- Completing hands-on science journal entries are a fun and engaging way to keep your student excited about learning.
- Please consider subscribing and liking this post so that you are notified every time I post new content. I also have a TeachersPayTeachers store that you can connect to here and I regularly post on pinterest.
    Science journals are a fun and engaging way to keep your kids excited about learning science. They can include pages of hands-on activities, scientific investigations, cut-and-paste activities, and science-inspired art activities. Every year each of my children have their own science journals – a multi-media or mixed media journal – that we use in some way for almost every science lesson. I particularly like to use the large size journals so that they have more room to write, draw, glue pictures, and paint. While we have done so many different types of journal entries, here I will go over some favorites that all three of my children have enjoyed.
1. The 5 Senses
The 5 senses is a fundamental science lesson generally taught in kindergarten or first grade. It covers the five major senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch as well as the specific sensory organs for each (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin respectively). This is always such a fun lesson to teach because you can do so many hands-on activities with it. I like to do individual journal entries featuring a hands-on activity for each of the 5 senses with my kids.
For sight, I ask my child to go and find different items around the house. There are several ways that you can incorporate this idea, such as having them find items of a certain color, texture, or shape. I like to do a combination. Some of my ‘items to find’ include something shiny, something smooth, something blue, and something round. I will make a list of 5-10 items for them to find and then let them roam around the house, writing down the things that they have found next to the required item.
The hearing entry has us going outside. I encourage them to sit down, close their eyes, and listen. Then I have them write down the things that they hear. These generally include birds, dogs, cars, airplanes, and leaves rustling. Not only does this allow your child to observe the world around them in a different way but it also adds a calming effect to the science lesson.
Smelling jars is my secret to the smelling lesson. I prepare some small jars with food or other items that are fragrant enough for them to be able to guess the smell. Some ideas include sliced lemon or lemon juice, onions, garlic, laundry detergent, orange juice, or a dryer sheet. In their journal I will write down the scent for each jar then cover the answers with a book or a separate sheet of paper. Then, I will have them cover their eyes and smell each jar individually. After they have smelled the jar and I have covered it back up, they write down their guess next to the jar number. Once all of the jars have been guessed, I reveal what is in each jar and we get to see which ones they guessed correctly.
Taste is another one with which my kids have to cover their eyes. For this one I choose several different food items like a banana, strawberry, orange juice, or chocolate and write each one down in their journal. Once again, I cover the answers with a book or piece of paper. Then I put a small piece of each on a plate. I keep the plate covered until they have their eyes closed. Once their eyes are closed, I have them taste each one individually, writing down their guess of what it is in order in their journal. Once again, after they have made all of their guesses, I uncover the answers, and we compare what they thought each one was.
For touch I cover their eyes with a scarf so that their hands are free for touching items. I will have several different textured items pulled out and ready for them to touch. Items like a spoon, a stuffed animal, a toy car, a book, and a blanket are all good options. Again, I will write the items down in their journal first and cover the answers. After they have guessed each item, I will either have them write down what they think they are, or I will write their guesses down for them. Another way to do this activity is to have them state the texture instead of the item itself. This would result in answers like hard, soft, smooth, and rough.
2. Plants – Parts and Needs
Plant parts and needs are introduced in units about living and non-living things in kindergarten and first grade. Concepts such as the basic parts of a plant (roots, stem, leaves, and flowers) are learned as well as their functions. Also covered in these foundational lessons are the fact that plants, as well as all other living things, have needs like water, sunlight, and air that they require to survive.
For our science journals, I like to do a variety of different things pertaining to plants. I will usually print out a couple of cut-and-paste style worksheets that go along with the lessons so that they can paste the pieces into their journal. This can include parts of the plant as well as needs of plants. I also like for them to collect a flower or plant from outside, such as a dandelion or a small wildflower, and put it in the journal and label the parts. This gives them a real-life example. If you do not want them to physically pick the plant, you can have them draw the plant and label the parts.
