Greeting's !!
Science Crafts

Soda-Bottle Rain Gauge

Make an easy-to-create rain gauge, and your
child can measure the weather! (Psst: Don't
tell, but this also helps develop math skills.)

1. This first step should be done ONLY by an
adult: Using a knife, cut off the top of the
soda bottle right where the slope begins. Put
the knife away carefully.

2. Help your child invert the top of the bottle
into the bottom and tape around the edge where
they meet. (This helps keep the water in the
gauge from evaporating.)

3. Fill the bottom of the soda bottle with water,
just to the top of the "feet." This will become
the bottom of the rain gauge.

4. With the marker, mark this bottom line as "0
inches." If your marker doesn't work on plastic,
run a strip of masking tape up the side of the
bottle, and write on the tape.

5. Use the ruler to mark inches (and quarter-
and half-inches) up the side of the bottle.
Your rain gauge is ready to use. Let your
child choose a safe place for it outside,
where it's open to the rain but unlikely to
be knocked over.

6. Keep track of the rainfall for a week with
a chart, or make predictions before a big
rainstorm and see who's right!

Activity: Mini Nature Walk

Ages: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Location: Outdoors
Skills: Science

What you'll need:
Comfy shoes

Optional: library or store
Drawing pad and colored pencils
Picnic lunch (hey, why not?)

Background:
You don't have to travel far to find nature.
Just check around your feet, or look in the
air. Many fascinating insects share your
space and more are still being discovered
(over a million species so far). You might
be next to find a brand-new, as-yet-
unidentified creature! Even though we've been
taught to fear them, many insects and spiders
(arachnids) are beneficial to us. They prey on
insects that bite us or ruin crops.

Leaf Collecting

Ages: 3-5, 6-8
Location: Outdoors
Skills: Thinking

What you'll need:
Sack or bag to collect leaves
Waxed paper
Glue
Cardboard

Background:
What could be more relaxing than a quiet
walk among the trees with your little ones?
Unfortunately, the words "relaxing" and
small children do not often go together.
Try this activity to keep small children's
busy hands and minds occupied and focused on
the world around them. You may not have the
most quiet walk, but you and your child will
have a chance to enjoy and observe nature
together.

What to do:
Take your child outside for a walk. Take a
sack or bag with you and collect some leaves.
Encourage your child to choose leaves that
are in good shape and different from each other.

Once inside, spread the leaves out on waxed
paper. Examine the leaves carefully to see
if you have any duplicates. Discuss the
leaves' differences and likenesses. Then
help your child glue each leaf onto a
cardboard square with a small amount of
white glue. Let the leaves dry.

Take the leaves outside again and see if
you and your child can match the leaves
to the trees they came from.

Pine Cone Bird Feeder

Materials Needed:

Pine Cone
Peanut Butter
Margarine
Yarn or Wire
Bird Seed

Instructions:

Tie or twist the yarn or wire onto the
pine cone for the hanger. Mix 1 part
peanut butter to one part margarine.
Spread the peanut butter and margarine
mixture onto the pine cone. Pour some
bird seed onto a plate or shallow dish
and roll the pine cone in it. Place the
seed-covered pine cones in the freezer
for about an hour or until it is set.
Hang it outside!