But imagine if you could teach your students about financial literacy at an early age and equip them with the knowledge and skills, they need to navigate the world confidently. The earlier you start, the better prepared they will be. Here, we’ll explore why financial literacy belongs in the classroom and give you tips on effectively implementing it into your teaching.

Why Students Should Learn Financial Literacy in School

Financial literacy belongs in the classroom because it equips students with the life skills to make informed financial decisions. It’s much more than just learning about dollars and cents; it’s about equipping students with real-world skills that will give them better spending habits and keep them out of debt.

When students grasp money management skills they make better financial decisions. Financial education in the classroom is relevant to every student whether they go on to college or enter the workforce. It’s directly applicable to their lives and sets them up for a successful future.

Classroom Activities for Financial Literacy

Integrating financial literacy into the classroom can be an engaging and beneficial way for students to practice skills they will use for their entire lives. By incorporating activities, you can make money management a relatable topic for students of all ages. Here are some effective classroom activities tailored for students of different ages.

For Younger Students

Play Money

Use play money to help students learn the basics of counting money. Consider creating a classroom store where students buy and sell items. This will teach students the value of different dominations and introduce them to addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Have students role-play the cashier and the customer to practice making change. This hands-on experience will help reinforce important math concepts.

Savings Jar

Using a tangible, visual aid such as a savings jar. Savings jars can be an effective tool to teach younger students how to save for the future. Consider having students set a class financial goal, such as a party, and use play money to help students save for it. Students “earn” money doing classroom chores or tasks and put a percentage of that money earned into the class savings jar. This visual representation of saving helps students think about prioritizing their earnings as well as budgeting.

Use Storybooks

Picture books can be a fun and engaging way to talk about money management. Stories such as “Curious George Saves His Pennies” by Margret & H.A. Rey and “The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money” by Stan and Jan Berenstain are both great books that engage readers in conversations about decisions that characters make about money. After the story, talk about how the characters’ choices can relate to real-life financial decisions. The follow-up with a hands-on activity to reinforce what was learned.

For Older Students

Budgeting Assignments

Assigning projects about budgeting is a great way for older students to learn the basics of money management. For example, have students choose a potential career and research what their gross income is in that career. Then give them a list of expenses such as transportation, rent, food, savings, etc., and have them budget accordingly. Once they get the hang of it add more expenses like medical bills, car repairs, daycare, etc. This is a great exercise for students to learn to prioritize needs over wants and learn the impact of their financial choices.

Stock Market Game

Introduce students to investing by having them invest virtual money in real-time stocks on the Stock Market Game website. This is a fun way for students to experience the stock market without having to use real money. It also shows students how financial markets operate and teaches them the risks involved in trading stock. Additionally, it helps students develop critical thinking skills essential for making important decisions.

Invite Guest Speakers

Financial professionals can provide students with valuable insight into financial literacy. Whether it’s bankers, financial advisors, or personal finance professionals, these guest speakers can inspire students and show them the opportunities available to them. They can also motivate them to learn to save early and take control of their finances.

Integrating Technology into Financial Literacy Education

Using digital tools is a great way to reinforce financial concepts to students of all ages. Educational apps, such as “PiggyBot” for younger students and “Bankaroo” for older ones, use gamified learning to make financial literacy fun for students. Online courses like Khan Academy offer free personal finance education that can supplement your curriculum. These resources are a great way to practice real-world money management skills in a fun and interactive way.

Financial literacy has been long overlooked as an integral component in today’s curriculums. However, it’s important to note that financial literacy belongs in the classroom. By integrating it, we are equipping students with the skills needed to navigate through life. By understanding the basics of money management, they will be able to make informed financial decisions confidently.

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Outdoor Carnival

Create an unforgettable last of school by transforming your schoolyard into an outdoor carnival. This event can be just for your class, the entire grade, or even the whole school. Invite parent volunteers to help set up and run carnival games such as ring toss, dress-up like a clown relay race, dunk a teacher in a dunk tank, or any other fun games you can think of. If you have a schoolwide event, consider inviting food trucks, a local magician, or a DJ to make this an enjoyable event that students will remember for years to come.

Talent Show

What’s a better way to show your students diverse talents than a talent show? Encourage students to show off their unique gifts by allowing them to showcase their skills of singing, dancing, playing an instrument, performing magic tricks, stand-up comedy, gymnastics, cheerleading, or any other skill they would like to perform for an audience of their peers.

Not only is this a great way to boost student morale and create a sense of community, but it’s also a fun way to end the school year with a sense of belonging and school pride. Encourage any students who don’t want to perform to choose a different role such as decorating, being the MC, helping with technical support, or the lighting. This will ensure every student will contribute to the success of the show.

Advice from Graduates

A fun way to wrap up the school year is to have students write letters of advice to the new, incoming students who will be entering the classroom next school year. As a class, start a discussion to generate ideas on what kinds of topics new students would benefit from learning about. For example, subjects they’ll study, the daily schedule, or field trips they’ll go on.

