No matter how you feel about REAL spiders, you’re guaranteed to LOVE everything about this Pre-K Spiders Science Unit and engaging little learners in animal studies. Share this unit during Halloween season in October to make it extra fun!

Fall and October are the perfect time for science; it’s nice enough outside to make real-life connections to your studies. Plus, Halloween is the best time to engage students in exploration and interactive lessons like this spiders science unit.

If you’re looking for other fall fun, you can check out our 21 Stem Ideas for fall or our other science units on bats and pumpkins! You can get all of these units and SO much more as part of our Endless Science {Growing} MEGA Bundle for Pre-K! And if you want even more spiders, I love incorporating these spider counting mats into my math center and using little plastic spiders for the kids to count with. This spider counting activity with cooked spaghetti is also super fun for the kids!

Pre-K Spiders Science Unit and Activities

With a week-long lesson plan, our Spiders Science Unit needs very little prep and is appropriate for learners at the preschool level all the way through first grade. 

In this Spiders science unit for our youngest learners, you’ll have everything you need to teach an engaging, hands-on, science unit study. Students will learn about the spider life cycle, the parts of a spider, and so many fun facts of these creepy, crawly creatures in this spiders unit study.

Our science units come packed full of everything you could possibly need to teach a successful unit. Not only does this unit come with spider projects, spider crafts, and everything else you need to help your students with the study of spiders, but it also comes with tons of teacher resources, just for you!

Inside you’ll find: 

This study of spiders for prek learners is jam-packed full of resources for teaching and learning all about spiders. The unit includes:

• Unit Overview covering all that is included in the unit
• Lesson Plans for the week
• At-Home Letter to send to families
• Teacher Guide to give you all of the background knowledge you need
• Science Center Ideas
• Science Questions to help you lead discussions throughout the unit
• Book, Video, and Song Lists 
• Spider Facts Powerpoint and Posters
• Spider Nonfiction Emergent Reader
• Question of the Week to engage students and pique their interest at the start of the unit
• Parts of a Spider Posters 
• Parts of a Spider Worksheets
• Spider Life Cycle Posters
• Spider Life Cycle Worksheet/Hat
• Spider Fingerplay
• Spider Web Stem Challenge
• Marble Spider Web Craft

Plus all of these bonus materials too!

• Writing Center Cards and Papers
• Spiders Facts or Animal Research Craft
• Definition Posters
• Types of Spiders Posters
• Word Wall
• Positional Words Emergent Reader
• Spider Bingo Game
• Spider Math Center Games
• Circle Maps
• Glitter Spider Web Craft

Materials needed for the Spiders Science Unit: 

We know how valuable your time is, so we always try to base the activities in our units on what you might already have hanging around the classroom or at home. You’ll find more materials listed within the unit depending on which crafts and projects you choose to complete! Some of the materials you will need to prepare for the Spiders Science Unit:

• Copy Paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Coloring Tools
• Construction paper
• Paint 
• Marbles

Using the Pre-K Spiders Science Unit: an Animal Study

Once you have purchased and downloaded the Pre-K Spiders Science Unit, we recommend printing the posters on cardstock and laminating them so you can use them year after year. There are multiple activities, crafts, and projects included in this science unit, meaning preparation will vary depending on what you choose to do with your students! First, check out some of the teacher resources that come in this unit.

Spiders Unit Overview

Our unit overview shows you a small glimpse of EVERYTHING that comes in your Pre-K Spiders Science Unit with suggestions on when and how to use each resource.

Spiders Science Unit Study Lesson Plans

These week-long lesson plans provide you with an outline of when and how to use all of the materials in this unit. The lesson plans are merely a suggestion to help you get started since we know that everyone fits science into their school day or week differently. Simply pick and choose what is best for you and your students using the lesson plans and the provided unit overview.

Spiders Science Unit Home Letter

Parents love knowing what their child is learning about at school and students love to share with their families! Use this provided home letter to print (they come two-to-a-page,) cut, and send home with your students to clue families into the latest happenings in science.

Teacher Guide for Pre-K Spiders Science Unit

Do you already know everything there is to know about spiders? Yeah…me neither! That’s why each one of our science units comes with a teacher guide! Our Spider Teacher Guide is filled with facts and information about spiders to get you up to speed before you start to teach the unit to your students. Plus, it’s always good to have extra fun facts for those kids that will want to know everything and more about spiders.

