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Electricity STEM: Lighting Up a Shoebox Tiny House

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

I have a fun electricity stem lighting up a shoebox activity.

Learning how electrical circuits work are important science skills for kids 4th grade and up.

When you understand how electricity works, you can begin to troubleshoot electrical devices and can even begin to build and design your own inventions!

It’s important for kids to get hands-on experimenting when learning the different parts of a circuit.

When they have an opportunity to practice using electricity, they’ll soon see the importance electricity plays in our everyday lives.

This highly engaging electrical activity will challenge kids to design their own homes by providing each room with a light, fan, and switch!

 I love it when you can combine creativity in a learning project!

Electrical Shoebox House STEM Activity

When I was a kid in school, I was intimated by science and especially electricity. I had that stereotypical thought that science was for boys and way to difficult for me to understand.

When I was thinking about classes to teach for my up and coming tutorial year, one word kept jumping at me: STEM.

STEM is a highly used buzz word for educators across the world. It stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

I was terrified to teach STEM, but I knew if I wanted my kids to be comfortable with science, I was going to have to get over my fear of it. And boy am I glad I did.

If you’re feeling uncertain about your abilities to teach STEM, don’t. Just jump in and do it.

To do this activity you’ll need:

  • a shoebox
  • alligator clips (at least 4)
  • 2 AA battery holders with wires connected
  • 4 AA batteries
  • one motor
  • one switch
  • 2-3 miniature light bulbs
  • tape
STEM Activity - Lighting Up a Shoebox

EASY HANDS ON HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE

To begin this activity, your kids will need a good grasp of how a circuit works. You can always have them play around with the circuits to practice lighting up all of the light bulbs and the motor.

When they have a pretty good understanding of the concept, it’s now time to build the house. First, section off the different rooms of the shoebox. You can use scraps of cardboard to be the dividing walls.

Lighting Up a Shoebox House

Once the walls are up, it’s time to wire the house.  You may need box cutters to cut holes in the walls (shoebox) to run the wires from the outside of the shoebox into the inside.

Tape may be needed to secure the power source on the outside of the house.Now it’s time to hook up your electricity.

Challenge your kids to light up two rooms of the house and run one fan. Then, if you want to add a little bit of design into your challenge, your children can cut out a door and design furniture.

This highly engaging electrical activity will challenge kids to design their own homes by providing each room with a light, fan, and switch!Click here to make this fun and easy hands-on homeschool science activity!

It really is a tiny house! What a cool way to learn about electricity!

Want to see a really cool shoebox house? Take a look at this video!

Get even more ideas for teaching hands-on science in your homeschool below!

Written by Christa at Little Log Cottage School.

EASY Hands-on Earth Science: Fun Water Testing Kit

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

For years we’ve used a water filtration system in our home because we recognize the value of the human body’s makeup of water and need for safe water. So, when I heard about Test Assured and got a chance to use their home water testing kit, I jumped at the chance of connecting science to real life.

I was given this product free from Water Testing Kit and I was compensated for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. ALL opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. When I do accept a product it’s because I’m giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here. Now on to the fun stuff!

Also, living here in Texas, the Gulf Coast has been affected by Hurricane Harvey. So safe water has been on our minds more now than ever.

I think your kids will love this water testing kit because it’s not only easy and fun, but it’s relevant today with all the rain and flood we’ve had here.

Easy Hands on Earth Science Using a Water Testing Kit. Can't get any more easier than this. Click here to grab this kit.

SCIENCE FAIR WATER TESTING KIT

Look at all the supplies you get in the kit.

4-pack tests. Each packet includes a vial, test chart, iron reageant tablet, and 3 test strips to measure:
►Chlorine/Copper/Nitrate/Nitrite
►Iron
►Alkalinity/pH/Hardness
Guidebook
TDS Meter

You’ll want to find 4 different water sources. We used the ditch in the back of our house, the creek from the local park on our walk, bottled water, and tap water.

Because Tiny has gone with my husband to show the demonstrations of water ionizers to family and friends that needed safe water to drink, he was familiar with the effects of using a filtration system.

This was different though because he got to test the quality of water without a filtration system.

We take it for granted that our boys understand that the quality of water is important to our health. But this test really enforces an understanding of what is in the water we drink.When you get the kit, you’ll want to read the directions carefully like store it at room temperature and don’t use hot or bleach water. Then you’re ready to move on to the fun.

I know I’ve said it before, but I love easy activities that don’t require much setup and where I don’t have to round up a lot of supplies.The instructions are on the chart and it gives you an order in which to do the tests.

First, we checked each sample for chlorine/copper/nitrate/nitrite, then alkalinity/pH/hardness, and lastly the iron.

