Note: This lesson is designed to be used with a Triple Beam Balance. I have developed the Mystery Box Investigation as a way to practice both Science Process Skills as well as the use of several science tools. It is a great beginning of the year activity! The tools used include magnets, calculators and a triple beam balance scale. A triple beam balance does work best, however a basic scale could be substituted if needed. Note that if a scale is substituted, you are no longer measuring mass, you will technically be measuring weight. This activity is used only after the science process skills have been taught and reviewed. Essentially, the students will use process skills along with tools to infer what object is hiding inside a mystery box. This process is repeated over until all mystery boxes the teacher has created have been examined. (I usually have 6 when completing this activity in my room.) This product contains: Step-By-Step Teacher Instructions (9 pages) Mystery Box Labels (for 12 boxes) Mystery Box Mass of Empty Box Labels (for 12 boxes) Using a Triple Beam Balance Instructions Triple Beam Balance Practice Page Student Investigation Procedure Page Mystery Box Recording Sheets (for 12 boxes) The preparation of the mystery boxes does take a bit of time--you wrap up shoe boxes using construction or wrapping paper--but once that task is complete, they mystery boxes can be used with this activity for a significant number of years. Mine are currently 7 years old and still going strong!

Many have asked for a 3rd set of Science Investigations for the Teacher Who Doesn't Like Teaching Science---and here it is! But, don't let the name fool you! You will find these experiments useful even if you LOVE teaching science :) Note this product is part of a "Bundled For Savings" pack. Be sure to check out Bundled for Savings: Science Experiments for the Teacher Who Doesn't Like Teaching Science to purchase all FOUR sets of this product at a substantial savings! This packet contains 5 easy investigations. The materials needed are easy to come by and inexpensive. I did not come up with these experiments myself, nor do I claim to. I have just compiled them onto easy to use sheets for students. Each experiment is described in detail on the front side and the backside provides students with space to record their observations. In addition, I have included an easy explanation of each experiment. The experiments include: Blown Away - A forces and motion experiment. Materials needed include a small paper ball, straw and large empty soda bottle. A Stalactite Show - A chemistry experiment. Materials needed include washing soda (found in the laundry detergent section), wash cloth, hot water, small plate, two glasses, scissors, string, spoon. Change a Diaper - A chemistry experiment. Materials needed include clean disposable diaper, scissors, newspaper, zip-lock bag, 8 oz. cup, water. Spaghetti Dance - A density experiment. Materials needed large clear container (quart size or larger), cooked spaghetti, vinegar, measuring cup, baking soda, water, food coloring. Waterfall - An anti-gravity experiment. Materials needed include wine glass, pitcher of water, napkin, large container. Just a side note: When I do experiments with my 5th graders, I put students into groups of 4. Each group gets a tub of materials and 4 investigation/recording sheets. So, essentially, as materials go, each group of 4 will get the materials for the experiment. This cuts down on the cost dramatically, plus students are required to work cooperatively to complete the task--a very needed social skill.

his product is a 8 flap fold-up. The outside of the flap has the name of a planet. Lift the flap to reveal a black-line planet ready to be colored by the student. Also, inside the foldable several facts about each planet are given. The teacher has several fold-up options: For the teacher short on time, a fully filled out fold-up is provided. After it’s been copied, this fold-up will be finished and ready to be used by students after they’ve colored the planets and made just a few simple folds and snips. For the teacher would like the fold-up to be more interactive, run a blank fold-up template page and a parts page for each student. Students must cut the parts and assemble the fold-up on their own. A third option is to run the completed cover only with a blank inside or a completed inside with a blank outside. The choice is yours! Fold-ups are a wonderful resource that fits well in an interactive notebook or can be used as a stand alone resource.

Here it is the 4th set of Science Investigations for the Teacher Who Doesn't Like Teaching Science! But, don't let the name fool you! You will find these experiments useful even if you LOVE teaching science :) Note this product is part of a "Bundled For Savings" pack. Be sure to check out Bundled for Savings: Science Experiments for the Teacher Who Doesn't Like Teaching Science to purchase all FOUR sets of this product at a substantial savings! This packet contains 5 easy investigations. The materials needed are easy to come by and inexpensive. I did not come up with these experiments myself, nor do I claim to. I have just compiled them onto easy to use sheets for students. Each experiment is described in detail on the front side and the backside provides students with space to record their observations. In addition, I have included an easy explanation of each experiment. The experiments include: A Groovy Cube - A density experiment. Materials needed include a clear drinking glass, food coloring, vegetable oil, baby oil, and ice cubes. Float A Clip - A surface tension experiment. Materials needed include water, dish soap, small bowl, and paper clips. Disappearing Money - A refraction experiment. Materials needed include a clear drinking glass, saucer, water, and penny. Hot Reaction - A chemical reaction experiment. Materials needed include steel wool, vinegar, small bowl, tall glass jar with lid, and a thermometer. It's A Scream - A sound experiment. Materials needed include a large disposable plastic cup, scissor, yardstick, string, water, and violin rosin (optional). Just a side note: When I do experiments with my 5th graders, I put students into groups of 4. Each group gets a tub of materials and 4 investigation/recording sheets. So, essentially, as materials go, each group of 4 will get the materials for the experiment. This cuts down on the cost dramatically, plus students are required to work cooperatively to complete the task--a very needed social skill.