Then have each student write a letter based on the topics you discussed, including any personal advice they would like to add. Following this, have students peer edit one another’s letters checking for any errors before they type up their final versions. Finally, either save the letters for next year, mail the letters to the new students, or distribute the letters during the next meet and greet event.

Classroom Yearbook

A classroom yearbook is a great end-of-year activity that adds a more personal touch than just the standard schoolwide yearbook. This project allows students to express their individuality and contribute to a book that is solely based on their classroom experiences rather than schoolwide experiences. For younger students assign each student one page to draw, write, or decorate anything they wish that is a memory for them of the school year.

Add their name and photograph and create colored copies of each page to attach to a book for each student. For older students, have them take on roles similar to a professional yearbook, such as editors, writers, photographers, etc. They can incorporate elements such as collages, QR codes, or quotes from classmates. On the last day of school, had out the compiled classroom yearbook for students to sign.

Positive Reflections

A heartwarming, last day of school activity is the positive words exercise. This activity involves students sharing kind words about one another. There are two ways you can do this activity. The first is to place a photograph of each student on a separate piece of paper.  Then, pass around each photo sheet and have students anonymously write one kind thing about the student around the image. Encourage students to not repeat what someone has already written. Compliments should only be positive comments such as, “thoughtful, kind, funny, generous, etc.”

Another variation of this activity is to have students use a form to write complimentary words for each classmate. After they fill out the forms, you can either compile all the comments into a personalized message for each student or have the students themselves assemble the comments for their peers. This allows each student to receive a collection of positive feedback while feeling a sense of belonging and community within the classroom.

Reflective Circle

A fun way to foster a sense of closure on the last of school is to try this reflective circle activity. This activity involves gathering students together in a circle to reflect upon the school year. Students take turns recounting their memories, sharing any challenges they’ve overcome, discussing new friendships they’ve made, and reflecting on any positive or negative experiences they’ve had during the school year.

Students can also take this time to set new goals or discuss their plans for the future. Sharing these thoughts can inspire others, give students a sense of belonging, and help to foster a more empathetic classroom environment.

These hands-on last-day-of-school activities offer an engaging and enjoyable way to ring out the school year. Moreover, they provide students with a way to celebrate, create, and share classroom memories and keepsakes that they will cherish for many years to come.

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What is a Solar Eclipse?

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is in a position that is directly between the Earth and the sun. This alignment causes the Earth’s shadow to temporarily dim the sun’s brightness from us, turning the day into night.

Date and Visibility

On Monday, April 8, 2024, the total eclipse will move across North America, Mexico, the United States, and Canada. According to NASA, if you live in the United States the path of the eclipse will travel through, “Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.” These states will experience a total eclipse and a partial eclipse before and after.

Here is an example from NASA’s website if you were viewing from Buffalo, New York:

Partial begins: 2:04 p.m. EDT

Totality begins: 3:18 p.m. EDT

Maximum: 3:20 p.m. EDT

Totality ends: 3:22 p.m. EDT

Partial ends: 4:32 p.m. EDT

Classroom Activities

The solar eclipse is an excellent teaching moment, not just in science class. To further enrich students’ knowledge about the upcoming solar eclipse, consider these classroom activities that cover a broad range of curriculum topics.

Astronomy

Go back to the basics and begin by explaining or having students research what a solar eclipse is. Discuss the positions of the Earth, sun, and moon and how they align to create a solar eclipse. Discuss the different types of eclipses such as the total, partial, and annual, and have students research if the eclipse is visible where you live.

If you are in the path of totality or partial totality, organize a viewing event for your school. Be sure to discuss safety measures such as eclipse viewing glasses. If you are not in the viewing path, you can have students view a live stream from NASA on the day of the event.

Environmental Science

Solar eclipses affect the environment and animal behavior. The sudden shift of daylight to darkness can change temperature and animal behavior. For example, the temperature dropped 15 degrees Fahrenheit during the 2017 solar eclipse. Also, bats have been reported to be active during the day, and family pets have been seen displaying confusion or restlessness.

Ask students to observe these environmental and animal responses both before, during, and after the eclipse. After monitoring these shifts, have students explore the connections they’ve found. This will help deepen students’ understanding of the interconnectedness of the earth and its species and systems.

Mathematics

It takes mathematics to predict a solar eclipse. One of the concepts used to predict an eclipse is the Saros Cycle. Challenge students to predict when and where the next solar eclipse will happen by using this method. Discuss the geometry that’s involved in eclipse path such as the angles and different types of eclipses, this will help students understand the geometric principles.

You can also use the solar eclipse to teach students about measuring time and shadows. Students can observe and measure the shadows before, during, and after the eclipse. Then, students can compare their findings and better understand proportional reasoning.

