Lunchbag Science Kits: combine the excitement of grab bags with the wonder of science learning. It's all here—right in the bag!

Instructor, March, 2002 by Patricia Janes

Talk about a bag of tricks! With help from our Lunchbag Science Kits, students are quickly immersed in the scientific method as they investigate topics from buoyancy to magnetism. Each of the four lessons adhere to the National Science Education Standards, and emphasize making predictions, following directions, and analyzing outcomes.

Get Ready...

1. To get started, you'll need to prepare brown bags with the easy-to-find and inexpensive materials listed on the reproducible pages. You'll need one for each student, or each cooperative learning group. (Note: These bags also make great take-home kits for kids to share with parents.)

2. Place a copy of the instructions reproducible in each bag. Then fold down the top of each bag and secure the flap with tape. Write the name of the experiment on the outside of the bag with a colored marker.

3. Distribute a bag to each student or group. Then let the science begin!

Get Set...

1. Review the scientific method with students. (See below.) Then have students open the bags and take out all of the materials inside--except the reproducible. Based on what they see, invite students to speculate on what these materials all have in common, or what type of experiment they might be doing. Have them write down their questions and observations in their science logs.

2. Have students read the Reproducible that explains the experiment. Talk about the experiment and challenge them to make hypotheses.

3. Before they conduct the experiment, be sure that students have their science logs handy so that they'll be able to record their results.

Go!

1. Remind students to follow the directions, to cooperate, and to work slowly and carefully as they conduct their experiments.

2. Now it's time to draw some conclusions from their data. Were they surprised by what happened? What new questions does the experiment raise, and what new experiments might they conduct to learn more about what happened?

3. Encourage students to write about the results of their experiment, explaining what happened and creating diagrams they can share with the class.

RELATED ARTICLE: The Scientific Method

* Observe the world around you asking questions about what you see.

* Make hypothesis, an educated guess, about what will occur. Your prediction can be based on research prior knowledge and/or experience.

* Create an experiment to test your hypothesis.

* Collect data recording and interpreting the results of your experiment.

* Draw conclusions to see if your hypothesis is correct. If necessary revise and test the new one.

* Publish, or present your results.

Patricia Janes is the senior editor of Scholastic's SuperScience magazine.