Science Center Ideas and Science Questions

If you’re like me, you probably struggle to make sure that you are constantly changing out materials to keep your science center engaging for your students. Use our suggested ideas and questions to make an interactive center that perfectly correlates with the Spiders Science Unit! Plus, we provide you with curated lists of questions to spark discussion, creativity, and critical thinking in your littlest learners. You can use questions from our Spiders-specific questions list and/or our general “Science Talk” questions list.

Collections of Spider Songs, Videos, and Books

In your download, you’ll receive curated lists of songs, videos, and books that can be used with your students throughout the science unit. You can pull from these lists anytime you need to start a new lesson, fill some time, or transition to another activity! Best of all, the lists are clickable and take you right to the link to watch, listen, or purchase the book.

Spider Facts PowerPoint and Posters

Our Spider Facts PowerPoint can be displayed on your screen/board. Also included are the Spider Facts Posters that match the PowerPoint and can be printed, laminated, displayed, and saved for years to come. Students will love learning all of these fun facts about spiders. And don’t forget, if you need some more background knowledge or have kids that want to know even more about these 8-legged creatures, make sure to check out the teacher guide in the unit for more information!

Nonfiction Spiders Emergent Reader

After introducing spiders to your students with the Spider Facts PowerPoint and Posters, use this “What can a Spider Do?” emergent reader to help students identify the most important facts about spiders. Filled with real-life pictures, this emergent reader can be used in whole-group or small-group settings and is perfect to place in your reading center for students to explore on their own. Kids love taking their spider emergent readers home to read to their family.

Parts of a Spider Posters and Worksheets

Teach students all about the different parts of a spider with these posters and worksheets. The posters include both real-life and clipart options and come with matching labeling worksheets, plus fun glyphs to have students review the parts of a spider while also practicing their listening skills!

Spider Life Cycle Posters

These posters are perfect for teaching your young students all about the life cycle of a spider. With real-life and clipart options you can use the different stage definition cards to have students put the life cycle in order after reviewing the posters that show the entire cycle. Students will especially love getting to make a fun hat to show what they know after learning about the spider life cycle. Our kids love building their hats from this spider life cycle worksheet.

Spider Fingerplay and Question of the Week

Our youngest learners love songs and rhymes! This spider fingerplay will have your students singing, dancing, and smiling each time you do it! I love to use fingerplays as transitions throughout the day after the kids get the hang of them. With your Spiders science unit download you’ll also receive a Question of the Week header. I love to start every unit off with a question that piques the interest and curiosity of my students. The kids also love to go home and ask the same question to their families and report back the next day. The question of the week is a great discussion starter and can also be a good way to tie in graphing!

Marble Spider Web Craft

Using a marble with paint is one of the oldest tricks in the book! But have you ever done it with the intent to create a spider web painting? I love this craft because it can be pretty much mess-free and is so simple to do! I like to do it with a few students at a time at my table while the other students work in their centers.

Spider Web STEM Challenge

After learning about spiders all week, give students a chance to explore and create on their own with this STEM challenge. Using materials like dental floss, kidney beans, and clear tape, students will try to make a spider web that can hold an “insect,” or in this case, a bean! Students can work individually, in partners, or in small groups to complete the challenge.

Definition Posters

When teaching a new subject, it’s important for students to gain an understanding of the different vocabulary words that they’ll be hearing throughout the unit. Use these definition posters to teach students the simplified definitions of some spider-related words that you’ll be referring to during the week. With real-life photos, these posters are one of the first things added to my “print, laminate, and save” pile! 

Word Wall Cards

And speaking of vocabulary, I love displaying the words that we’ll be using while discussing spiders in different places around the classroom. These word wall cards are perfect for doing just that! Stick them on the board, in a pocket chart, or on a ring and allow students to review and familiarize themselves with them.

Spider Facts or Animal Research Craft

If you are looking to dive a little deeper when it comes to spider crafts, then this Spider Facts or Research Craft is for you! Use our provided template and directions to help students create this adorable spiders project. Then, if you have students that need a bit more of a challenge, you can use one of the spider facts or spider research options for students to add to their craft. With several different options, this project has a little something for everyone!

Positional Words Emergent Reader

I love to use emergent readers in my small groups, and if they are related to other skills and topics that we are learning then it’s a double win for me! This Positional Words Spider Emergent Reader will have students practicing reading while also displaying their knowledge of the words “on,” “in,” “under,” and “over.” Students can either glue one of the provided paper spiders on each page or draw their own. 

Glitter Spider Web Craft

With our preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten students, we are always looking for ways to sneak in fine motor practice! Using the provided spider web template or drawing your own, students can trace a spider web with glue and shake glitter over it while it’s still wet. The end result is stunning, sparkly spider webs that will make a great bulletin board or Halloween decoration for home!