Geography

The path of totality will span across the United States from Texas to Maine. Have students examine a map of the United States and answer specific questions on how different locations within the United States will experience the solar eclipse. You can modify NASA’s online lesson plan for grades sixth through eighth for younger or older students. Or, you can have students map out the path of totality themselves and research which countries and regions will experience the solar eclipse. This lesson can then lead to a history lesson about how other cultures view the eclipse.

English

The 2024 solar eclipse offers an opportunity for students to have a deeper appreciation of the solar event through creative writing and literature. Inspired by the solar eclipse students can create a poem or create a story about themselves or a character witnessing the eclipse. They can write a blog post, a journal entry, or even a persuasive essay about observing this celestial event. By integrating the solar eclipse into your English activities, you are encouraging creative and critical thinking skills and helping students make sense of this rare event.

Art

Unlock your students’ creativity and let the eclipse inspire young artists. Encourage students to explore their creative side by drawing, painting, creating digital art, or photographing the solar eclipse. If photographing, be sure to discuss the dangers of looking directly into an eclipse and how to capture the shot innovatively through the use of solar filters. Any artistic form of creative expression will only enhance students’ understanding of the solar eclipse and help to leave a lasting impact on this astonishing phenomenon.

The solar eclipse creates a unique learning opportunity where students can directly engage in their wonderment of the universe. The next solar eclipse won’t cross the United States again until 2044, so make this special event a focal point of learning and partake in these classroom activities because this experience is a rare phenomenon that will help to create a deeper understanding of the universe and beyond.

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What is a Makerspace?

A makerspace is an area in the classroom that is used for students to learn, explore, create, and collaborate. It’s also a place where students problem-solve, test, assemble, build, invent, and think outside of the box. These spaces are equipped with a variety of materials and tools that allow students to learn new skills and develop ideas.

Materials and tools may include arts and crafts, engineering supplies, and technology and robotics supplies. Emphasizing hands-on project-based learning, a makerspace is designed to appeal to all different learning styles and abilities. It’s a space to unite students to collaborate on projects, explore curiosities, and empower them to develop skills and solve problems.

Benefits of a Makerspace

Integrating a makerspace into your classroom can offer a multitude of benefits. Research has demonstrated that makerspaces enhance students’ creativity, critical thinking, and design skills. Here’s a closer look at the benefits of setting up a makerspace in your classroom.

Enhances Engagement

A makerspace enhances student’s learning experience by involving them in hands-on, interactive activities. This active participation fosters a deeper connection to what students are learning, making the process more enjoyable. As students see their creations come to life, their internal motivation and self-confidence rise. This engagement can lead to a more fulfilling learning experience for students.

Nurtures Creative Thinking and Innovation

Makerspaces are a dedicated space that fosters creativity and exploration. Learners are challenged to push the boundaries and think outside of the box. As students experiment with their ideas and with the tools and materials provided, they are creatively risk-taking and embracing innovation. As creators, they are developing skills that are necessary for their future.

Develops Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

While creating in a makerspace, students will encounter challenges. These experiences will develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They will learn how to navigate a variety of problems and how to assess and problem-solve to make an informed decision. This analytical process will equip students to tackle any future problems with confidence.

Encourages Collaboration and Communication Skills

Makerspaces are a collaborative environment where students use their interpersonal skills to work in a team to complete a project. This cooperative environment is a place where students share their ideas, listen to others, and share responsibilities. Through this interaction, students are exposed to different perspectives, which will not only help to broaden their understanding of others but also will equip them with the social skills they need to collaborate with others in the future.

How to Create a Makerspace in Your Classroom

Creating a makerspace doesn’t require a large budget or a lot of space in the classroom. Here are a few tips on how to get started.

Establish your Goal

What do you want your students to get out of the space? Whether it’s to foster creativity, encourage innovation, or enhance problem-solving skills, you need to come up with a clear objective. It may be all three of those things. If so, figure out what your goal is so you can then gather your materials and begin your setup of the space.

Gather your Materials

You will need a variety of materials and tools that will align with the specific age group and skill level of your students. Source basic craft supplies such as paper, glue, scissors, and markers, which are items that are most likely already in your classroom. For younger students, you can acquire engineering and technology items such as Legos, iPads, magnetic blocks, and other manipulatives. To acquire larger sources such as 3D printers or other high-tech equipment, you will need to talk to the administration to see if there are any potential technology or science grants or seek contributions from donors.

Design the Space

A makerspace can be a table in the classroom, a designated corner, or even a mobile cart that is stocked with materials and can be wheeled around wherever you need it to go. This specific zone should be organized with materials and tools readily available for students to create. Ideally, a well-thought-out makerspace should be adaptable, flexible, and accessible, and inspire students to think creatively and critically.

Guide and Instruct Students

It’s crucial to equip students on how to safely create and collaborate in the makerspace. Instruction and support should be ongoing to foster a safe and confident learning environment. The more you expand your skill set on how to make the most of a maker space, the more enriching you will make your students’ learning experiences. Start by explaining the purpose of a makerspace, then go over safety protocols and how to safely use tools and the space properly. Next, encourage students to explore and experiment by working on projects with others.

