“Fun in the sun!” We’ve all heard it. We’re probably all said it. Playing in the sun truly is a blast… until someone gets a sunburn. Then it’s not so much fun. So let’s endeavor to teach our students about sun safety and sun protection. There are some fun sun safety activities that can help you teach this concept.

Why is the Sun So Dangerous?

While the sun is wonderful for giving off light and heat, it also gives off ultraviolet radiation. Too much UV radiation can be dangerous. Even on cloudy days, people can get sunburned. UV rays can affect our eyes, skin, and immune systems.

Ways to stay safe in the sun for kids

The good news is, there are some easy ways to stay safe in the sun. Here are a few ideas:

• Wear UV-blocking sunglasses

• Wear a hat to keep the sun out of your eyes

• Don’t look directly at the sun

• Stay in the shade when outside

• Wear sunscreen (water resistant and 30 SPF or higher)

• Wear proper clothing to protect your skin from the sun

• Make sure to drink plenty of water

• Limit your time in the sun, especially between 10am and 2pm when UV rays are the strongest

The EASY Way to Teach About Sun Safety

Looking for a fast and fun way to teach about sun safety that includes nonfiction reading and a STEM craft? In just a few clicks you can grab all of the pieces you need: lesson plans, informational text, reading comprehension, an anchor chart template, and a hands-on activity!

grab the sun safety unit

reading about sun safety

The nonfiction reading passage ‘Looking at the Sun’ is a great way to explore Sun Safety and meet educational standards.

Reading about sun safety is another great way to learn. This nonfiction passage will help students learn about the sun as a source of energy and a potential hazard. After reading, they will complete comprehension questions to deepen their understanding of the topic. A connected drawing activity really helps to tie it all together!

sun safety videos for kids

For teaching sun safety for kids, there are some amazing Youtube videos out there. Here are just a few:

• This SciShow Kids video gives a great overview of why it is important to wear sunscreen. This also explains why people get sunburns and how we can stay safe in the sun.

• This is the animated story of George the Sun Safe Superstar, which talks all about how to “stop from turning pink”.

• This Dr. Binocs Show explains why UV rays are harmful. The video goes in-depth, even explaining the Electromagnetic Spectrum of light. Students might find this in-depth explanation fascinating!

Sun Safety Craftivity

In this sun safety craftivity, students will create a self-portrait with a twist. They will use a blank outline to create a miniature version of themselves and dress their person in the ultimate sun-safe outfit. Students can use a variety of materials like construction paper, tissue paper, popsicle sticks, cotton balls, glue, etc while creating their person. Let the creative juices flow!

Sunscreen experiment

There’s a fantastic sun safety experiment floating around the internet. I tried to find the original source of this experiment but was unable to locate it because there are several variations of the activity. It’s an engaging and clever way of illustrating the importance of sunscreen. Here’s how the experiment goes:

1. Fold a black piece of construction paper in half

2. Smear sunscreen all over the palm side of a child’s hand.

3. Have the child press their handprint onto the paper.

4. Place the paper in a sunny spot and wait for a few hours

When you check on the paper in a few hours, all the spaces without sunscreen will be bleached lighter by the sun. The areas with sunscreen will still be the original black color! 

 If you want to get extra creative with this experiment, you can have students fingerpaint pictures onto the black construction paper, instead of doing a handprint. They will love seeing their design on the bleached paper! 

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Sun safety is an important concept to teach our students. Not only is it interesting to learn about, it’s also a health issue that needs to be focused upon. There are some great sun safety activities and experiments out there, so let’s make this topic exciting for students!

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Robin Williams once said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s Party’!” Isn’t this so true! Spring brings a welcome break from winter and it’s the time of year when nature seems to spring to life (pardon the pun). Plus, there are some amazing Spring science activities and experiments to incorporate into the curriculum which will help Spring come alive in your classroom.

Seed Dispersal

Whether it’s watching a youtube video, reading nonfiction passages, creating a comic, doing a STEM challenge or going for a nature walk, there are plenty of ways to engage students while learning about seed dispersal. There is also a fun (and slightly) messy STEM activity to teach seed dispersal that might involve students flinging seeds. If any of these activities intrigue you or just for more information about teaching seed dispersal, check out this blog full of activities and science lessons.