This foldable features the most commonly used process skills: observe, classify, measure, infer, communicate and predict. The front cover has each process skill. Open the flap to reveal the definition. As a teacher you have several options on how to use this foldable. You can run copies with all the parts already on the template or you can run a blank template and all the pieces. This will allow students to assemble themselves. A third option, is to run the cover with the parts in place and then have the students cut out and glue the matching definitions. This foldable works well in a science journal or as a stand alone resource. Note that the grey line is a trim line. As a teacher I trim on this line before giving copies to students. Trimming on the trim line makes for a nicer fit in a science journal. Please visit my blog for additional pictures of this foldable.

Note this product is part of a "Bundled For Savings" pack. Be sure to check out Bundled for Savings: Science Experiments for the Teacher Who Doesn't Like Teaching Science to purchase all FOUR sets of this product at a substantial savings! Yes, that's me...an elementary teacher who is not fond of teaching science. I know there are many of you out there, because I hear it from my colleagues all the time. I can't tell you how many science experiments I've had kids do that were total and complete flops over the years. Oh...and if you LOVE teaching science...you will find these experiments useful too! Finally, after 24 years of teaching, I have found tried and true experiments that the kids love, are easy to do, and actually work! This packet contains 5 easy investigations. The materials needed are easy to come by and inexpensive. I did not come up with these experiments myself, nor do I claim to. I have just compiled them onto easy to use sheets for students. Each experiment is described in detail on the front side and the backside provides students with space to record their observations. In addition, I have included an easy explanation of each experiment. The experiments include: Climbing Colors - A chromatology experiment. Materials needed include a washable colored marker, coffee filter, small plastic cup, water, measuring cup, scissors, and a ruler. Magic Milk - A color reaction experiment. Materials needed include whole milk, dinner plate, food coloring, Dawn dish detergent, and cotton swabs. Muscle Sand - A forces experiment. Materials needed include a paper towel cardboard tube, sand, tissue paper, rubber band, and a wooden dowel (12 inches long). Up, Up & Away - A chemical reaction experiment. Materials needed include a small uninflated balloon, small funnel, empty plastic water bottle, baking soda, vinegar, measuring cup (1/2 cup), and a measuring spoon (tablespoon) Hip Clip - A surface tension experiment. Materials needed include 2 clean, dry medium-size paper clips, 2” by 3” piece of tissue paper, bowl, water, and a pencil with an eraser.

This product contains 20 easy investigations. The materials needed are easy to come by and inexpensive. I did not come up with these experiments myself, nor do I claim to. I have just compiled them onto easy to use sheets for students. Each experiment is described in detail on the front side and the backside provides students with space to record their observations. In addition, I have included an easy explanation of each experiment.

Science Experiments for the Teacher Who Doesn't Like Teaching Science, Part II Note this product is part of a "Bundled For Savings" pack. Be sure to check out Bundled for Savings: Science Experiments for the Teacher Who Doesn't Like Teaching Science to purchase all FOUR sets of this product at a substantial savings! This packet contains 5 easy investigations. The materials needed are easy to come by and inexpensive. I did not come up with these experiments myself, nor do I claim to. I have just compiled them onto easy to use sheets for students. But, don't let the name fool you! You will find these experiments useful even if you LOVE teaching science :) Each experiment is described in detail on the front side and the backside provides students with space to record their observations. In addition, I have included an easy explanation of each experiment. The experiments include: Pass the Pepper - A surface tension experiment. Materials needed include a bowl, water, measuring cup, black pepper and dish detergent soap. Balloon Kabob - A polymer experiment. Materials needed include a 9 inch latex balloon, wooden skewer and cooking oil. Spinning Penny - A force experiment. Materials needed include a clear balloon and a penny. Water Wanderer - A cohesion experiment. Materials needed include 2 plastic cups, water, measuring cup, masking tape, white cloth string, scissors, ruler, large pan or dish tub. A String of Ice - A chemistry experiment. Materials needed include Kosher salt, ruler, glass, water, ice cube and string.

This foldable breaks the Scientific Method down to 5 steps: Observe & Ask Questions, Form a Hypothesis, Plan an Experiment, Conduct an Experiment, Draw Conclusions & Communicate Results. This foldable will fit perfectly in a science journal. Just be sure to trim on the grey line before distributing to students. This makes for a much nicer fit. This foldable can be used as a stand alone resource as well. The teacher has several options with this foldable: Make copies of the blank template and parts page and allow your students to assemble. Run the completed front and inside copies for a few simple scissor cuts and an instant complete foldable. Or, do a bit of both...just run the cover and have students cut and paste parts in the appropriate spot.