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

• The Mixed Up Truck by Stephen Savage (or this read-along on YouTube)

1. 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:

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