Creating a makerspace in the classroom will not only enhance your student’s learning experience but also prepare them for any challenges in the future. By fostering a space where students can be creative and innovative, as well as work within a team, you are equipping them with the skills that are necessary to succeed in the future.

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As we think about Thanksgiving food, additional questions might come to mind for educators. What is the chemistry of Thanksgiving food, and what activities can teachers plan to help students connect with chemistry and Thanksgiving food?

Turkey and Osmosis

Turkey is a highly favored, traditional Thanksgiving meat that can be really juicy, tasty, or dry. With the proper preparation and a chemical change, the turkey will be most flavorful and juicy. The chef can place the turkey in saltwater for better results. The salt and water move from areas of high concentration, outside the turkey, to regions of lower concentration, inside the turkey, through osmosis. The movement of salt and water causes the turkey to be more flavorful and juicy rather than dry and bland.

Educators can use activities to demonstrate osmosis which may be differentiated based on students’ ability and learning levels. Younger children can create a paper turkey and then draw each stage of osmosis around the paper turkey. Older students with access to a lab or kitchen can place a turkey in saltwater and another in an empty pan. The students can then watch for and document any changes they observe before cooking the turkeys. Finally, if possible, teachers can assist students in cooking the turkeys to note the differences in flavor and tenderness.

Baked Goods and CO₂

Baked goods play a big role in Thanksgiving dinners. Cakes, cookies, danishes, rolls, buns, and other types of bread require ingredients to interact and chemical changes to occur. Without the proper chemical reactions in the baking process, the goods become tasteless or even flat rather than fluffy. Ingredients in the baked goods react with each other. For example, baking soda and milk react to release carbon dioxide bubbles that expand under heat, causing baked goods to rise. Yeast, a living organism and often used in breads, also creates a similar reaction to cause dough to rise.

For Thanksgiving and chemistry connections, educators may engage students with various activities related to baked goods. One activity is to have students mix a given set of ingredients in a no-bake recipe, then observe and document the look, feel, reaction, and taste after mixing ingredients. Students with a lab or access to a kitchen area can mix and bake ingredients and document each stage in the baking process. Older chemistry students can engage in a writing activity to explain the chemical reactions that had to occur during the baking process.

Casseroles and the Maillard Reaction

When I think about casseroles, I immediately think about the crispy onions, breadcrumbs, or cracker crumbs that are toasty on the top. Can you believe that chemistry causes the pieces to be toasty and brown? The chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction is why casseroles have a toasty, brown hue on the top. In the Maillard reaction, sugars and proteins react under high heat and in the absence of water. The molecular mixture that forms gives the food a brown, toasty color.

For educators wanting students to show their understanding of the Maillard reaction, activities using Thanksgiving casseroles can be used. Young students can watch videos that show the browning of casseroles, marshmallows, toast, and more. Then students can create thinking maps that include descriptive words describing various states of the foods before and after experiencing heat. Older students with access to the proper equipment can cook casseroles, brown marshmallows, or toast bread in the oven then write reports on the process, the chemical reactions, and the visual changes in the foods.

Gravy

The word “gravy” can be music to many people’s ears due to the flavor it adds to many types of meat, vegetables, and bread. Have you had gravy that was too runny or gravy that was too thick? There is a science behind the thickening of gravy. Chemical reactions occur to thicken gravy after adding proper starch to the mix. When placed in heated liquid, starch granules absorb the liquid and swell, which causes thickening.

For purposes of connections and demonstration, educators can try it out with students. Teachers can add cornstarch to heated water and allow students to observe and document the reaction through illustrations or writing. Mixing ingredients and applying heat are two initiators of chemistry, including chemical changes and chemical reactions.

This year when you eat your Thanksgiving feast, remember that chemistry is one reason your tasty favorites, traditional foods, new flavors, and scrumptious bites fill your mouth. Who knew chemistry could taste so good?

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National Origami Day is when we honor the Japanese art form of origami November 11th each year. Origami is the ancient Japanese culture of paper folding. It requires intricate folding and makes complex shapes out of square pieces of paper.

Paper was invented in China and taken to Japan by Buddhist monks during the sixth century. The Japanese developed origami into a very detailed art form. Most origami instructions were initially passed down in tradition orally instead of having handwritten instructions; those were later created so that the tradition could be preserved.

How Does Geometry Relate to Origami?

Origami relates to geometry in many ways! The most basic way it can be related and taught to students is with two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. It can also be connected to lines, angles, the different types of triangles, symmetry, perimeter, area, and volume. You can teach and incorporate origami into geometry activities to make it fun and engaging.