Spider and Spider Facts Circle Maps

Have you ever used circle maps with your students? They’re a type of graphic organizer and can be used with drawings or words. I love to make one as a whole group at the start of the unit and then again at the end to see how much the kids have learned. They are also great for your older students to use as a starting point when collecting facts and information about spiders.

Spider Math Center Activities 

Quick! Get the laminator or the page protectors and make a few copies of these easy, almost no-prep, math centers that go along perfectly with the Pre-K Spiders Science Unit. Students will love seeing what they’re learning about in science being represented in other aspects of their day, and you’ll love getting to break out the plastic spiders, spider rings, mini erasers, and/or googly eyes! These centers will be a hit in October!

Writing Center Cards and Paper

After purchasing the unit, you’ll find writing materials to place in a center throughout the week-long unit or to even use as a whole group activity. You’ll receive horizontal and vertical papers with and without lines, plus writing cards in both lower and uppercase letters, with pictures so that your young students can identify the words. This is a great way to spark creativity and practice vocabulary and I love to see the drawings and stories (verbal or written) that they come up with!

Spider Bingo Game

Bingo in the classroom is so fun! Use this bingo game, available in color and black & white, as a fun Friday activity, a way to culminate the unit, or even as a Halloween party game! Bingo is also easy to have a parent volunteer come in and run. I love to use counters as the pieces to cover up the pictures on the bingo cards, but lots of people use paper or anything else they have on hand. It may even be the perfect use for those little mini-erasers that we all love to buy so much!

Types of Spiders Posters

As a bonus, we threw in these different types of spiders posters because we just KNOW there will be kids in your class that want to see these creepy creatures up close! Another great thing to print, laminate, and save for the following year just like the other posters. 

Download the Pre-K Spiders Science Unit Now!

If you think this is the perfect hands-on science unit for your elementary classroom, purchase now and it will be emailed INSTANTLY!  Grab it from one of our stores: 

A Dab of Glue Will Do Store 

A Dab of Glue Will Do Teachers Pay Teachers 

Your students will soon be spider experts after learning all about them! They may very well be on “Team I Love Spiders!” after this!

Check Out This Resource From My Shop!

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Habitat Puzzles Printable comes with six different habitat puzzles. The following habitats will be covered: ocean, pond, grasslands, rain forest, desert, and the arctic.

Each puzzle has four pieces: one with the name of the habitat and the other three have pictures of animals that live there.

Getting Habitat Puzzles Printable Ready

This free printable is very easy to prep. I recommend printing on cardstock and laminating so it can easily be used year after year. These are quick and easy to cut. Simply use a paper cutter to cut each puzzle out. Then use scissors to cut out each individual puzzle.

Doing Habitat Puzzles Printable

Students will start the activity by placing all of the pieces on the floor or table.

They will choose a puzzle piece with the name of a habitat. This student chose the rain forest card.

Students will then sort through all of the animal puzzle pieces looking for animals that live in the rain forest habitat.

Once the puzzle has all four pieces, they can pick a new habitat and start again.

Another way this could be completed is to have all of the habitat puzzle pieces laid out on a table or even the floor. Students will then sort all of the animals and according to where they live.

Download Your Habitat Puzzles Printable Below!

I hope that you and your students enjoy Habitat Puzzles Printable to use in your classroom this year!

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Fall is also my favorite season to bring into the classroom.  Is your school near a wooded area? Take your students on a nature scavenger hunt and bring those signs of fall back to the classroom with you!

Exploring seasonal fruits and veggies? With pumpkins, apples, corn, and squash all in season, autumn is the perfect time of year to learn about life cycles, taste, texture, smell and so much more related to harvesting and farming. Check out our 21 STEM ideas for fall and all the ways you can explore and engage your students with hands-on learning!

Have you been looking for the perfect science unit to explore apples? Then look no further!  These hands-on apple science and stem activities for little learners provide multiple lessons that incorporate a multimedia approach, along with engaging activities and worksheets. 

Start the week by sparking imaginations with a unique apple story involving a hands-on experience.  Students will not only be able to identify the parts of an apple by the end of the week but also the life cycle of an apple. 

These apple science and stem activities also incorporate seasons while engaging the senses of taste, smell, and touch in a hands-on learning experiment.  Your little learners will be having so much fun tasting and exploring apples that they won’t even realize they’re learning! 

Want to invite apples into other subject areas during the week?  Check out our apple-themed Math and Literacy centers!  Enhance learning by incorporating some fun apple-themed crafts like our Parts of An Apple Coffee Filter craft, Fine Motor Paper Plate Apple Craft, or our Paper Bag Apple Craft.

