Energizing Fun!!! (Potential and Kinetic Energy)

Get in the action potential and kinetic energy!

JUMP OFF A ROCK!

Potential Energy—Ready to jump off the rocks.

Kinetic Energy—Jumping off the rocks.

THROW A BALL!

Potential Energy—The ball in position to be thrown.

Kinetic Energy—The ball in motion.

SHOOT A RUBBER BAND!

Potential Energy—Stretching the rubber band.

Kinetic Energy—Releasing the rubber band.

How far can you shoot your rubber band?

Additional Resources

Kinetic and Potential energy song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl4g7T5gw1M

Animated explanation of Kinetic Energy and Potential Energy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K4V0NvUxRg

Bill Nye the Science Guy – Energy (Kinetic and Potential)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ASLLiuejAo

Hoodwinked Movie clip showing gravitational potential, elastic potential, and kinetic energy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ4FFWvZtyo

Fun With the Circulatory System

Here is a fun activity and song you can use in learning about the circulatory system. This is an activity where you create a circulatory system in a room and the child travels along its path delivering oxygen and nutrients before it goes back to the heart. The song is sung to the familiar melody of "The Wheels on the Bus." The detailed description of the activity is below.

The Heart Pumps the Blood
Sung to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus"
The heart pumps the blood around and round, (alternate words: The heart circulates the blood around)
round and round, round and round
The heart pumps the blood around and round,
All through the body.

The blood takes the oxygen round and round
round and round, round and round
The blood takes the oxygen round and round
To the brain (touch head)
To the fingers (wiggle or open and close fingers)
And toes (touch toes)

The blood takes the nutrients round and round
round and round, round and round,
The blood takes the nutrients round and round
So the body is healthy and strong (show muscles in arms)

The blood in the body goes back to the heart,
back to the heart, back to the heart,
The blood in the body goes back to the heart,
Then starts all over again.

Circulatory System  Activity

Choose an area with space for this activity -- like a family room.

The first thing to do is to create the circulatory system as described below.

 1. First, create a "heart" tent or tunnel by draping a sheet between two chairs or over a card table. Red sheets or fabric would make it even more fun. Then label it with a big cut out heart (red paper) with the word "heart" on it.

2. Next, use yarn to create a long path that the blood will take from the heart tent or tunnel, around the body (or room), and back to the heart tent or tunnel. Try to use lots of space in the room. The path can go behind a couch or recliner or however you want it to go. If possible, use yarn to create the two sides of the path so it looks like a path rather than just a line of yarn.

3. Create Oxygen Circles. Cut out some circles and write the letter "O" on them. They will represent the Oxygen. Next, choose something to represent the lungs. This could be a picture of the lungs or a couple of pillows or cushions, or even a balloon or beach ball (since they have to be filled with air). Place the "lungs" close to the path a little way from the heart tent. Place the oxygen circles on or close to the lungs.

4. Create Happy nutrients. Cut out colored circles and draw smiley faces on them. These will be the happy nutrients. Next, put some real or play foods in a basket or bowl and place it a few steps beyond the lungs but close to the path. Put the smiley faces (happy nutrients) with the food . You can have a picture of the stomach by the food if you want.

Now for the Fun!

Once the circulatory system is made, then the fun can begin. The child gets to take a journey through the heart and along the path through the circulatory system. Have them start at the heart. They can go into the tunnel or tent. Then sing the first verse of the song. As you sing it, they child travels along the path and comes back to the heart.

Then have them do it again, but sing the second verse and have them stop at the lungs and pick up oxygen circles. Then as you sing and they travel on the path, they toss their oxygen circles away like they are giving oxygen to a part of the body. If all of their oxygen circles are gone by the last phrase of the song, then they can touch their head, wiggle their fingers and touch their toes as they sing that part of the song. Then they go back to the heart.

For the third verse, do it similarly to the 2nd verse, but this time they pick up the happy nutrient smiley cards and toss those around as they travel on the path.

For the last verse, you could have them start at the heart, then race to follow the path and get back to the heart before the verse ends. If you sing it faster and faster, they might enjoy the challenge of trying to beat the song.