Fun Origami Activities to Try Using Geometry

Origami 3D “Nets”

An easy place to start with kids would be three-dimensional nets to fold them into the actual shapes that they need to learn about through these classroom activities. Then have students fill in a chart to tell how many faces, edges, and sides each three-dimensional shape has.

Make Your Own Dice

Students can fold a three-dimensional cube that makes a large die and then use it to play a math game! Here is the template for the die.

Games that can be played with the dice are as simple as asking two students to work together, roll the cube, and add the numbers: play for five rounds, then add all the numbers together. Whoever has the highest number wins. You can do the same thing for subtraction and multiplication. If you are working on place value, you could have students roll up to six of them, make a number, and complete a place value chart.

Animal Origami

You can have students make fun, animal origami shapes and then have them do mathematical activities with them, such as measure the angles that make up the animal, tell how many triangles it has, and tell what types of triangles it has. Here are three great tutorials for easy origami projects:

• Easy Origami Fish
• Easy Origami Butterfly
• Easy Origami Hummingbird

Holiday Origami

Students can make cute Halloween and Thanksgiving origami and tell how many different shapes make up the figure:

• Bat (this one is even a bookmark!)
• Pumpkin
• Turkey
• Fall Leaves

Geometric Prisms

By using three-dimensional nets of cubes and rectangular prisms, students can learn more about the concept of volume. Once students make the shapes, have them fill them with centimeter cubes.

Then teach a lesson on what volume is and have students count the cubes to determine the volume. This will serve as a foundation for their understanding when they learn the formula and have to find it without using manipulatives.

Student How-To Videos

You could have students create their origami how-to video with accompanying directions and drawings. This might be easier for students with a partner, or group, to provide someone to bounce ideas off of and record each other. Be sure to give the students a rubric so they know what is expected from the assignment.

Infographics or Comic Strips

Have students think of ways that origami is related to geometry or math in general and share their ideas creatively, such creating an infographic or comic strip. There are some great apps for creating these, such as Canva and Toontastic 3D.

Find the Area

To have students practice finding areas, you can have them trace a three-dimensional net onto graph paper. Then have them use this to break the net down into manageable parts, calculate each part’s area, and add the parts together to figure the total area. At the end, they can then fold the net into a three-dimensional shape.

The most important thing is to use origami to have fun teaching whatever skills you want to incorporate with it. Students will love it and learn a lot at the same time!

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There are many benefits to STEM learning in the classroom. STEM is something we see more frequently in our classrooms to prepare students for an advanced future and stands for science, technology, engineering, and math.

Why is STEM learning important? Well, it is used to push students forward in their learning. There are many benefits associated with implementing STEM, such as improving creativity, increasing collaboration, condoning critical thinking, and boosting curiosity and cognitive skills.

Thinking “Outside the Box”

Students are prompted to come up with their own ideas and immerse in more inquiry-based learning. They strive to answer their own questions so that they do not rely on teacher guidance as much and tap into their engineering side.

Collaboration

Through increased collaboration, students tend to improve communication and leadership skills. They communicate with one another to talk through problems and scenarios to learn and grow together.

Critical Thinking

STEM Learning condones critical thinking. Thus, students actively conceptualize problems and relate to the world around them. They also use logic to reach conclusions and make judgments in different situations.

Creativity and Cognitive Skills

This is where students begin to open their imaginations. If students are curious about their education, they may be more likely to make unique discoveries. When engaged in STEM subjects, students can develop and strengthen their cognitive skills. From there, students can potentially learn the basics of advanced concepts such as coding or engineering.

Inexpensive STEM Challenges

There are many STEM challenges that are inexpensive and time-friendly that students can complete.

Paper Airplane Challenge

The challenge is to make a paper airplane that can carry cargo and glide more than ten feet. In this challenge, the “cargo” are coins. The winner is the student who can fly the most amount of money! Materials for the challenge include:

• Construction paper
• Tape
• Handfuls of coins
• An open doorway

Two different parts make up the entire challenge. In the first part, the students should aim for accuracy; the planes need to fly through a target successfully. The steps to complete this first part are as follows: use tape to mark a line on the floor ten feet from the doorway that is being used. Then, stretch a piece of tape across the door about a fourth of the way from the doorway top. At this point, students will throw their airplanes, attempting to fly over the tape and not run into the wall. The winner is the one that is the most accurate with the heaviest plane (the most amount of money, in coins.)

In the second part, the goal is to fly the furthest distance. The steps are as follows: use tape to make a starting line on the ground or floor. Then, determine what “in-bounds” is based on your surroundings. Students all start with the same weight on the paper airplanes and take turns throwing for distance. You should mark the planes’ landing positions with a marker if multiple rounds are played. The winner is the one who threw their plane the longest distance.

Play-Doh Marble Run

There are two parts to this challenge. The first part incorporates Play-Doh, cups, and craft sticks. It is recommended for ages ten and up in groups or slightly younger if adult assistance is provided.