Then we compared that to the chart. Jotting down test results is easy because the kits have a results notebook. What is especially cool about the kit is the TDS meter. TDS is abbreviated for total dissolved solids which are the total weight of all solids (mineral, salts, or metals) that are in a given amount of water.And you use the TDS meter to check your water filter and to check the hardness of your water.

It gives out a digital reading and the lower the number the better the water can be absorbed by your body.

This water testing kit is a good fit for your family if:

►You want to teach in an easy way about the quality of water and connect it to every day life.
►You have multiple kids and they each want to participate in the activity.
►You like having all the supplies in one box for you. No hunting and gathering of supplies. I like that part. I know you will too.
►You’re looking for a project for your kid to do to participate in a science fair or homeschool co-op.
►You want your middle or high school kid to do science independently.
►You want safe home science products for your younger kids. There is no glassware here and the testing strip is safe. This is assuming your kids are not going to drink the creek water. Ha.

ENGAGING WATER UNIT STUDY IDEAS

Also, look at these topics and ways to include this water testing kit in your unit study.

►Learn about the geography of a country through understanding the natural resource of water.
►Learn about countries that are underdeveloped to understand the importance of clean drinking water.
►Learn about the human body and how it processes water.
►Learn about ways the local industry or even farming affects the local water source.
►Talk with your older kids about how to make water potable.
►Ask your high school kids if it’s necessary or even healthy to remove all the impurities from water for it to be safe for drinking.
►Connect water usage to the Ancient Rome aqueducts. How much water was in the aqueducts?
►If water could be made safe to drink in countries where water had to be used from streams and rivers, could water-related diseases be eradicated?

These are just a few of the ways I see that you could use the water testing kit in your homeschool day.

How to Purchase It.

►Product Name: Water Testing Kit
►Website: Test Assured Water Testing Kits and Supplies
►Grade Level: multi-grade level
►About the product: Looking for the perfect product to use to demonstrate water testing to your child, student, or classroom? Test Assured is here to help. We offer 4-pack kits that are perfect for schools and science fairs
►Price: 4-Pack Kit $24.99

When I heard about Test Assured and got a chance to use their at home water testing kit, I jumped at the chance of connecting science to real life. Look how easy you can use this water testing kit in your science day! Click here.

If you’re looking to add an easy and simple, but engaging way to learn about the water in your area or maybe have a budding environmental scientist you’ll want to grab this kit.

You’ll love these other activities for understanding the power and necessity of water:

Hugs and love ya,

Day 4. Ancient Greece (Hands-on Science) 3 EASY Activities

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

These activities are geared for middle school, but a high school student that has a science aversion would be engaged too. While studying the ancient civilizations, grab these ideas for an Ancient Greece hands-on science unit study. Click here to add these ideas to your unit study!I have a secret I’ve been keeping. You already know my love for living books, unit studies, history, and hands-on activities. But you may not know that we’ve been using Beautiful Feet’s History of Science this year. Besides the excellent literature they cull through so that I don’t have to, we love the easy hands-on science activities.

These activities are geared for middle school, but a high school student that has a science aversion would be engaged too. While studying the ancient civilizations, grab these ideas for an Ancient Greece hands-on science unit study.

We have been learning how far ahead of their time the Greeks really were when it came to science. We loved reading about Archimedes. I had already studied about Archimedes with my first two sons before I had discovered Beautiful Feet literature. So I was really tickled that I have it for Tiny.

Even though it is written for a middle school level, a living book is written like a story and draws in a reader of any age.

To engage your kids, look at these questions to ask and have your kids write in their notebooks.

►Who was Archimedes?
►What elements did the Ancient Greeks believed that made up the universe?
►What do we know today about the elements that make up our universe?
►What is surface tension?

Ancient Greeks and their Perception of Matter

Next, grab these simple things that you probably have lying around your house because these activities are so quick and easy that you want to include all of your kids.

  • tall glass bottle
  • gauze pad
  • rubber band
  • bowl or glass with water
  • steel paper clip
  • dishwashing liquid
  • food dye
  • a couple of droppers
  • milk at room temperature
  • shallow pan

Then move on to each activity.

ONE/ Understand what is surface tension. Then do this simple activity.

Place a steel paper clip in a glass or bowl. (Yes, I can do that.)

Why does it float? Which is more dense, the water or paper clip?

How to Teach Hands-on  Science Through Living Books

TWO/ Why is the gauze leakproof?

Fill a glass bottle with water. We added food coloring so it could be easier to be seen if it spilled.

Add the gauze over the top and secure with a rubber band. Turn it upside and see what happens.

Why won’t water pour out through a gauze enclosed top? It is held inside by the surface tension of the water.

THREE/ How to break surface tension? Understand that certain substances can break down surface tension.

