Edison to further develop his work on the direct current (which is what our popsicle stick flashlight is).

As a matter of fact, due to their working together and disagreements, they had a rather large falling out. Tesla went on to do so much more work in the field of science and technology.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

Tesla went on to do so much more work in the field of science and technology.

Did you know that Tesla has 112 U.S. patents, 17 British and six Canadian patents?

Or that he was good friends with Mark Twain?

And that Nikola developed an idea that would later be used in smartphone technology?

The War of The Electrical Currents

Edison developed the (DC) direct current, which is the current that runs continually in a single direction, like in a battery or a fuel cell.

It was originally the U.S. standard, but it had limitations, as the direct current is not easily converted to higher or lower voltages.

Tesla, on the other hand, believed that alternating current (or AC) was the solution to this problem.

AC reverses direction a certain number of times per second, 60 in the U.S.

It can be converted to different voltages using a transformer giving it far wider applications.

Edison did not want to have his early work with DC tossed aside or lose the royalties from it and so he began to try and discredit Tesla’s alternating current.

Some say he even went as far as spreading falsehoods about Tesla and his work.

The popsicle flashlight, though it uses DC current, is a great way to demonstrate how simple electric current and switches work.

I don’t care that they stole my idea… I care that they don’t have any of their own.”
-Nikola Tesla

Next, look at these facts about Nikola Tesla and his inventions.

5 Amazing Nikola Tesla Inventions

AC Power (alternating current)- is an electric current that reverses its direction many times a second at regular intervals, typically used in power supplies. This power system provides electricity for homes and other buildings.
Tesla Coil-The coil uses polyphase alternating currents — another of Tesla’s discoveries to allow a transmitter the ability to produce very high voltages. It’s still used today in radios, televisions, and wireless transmission.
Radio-While Tesla invented everything we associate with the radio — antennas, tuners, etc., an inventor named Guglielmo Marconi got the credit for the invention.
Hydroelectric Power-This is when the natural flow of water is used to generate electricity. Tesla and industrialist George Westinghouse developed the first hydroelectric power plant using the power of Niagara Falls.
Induction Motor-With its rotating magnetic field that made unit drives for machines and AC power transmissions possible. They still power up simple household items such as vacuums, hairdryers, compressors, fans, toys, and power tools.

Also, look at more hands-on ideas about electricity.

More Popsicle Sticks and Electricity Activities

Then look at some more hands-on activities.

Next, there are two great books below.

Nikola Tesla

Books about Nikola Tesla.

Who Was Nikola Tesla?

When Nikola Tesla arrived in the United States in 1884, he didn't have much money, but he did have a letter of introduction to renowned inventor Thomas Edison. The working relationship between the two men was short lived, though, and the two scientist-inventors became harsh competitors. One of the most influential scientists of all time, Nikola Tesla is celebrated for his experiments in electricity, X-rays, remote controls, and wireless communications. His invention of the Tesla coil was instrumental in the development of radio technology.

Great Lives in Graphics: Nikola Tesla

Great Lives in Graphics; Nikola Tesla is a graphic retelling of Nikola’s story which gives children a colorful snapshot of his life and the world he grew up in, while educating them on everything from alternating current to the power of the imagination.

You may already know that Nikola Tesla was an electrical engineer, but did you know that he was born during a lightning storm? Or that he had a phobia of pearls?

Great Lives in Graphics reimagines the lives of extraordinary people in vivid technicolor, presenting 250+ fascinating facts in a new and exciting way. It takes the essential dates and achievements of each person’s life, mixes them with lesser-known facts and trivia, and uses infographics to show them in a fresh visual way that is genuinely engaging for children and young adults. The result is a colorful, fascinating and often surprising representation of that person’s life, work and legacy. Using timelines, maps, repeated motifs and many more beautiful and informative illustrations, readers learn not just about the main subject of the book but also about the cultural background of the time they lived i

Finally, look at how to make this fun popsicle stick flashlight.

How to Make A Popsicle Stick Flashlight

You will need:

Jumbo craft stick
Flat battery
Copper tape
Coin cell battery
LED Lights
Medium-sized binder Clip

First, cut two pieces of copper tape a little shorter than your craft stick.

Place one of your LED lights at the end of the stick with the metal prongs on either side.

Peel off the backing a little at a time and tape over the prongs on the front and back, not quite touching the plastic tip. Run the tape all the way down.

Place the binder clip on the end and make a mark on the tape where the black touches.

Remove the binder clip and cut tape ¼” above it so that the plastic does not interfere with the connection at all.