*Please look at the product images and preview here to see the most updated version of this science unit.

Apples Science Unit and Activities

With a week-long lesson plan, our Apples Science Unit needs very little prep and is appropriate for learners at the preschool level all the way through first grade.

Our hands-on Apples Science Unit Activities will also give students a chance to learn new vocabulary.  With words like blossom, seed, and sprout, this comprehensive apples science packet engages both the student’s body and mind while exploring the life cycle of an apple tree.  

Inside You Will Find:

These fantastic apples hands-on science activities are packed with so many components to use.  With your download you will receive: 

*Please check the current product description for the most up-to-date list of included items.

• Science Lesson Plans for the week
• Definition Posters – 13 pages
• Apples PowerPoint – 15 pages
• Apples Posters (exact same as PowerPoint above) – 15 pages
• Little Red House with No Doors and No Windows Story – 4 pages
• Apples File Folder Activity – 5 pages
• Life Cycle Posters (both real pictures and clipart) – 18 pages
• Life Cycle Worksheet – 2 pages
• Parts of an Apple Poster (with real pictures) – 1 page
• Parts of an Apple Worksheet – 2 pages
• Apple Tree Through the Seasons PowerPoint – 13 pages
• Apple Tree Through the Seasons Posters (exact same as PowerPoint above) – 13 pages
• Apple Tree Through the Seasons Worksheet – 2 pages
• Apple Taste Test – 5 pages

Materials Needed for Apples Science Unit

We know how valuable your time is, so we have made this science unit as low prep as possible! What you will need to prepare the Apples Science Unit: 

• Paper or cardstock
• Laminator
• Laminating sheets
• Scissors or paper cutter
• File folders

Note that there are two PowerPoints included in this unit.  This allows for a multimedia approach.  Just download and save in an easy-to-access folder, then simply open and put it into presentation mode for the lesson. 

Using the Apples Science Unit

Once you have purchased and downloaded the Apples Science Activity Unit, we recommend printing the posters on cardstock and laminating them so you can use them year after year.

There are multiple activities and centers included in this science unit, meaning preparation can vary. Follow the instructions below for a step-by-step guide on preparing and using your Apples Science Activity Unit.

Apples Science Lesson Plan for the Week

Throughout this apple science unit, learners will complete different hands-on activities while learning all about apples. This week-long lesson plan outlines the best way to use the materials in this packet, while also including the “Little Red House with No Doors and No Windows” story.

Definition Posters

We know that every teacher is different, just like every classroom and student is different! It’s important for us to provide you with options, which is why we have included both real-life pictures and clipart in many of the posters. These definition posters can be used digitally, or printed out, laminated, and hung around the classroom. With clear definitions, use these informational pages to refer to throughout your lesson about apples.

Apples PowerPoint/Posters

With a narrative tone, these apple slides (or posters) provide definitions while also explaining the process of growing and harvesting apples. This makes an excellent resource to be used in a whole group setting or at a center.

Life Cycle Posters and Worksheet

With both real pictures and clipart options available, these posters walk students through the life cycle of an apple, all the way from a tiny seed to a full, ripe apple tree ready for harvest.

With the corresponding worksheet, students will be able to identify the different stages independently while also recognizing the stages of the cycle in order.

Parts of An Apple Posters and Worksheet

Give students a hands-on experience exploring apples while using this poster as a reference. Can students find the seeds and stem on an apple? Which part is the flesh, and which part is the skin? Students will demonstrate competency by completing their own individual worksheets.

Apple Tree Through the Seasons PowerPoint/Posters and Worksheet

Apples are in season for only two months of the year…so what does an apple tree do when not growing apples? Explore the seasonal changes of an apple tree with your students and have them illustrate these differences on the corresponding worksheet.

Apple Taste Test

Close out your Apples Science Unit with a fun and hands-on learning opportunity where students will taste different types of apples. With a letter for parents, apple types picture labels, a signup sheet, AND a class taste test graph, everything you need for this hands-on learning experience is included.

Download the Apples Science Unit Now!

If you think this is the perfect hands-on science unit for your elementary classroom, purchase now and it will be emailed INSTANTLY!  Grab it from one of our stores: 

A Dab of Glue Will Do Store 

A Dab of Glue Will Do Teachers Pay Teachers 

Your students will soon be apple experts after learning ALL things apple in this fun and engaging science unit!

Want More Science Units?

