WonderWorks: Ramps!

Exploring the power of downhill!

Today's Topic: Ramps
Supplies:
--Cove molding, cut to approximately 12" & 18" lengths (available at hardware stores, they are often willing to cut it for you.  Click the link above to see the type of silhouette you should be looking for.)
--Small balls of all kinds--rubber bouncy balls, large wooden beads, marbles--nothing too large for kids to hold easily in one hand
--toy cars (optional)
--wooden blocks
--nonslip shelf liner (optional.  I used some donated mousepads...)
--carpet tubes (optional, but free to get from carpet stores and tons of fun for kids!)

Book:
Chicken chickens / Gorbachev, Valeri   

WonderWorks: Scales and Weight

Scales are technology:  even when they're very, very analog!

Today's Topic: Scales & Weight 

Supplies:

--as many different kinds of scales as you can gather (I borrowed some from friends and asked participating families to bring in any interesting and easily portable scales that they'd be willing to let other kids use during class.  We had an amazing variety!)

--things to weigh (a variety of heavy and light)

--coat hangers, string, tape, small plastic containers, sandwich baggies, clothespins and binder clips and anything else you can think of to build a rudimentary balance-type scale.

Book:

  Ton / Miura, Taro

WonderWorks: Shadows

Exploring the dark side of science....

Today's Topic: Shadows
Supplies:
lamps (with CFL or LED bulbs!)
white flat bedsheet
Shadow puppet theater (can be made by stretching white fabric over an empty picture frame or in a doorway or find instructions here or here or this fancy one here)
Dark construction paper
Plastic drinking straws or wooden skewers
Tape
Flashlights
Large roll of white paper or sidewalk chalk
pencils, markers, scissors

Books:
  Follow it! Learn about shadows / Hall, Pamela

Moonbear's shadow / Asch, Frank

Music:

Night time! [sound recording] / Zanes, Dan
We also watched:

Shadow Puppets from Olive Us on Vimeo.

Needle Felting at the library

Stabbing fuzzy things never felt so good!  (Sorry.  Terrible pun!)

NeedleReads AND Craft Lab this month featured:  Needle Felting!

Supplies:
wool roving
foam blocks
felting needles

Book:

I felt awesome : tips and tricks for 35+ needle-poked projects / Moxie

Toddler Art Class: Bubble Art!

Making art with bubbles -- the best of two worlds!

Art Project: Bubble Art
Supplies:
small bottles of bubbles (party-favor size)
food coloring
sturdy cardstock or lightweight cardboard

Book:
  Bubble trouble / Mahy, Margaret