Replace the binder clip and place the button battery writing side up where the metal of the binder clip touches the bottom half of the battery when opened.

Tape the battery in place only covering above where the clip hits, the metal of the binder clip will serve as your “switch”.

When you are done, flip the switch so that it makes contact with the battery and your light should begin to glow.

If your light doesn’t light up, check all your connections, be sure that the metal hits the copper tape, that the tape covers the LED prongs, and finally, be sure your battery is fresh.

Here is a labeled photo to show you what each of the components are to help your child understand the electrical path and process.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

June 28, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This adorable shark and oceans for kindergarten fun sight word activity is such a fun activity for practicing sight words, letters, or even numbers. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum and look for ideas on my page Oceans Unit Study and Lapbook.

Do you need a learning activity that feels more like play and less like school?

For example, how about one that is themed to go along with a study of oceans for kindergarten?

I’m sharing a list of other helpful resources to round out your day like videos and hands-on activities.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Our shark is made from just one piece of foam board and a little paint.

It will give your child hours of learning that is fun and memorable.

Creating an activity that feels more like play is a great way to teach your child basic skills that they need to learn.

I created this activity to be used with sight word recognition but then realized that there were so many more possibilities with it.

You can have your child also feed the shark letters, numbers, and sums to orally given math problems, or have them choose the math problem that matches the number you give, and have them feed cards with rhyming words, and beginning letter sounds.

It can be a blank canvas for learning skills, anywhere your early learner is.

8 Awesome Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Facts

There are over 500 different species of sharks, and almost 150 of them are listed on the at-threat list.
The largest sea mammal, the blue whale, is also known as the largest animal in the world.
Sharks live in almost all ocean habitats from tropical coral reefs to the Arctic, and down in the deep parts of the seas.
Sharks are apex predators, which means that they are at the very top of the food chain with very few to no predators.
Most sharks are cold-blooded, but a few are warm-blooded, like the great white shark for instance.
Here is a super gross fact about marine animals that kids will love. Lobsters pee out of their faces, and they pee on each other to communicate. (Their urine nozzles are located under their eyes).
Octopuses have three hearts. Two of those hearts move blood beyond the animal’s gills, and the third heart keeps circulation moving for the organs.
Dolphins can sleep with one eye open and with one-half of their brain in use.

Then, hands-on activities to teach kindergarten is the best way for children to learn.

Look at some hands-on activities below to learn about sharks and oceans.

More Activities For Shark & Oceans for Kindergarten

Make an ocean in a bottle for a sensory experience that is calming and encourages kids to observe and ask questions.
Hands-on Coral Reef Activities and Play Dough Invitation to Play
Frozen animal ocean rescue is perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.
10 Sea Shell Activities for Kids and Make Crystal Sea Shells
Little hands love exploring their senses, an ocean sensory bin allows them to study ocean animals up close.
Quick Unit Study & Easy Salt water Density Ocean Science Experiments For Kindergarten
Free Coral Reef Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
Beware of Ocean Pollution: Fun Science Activity for Kids
Get them up, stretch, release those feel-good endorphins, and stimulate the brain with Ocean Yoga.
How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
Learn How to Make an Easy Jellyfish Lights Craft
The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef
Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Include a great book as a resource for your child to look at that has great illustrations and information.

I think Oceans Anatomy by Julia Rothman is a must-have addition to your science stack.

Everything is included in this book, from ocean tides to shark sizes, and sea grass to small and large ocean creatures.

More Kindergarten Homeschool Resources

Also, add some of these fun books and resources to learning about sharks and oceans.

Kindergarten Ocean Unit Study Resources

Add a fun ocean unit study resource for kindergarten to your study for the day.

Big Book of the Blue (The Big Book Series)

Following the wild success of The Big Book of Bugs and The Big Book of Beasts, The Big Book of the Blue is the third installment in Yuval Zommer’s beloved series. Alongside everything the young oceanographer needs to know, Zommer’s charming illustrations bring to life some of the slipperiest, scaliest, strangest, and most monstrous underwater animals.

Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea

Julia Rothman’s best-selling illustrated Anatomy series takes a deep dive into the wonders of the sea with Ocean Anatomy. Follow Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages.

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

100+ Pcs Beach Seashells Starfish, Various Sizes Ocean Seashells

Package includes about 100 or more pieces mixed beach sea shells. As shown in the picture, random matching includes seashells, starfish, tiny volutes varieties and sea snail, etc.

These seashell decors are exquisite and colorful, which are carefully handpicked and cleaned, generous size from 0.3" to 2.3", weigh about 250g, a wide variety of unique shells for crafts.