The students must build a marble run with a Play-Doh path. The paper cups come in handy for support, and they can be cut and customized to fit as appropriate. The Play-Doh should be easy to mix and mold. Per marble run, you’ll need four to five containers of play dough. You can also be creative and make your Play-Doh. As far as a base for the marble run, a cheap cookie sheet works, is sturdy, and is easy to clean and use again. This type of marble run takes about 45 minutes for completion.

The other part of this challenge is to utilize only a cookie sheet and Play-Doh. This may be more suitable for ages six and up. The setup for this challenge is simple: all you need to do is prop up one end of the sheet and you’re ready to go. Then, roll the Play-Doh into long shapes like long, skinny snakes and roll the marble down!

Straw Roller Coaster

A final challenge that incorporates STEM is building a straw roller coaster. Materials needed include:

• Cardboard box (sturdy base)
• Solid-colored straws
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun/glue sticks
• Ping pong ball
• A bowl to catch straws at the bottom (optional)

Adult assistance is needed with the hot glue; the recommended age for this challenge is eight and up.

Adult assistance may also be needed initially to get the track going, and then students should be okay going forward. A good tip: remember to hold the straws in place for several seconds until the hot glue dries. Also, building from the top and working down may be an excellent strategy to try!

This challenge is also recommended for partners as one partner can cut and glue, and the other can work to hold the straws in place. Partners should take turns. Finally, this challenge can be as simple or complex as you wish; you can add as little or as many straws for ramps and turns as you desire.

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Here are some great ideas for costumes for high school students (and even their teachers) to wear on Halloween to incorporate historical and literary elements as well as famous historical figures.

Deacon Brodie

This name may not sound very familiar to you: but what about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? William Brodie, also known as Deacon Brodie, was a respectable member of society in the mid-to-late 1700s. He was a Scottish cabinet maker and known for his craftsmanship. He also served as a city councilor in Edinburgh. However, Brodie had a secret life of crime. He spent his spare time breaking into houses and other establishments to steal. Some say it was partly for the thrill, and others say it was to fund his gambling habit.

The most interesting thing about Deacon Brodie is that he was the real-life inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Gothic novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, published in 1886. After reading this novella and studying its history, students could use the characters in the story as inspiration for Halloween costume ideas. They could even have fun doing one side of their bodies as Dr. Jekyll and the other as Mr. Hyde, or two friends could pair up and one could dress as Dr. Jekyll, and the other as Mr. Hyde.

Vlad Tepes

For more literature inspired by historical figures, look no further than Vlad Tepes, better known as Vlad the Impaler. Vlad was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476. He is considered one of the most influential leaders of Wallachia and became a national hero of Romania. Vlad was called “The Impaler” because he impaled his enemies on stakes in the ground and left them to die.

Vlad Tepes was the second son of Vlad Dracul. Sound familiar? Years later, in 1897, Bram Stoker would use this historical figure as inspiration for his novel, Dracula. This novel spawned a whole new genre of horror books, films, stories, etc., about vampires. Although the character of Dracula is only loosely based on Vlad, it is still intriguing for students to learn that there is an actual historical figure behind the fictional character. This is another great option for a Halloween costume for you or your students.

Edgar Allen Poe

There is a lot of scary material to work with when you are studying Poe. He was a poem and short story writer and known as a master of the gothic genre, mostly writing horror stories and crime fiction. Poe is even credited with inventing the detective fiction genre in 1841 when he wrote “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.”

Some of his other best known and most frightening works, such as “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Raven,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and “The Cask of Amontillado” would serve as a great literature study around the Halloween season. There would be lots of good ideas for costumes, such as one of the story characters or dressing as Edgar Allen Poe himself!

Mary Shelley

Shelley is the daughter of William Godwin, philosopher and political writer, and Mary Wollstonecraft, famed feminist writer. However, her writing took a markedly different turn to that of her parents. This English writer is best known for her horror novel, Frankenstein. It is also said that this novel was an early form of science fiction.

Shelley wrote many horror and gothic stories. An author study about her, her life, and her stories would make a great unit to do around Halloween. You are bound to have some great Frankensteins come out of it. It is said that Shelley kept her dead husband’s heart until the day she died, which could be an interesting prop to go along with a costume!

Marie Antoinette

Many well-known historical figures famously lost their heads. So, why not enhance the scary in your room by doing a study on some of history’s most famous executions? Marie Antoinette, Mary Queen of Scots, and Ann Boleyn were all beheaded.

Give students a time frame to research and find out what famous political executions took place during that time. Some students might want to dress as a ghostly version of Marie, Mary, or Ann. Some of your very creative students may come up with a way to have a decapitated costume!

Other Works of Literature

There are many other great, upper-level literary works out there that would be great to study and would serve as an excellent source of inspiration for costumes to you and your students!

Porphyria’s Lover

Robert Browning tells the story of a man who dearly loves his Porphyria, and she loves him. His devotion to her and admiration of her is seemingly endless. Then, completely unexpectedly and for no apparent reason, the speaker strangles Porphyria with her hair and props her dead body up next to him and continues to show her affection. Pretty creepy!