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Getting Ready for Inverted Balloon in a Bottle

For such an impressive activity, the inverted balloon in a bottle experiment is actually very simple to set up. We gathered the following supplies:

• Glass bottle with a narrow neck
• 1 Tablespoon water
• Balloon
• Oven mitts

The kids poured 1 tablespoon of water into the bottle using a funnel. The amount doesn’t have to be exact. Simple as that, we were ready to begin!

Inverted Balloon in a Bottle

The rest of the experiment moved quite quickly and definitely required adult supervision.

I placed the bottle in the microwave for one minute, long enough for the water to boil. We discovered that the bottle was actually too tall to fit into our microwave standing up, so I rested it diagonally in a glass bowl and it worked perfectly. Another option would be to boil a pot of water on the stove and set the glass bottle inside of it until the water within the glass bottle boils.

The glass bottle was very hot so I was careful to handle it using oven mitts and to warn the kids against touching it.

Once the water in the glass bottle began to boil I removed it from the microwave and placed it on a hot pad on the counter. Quickly and carefully, I stretched the mouth of a balloon over the bottle opening, making sure to center the balloon. Then we sat back to watch and observe.

The first thing the kids observed was steam in the bottle condensing back into water. We could see little water droplets forming on the inside of the glass as the bottle cooled.

Within 30 seconds we watched as the balloon started moving all on its own. Slowly, the end of the balloon was pulled into the glass bottle, as if by magic. And then POP! The balloon inverted completely into the bottle and continued to expand inside. The kids could not believe their eyes!

The Science Behind the Inverted Balloon in a Bottle

Water inside the bottle turns into water vapor when it is boiled. This water vapor, or steam, pushes the air out of the bottle.

When it cools, with the balloon stretched over the opening, the water vapor condenses and turns back into liquid water. This creates a difference in pressure between the inside and the outside of the glass bottle.

Since the pressure is higher outside, air rushes into the bottle, taking the balloon along with it. The more the bottle cools down, the more air comes in from the outside, and the more the balloon expands inside the bottle. Wow!

More Science Activities and Ideas

Walking Water Science for Kids

Science Notebook

Plants Unit

Want science planned for you ALL YEAR LONG?!

Do you want science planned for the ENTIRE CALENDAR YEAR!? This Endless Science Mega Bundle will save you so much time and keep your students engaged and excited about learning. This amazing resource contains 53 science topics including life science, physical science, earth science, and animal studies.

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Getting Rain in a Jar Ready

Setting up this rain in a jar science experiment is very quick and easy. We gathered the following supplies:

• Mason jar full of water
• Shaving cream
• Food coloring
• Plastic pipettes
• Extra water
• Printable worksheet (available below)

I told my kids that we were going to make it rain inside the house. They were so excited!

I sprayed a fluffy layer of shaving cream on top of the water in the jar. It looked just like a soft cloud! My daughter then dropped a few drops of food coloring onto the shaving cream.

I explained that clouds are made of tiny water droplets. When the droplets get big and heavy enough they fall to the earth. If the temperature is above freezing the droplets will fall as rain. If it is colder than freezing they will fall as snow.

We took a few minutes to fill in the first part of her worksheet and to draw a “before” picture. We were ready to make it rain!

Rain in a Jar

I showed my daughter how to fill up a pipette with water. Then we worked together to squirt water onto our shaving cream cloud, making it heavier.

I made sure to have some paper towels on hand since sometimes the water and shaving cream came dripping down the outside of the jar.

We watched as the shaving cream got more and more saturated with water. After a couple of minutes we noticed that the colors were coming down into the water in the jar. It was raining!

Once it started to rain it just kept on going. We even added a little extra food coloring, just for fun.

The Science Behind Rain in a Jar

Clouds are formed when water in the air condenses onto tiny particles of dust. Millions of these droplets group together to form a visible cloud.

However, when those droplets get big and heavy they fall to the ground as rain.

Making a rain cloud in a jar is a simplistic model of how rain is actually formed, but it’s still a valuable hands-on experiment for visual learners. Plus, it’s so much fun they’ll want to do it again and again!

Download your Rain in a Jar Freebie below!

More Science Activities and Ideas

Walking Water Science for Kids

Science Notebook

Oil and Water Science Activity

Want science planned for you ALL YEAR LONG?!

Do you want science planned for the ENTIRE CALENDAR YEAR!? This Endless Science Mega Bundle will save you so much time and keep your students engaged and excited about learning. This amazing resource contains 53 science topics including life science, physical science, earth science, and animal studies.

Can you not find a resource that you would LOVE to have for your classroom? Contact me and I would be happy to make it for you.

Download Your Rain in a Jar Science Experiment:

Click the picture below to download. 