All-Natural Brown Play Sand for Mixing

This box has 2.5kg (5.5lb) of natural brown Kinetic Sand to mix, mold, squish, cut and more! Once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down! What will you create?

Shark Teeth in Bag Genuine Fossilized Specimens

Real Genuine Shark Teeth

Approximately 30 teeth per bag (plus fossils and bones!)

Great for classroom learning, Arts & Crafts and play "dig sites"

Animal Toy Figurine Models Including Sea Lion, Eagle Ray, Starfish, Turtle, Penguin, Octopus, Humpback Whale, Sperm Whale, Moray Eel, Hammerhead Shark, Tiger Shark, and Dolphin

SET OF 12 FAVORITE FIGURINES – This TOOB brings together 12 of your favorite ocean-dwelling friends, including a sea lion, eagle ray, starfish, turtle, penguin, octopus, humpback whale, sperm whale, moray eel, hammerhead shark, tiger shark, and dolphin!

Finally, look how to make this fun feed the shark activity to use for learning.

Shark & Oceans for Kindergarten Sight Word Activity – Feed The Shark

Supplies needed:

Foam board
Grey and black craft paint
pencil
Scissors or straight-edge razor

Using a pencil, lightly trace a shark head shape using most of the board.

Cut out one side and flip it to the other side of the board matching up the corner.

Next, trace it so that both sides match exactly and set these pieces aside. We’re going to use them later.

Use sharp scissors or a straight-edge blade to cut around the top of the shark’s head.

Then, draw an open mouth in the middle that is flatter across the bottom with an arch at the top.

Cut this out and set it to the side.

Paint the border of your shark gray and paint a thin black border around the mouth. Allow the paint to dry completely.

Too, while the paint is drying, take the excess piece from the mouth and cut a bunch of triangles for the shark’s teeth.

Once the paint is dry, hot glue teeth on the back side of the shark’s mouth on top and bottom.

Paint eyes on either side of the head.

Flip the board over and take the two scrap pieces you cut off in the second step, hot glue them on either side of the opening.

Be sure they are both lined up with the bottom as these will serve as your stand.

Now, for the activity itself, you can either make cards with your sight words, letters, numbers, or whatever you want to work on, or use purchased flashcards.

Additionally, you can also use alphabet magnets, scrabble tiles, or whatever else you already have to work with.

Moreover, spread a few out on the floor and call them out to your child, who then picks up the corresponding card and “feeds the shark”.

Easy, fun, and enjoyably repetitive, this activity will help sharpen skills and create a memorable learning experience.

Learn How to Make an Easy Jellyfish Lights Craft

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

Today we’re making a jellyfish lights crafts. Also, look at my page Oceans Unit Study and Lapbook.

Learn how to make this easy jellyfish lights craft with just a few inexpensive supplies and learn a lot about the life and characteristics of the fascinating jellyfish at the same time.

This is a great way to incorporate a hands-on activity that is fun and themed for summer learning into your day.

Learn How to Make an Easy Jellyfish Lights Craft

Your jellyfish can be as small or large as you like.

Upcycle empty fruit cups or use large plastic clear bowls from the party section to create an entire swarm.

Then use your child’s creation to teach them how to identify the anatomy, learn jellyfish vocabulary, and terminology, as well as create an adorable ocean craft for decoration.

Hands-On Activities-Easy Jellyfish Lights Craft

Ocean Anatomy was the perfect book for our easy jellyfish lights craft.

There is so much to learn in just a few pages.

You can reference it for the life cycle of a jellyfish, the anatomy of a jellyfish, facts, and a quick blurb on 5 different types of jellyfish.

The watercolor illustrations and tidbits of information are wonderful for reference.

Look at this beautiful Watercolor Jellyfish Art Project.

Make these fun Jellyfish in a Jar to observe their movement.
This stunning wooden Jellyfish Puzzle would make a wonderful hands-on activity as well as a keepsake for the whole family, especially middle to high school ages.

Younger children will enjoy making this Paper Plate Jellyfish.
How about a sweet and easy Paper Bag Jellyfish craft?
These Free Printable Jellyfish Clip cards are perfect for preschoolers learning to count and identify numbers.
Jellyfish Lacing Craft is ideal for building fine motor skills.
Build your own jellyfish with these PlusPlus interlocking blocks.
Head to your local aquarium to see some jellyfish in person or check out the live Jelly Cam at the Monterey Bay Aquarium while you put together your craft.