In this unit you can also have them plant a seed and record its growth in the science journal. If you want them to see the root as well, have them start off with the seed wrapped in a damp paper towel and put in a clear baggie. After a week or so the seed will start to sprout roots and a stem. Just make sure that the paper towel stays moist but not soaked. Once it sprouts the roots, you can have your child draw the stage and then plant it in a small planter pot with soil. This will give them a better idea of what is going on beneath the surface. Throughout the growth process, have them draw the plant at regular intervals, labeling the parts either every time or just once. You can have them include height, the amount of sunlight that they get, and how often they water the plant. This gives them a more thorough idea of how plants live and grow.
3. The 4 Seasons
The four seasons is another really fun unit to use the science journal with. Starting in kindergarten, children will learn about the four seasons by observing the changes in weather and nature, as well as how people interact with the different seasons. This includes wearing appropriate clothes for the season and participating in seasonal activities. Units on why seasons occur and how they impact the environment are taught in later elementary years.
For the seasons lessons, one of the things that I like to do with my children is a painting activity. I divide a page into four equal sections and draw a tree (without leaves) on each portion. I let my children fingerpaint the leaves on, using the colors associated with each season. For example, spring is a light yellow-green color; summer leaves are a darker green; autumnal leaves are a variety of orange, red, and yellow; while winter we leave without leaves. This art project goes along with how nature changes throughout the seasons and can be a reference for later activities.
Another entry that we like to do is to go nature exploring during each season. For preparation I write each season at the top of individual pages. After our outdoor exploration, I either let my children bring back some leaves, petals, or other ‘seasonal’ representations to tape onto the season’s page or I have them draw the things that they saw. I try to take them out for our exploration about halfway through the season so as to have more variety and to give nature time to change. This not only gives them some hands-on observation experiences but also gives them the opportunity to explore the natural world around them.
4. Herbivore, Carnivore, and Omnivore
Around the 1st grade, children will start categorizing animals not just by the habitats that they live in but by what they eat. These are the units where herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores are introduced. This is the basis of food chains and other biology concepts like ecosystems and animal classification.
With animal units, I like to let my children either cut out pictures of animals from old magazines or print some online pictures to use. Then we make sections on their journal pages and let them paste the pictures into the correct categories. When going over herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, I like to use animals that they are familiar with such as rabbits, deer, lions, tigers, bears, and lizards.
While cutting and pasting pictures are one way, if your child likes to draw or paint, you can turn this into an art project as well and let them draw the animals themselves. This allows you to incorporate art into your science lesson. Keep in mind that they may need a picture of the animals to go off of.
5. Non-Standard and Standard Measurements
Measurement lessons incorporate both science and math. Starting in kindergarten or 1st grade, the idea of non-standard length measurement is introduced. Non-standard measurement units include using items such as paper clips, shoes, or hands to measure the lengths of items instead of using standard measurement units like inches or centimeters. Using non-standard objects helps students build a better understanding of measurement, estimation, and comparison. Around 1st or 2nd grade standard measurement is introduced, building on their understanding. Here in the US, the metric system is not introduced alongside the Imperial system as it may confuse young students just learning about measurement. The metric system is usually introduced around the 3rd or 4th grade. While these concepts can easily be taught with worksheets, videos, and games like other math subjects, I like to let my kids use their science journals for a more hands-on experience.
For our non-standard length measurement entries, I make a page with a list of items such as the kitchen table, the couch, and the front door. I will then have each of my kids choose a non-standard measuring tool (like a shoe or their hand span) to measure the items. As they measure, I will have them write down their measurement for each item. With my older kids, I will have both a standard and a non-standard page and have them measure each of the items with the appropriate tools, taking note of both. This approach gives them a better visual understanding of measurement and makes it easier for them to estimate lengths and compare objects.
I hope this blog gives you some great ideas for hands-on science journal entries. If you found this blog helpful please consider subscribing and liking this post as it will help to grow the community as well as let me know which type of posts are more beneficial for you. If you and your family enjoy board games, check out my My Top 5: Educational Board Games for Early Elementary Students blog.
Find us on Pinterest!
Do you and your kids have some favorite science activities? Please share your favorites with the community in the comments below.
Leave a Reply