This next one is a great activity to include the little ones because it has an instant ewwww and awwww moment. Grab a shallow glass pan.

Add room temperature milk.

Choose two food color dyes, get two eye droppers and some dishwashing liquid in a small container.

Then use one dropper to add two food coloring choices. You notice it stays in a circle or really doesn’t break the surface.

Then use the second dropper to add dishwashing liquid and you get immediate action. The colors start to swirl and move.

The colors spread around because the stronger surface tension around the edge of the dish pulls the milk and food coloring outward.

Try a few different colors. It really is an engaging activity. You’ll want to try it again and again.

These easy hands-on activities are a simple way to look at how scientist of the past looked at ancient discovery. Also, we have done plenty of lapbooks on Greece and we’ve added some too from Home School in the Woods that we love.

We have a few more things we have been doing with our History of Science and I can’t wait to show you more.

I’m doing an Ancient Civilizations hands-on history series and you’ll want to look at these other ideas:

Day 1. Ancient Egypt Civilization (Hands-on History): Narmer Crown.
Day 2. Ancient Mesopotamia (Hands-on History): Cook Sebetu Rolls.
Day 3. Ancient Rome (Hands-on History): Paint a Jester.

And look at these other ways we’ve used Beautiful Feet literature.

When We Used Beautiful Feet Books as our History Spine, Medieval History for Homeschool Middle School, and Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History – Fun Hands-On Activity.

Hugs and love ya,

 

How to Shake Up STEAM With Geography For Middle School

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

Science intimidates me, but I’ve always managed to teach it through one of my other strengths. I had a chance to shake up STEAM with geography. I used a country crate about Poland and used it to teach STEAM with geography, history and hands-on activities as a unit study. I love pick up and go resources that have everything in a crate that makes teaching STEAM and geography easy. Click here to read about it and grab it!

I stalked the mailbox waiting for this country crate. For review purposes, I was given this product for free and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product gets a positive review. But because I carefully sort through numerous offers for reviews, it usually means that I’m giddy about the product when I do accept it. Read my full disclosure here.

Science intimidates me, but I’ve always managed to teach it through one of my other strengths. So when I had a chance to shake up STEAM with geography by receiving a country crate about Poland from STEAMworld, I jumped at the chance. I can’t wait to tell you about the country crate, tell you what you get in one, and how I used it.

First, though, I don’t want you to miss both the sweet discount and giveaway at the bottom. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway and use the discount code.

After reading recently that STEAM jobs are on the increase, I’ve been looking for easy ways to incorporate science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics in my unit studies, but that takes a lot of time.

Too, nothing takes the steam (corny pun – I couldn’t resist) more out of a hands-on project then missing items to do them with.

Knowing that the crate comes with everything that we need in it to learn about Poland is a huge time savings tip.

Right now 3 countries are available: Poland, Japan, and Morocco with more coming!

(Confession – the paper and template for the rooster are missing in the picture because Tiny couldn’t wait to get started.)

Look at what you get in each crate:

  • materials for a math project,
  • materials for a science project,
  • materials for an art project,
  • materials for an engineering project,
  • one student activity book, which includes instructions for all STEAM projects, and
  • one country scrapbook style guide, which includes back ground information, fast facts and landmarks about a country.

What you do not get in a crate are items you normally would have in your homeschool room like rulers, pens, pencils, scissors and glue.

One of the things I like most about the crate and ideas for each subject is that they were uncomplicated and not lengthy.

It has just the right amount of laid out activities without telling you what to do each day.

If you’re new to unit studies, you may want a unit study that is more comprehensive, but that can also be overwhelming.

Right now in this season of my homeschooling, I want the freedom and wiggle room to learn at our pace without day to day lesson plans.

For example, for the first week and half or so we worked on the art project.

Look at my post Polish Paper-Cutting (Wycinanki): Day 10 Hands-on Learning.

The student activity book, or guide, has one or two pages of explanation with a hands-on project.

After reading the art activity, we took our time working on the art project. After learning about the beautiful art of polish paper cutting, we researched art patterns as well as read about the history of Poland.

In addition to the 8-page student activity book, the 4-page scrapbook style country guide has background information and quick facts about Poland.

Then, we took another couple of weeks watching a few YouTube videos and reading books from the library.

Both guides are springboards if you want to research and read longer about a topic like we did.

What I also like is that each project your child can work on independently. While I love teaching my kids at the middle school and high school level, I know it’s important to choose resources that support a child’s natural desire to learn independently.

Having each day’s lesson plans laid out is not exactly the way to do that.

Instead, giving your child guidance, some background information, and bringing the information together under a geography topic gives a middle school or high school student a beginning point.

Having an idea for each subject in a geography unit study also keeps your geography study balanced. Following a unit study approach means that you normally want some starting point for subjects about a topic and it means to introduce it in a balanced way.

