They explore by manipulating objects on a beam balance, building mobiles, and by using an equal-arm balance. The relationship of density, weight, and volume among different foods is explored. Balancing and Weighing was developed by the National Science Resources Center with support from the National Academy of Sciences and the Smithsonian Institution. This web site gives activities to complement the unit. The students make their own balances and compare the weights of different objects.
Children observe and record the changes of painted lady butterfly larvae from caterpillar to adult.
As they observe the changes, children learn about stages of development and structure of the organisms. Misconceptions they may have held are challenged through observation and discussion. The Life Cycle of Butterflies was developed by the National Science Resources Center with support from the National Academy of Sciences and the Smithsonian Institution. They make solutions, observe evaporation, and discover how some solutions crystallize. They explore properties of liquids which include surface tension, miscibility, and density.