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12 Matter Books for Little Learners

Change It: Solids, Liquids, Gases, and You by Adrienne Mason

Studying the states of matter is so fun and easy with little learners. Grab water and watch as it changes from a solid to a liquid then to a gas before you eyes!

Solids, Liquids, and Gases by Ginger Garrett

This book is the perfect, non-fiction book to share with your kindergarten class. Solids, Liquids, and Gases is easy enough to leave on your book shelves for students to read during their quiet time too!

What is the World Made of? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Give your students the vocabulary they need to have a well rounded knowledge of the states of matter. There are great examples in this book of everyday items and the state of matter the item is in.

What is a Liquid? by Jennifer Boothroyd

Liquid is only one state of matter, but this is a super helpful book to isolate one topic for little learners. I really love the examples in this book and it’s easy to bring in your own liquid examples to share with your students.

What’s the Matter with Mr. Whiskers Room?

Is there anything better than hands-on science? Not in Mr. Whiskers’ room! Follow along with this fun class as they explore the definition of matter in an elementary classroom setting.

Solids, Liquids, and Gases by Carol K. Lindeen

Use this book for  an introduction to your matter unit. The test is easy enough for little learners and a great way to help give a base knowledge to your youngest students.

What is Matter? by Don L. Curry

The pictures in this book are vivid and a great way to demonstrate the different types of matter in our world. I would add this book to your reading list as students work through their matter experiments.

What is a Solid? by Jennifer Boothroyd

Just like the What is Liquid? book suggested above, this book allows you to isolate on type of matter as a discussion topic with your students. Allow your students to review and enjoy learning more about solid matter.

Matter Comes in all Shapes by Amy Hansen

I’m a big fan of bringing science to real life. This book gives real life examples of the different states of matter to make it easy for students to connect their science lessons to their everyday life!

Matter: See It, Touch It, Smell It, Taste It by Darlene R. Stille

This is another detailed book to help little learners get a well rounded view of the different types of matter. I also like that there is an experiment listed in this book!

Joe Joe the Wizard Brews Up Solids, Liquids, and Gas by Eric Braun

Silly books are sometimes the best to capture the attention of your little learners! Ask your students to help Joe-Joe the wizard with his experiment as he reviews the different states of matter with your students.

What is a Gas? by Jennifer Boothroyd

This is a fun book to read with little learners. Gases come in all different types so be ready for the discussion there! I like that you can use this book to focus on just the matter state of gas like we have already discussed with liquid and solids.

Can you not find a resource that you would LOVE to have for your classroom? Contact me and I would be happy to make it for you.

Don’t forget to check out all of the children’s book lists featured on A Dab of Glue Will Do.  Do you have any favorite children’s matter books that are not on the list? If so, please share in the comments below.

You might also like the Endless Science Mega Bundle:

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I grew up in Seattle where there were basically two options: blue skies with puffy white clouds or a grey blanket across the whole sky (typically seeing the blanket). My daughter, on the other hand, is so lucky to be growing up in the Midwest where the clouds are constantly morphing, creating art like scenes in the sky on a daily basis.

Getting All About Clouds Activity Ready

My daughter and I are always noticing and commenting on the clouds. She likes to, as many other children do, find animals and objects in the clouds. Sometimes we find fairies and other times it’s elephants.

One day last week, I asked her if she knew clouds had names. She of course thought I meant John, Sally and Jane and started naming them herself. I laughed it off but made a mental note that learning about clouds would be a perfect activity for us!

I was excited to show my daughter a few of the different types of clouds. We stuck to four types, but depending on your child or students you may go with more.

We gathered our supplies and jumped right in. We used: Card stock, Cotton Balls, White Glue, and White Colored Pencil or Crayon. We also used the Sky Observation recording sheet.

Doing ‘All About Clouds Activity’

You will need:

• black cardstock
• cotton balls
• glue
• gray marker

For cirrus we took the cotton balls and rolled them into worm shaped pieces and then fluffed them out.

For stratus we pulled pieces of cotton apart slightly in a wispy way. We used a grey marker to color these cotton balls grey.

The cumulus are the puffy ones so we just took multiple cotton balls and glued them next to each other.

The cumulonimbus clouds we took multiple cotton balls and just pulled them apart slightly and made sure to make them flat at the bottom. This is also the tallest cloud, so we made them bigger than others. We also colored these clouds grey.

Sky Observation

After we made our cotton ball clouds, I thought it was only fitting to go outside and observe the clouds that were in the sky at that moment. We drew what we saw and answered a few observing questions on this recording sheet.

