Kindergarten Science Learning Centre: Mixed Up Truck

Kindergarten Science Learning Centre: Mixed Up Truck

THE MIXED UP TRUCK

Connecting Kindergarten students to familiar objects through science inquiry

INTRODUCTION

Explore mysterious white powders with a read-along, using Nature of Science thinking and hands-on experimentation at the Kindergarten level, with optional art connections. 

RATIONALE

This centre is designed as a read-aloud, followed by exploratory science. The book, The Mixed Up Truck by Stephen Savage, follows a cement mixing truck on their first day at work. They mix up 4 mysterious white powders with water and create:

  1. A cake
  2. Icing sugar
  3. A building
  4. A bubble bath

After reading the book, students will have the opportunity to mix the same 4 white powders with water to see what happens and try to guess which one is which, using their senses, some clues at the stations, tapping into their own prior knowledge, and asking questions/using scientific reasoning. We will connect this to art projects by creating:

  1. Paper-mache
  2. Winter sugar painting
  3. Imprints with cement
  4. Clean up time!

This can be a whole-day exploration or spread out over multiple days, depending on whether you choose to implement the art projects, which ones, and how. Ideally, students will be able to explore mixing the powders with as little hands-on supervision as possible to give them the opportunity to fully embody scientific inquiry.

SAFETY & OTHER CONCERNS

Ensure no child uses their sense of taste to explore these powders! Although two are edible, two are most certainly not. Remind students to use touch, sight, and smell to explore their powder pastes.

Be prepared for messes! The cement, especially, needs adult supervision at all times. Ensure a disposable covering protects the surface, offer gloves and aprons (and even protective goggles) to the students at this station, and use only disposable containers for mixing.

This can be as simple or as complex as you choose, depending on whether you link it to an art project!

MATERIALS

 

 

    1. Flour
    2. Powdered sugar
    3. Cement (recommended: Rapid Set® Cement All® Multi-Purpose Construction Material & Non-Shrink Grout)
    4. Powdered soap
    5. Water
    6. Trays
    7. Table coverings (I use old sheets)
    8. Clear containers for powders (at least 4)
    9. Clear containers for mixing (1 per student)
    10. Stir sticks (recommended: sturdy popsicle sticks or chopsticks)
    11. Measuring cups or spoons
    12. Recommended: Gloves, goggles, and aprons

 

  • Optional: Sponges and buckets for clean-up!

 

Optional for art projects:

 

PAPER MACHE

  1. Scraps of paper
  2. Paintbrushes
  3. Bowls to use as molds
  4. Plastic wrap

http://craftandcreativity.com/blog/2014/02/14/paperbowls/

WINTER SUGAR PAINTING

  1. Black paper (heavy)
  2. Paintbrushes
  3. Optional: powdered mica or other eco-friendly glitter
CEMENT IMPRINT

  1. Plastic wrap
  2. Wet sand
  3. Large leafs (note: can use tree leaves, lettuce/cabbage/kale, etc. Just ensure it has a nice shape and is free of any holes/cracks)

https://www.instructables.com/id/Concrete-Leaf-Casting/

 

ACTIVITIES
  1. Read The Mixed Up Truck by Stephen Savage
  2. Invite students to mix “mystery” powders with water to determine which one is which
  3. Optional art activity at each table
DESIGNING THE CENTRES
  1. Cover four tables with cloth or protective covering
  2. Lay out trays at each table with powders, water, container for mixing, stir sticks, and any extras (recommend gloves, goggles, and aprons at concrete table)
  3. Place visual cues/instructions at each table so non-literate children can still mix the correct ratios/use the appropriate senses without needing direct adult supervision
POWDER INSTRUCTIONS FOR KIDS ART PROJECT
Flour
  1. Mix 1:1 ratios flour and water
  2. Look, Smell, and Touch
  3. What is it? How can you tell?
Paper Mache

  1. Turn bowl upside down and cover with plastic wrap
  2. Paste scraps of paper on using flour/water mixture
Powdered Sugar
  1. Mix 0.5:1 ratios sugar and water
  2. Look, Smell, Touch, and Taste!
  3. What is it? How can you tell?
Winter Sugar Painting

  1. Paint fun shapes onto heavy black paper (can add glitter)
  2. Let dry to see full effect of contrast
Concrete
  1. Use gloves when handling!
  2. Mix 2:1 ratios concrete to water
  3. Look & Smell
  4. What is it? How can you tell?
Cement Imprint

  1. Create a small mound of wet sand and cover with plastic
  2. Place leaf on top, veins up
  3. Pour wet concrete overtop and let dry completely (overnight is best)
Soap
  1. Mix 1:1 ratios soap and water
  2. Look, Smell, and Touch
  3. What is it? How can you tell?
Clean Up Time!

  1. Pour soapy mixture into buckets and add more water
  2. Drop sponges in. Clean up!

 

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