Jellyfish Facts

A group of jellyfish is known as a swarm or a bloom, which can contain millions of jellyfish and spread out over 10 square miles.
Jellyfish are not really fish or made of jelly, they are made of 95% water and classified as invertebrates from the phylum Cnidaria.
There are at least 2000 different species of jellyfish and they come in a wide range of shapes and colors like pink, white, yellow, orange, green, and blue, as well as multicolored.
They have no brain and no heart.
Jellyfish eat and poop from the same spot.
While some are tiny, the lion’s mane jellyfish can stretch its tentacles as long as 120 feet.

Challenge your child to create more than one jellyfish species.

Get creative using other craft supplies to make each one as unique as their real counterparts.

I was able to find everything I used at Dollar Tree, but you may already have most of it around the house.

More Ocean Themed Activities

And add Blow Painting Coral Reef Hands-On Activity.

Moreover, look at some of these books and fun resources to learn about jellyfish.

Books and Resources about Jellyfish

Add some of these books and resources to your study of jellyfish.

Jellyfish: A Natural History

With their undulating umbrella-shaped bells and sprawling tentacles, they are compelling and gorgeous, strange and dangerous. In many places they’re also vastly increasing in number, and these population blooms may be an ominous indicator of the rising temperatures and toxicity of the oceans.

Jellyfish (A Day in the Life: Sea Animals)

Beautiful and translucent, jellyfish can be deadly but some are perfectly harmless. Learn about the physical traits of jellyfish, how they move, where they are found, and their hunting and sleeping habits.

Moon Jelly Swims Through the Sea

Describes the life cycle of a female moon jellyfish as she escapes the many hazards of the sea to develop from planula to polyp to ephyra to a young adult ready to lay her own fertilized eggs.

Jellyfish - 70 Piece Tube Building Stem/Steam Toy

SIMPLE DESIGN - FUELS CREATIVITY: One shape, endless possibility! Every brick easily connects to the next. Create colorful flat mosaics or work in 3-D to make more intricate builds. Mix and match any Plus-Plus set to bring more ideas to life!

Jellyfish Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles

CHALLENGE GAME - Wooden jigsaw puzzles with uniquely shaped pieces are actually more challenging than traditional woodcut puzzles. It is absolutely going to be a great adventure!

A Jellyfish Is Not a Fish (Let'S-Read-And-Find-Out Science Book)

Describes the general characteristics and functions of a variety of jellyfish with emphasis on the ones to avoid.

Bloom

Once, the ocean was full of friends. Then a little jellyfish notices that things are changing--friends are disappearing! He sets out to discover the truth and learns that everyone has a part to play in protecting the careful balance of the ocean. "Bloom" refers to a substantial increase in jellyfish population that can be caused by climate change and pollution. In this beautifully illustrated, timely, and topical tale, the jellyfish band together to deliver an important message.

Finally, look how to make this fun jellyfish light craft.

Easy Jellyfish Light Craft

You will need:

Push light (or battery-operated tea light)
Clear plastic bowls or cups
Tissue paper
Ribbon
Hot glue gun/ stick
school glue

You want to make sure that your light fits inside of your bowl.

The tea lights fit everything, but they put out less light than the little tap light I used (from Dollar Tree).

First, place your bowl upside down and paint the outside with a full coat of watered-down school glue or use mod podge.

Cover with tissue paper in whatever color you like and press firmly into the glue. You can add multiple layers, but I like the translucent look.

“Paint” another coat of glue all over the top of the tissue paper to seal it well. Press the paper until it is mostly smooth. Allow it to dry.

Once it is completely dry you can rip off or cut the excess tissue paper left on the edges.

Flip the bowl over and glue the light into place on the inside.

I used a generous amount of hot glue and only secured the back so that I could twist off the front to change out the batteries.

You could also secure your light with adhesive velcro strips for easy removal.

Cut 2 or more types of ribbon to the same length, ruffled or shimmer ribbon is fun with the lights and resembles the tentacles more.

Hot glue the ribbon just inside the edge of the bowl all the way around.

If you want to, add a little detail to the body with markers or watercolor paint.

Finally, to hang your jellyfish, make a little loop on top with some of your leftover ribbons and secure it with hot glue.

How fun and simple was this easy jellyfish lights craft?

How to Make A Megalodon Shark Tooth Fun Homeschool Project

June 16, 2023 | 3 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Learn how to make a megalodon shark tooth homeschool project. Also, look for more ideas on my page Oceans Unit Study and Lapbook.

Megalodon Day is celebrated on June 15 to celebrate one of the largest predators ever known on Earth.

So, because I have a megalodon shark homeschool project to share with you as well as a host of other fun things.