I know I’ve been guilty of being unbalanced while covering unit study. While there is nothing wrong with digging deep on a topic you and your kids are excited about, a few subjects could be overlooked.

Using STEAMworld, gave us not only ideas to cover more in-depth, but hands-on projects for each subject.

I’ve confessed that when the boys were little that I took a hands-off approach to teaching because it either intimidated me or sounded like a lot of work for maybe a little return.

After homeschooling longer, you learn that kids retain information better when they are engaged and through hands-on projects. However, the next mistake in learning how to teach unit studies is that you can complicate hands-on projects. It’s almost enough to make you quit unit studies.

That is another reason I’m tickled to use the the country crates. Simple, but meaningful projects while learning about Poland keeps unit studies from being either boring or overly complicated.

However, the best reason I love STEAMworld is the focus on STEAM.

When it comes to geography and history it’s our first love; I can easily add in more content. But my boys have always loved science and want more ideas when we are doing unit studies.

STEAMworld may be a good fit for your family:

►If you love STEAM and want to include a framework for geography and history with it.
►If you love STEAM and want to fold it into your unit studies.
►If you want all the important supplies for hands-on projects at your finger tips and not have to worry about gathering all of them.
►If you love in-depth geography and history and prefer to add it yourself while having ideas for STEAM.
►If you prefer to have a beginning point and an easy hands-on idea for each subject in STEAM.
►If you want to encourage your kids to work more independently in unit studies, the guides are not bulky, but helpful and simple.
►If you prefer to do your own in-depth planning and don’t need to be told what to do day to day.
►If you don’t want to come up with a hands-on idea for Science,Technology, Engineering, Art or Math. An idea is provided for each subject tied to the country you’re studying.
►If you have multiple ages of children and want them to work together on a topic, but not necessarily on the same lesson. There is enough wiggle room in the guides to allow each child to work on a sub-topic that may interest each one.

I think you’ll love these country crates and I can’t wait to see the other country crates that are released.

What I love too is when a company is generous and hosts a sweet giveaway in addition to giving you a discount.

Be sure to enter the giveaway because there will be two winners and you have several chances to win. You never know; you may win. Don’t forget to use the coupon, as well as to share with your friends.

Hope you win!

How to purchase it.

►Product Name: STEAMworld Country Crates. Includes everything needed to do the activities. Materials included for science, math, art and engineering. Basic homeschool supplies like scissors, glue, tape and pencils are not included in the country crate. There is a duo option for extra material to include siblings.
►Website: STEAMworld Learning.
►Suitable for grades: 4th to 8th, but so it’s  so flexible to include all of your children.
►Format: A physical product that will be shipped to you.
►Cost: $39.95. Remember to use the code: steam2017 for a discount.

You may also love reading 5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities), Geoscavenge – A Rock and Mineral Hunt: Day 6 Hands-on Learning and 11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map).

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

The Ultimate Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest

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In preparing this ultimate guide to the flora and fauna of the Amazon rainforest, I’ve collect resources to enhance a study of the Rain Forest Amazon by gathering resources that focus just on the flora and fauna of the rain forest.

I fondly remember our family trek in the Amazon Rain Forest while living in South America and I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart when learning about it. Having studied the Amazon Rainforest numerous times, we still find fascinating topics to study about.

Because of the sheer number of critters, creatures and creeping things as well as lush plants and trees that exists abundantly in the rain forest, I feel any guide can only touch the fringes of what can be learned. However, I do hope like my other Amazon Rain Forest resources, you’ll find this one equally helpful as you and your kids uncover the fascinating treasures of the Amazon Rain Forest.

Remember to add my HUGE free unit study Tropical Rain Forest – Amazon, or Amazonia in South America, which consists of multiple lapbooks for different ages, Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon and Tropical Rainforest Amazon Free Resources – Teachers Guides, Crafts, Lesson Plans to this unit study.

The Ultimate Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest

Tropical Rainforest Amazon


Flora of the Amazon Rainforest

Trees of the Amazon Rain Forest

Our Journey Westward

Plants of the Amazon Rain Forest

Our Journey Westward

Fauna of the Amazon Rainforest

Birds of the Amazon Rain Forest

Mammals of the Amazon Rain Forest


Reptiles and Amphibians of the Amazon Rain Forest


Aquatic Life of the Amazon Rain Forest

Insects of the Amazon Rain Forest

The Ultimate Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest

Are you interested in more about the Amazon Rainforest?

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.


This blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects.

The Ultimate Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest. Learning about the lush plants and fascinating animals of the Amazon Rain Forest makes for a fascinating homeschool unit study. Bring learning alive through hands-on activities, free guides and ideas for learning about the flora and fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest in this Ultimate Guide. Click here!