As I made this sheet, I was hoping that we would have fun cumulus clouds that she could draw shapes that she saw. Unfortunately it was stormy and grey outside and we basically only had stratus clouds. It worked out really well, though, she enjoyed the observations as well.

The Science Behind ‘All About Clouds’

As we deconstructed cotton balls, formed them into clouds, and glued them on the paper we talked about each cloud. I would tell her the name, we’d go over spelling (because all of a sudden she wants to know how to spell EVERYTHING), and then what each cloud’s code is.

Cirrus:

• Thin and delicate looking, like a paint brush stroke.
• Use these clouds to know which direction the wind is blowing. It appears as if cirrus clouds point the way.
• Made of ice.
• Located at a high level.
• Code For: It’s sunny now but the weather is about to change.

Stratus

• Grey and soft looking, or smooth (Like the blanket sky in Seattle)
• Typically cover a big portion of the sky, if not all of it.
• Made of large water droplets.
• Code for:  typically rain or snow storm.

Cumulus

• Big and Fluffy
• Bright White
• Made Of Water & Ice Droplets
• Can have lots of different shapes
• Code for: Sunny weather

Cumulonimbus

• Look like a big batch of cotton candy, but mostly grey
• Tallest type of cloud
• Bigger at top than the bottom.
• Code for:  Bad weather: tornadoes, harsh storms, wind, thunder & lightening, etc.

These four types of clouds were fun to discuss. My daughter LOVED the codes for each cloud.

Weather is super fascinating to me. I may not be on a storm chaser level, but I do enjoy a good storm. It was interesting for my daughter to learn that each cloud had a code and I’m sure she will be updating me on cloud status every few hours for the next week or so!

More Science Activities and Ideas

Walking Water Science for Kids

Science Notebook

Plants Unit

Want science planned for you ALL YEAR LONG?!

Do you want science planned for the ENTIRE CALENDAR YEAR!? This Endless Science Mega Bundle will save you so much time and keep your students engaged and excited about learning. This amazing resource contains 53 science topics including life science, physical science, earth science, and animal studies.

Download Your All About Clouds Recording Sheet Below!

Can you not find a resource that you would LOVE to have for your classroom? Contact me and I would be happy to make it for you.

Click the picture below to download. 

I hope that you and your students enjoy All About Clouds Activity to use in your classroom this year!

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12 STEM Kindergarten Books for Little Learners

If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen

Spark the imagination of your little creators with this fun book by Chris Van Dusen. If you have little learns that love to daydream about the future, this is the STEM book for them!

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty

Rosie is sure to bring our the talents of your studnets. This book is full of great ideas for your students to try in your STEM centered classroom.

What Can You Do With an Idea by Kobi YamadaThis is a must have in your classroom. Once your students have an idea, what happens next? What Do You Do With An Idea? answers that very question and helps students develop those little ideas that come to their amazing minds.

When I Build With Blocks by Niki Alling

I love this sweet book! It’s perfect for your little learns that are obsessed with building blocks. The possibilities seem endless!

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

If you can only buy one book, this is it! Your students will relate to little girl that has a huge idea and works very hard to make it a reality.

Fraidyzoo by Thyra Heder

Have you had a student that is afraid of the zoo? In Fraidyzoo, a fun family works through the fear of a little girl in alphabetical order to introduce several amazing animals to your little learners.

Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell

Molly Lou will be a classroom favorite for sure! Little Molly learns to love herself no matter what, but also how to create amazing things out of the materials she has on hand.

Mechanimals by Chris Tougas

Add this fun book to your farm unit this year! An amazing farmer creates a whole set of farm animals made out of scrap metal amazing his neighbors.

If I Built a House by Chris Van Dusen

Another fun an engaging book from Chris Van Dusen to spark the imagination of your little learners.

Papa’s Mechanical Fish by Candace Fleming

STEM kids are going to love this one. When Virena asks her father what its like to be in the sea, her father sets off to the workshop to create something amazing!

Going Places by Paul A. Reynolds

For all your students with BIG imaginations you’ll want to add Going Places to your classroom library!

The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson

Spark the imagination of your little learners during their pretend play session. They will love how an amazing set of paper dolls escapes the grasp of a toy dinosaur and travels all over the house!

Need more book ideas? Check out our entire list here!

Can you not find a resource that you would LOVE to have for your classroom? Contact me and I would be happy to make it for you.

The post 12 STEM Kindergarten Books for Little Learners appeared first on A Dab of Glue Will Do.

