105 Ways to Give a Book

Science & Stories Program: Rocks Rock

There’s a new meme in town. STEM Friday focuses on books that promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The round-up this week is hosted at, well, STEM Friday.

Over the year I’ll be sharing the preschool program I created for the library and that I’m presenting once a month. The concept behind the program is to introduce science topics by combining fiction and nonfiction, songs and mini-experiments, action rhymes and hands-on times. As a preschool program the information conveyed is basic, and intended to encourage a questioning, observational approach to scientific topics.
Rocks

Book: Rocks in His Head, by Carol Hurst

Hands-on "Rock Show"
Examine different kinds of rocks: from the garden, the ocean, caves, polished, carved, etc. Maybe kids can bring their own rocks.

Book: Rocks, Rocks Big and Small, by Joanne Barkan

Experiment: "Rock Layers"
Layer modeling clay lightly in sheets and press together to show how rocks can press made in the compression of layers.

Book: Let's Go Rock Collecting, by Roma Gans

Experiment: "How Does Solid Rock Melt?"
Fill a cup with warm tap water. Put a spoon in the cup of water. After 30 seconds remove the spoon, and put a chocolate chip in the spoon and see it melt. Though rocks are also solid, when they reach they’re melting point they become magma.

Book: If You Find a Rock, by Peggy Christian

Hands-on: "Rock Collector"
Look at different kinds of rocks. How would you put them in categores? By color? By size?
By name? Test rocks for hardness by scraping with a penny and piece of quartz. Scrape the rock across a surface to see if it makes a mark.



Links to material on Amazon.com contained within this post may be affiliate links for the Amazon Associates program, for which this site may receive a referral fee.

1 comment:

Deb Lund said...

This is so cool! Thanks for sharing your love for books AND making the science connections with them. What important work you've given yourself. And what a great resource for others to do the same. Love it!