Quick Tricks for Science helps children learn about nature as they study
leaves, flowers, fruit, and more. Nature-related activities also help
children learn math and language skills.
Sample Activity
A Gathering of Gourds - A Quick Trick With Autumn Gourds
Gather These Materials
- various gourds - one (or more) for each child
- dishpan of water
- vegetable brushes
- scissors
- construction paper
- glue, thumb tacks, push pins or straight pins
Where: at a newspaper-covered table
How: Let the children wash the dust and dirt off the gourds. Examine the
gourds. Discuss ways you could turn each into a face. Should the face be
happy, sad, worried, surprised or scary? Have children cut facial features
from the construction paper and attach them to their gourds to make faces.
Display the faces together - a gathering of gourds.
Variation:
- Substitute squashes or potatoes for the gourds.
This activity helps children develop creative thinking and hand-eye
coordination.
See Another Sample Activity!