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Pollination

Pollination is a fascinating topic that can be taught through a variety of activities. The Busy Bee Game is a great way to let students get out energy and also teach the concept of pollination. Reading informational texts about pollination helps students glean information about the topic. Engaging in a STEM challenge that involves paint and a paper flower will allow students to use their creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Or simply go for a nature walk to observe pollinators in action! To find more information, including rules for the game and specifics about the STEM challenge, check out this blog that’s just full of pollination activities for kids.

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what do plants need to survive?

I think many teachers can agree that teaching the concept of plant growth by growing plants is a fun spring science experiment. Why not turn this into an inquiry project? Have students read about what plants need to survive. Then conduct an experiment about why plants need sunlight. This blog gives a more detailed overview of some ideas and resources for teaching about plant growth.

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Life Cycles of Living Things

With spring comes the birth of living things: chicks, lambs, flowers, cherry blossoms, bunnies, the list goes on and on. So why not teach the life cycle of living things during the spring? Turn it into a Spring science activity. Explore both animal and plant life cycles with activities and experiments that are perfect for second and third grades. These lessons and experiments are so engaging and easy to plan.

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Biodiversity

Another great spring science activity would be to have students explore local plants, animals, ecosystems, and food chains. This helps them to discover biodiversity in their area. Why not study these things when they are actually visible in the springtime? This unit features directed lessons, project-based learning, inquiry projects, and more. And make sure to check out this biodiversity freebie! Read more about biodiversity activities right HERE.

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Spring is a natural time to introduce these topics because students can observe these phenomena, or the by-products of these phenomena, in nature. They can see the honeybees pollinating plants. They can see the flowers growing. They can see the seeds being dispersed. They can see new life around them. Spring science experiments and Spring science activities can be engaging and meaningful, especially when we allow students to get out and explore!

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When we think of warm weather, we generally think about sunglasses, flip flops, sun, flowers blooming and the promise of summer days at the lake. And as a teacher, I also start to think about how those beautiful blooms came to be…enter pollination!

So how exactly does pollination work and why is it important? As spring approaches, we have a great opportunity to get outside and teach our students all about the fascinating phenomenon of nature. So let’s take a look at pollination.

Why is pollination so important? Science lessons for 2nd grade.

How Does Pollination Work?

Worksheets to help students understand how pollination works. Both can be found in the Pollination Spring STEM activities.

Pollination is how pollen transfers from one plant to another. This is largely done by the work of bees or other insects.

The insect lands on the flower to drink nectar. In the process, pollen from the anther (the male part of the plant) sticks to the insect’s body. When the insect travels to a new plant, pollen transfers to the stigma (the female part of the plant). This is necessary for seed production.

Did you know that one bee can pollinate up to 100 flowers in just one trip from the hive? Just think about what a whole colony of bees can accomplish in a day!

Why is Pollination Important?

Pollination is an essential part of growing food. Without pollination, seeds cannot be produced. Thus, fruits and vegetables wouldn’t be able to grow. And as a result, we wouldn’t have as much healthy food available to eat. 

The Easy Way to Teach About Pollination

Looking for a FAST and FUN way to teach about pollination that includes nonfiction reading, comprehension, and a STEM challenge?

Click and print. Planning really is that easy.

Pollination Videos for Kids

There are plenty of engaging ways to teach elementary students about pollination. First, let’s check out some YouTube videos:

1. As always, I’m a huge fan of SciShow Kids! Check out this awesome video called “Flowers and Their Pollinators: A Perfect Match!”

2. Dr. Binocs gives a VERY detailed overview. In this animated video, Dr. Binocs goes into depth describing the male and female reproductive parts of plants. He also describes how pollination happens through self-pollination and cross-pollination. 

3. In this video Jovanna interviews Dr. John Purdy. Together they answer an important question: Why do we Need Bees? 

Take a Peek at pollination outside!

While studying nature, why not go outside and get right in it? On a nice day, head outside to see pollination in person. Go on an outdoor walk in the springtime and look for pollinators in action.

Have students make observations about what they are witnessing. Not only is this a fun activity that activates their detective skills, it also helps kids to see the value of animals that pollinate. Bees and insects are not just pests, they have an important job to do!

Nonfiction Reading Activity

“What are Pollinators” is a set of leveled nonfiction reading passages and corresponding reading comprehension booklets.

Nonfiction reading all about pollination makes a great quick (and no prep) activity. Print off and photocopy this nonfiction reading passage about pollination. This activity was designed to be an easy way to differentiate your instruction because it has two levels of reading passages and two levels of comprehension booklets.

