Glacier Lesson Plans for Kindergarten

Earth Science is a fascinating topic that kindergarteners can enjoy learning, without cracking a single textbook.  Check out these and kindergarten lesson plans with fun games and activities for helping kindergarteners learn about earth science simply by playing. Learn about glaciers with mud and ice cubes.  Activities are a great way for kids in kindergarten to understand how the world works.  Not by sitting in a desk and reading a book about the world, but by playing and exploring the real world, asking questions and experimenting.

One important key to teaching kindergarten with activities is that children are encouraged to ask questions and parents voluntarily and constantly explain what’s going on.  Instead of teaching with books, children who learn with activities are able to verbally communicate their thoughts, because they’re used to learning that way.  Let language and exploration become the primary means for learning, instead of some arbitrary table of contents.  instead of presenting these activities in isolation, look for connections to the child’s real-life experiences and bring lessons and activities in when they’re relevant, and when the kids are suitably interested.  The world is an amazing place, and earth science activities can prove it!

Learn about Glaciers; Activities and Lesson Plan for Kindergarten

Present children with a salad bowl, and several ice cubes.  Allow them to go out into the yard and cover the ice cubes up with dirt and mud and pebbles.  Don’t worry if they end up spending so much time that the ice cubes melt; you’ve got more.  If that happens, understand that dirt is fascinating for kids.  Don’t fight it, it’s a reality.  protect your flooring, but allow the love of nature to develop unhindered.

Make a Glacier Activity

Once your bowl is filled with a mixture of firmly packed dirt and ice cubes, sprinkle it with a bit more water and stick it into the freezer again.   As it’s freezing, discuss what you think will happen to it use the words “glacier” and “erosion.”  If you don’t feel that you know enough about the topic, you can read more about it online before you do the activity.

Remove the bowl from the freezer and set it on the counter.  You might want to take a photograph or sketch a picture of your glacier at this point.  Set the kitchen timer for ten minutes and come back to take a look at it.  Every time the timer goes off, set it for another ten minutes.  Take a picture or sketch the glacier each time.  Discuss the changes that are happening as the ice melts.

Teaching kindergarten with activities is a great solution for families with active children.  Instead of fighting their nature and creating an aversion to education simply by forcing them to hold still, try using activities and play to help kids in kindergarten retain the love of exploration and learning that defines the toddler and pre-school years.

These activities for teaching kindergarteners about glaciers are excerpts of the “Activity-Based Kindergarten Curriculum” scheduled for release in July of 2009.  Subscribe to TypeAMom or Lisa Russell’s website by email for notification of its release, special early-bird pricing and promotions and more excerpts.

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