This week as part of our Space and Sky unit we have been learning all about rock planets. One of these planets was Mars, and we spent two days learning about it! This week we have started learning the eight planet names and their distance from the sun. We have had fun listening to planet songs to help us memorize the planets. Today I set up a STEAM station, where they made Foam Sand.
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We are having a lot of fun with the Space and Sky unit from our Experience Preschool curriculum. Each month, under Member Resources, you have access to STEAM bundles when you use the Experience Early Learning curriculum. There is a bundle for each week of learning. Sand and shaving cream create fun sensory experiences by themselves, so when you put these two together it is extra fun! To complete this activity you will need sand, shaving cream, a tray, sandwich bags and a spoon.
This Foam Sand STEAM lesson went with our Mars topic. I had each child do this with me individually. I hung up our pictures and question poster and then I set up a tray with sand and shaving cream. We took a look at our close up picture of Mars and talked about what we saw on the surface. We learned other fun facts about Mars, talked about what we thought it would be like to live on Mars, and while we talked they had a lot of fun mixing the sand and shaving cream together. When they were done I put their Foam Sand in a sandwich bag for them to take home.
Here are some pictures from our Foam Sand experience.
Teachers, take the time to create one-on-one experiences for the children in your class! I love getting to work with my preschoolers individually, it is a great time to check in with them, have a conversation about the topic, and hear their thoughts.
Some children dove right in with their hands while a couple opted to use a spoon to mix the two together. Some spent a lot of time with this while a couple children only did it for a few minutes. They were excited to get to take it home. When you do this activity, make sure to wipe their hands off before they wash to avoid getting a lot of sand down your drain.
Some of the things we learned about Mars:
It is also known as the "Red Planet."
It is next to Earth, and the fourth planet from the sun.
There are a lot of craters and volcanoes on its surface.
It is known for strong dust storms.
There are many different types of rocks on Mars.
It is a cold planet.
This STEAM lesson was a fun way to further our learning about this red planet!