The Birds

This story by Daphne du Maurier was the inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock’s movie by the same name. A farmhand, his family, and the community are terrorized and brutally attacked by a flock of birds.

The Landlady

Roald Dahl didn’t just write children’s books; he also loved scary stories. His story The Landlady can be quite spooky, involving a suspicious landlady poisoning and tricking one of her guests.

Instead of just looking forward to Halloween being over because of excited and slightly out-of-control students, embrace it by studying scary history. Students can bring that history back into the classroom with their costumes and share their characters’ stories with the class. This makes a fun Halloween treat for students and teachers in history or literature class; find some scary history and get started!

The post Historical Halloween Costume Ideas to Try in Your Class appeared first on TeachHUB.

Pumpkin Power

Did you know that you can turn a pumpkin into a battery? For this experiment, students will harness the power of pumpkins to see how many volts it can get. The more pumpkins you use, the more power you get, so challenge students to try it with multiple pumpkins after this experiment.

The objective of this experiment is to show students how fruit can turn into a battery.

Materials you’ll need:

• Two pumpkins
• Multimeter
• Alligator clip
• Zinc strips, galvanized screws, or nails
• Copper strips or thick copper wire
• Safety goggles

Steps for experiment:

1. Gather materials and place them on a workbench or table.
2. Stick a copper strip and zinc strip on opposite sides of each pumpkin. If you don’t have the strips, you can use galvanized nails and copper wire which you can find for less than a dollar at a hardware store.
3. Connect the copper from one pumpkin to the zinc in the other pumpkin with the alligator clip.
4. Connect the black lead from the multimeter to the other remaining zinc strip and the red lead to the second remaining copper strip.
5. Turn the multimeter to the “V” with the line above to see what the voltage measures. It should measure at least 1.5 volts or higher. If it doesn’t, then check that everything is connected correctly. Note: you may get a different voltage reading depending on the items you used and the size of your pumpkins.

The science behind this experiment is that pumpkins have acidic juices that help to transport electrical energy. The zinc ions leave behind electrons that travel to the copper, and this movement then creates electricity.

Erupting “Vomiting” Pumpkin

If you’re looking for a Halloween science experiment that students can do remotely, then the erupting pumpkin volcano is the way to go. This is also the perfect experiment for high school students to do for their younger siblings or neighbors because young children will a kick out watching a “vomiting” pumpkin.

Since this is a messy experiment, it’s best to go outdoors. It’s also wise to instruct students to use their rotting (already carved) pumpkins before they get thrown away, so if they’re doing the experiment from home, they don’t need to buy new pumpkins.

The objective of this easy science experiment is to show students a simple chemical reaction they can do at home.

Materials you’ll need:

• Carved Pumpkin
• Food coloring
• Dish soap
• Measuring cup
• Tablespoon
• Small cups
• Warm water
• Dry yeast
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Safety goggles

Steps for experiment:

1. Gather materials and go outside.
2. Open the top of the pumpkin and pour one tablespoon of dish soap.
3. Drop about 10 drops of food coloring (the actual amount is up to you, depending on the color you want).
4. Pour in a half of cup of hydrogen peroxide.
5. Mix one tablespoon of dry yeast and three tablespoons of warm water for about one minute.
6. Carefully pour the mixture into the hole and watch how the pumpkin starts to foam.

Experiment with different amounts of ingredients to see how the foam changes.

The science behind this experiment is this: the pumpkin foams because of the yeast. When you add the warm water, the yeast gets ready to work. The yeast then reacts with the hydrogen peroxide, strips off the oxygen atoms, and turns the hydrogen peroxide into water. Then the hydrogen peroxide turns into water and oxygen gas. When the oxygen gets released by the yeast, it bubbles into the dish soap and makes foam. The speed of the reaction then pushes the foam out of the holes of the pumpkin, making it an erupting or “vomiting” pumpkin.

Spooky Halloween Punch

When it comes to Halloween, elementary students are the ones who have the parades and parties, but what about high school students? They, too, would like to celebrate Halloween and partake in some fun festivities. This experiment is the perfect way to add spooky excitement into your high school science class.

This experiment aims to show students the process of sublimation – the transition of a substance from a solid state to a gas state.

Materials you’ll need:

• Punch bowl
• Punch (any type of liquid refreshment)
• Heavy gloves
• Dry ice
• Safety goggles

Steps for experiment:

1. Fill the punch bowl with the liquid refreshment about halfway (you’ll need room in the bowl for the “fog” to fill the rest of the bowl as well as run over the sides of the bowl).
2. Put on goggles and heavy gloves and place a few pieces of dry ice into the punch bowl. You will see the effect begin immediately, but let it sit and bubble for a few minutes.
3. It’s advised to wait until the dry ice is gone before serving the punch to students but if you decide to serve the punch, use a strainer so no one accidentally gets any dry ice into their glass.