How to Make A Megalodon Shark Tooth Fun Homeschool Project

If you have a shark or prehistoric creature-loving kid, they are going to enjoy this activity and the other ideas to go along with it.

Not only is it a great science project but it also works in an element of art, math, and research skills.

Like much of homeschooling, a good hands-on activity is fun and covers a multitude of subjects.

Megalodon Day Facts

The scientific name for the megalodon is Otodus megalodon.
The word megalodon comes from the Greek language and means “giant tooth.”
The megalodon bite was thought to be 3 times stronger than a T Rex bite, with a grin of 10 feet wide.
Megalodons are estimated to have been 40 to 60 feet in length and weighed 50 to 75 tons.
They have found fossil remains of the megalodon off the coast of every continent except Antarctica.
Studies done between megalodon, and great white teeth have led scientists to believe that they are closely related and also assume their body shape (though not size) was similar.
Since sharks don’t have any bones to examine most of what we know about the ancient megalodon comes from its large fossil teeth.

Then, look at some of these resources.

Megalodon Shark Resources

Add some of these fun Megalodon shark resources to your unit study.

Prehistoric Animal Models:Patton The Megalodon

Made of soft plastics, safe and innocuous, healthy and Eco-friendly.

Smaller than last one and with flexible lower jaw.

Shark Teeth in Bag Genuine Fossilized Specimens Perfect for Classroom Lessons Arts and Crafts

Real Genuine Shark Teeth

Approximately 30 teeth per bag (plus fossils and bones!)

MEGALODON!: The Complete History Of The Largest Predatory Shark That Ever Lived!

This book covers the Megalodon and the evolution of its ancestors going back over 100 million years. It also describes the Megalodon's internal and external physical characteristics based on the fossil record and what we know from related species

More Hands-On Shark Homeschool Activities

Since so much is a mystery about the megalodon, it takes some time to learn basic facts about modern-day sharks, the ancestors of the mega monster from prehistoric times. Ocean Anatomy is a good resource with pictures and facts about sharks and so much more.
Make a shark necklace to wear while you learn all about these fast, hungry predators.
You might enjoy this Montessori-inspired shark unit with lots of ideas.
Include this Easy How to Draw a Megalodon Shark Tutorial and Megalodon Shark Coloring Page in your plans.
Don’t forget Shark Week on Discovery Channel from July 11 to 18th.
Create an Easy Shark Art with Scrape Painting.
How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
I love a good-themed snack with a fun topic, munch on these shark tooth snacks.
A megalodon replica is a great addition to sensory bins, dramatic play, and even as a display added to a science shelf for your child to investigate.
Take a tape measure outside and draw it out to 60 feet to get a better idea of how big they believe the megalodon was.
Grab some shark teeth from your collection if you have any and compare the size to your replica.
Check out What if Megalodon Sharks Never Went Extinct on Youtube while you work on an activity or Wild Kratts is a wonderfully entertaining animated science show and this Stuck on Sharks video is full of information.

Finally, look at how to make a megalodon shark tooth.

Megalodon Shark Tooth Homeschool Project

Before starting, look in one of your books or online to get an idea of the shape and coloring of a Megalodon tooth. This helps give a good idea of just how massive a single tooth is.

You will need:

Air-Dry Clay
Craft paints
Paintbrushes
Clay roller or rolling pin
Toothpicks, craft sticks
Ruler

Begin by pulling off a sizable piece of clay, we will try to get our megalodon tooth close to 7” long.

Then, forming your shape, we are going for something roughly the shape of a piece of pizza.

Add clay as needed and work it in smoothing it with your fingers.

This is a great time to pull out your ruler and have your child measure to get the size right, somewhere between 6” and 7 ⅜” (the largest ever found).

Once you have your general size and shape roll it out to smooth the lumps.

How to Make a Megalodon Shark Tooth

Add a little build-up to the broader end, this is the root, where it would have been inside the shark’s jaw. Smooth with fingers to make it look like a natural transition.

Before allowing it to dry, add some aging and wear marks like pits and grooves using whatever you have on hand- the backend of your paint brushes, toothpicks, craft sticks, and etc.

Maybe there is a small piece missing out of one edge where he fought with another megalodon?

Allow to dry, this may take a couple of days, be sure to turn it every 12 hours or so to help it dry more thoroughly. If you place it outside in a sunny spot it will dry fast, be sure to lay it flat so that it dries flat.

Once your tooth is completely dry make a palette of different paint colors like black, white, tan, and gray on a paper plate.

Paint each section of the tooth and allow it to dry, you only need one thin coat.

If you want your replica megalodon tooth to last even longer give it a couple coats with a clear spray sealant.

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