Variety of actions

You could have them try different ways of traveling along the path like hopping, crawling, dancing, tip-toeing, etc. Have fun.

Fun DNA, RNA, and Protein Assembly

We did this activity when we were learning the concept DNA makes RNA makes protein. Here's what we did. First, the girls had to find DNA cards that were hidden around the frontroom, or nucleus. Each card had a code that needed to be deciphered. Each card also had a copy of that code taped to it. When the girls found a DNA card, they put on an RNA hat and took the copy. Under the copy was written the way they had to transport the code to the Kitchen, which represented the ribosomes. As you can see, Jennifer had to transport it by crawling on her hands and feet and Jessica had to transport it by crouching down.

Next the girls had to translate the code by using the code translator card in the ribosomes (kitchen). Each code was an ingredient that would be used in our protein assembly cooking project.

After they translated all the cards then they collected the ingredients and put the cards next to them. Each code had a symbol next to it. On the recipe, the symbols were shown instead of the ingredient. So the girls had to figure out what the ingredient was by matching the symbols.  Finally, the girls got to assemble their

protein, which ended up being yummy peanut butter balls.

Dry Ice Science

First we dropped a few pieces of dry ice in water.

Then we added some dish soap and watched the bubbles erupt. 

Then we created a giant bubble by putting dry ice in water in a bowl. Then we slid a strip of cloth, soaked in soapy water, across the top to create a soap film that collected the gas. The result was amazing.

Fun with the Parts of a Cell

When we learned about the different parts of a cell there were different stations with an activity associated with each part of the cell. At each station was a paper with a description of that part of the cell. Here is what we did.

Organelles -- Since organelles perform important functions for the cell, the girls put on a headband with an "L" and became Robot L with the name of "Organ L". Then they had to walk around like a robot and speak in a robot voice and say "I am Organ L. How can I help you?"

Ribosomes

Since ribosomes are the protein assembly factories of the cell, at this station the girls assembled or built things with blocks. 

Cilia

The yarn at this station represented the cilia, the short hair-like structures found on the outside of some cells. The girls danced to music while holding the yarn in their hands and mouth.

Cytoplasm

To represent the cytoplasm, the liquid part of the cell that all the other parts "float around in", we put water and oil in a jar. The girls then added food coloring and dropped in various items to represent the parts of the cell. These items included grapes, nutes, mandarin oranges, sprinkles, and macaroni.

Mitochondria

I used yogurt raisins to represent the mitochondria, the power plants of the cell that convert sugar into a form of energy the cell can use. As I gave each of the girls some to eat, they had to say "that's mighty kind-of-ya" (mitochondria).

Membrane

We used a parachute to represent the membrane. The girls and I lifted it up and then brought it down around us so we were inside and it surrounded us.

Nucleoid

The Easter grass represented the nucleoid of a prokaryotic cell, not surrounded by a membrane. The bean bags hidden inside represented the genetic material that is found in the nucleoid. Each beanbag had a letter on it, and when the girls found one they had to tell a genetic trait that began with that letter.

Nucleus

The bean bag chairs represented the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell that is surrounded by a membrane. The bean bags hidden between the bean bag chairs represented the genetic material that is found in the nucleus. The girls had to run and jump onto the beanbag chairs and then reach in and pull our a beanbag with a letter on it. Then they had to tell a genetic trait that began with that letter.

Cytoskeleton

To represent the cytoskeleton that gives shape and structure to the cell, the girls had to get under a blanket and give it some kind of shape with their body.

Endomembrane System

For this system, which transports materials around the cell, the girls had to transport a stuffed animal across the room while doing a crab walk.

Flagella

The long yellow ribbons represented the flagella, the long tail that sticks out of a cell and helps the cell move. The girls had one in each hand and danced to music while waving the ribbons.

Chloraplasts

Since chloroplasts convert light energy into chemical energy, this station was in the bathroom, which could be completely dark. The girls had to shine a flashlight on a tube that had baking soda in it. Then they poured some vinegar in it and the chemical reaction occurred.