Helpful Resources
Activity Ideas
Ask Dr. Universe – Washington State University
Dr. Wendy Sue Universe is a very smart cat who investigates tough questions from curious elementary and middle school students. Based out of Washington State University, Dr. Universe teams up with professors, researchers, and experts in the field to tackle big questions like: What is fire? Why does soda fizz? Why is the ocean salty? Why is liquid nitrogen so cold?
Science Discovery Series Level 1 Digital Download
Youth in grades 3-6 develop science skills as they explore whales, rocks and minerals, water quality, trees and recycling.
Science Discovery Series Level 2 Digital Download
In grades 4-7 discover oceanography, spiders, weather, trees and astronomy. Lesson plans include background information, a lesson outline, life skill objectives and evaluation instruments.
Science Activities and Experiments – Education.com Learning Library
This site contains science activities for multiple fields, including hands-on activities, worksheets, and more. In the left panel, it can be sorted by physical science, life science, earth & space science, and engineering & science practices, as well as by topic, age group, and state education standards.
Home Demos: Experiments you should try at home – Bill Nye
A collection of science demoDonenstrations youth and their adult helpers can try at home in the ares of life science (human and other living things), physical science (chemistry and physics), and planetary science (earth science and space science).
Science Projects – Science Buddies
Over 1,200 free science projects for K-12. Browse by subject, grade level, or try our Topic Selection Wizard to find your winning science project. With science projects in 32 different areas of science from astronomy to zoology, we’ve got something for everyone!
Science Buddies also has a page specifically for Projects for 4-H that highlight activities that easily tie into 4-H project areas..
Washington Specific Reference Material
Coming soon!
Other Reference Material
From 4-H Programs
4-H Science Blast in the Class – Michigan State University Extension
This curriculum includes a variety of hands-on lesson plans, including experiments for first grade through high school. Lessons are grouped by grade level within content areas. Materials can be used in a variety of formal and informal environments.
Also view the Science Blast Activities page for additional lessons suitable for youth development meetings outside the classroom.
From Higher Education Institutions
Teaching Science When You Don’t Know Diddly Squat – Michigan State University Extension
Use this series of ready-to-go lesson plans to start teaching inquiry-based science to youth. The purpose is not to teach specific content, but to teach the process of science – asking questions and discovering answers. This activity encourages young people to try to figure things out for themselves; to discover answers, rather than just read an answer on the internet or in a book.
The purpose of “Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Science for Young Minds” is to provide ideas for facilitating science with young children so they gain important life skills and experience the excitement of science exploration.
“The capacity of young children to reason in sophisticated ways is much greater than has long been assumed. Even before they start school, children develop their own ideas about the physical, biological, and social worlds and how they work” (National Research Council, 2011).
Science engages their curiosity. Science provides kids the opportunity to know that they can help solve the world’s big problems. Science provides practical tools for understanding everyday life.
Heads In, Hearts In Science Activities – Michigan State University Extension
From Related Organizations, Journals, and Professionals
Science Snacks – The Exploratorium
Low-cost, teacher-tested activities for the classroom and the curious. Spanish language versions of these activities are available as well.
Watch and Do Science – The Exploratorium
Explore and investigate phenomena using videos and easy-to-find materials. Set the stage to spark delight, discovery, and ongoing learning. These six hands-on, phenomena-driven science learning experiences are designed for K–5 teachers to use with their students in virtual or in-person environments, with minimal prep time and common household materials.
Each experience offers learners English and Spanish versions of an Exploration video providing a hands-on introduction to the topic; an Investigation Video to drive content learning and engagement with science practices; and a set of slides with instructions scaffolding the activity. These scaffolds are aimed at specific grade levels, but the activities can work at many grade levels and remote learners can be supported by an older sibling or adult. Teachers can download these slides and modify them to suit their own contexts; each activity also provides a written Teacher Support Guide that contains links to all videos, suggestions for how to use the activity, content background on the topic, and connections to science standards, ELA, and math.
Science Activities – The Exploratorium
Explore our online resources for learning at home and low-cost, teacher-tested activities for the classroom and the curious.
- Kits, Projects, and Activities from National 4-H
National 4-H Natural Resources and Environmental Education Curriculum Collection