Getting The Salt Painting Science Experiment Ready:

You Will Need:

• Card Stock or Mix Media Paper
• Pencil
• Bottle of White Glue
• Table Salt
• Liquid Watercolors, Food Coloring, or Watercolor Paints
• Pipettes or Droppers
• Small Plastic Cups
• Tray, Baking Dish, or Box

Preparing for this simple art and science experiment is part of the fun! Fill plastic cups up with about a half a cup of water. Then, add one color of food coloring to each cup. We use about 10 drops. The more food coloring you use, the darker the color will be.

If you are using watercolor paints, take the paint out of the plastic holder and place each color into a cup. Then, add about a half a cup of warm water. Watch as the water begins to turn colors. You may need to stir the colored water mixture until the paint is dissolved.

Next, write your name, letters, or numbers on a piece of card stock or other heavy paper such as mix media paper. You can also draw shapes, lines, or even a picture. Then, trace over your writing or drawing with white glue.

Finally, place your paper in a tray (with edges), baking dish, or box and sprinkle salt over the glue. After the glue is well coated, remove the paper from the box and gently shake the paper to remove any extra salt.

Doing the Salt Painting Science Experiment:

After the glue dries, fill your pipette or dropper with the colored water or paint. Next, drop the colored water or paint onto your writing or drawing, one drop at a time. Then, observe as the colors spread as they are absorbed by the grains of salt.

The Science Behind The Salt Painting Science Experiment:

The salt absorbs or soaks up the water through a chemical action. Salt is hygroscopic which means that it can absorb both liquid water and water vapor in the air.

This Salt Painting Science Experiment is a fun way to combine art and science together. It is also a visual and hands-on way for children to learn about absorption as they transform their white glue drawings into colorful designs.

Need more science activities? 

Blood Cell Model Science Activity

Rain in a Jar

Science Notebook

Click the picture below to download. You will immediately be redirected to the freebie.

Download Your Salt Painting Record Sheet Below:

The post Salt Painting Science Experiment appeared first on A Dab of Glue Will Do.

Watch Clouds and Rain Weather Windsock Craft

Want to see a quick video about this resource? When you are done scroll down for more details.

Materials Needed for the Clouds and Rain Weather Windsock Craft:

• blue construction paper
• cotton balls
• blue or white yarn
• pipe cleaner
• scissors
• hole punch
• glue
• tape

Getting the Clouds and Rain Weather Windsock Craft Ready:

After getting out all of the required materials, I precut the yarn into 2 foot sections. Smaller pieces may be easier to manage, but anywhere between 1-2 feet will work nicely.

I also cut out the rain drops to save time. I did this by drawing a raindrop shape to use as a template, and then cut several out of a light blue piece of construction paper. This goes quickly by folding the paper into a small square and cutting many at a time.

You may also want to pre-punch the holes along the bottom edge of the paper, and two on the top.  I chose to wait because and let my my preschooler  do it because really enjoys using a hole punch. The strings will be doubled up, so if you punch 6 holes, there will be 12 rain drops. Use less or more depending on the desired difficulty level.

Doing the Clouds and Rain Weather Windsock Craft:

This activity can be completed all in one sitting, or can be done in multiple steps spread throughout the day.

First, students will need to make the clouds. Do this by pulling and spreading the cotton balls (great fine motor activity) and gluing them to a blue piece of construction paper. This may be a good place to stop for a break while the glue dries, although it’s not necessary as we found that the cotton balls stay on well while completing the rest of the craft.

Next, you will want them to roll the paper into a tube and use tape to secure. Younger children may need help with this part.

After the tube is made, the students will use a hole punch to punch some holes around the bottom of the windsock (if it’s not already done in preparation).

Next the students will put the yarn through each hole. These do not need to be tied because the rain drops will be attached to each end of the yarn.

This ended up being a great fine motor activity as my preschooler carefully poke and pulled the yarn through the holes!

After the yarn is through each hole, the students will glue a raindrop to the end of each piece of yarn.

To finish this craft, put the pipe cleaner through each hole on top of the windsock and bends the ends to secure.

More Spring Learning Ideas:

Spring Bingo

Flowers Initial Sounds and Number Match-Up

Insect Counting Mats

Flower Names

Can you not find a resource that you would LOVE to have for your classroom? Contact me and I would be happy to make it for you.

Download your free Raindrop Facts Printable below!

Can you not find a resource that you would LOVE to have for your classroom? Contact me and I would be happy to make it for you.

Click the picture below to download. You will immediately be redirected to the freebie.

I hope that you and your students enjoy this Clouds and Rain Windsock!

The post Clouds and Rain Weather Windsock Craft appeared first on A Dab of Glue Will Do.