Busy Bee Game

If your students enjoy running around and being active, play a game of “Busy Bee”. This is a game I invented, but you’ll probably see where I gleaned inspiration for this game.

Place a number of hula hoops on the floor of the gym or in a field. These will be the flowers. Put a number of bean bags into half of the hula hoops. The bean bags are pollen. Students are working together to transfer beanbags to all the hula hoops.

If you want to add an extra challenge, you could add in a time challenge; see if students can complete the task in under 2 minutes! 

Pollination STEM Challenge

Pollination Painting is a great STEM Challenge for second and third grades.

This pollination STEM challenge is super hands-on… plus it’s a great art tie-in. Students will use the materials provided to build a device that transfers paint “pollen” from a station in your classroom to their papers. In the end, you’ll have created a piece of art that will display nicely on a bulletin board!

Students will be given a template of a flower (from this Pollinators STEM activity) and then they’ll have to figure out a way to transfer paint to the flower template.

stick-it-to-me Pollination Experiment

Do your students love doing hands-on experiments? Why not have your students try to discover creative ways to attach various objects to their own bodies! For instance, students might discover that various materials stick better to velcro than others. Or students might discover that some tapes are stronger than others. This little experiment is a fun jumping point for discussing how pollen sticks to insects.

Pollination is an important part of nature. And it’s an exciting topic to teach our students. What pollination activities are you going to use to teach your students? 

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Lessons about pollination for 2nd grade.
Picture: a bee sits on top of a white flower.

Have you ever seen a chipmunk running around with food in its cheeks? Or come upon a buried stash of acorns? These are not just fun discoveries, they are examples of seed dispersal in action! Teaching students about how seeds are dispersed is such a fun science topic, and there are some interesting/interactive ways to teach how seeds spread.

All About Seed Dispersal: Activities and Experiments for Elementary Science

How do seeds disperse?

Let’s take a quick look at what seed dispersal is. Essentially, seed dispersal is the way that seeds spread around so plants can grow in new areas. Without seed dispersal, plants would be stuck growing in the same place season after season and the seeds would also be competing with each other for the resources needed to survive. Seed dispersal allows plants to find new locations to grow and thrive.

seed dispersal examples

There are five main ways that seeds spread: animals, wind, water, explosion, and fire. Here are a few examples:

• Seeds get stuck on a dog’s fur and as the dog walks around, the seeds drop into new areas.

• Seeds get eaten by a bird. The bird flies away and…how do I put this delicately?...poops on something. There are seeds in the bird’s droppings and the seeds grow in a new location.

• Have you ever heard the term “squirrel away”? Well, squirrels store food for the winter and often bury a cache of seeds and nuts, which can lead to plants growing in new areas.

• The wind carries seeds to new locations

• Water lilies and coconuts rely on water to spread their seeds.

• Eucalyptus plants have seeds with a protective layer that needs to be melted away by fire before it can grow. 

• And some plants, like violets, will eject seeds to disperse them.

Seed Dispersal YouTube Videos

Videos are a great way to create excitement when introducing a new topic, and YouTube has a handful of really great ones about seed dispersal. Youtube videos.

Here are some fun videos about how seeds spread:

1. This SciShow Kids video introduces students to the question “How do Plant Seeds Travel?” The video also shows the structure of seeds and how this helps seeds spread. For example, burs have little hooks on them which allows these seeds to stick to animal fur.

2. This is a fantastic video of Maddie who explores the forest searching for seeds. She also explains how seeds get spread.

3. This is a short one minute video that gives a quick overview. It doesn’t give all the ways for seed dispersal, but it’s a good start if you’re looking for something super quick.

4. Want to show seed explosion? This video from the Smithsonian shows a great time-lapse of seed dispersal by explosion.

Nonfiction reading and worksheets

Using nonfiction reading in a science class is a great way to meet multiple standards in the same lesson! 

In this STEM and Reading lesson set, students read a passage entitled “How Did That Grow There?” Afterward, students complete a worksheet about what they read. This not only helps to develop comprehension skills, but it also allows them to solidify the information they just read.

Then I have students create a comic that shows a seed’s journey to a new location using one of the seed dispersal methods from the passage (I took this word for word from the project description…). This gives students a creative outlet for deepening their knowledge!

Need to differentiate? I have a 2nd set of nonfiction reading passages about seed dispersal that comes in two text levels AND two comprehension levels. It’s easy to mix and match to make the assignment work for your class.

seed dispersal stem challenge

Getting hands-on with a STEM challenge is one of the best ways to explore how seeds spread. In this activity, students will create a seed dispersal device.

