ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

This week’s area of focus is ENGINEERING, and we’re making a pulley system. 

Even though pulleys look simple, they are powerful, ingenious machines that are used in everyday life to help make jobs easier. Your kids will love learning about this simple machine.

You will need:

  • An old ribbon spool
  • Dowels/chopsticks
  • String
  • A container

Once you’re done building your machine, take turns putting different items like toys or snacks in your pulley and reeling it up. You can learn more here about pulley systems. 

If you try this at home, please share how it went and don’t forget to tag us on our social media pages so we can enjoy it too! 

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

Source: STEAM Powered Family

Our area of focus this week is MATH and we’re going to explore it by making a pool noodle periscope.

The pool noodle periscope helps children learn about angles, reflections, and math while exploring their own neighborhood.

All you’ll need for this activity are:

  • A pool noodle
  • Scissors
  • 2 small round mirrors
  • Duct tape for this activity.

Kids will love playing secret agent with this craft and seeing how these simple items come together to make a fun tool. 

Once you have your supplies ready, find the step-by-step process here.

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

Our area of focus this week is TECHNOLOGY and we’re learning by making bracelets!

These cute bracelets only need two things; beads and pipe cleaners!

Using binary coding, follow the pattern to make secret messages or write out your name! Choosing two colours works best for this activity, one colour representing the number 1 and one representing 0. Some kids have short names, they can create bracelets, but if your child has a long name, they can make a necklace.

Once you have your supplies ready, find the step-by-step process here.

ALL ABOARD: WE’RE GATHERING STEAM

Let’s learn about butterflies! Using our art skills, we will walk through the lifecycle of a butterfly from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis and finally butterfly. 

First, start by collecting some leaves. Enjoy a nature walk outside while collecting leaves; hopefully, you’ll find some butterflies along the way. 

 Other supplies you will need:

  • Paper plate
  • Scrap of green construction paper
  • Small, white pompoms- 3 per child 
  • Tissue paper (2 inch x 3 inch piece of green for the chrysalis, and any other colors you want for your butterfly cut to 2 inch x 2.5 inch)
  • Pipe cleaners (2-inch piece in black for the butterfly, and any other colors you want for your caterpillar cut to 6 inches)
  • Pencil
  • Black marker or crayon
  • Liquid glue
  • Scissors
  • Small twig from outside
  • Tempera paint (optional)
  • Free butterfly life cycle template

 Once you have your supplies ready, find the step by step process here.

If you try this at home, please share how it went and don’t forget to tag us on our social media pages so we can enjoy it too! 

 

CREATION STATION: WATERMELON SPONGE PAINTING


Source: fantasticfunandlearning.com

This watermelon sponge painting art activity will invigorate the senses, spark creativity, and add in a little bit of math!

Materials

  • Sponges cut in various sizes of triangles
  • White cardstock
  • Tempera paint
  • Small paper plates
  • Paintbrush

Directions

  • Preliminary steps include cutting several sponges into triangle (or wedge) shapes, rounding the bottoms to give each one the shape of a watermelon’s rind. Before beginning the art project, you can also cut a slice of watermelon and ask your child to carefully examine the shape, colours, texture, and of course, the flavour!
  • After discussing the rind, flesh, seeds, and colours of this summer fruit, you can add pink (or red), green, and black paint to some small paper plates.
  • Use heavy white cardstock for the painting’s canvas. Then dip your triangular sponges in the pink (or red) paint and press them to the paper to make a watermelon print!
  • For the rind, you can use a paintbrush to paint it on. Once the green rinds are painted, you’ll want to add some seeds. This is a perfect time to put the paintbrush and sponges down and use your fingers!
  • Talking about the project as you guide your child lends an opportunity to work on verbal skills and strengthen vocabulary while you and your little artist discuss their project. You can talk about how many sides the slices of watermelon have or how the sponge texture looks a lot like the watermelon’s flesh.
  • Let the paint dry and display your watermelon art!

explore more:

SUNDAY FUNDAY: SOME JUST-FOR-FUN CONTENT TO MAKE YOU SMILE

Not only is art an amazing stress reliever, it’s also a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Check out these art resources for online craft videos, printable colouring sheets, and at-home art activities.

Cassie Stephens is an art teacher from Tennessee who uploads daily arts and crafts videos to her YouTube channel. Follow along and create your very own baby dinosaur puppets, hamburger sculptures, and more!

#ColourOurCollections is an annual colouring initiative that allows museums, libraries, and other cultural institutions around the world to share FREE colouring content from their collections. Colouring pages are available for download here.

Tate Art Gallery is a great resource for fun craft activities such as learning how to make kaleidoscopes, robot sculptures, spin paintings, and so much more. They also have a ton of fun quizzes that answer the really important questions like “What kind of colour are you?”

If you are on the look-out for more French-spoken resources, check out Moppi’s YouTube channel for arts, crafts, and music.

Stay tuned for more resources to help spark kids’ creative learning!


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