The science behind this experiment is this: dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. The temperature of dry ice is -109.3°F (-78.5°C). Dry ice does not melt into a liquid as its temperature rises; it changes directly into a gas. This process is called sublimation.

All of these science experiments are designed to be under the supervision of an adult to ensure safety. Please make sure students are wearing safety goggles and use precaution when conducting each experiment.

The post Halloween Science Experiments: High School appeared first on TeachHUB.

As teachers work to rebuild their classrooms into a more familiar learning environment, not only are academics highly important in this current school year, but so are building relationships and having fun. Below are several fun science experiments for kids that are engaging, exciting, and just in time for Halloween.

Create Your Own Monster

When it comes to physics, work is defined as a force causing the movement of an object. In day-to-day life, work happens constantly. A student carrying their books and setting them on their locker shelf, weightlifting, shooting a basketball, or pushing a shopping cart, are all examples of work. For work to be able to occur, a force has to be exerted onto an object so that that object can move.

If a student is having explosive behavior in the hallway and trying to push a wall, that would not be considered work because the wall is not going to move. But if the upset student throws his book across the hall, that would be considered work because the boy’s force along with gravity causes the book to fall down. 

This Halloween activity explores both engineering and physics and is a perfect, creative science experiment for middle school during this time of year. Put students’ physics and engineering skills to the test by having them design and create a monster using items from your STEAM supplies or items brought in from home. This experiment can also be adjusted to be done online, or remotely, with the items students have at home, and by uploading pictures of their monster, or showing it off on Zoom, etc. The criteria for the student’s monster (which can be adapted to your choosing) are that it must be able to have movement, work, in some way.

Create other requirements for students such as the monster must include a cupcake liner, beads, googly eyes, or pipe cleaners. Rate the monsters based on best design, best physics monster that showcased work, and most spooky. The options for creativity are endless, and students are sure to love this hands-on, uncanny, science activity.

Do You Want to See My Blood?

The sight of blood may either make you squeamish or fascinate you. And this time of year, blood comes to mind more often with the entrance of vampires, goblins, and other spooky creatures. In this activity, students will learn what the components of blood are. They will observe how blood looks different under a microscope than under their eye.

Supplies needed:

• Microscope (a few per class is ideal, though this is also optional)
• Liquid corn starch
• Red food coloring
• Styrofoam balls (white and enough so each group has several)
• Straight erasers or an equivalent object (enough so each group has several)
• Clear glue
• Petri dishes (enough for each partner group)

Begin by mixing together slime using your favorite recipe or by following these steps. First, mix four ounces of glue, three ounces of water, and a few drops of food coloring into a container. Add four ounces liquid corn starch and stir until mixed. After stirring for about two minutes, the liquid should no longer be separated, and the slime should be coming together as fully bonded. Let the slime sit for two minutes so that it gels, then stretch and knead the slime with your fingers for another few minutes. This ensures that the stickiness is gone and helps you be able to pull the slime farther when manipulating it.

After creating your slime base for your blood model, mix in several Styrofoam balls (both red and white). Sprinkle the erasers, or other straight objects, on top. Place mixture in a petri dish for some added dramatization. Then, ask students to identify what is representing the red blood cells, the white blood cells, the platelets, and the plasma. Finally, if available, have students observe their blood underneath a microscope as they reflect on what scientists may be looking for when they observe blood samples.

Pumpkin Volcano

What better way to explore chemical reactions than by using Fall’s favorite produce: the pumpkin? In this experiment students will be given a small pumpkin. They should cut the top off (or do this ahead of time for them) and hollow out the inside. Then, place vinegar, liquid dish soap, food coloring (optional), and baking soda in front of each group. Ask them to make a prediction about what will happen when they combine these ingredients together inside the pumpkin. Additionally, ask them to explain their thoughts behind their prediction.

After predictions are made, have the students fill the inside of their pumpkin about halfway with vinegar. Add a squirt of dish soap (increases the size of the eruption) and a few drops of food coloring if you choose. Stir together the liquids and then step back to watch what happens!

Once the eruption is over, the students can repeat the experiment, try it with the lid on, or test out what happens when they add less or more of the ingredients. After cleaning up, revisit the students’ predictions and explanations for what they thought they would see. See if any students knew, otherwise teach them, that when vinegar and baking soda mix, they react to form carbon dioxide bubbles. Thus, the pumpkin erupted! Reflect on what happened with any groups who altered the ingredients.

As we continue to live in a world with the COVID-19 pandemic, the pressures of catching students up academically are ever increasing. However, nearly equally important, is letting kids re-acclimate to a school environment where they feel safe, valued, and loved. By adding fun into your school days, such as with science experiments for kids such like these, students will again find their spark and joy for learning.

The post Halloween Science Experiments: Middle School appeared first on TeachHUB.