Using miscellaneous crafting supplies like egg cartons, pipe cleaners, and rubber bands, students will be tasked with creating a device that will spread seeds over a distance (not just dump them in a single location).

Make sure to allow students time to plan and test their devices as well. Not only does this activity teach students about seed dispersal, but it also allows them to practice other skills like design, cooperation, communication, and revising.

float vs. fly

For another hands-on activity, try conducting an experiment about which seeds float and fly. Give your students a variety of seeds. Have stations set up with straws and bowls of water. Students can use the straw to blow the seeds to see which will fly away and they can place the seeds in the water to see which seeds will float.

Take a neighborhood walk

If you’re looking to get out in nature and your students are prepared to get a little dirty, you can do a nature walk. However, before going, give students socks to slip over their shoes. Then have students walk around. When you’ve completed the walk, have students remove the socks and check out what might be attached. Maybe they will find some seeds on the socks!

These are just a few activities to teach how seeds spread. The topic of seed dispersal can be engaging and exciting. It’s a necessary part of nature and we have the privilege of helping out students marvel at the wonder of this natural phenomenon.

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Lessons about how seeds are dispersed for elementary science. Picture: a chipmunk sits on top of a sunflower with cheeks full of seeds.

I’m not a plant person. I’m just not. I know in my head what plants need to survive, but I just can’t seem to put it into practice. In my living room I have a single IKEA potted plant that, by some miracle, has survived over the years. But it’s the only plant I’ve been able to keep alive for more than a few months. My thumb is not green. But my classrooms? Those are a different story. It turns out with the help of 25-30 8-year-olds I’m practically Joanna Gaines.

What do plants need to survive? Activities and experiments for elementary science. Picture: orange and yellow tulips.

It turns out that third graders absolutely love tending to plants. And there’s really no better way to explore what plants need to survive than actually planting and growing them. It’s one of the cheapest hands-on science projects that we do.

What do plants need to survive?

To survive, all plants need sunlight, water, air, food (nutrients from good soil), and the right temperature . However, I rarely give students this information at the start of our plant study. Growing plants is such a straightforward inquiry opportunity.  We start with the guiding question “What do we think plants need to survive” and then jump off from there.

Plants Inquiry

I am a HUGE fan of inquiry-based learning, and plant survival is a great topic for guided or student-led inquiry. This inquiry-based science blog breaks down HOW we use inquiry in a plant unit. I love seeing the questions students have about plants and plant growth.

Growing Plants in the Classroom

It’s surprisingly easy (and inexpensive!) to grow plants in the classroom, and it’s always a big hit! Tip: do the planting outside on the field or basketball court. The planting process can get a little dirty!

Things you’ll need:

• Soil (I grab a few bags of potting soil from Home Depot)

• Clear plastic cups

• Seeds (Beans and sunflowers work great!)

• A water spray bottle

A student writes down observations about how their bean plant is growing.

Give each student a clear plastic cup. Clear works best because it allows students to observe root growth. Fill the cup 4/5 full with soil and pat down. Create a small hole in the top of the soil. I’ve always just had students poke their finger in to create this! Insert the seed and cover it up.

For watering, use a spray bottle. It’s easy to over-water such a small cup of soil, so I try to encourage students to water the plants with 4-5 ‘sprays’ of water. Then, set the cups near a window.

No windows in your classroom? Try taking your plants for a walk, setting them outside for the day, and bringing them back in before the end of the day.

Use a plant observation journal (like the one here) to record observations as the plants grow. It can be found in my Plant Growth and Changes unit (which also includes 3 more plant-related experiments!)

Reading about what plants need to survive

This set of nonfiction reading passages “What Do Plants Need to Survive?” is a great way to integrate informational text and reading skills into a science unit… plus it’s differentiated. Choose from two levels of informational text and two levels of reading comprehension.

Experiment: Why do plants need sunlight?

One of my favorite experiments to teach about plant needs is a simple whole-class experiment that can be done while you are growing your own plants in the classroom.

For this experiment, you’ll need two identical classroom plants (I always grow beans). I set up this experiment while our class is growing beans together. Set aside 2 plants in your classroom. Give identical amounts of soil, water, and seeds from the same packet. Place one plant near the window, and place a paper bag over the other plant. Care for each plant identically. As the plants grow, observe what happens to the plant without direct sunlight. The teaching instructions and student observation journals can be found here!

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