This document outlines the nuts and bolts of a hands-on science programming for grades K-5 at a public library. It describes focusing on a specific science topic for each session, mixing demonstrations and experiments for the 16 attending children, and alternating between grades 3-5 and K-2. Example program topics include acids and bases, color and light, and candy. The goal is fun, playful inquiry and building an intuitive understanding of how things work.

1. HANDS-ON SCIENCE
K-5 Science Programming
Keren Joshi
Head of Youth Services, Wilmette Public Library
kjoshi@wilmettelibrary.info
https://intentionalstorytime.wordpress.com/hands-on-science/

2. Nuts & Bolts
 Focus on a science topic or a material
 Mix of demonstrations and experiments
 3-5 activities per session
 2 staff members
 Limit of 16 kids per session
 Alternate between Gr 3-5 and Gr K-2
 Goals: fun, playful inquiry, building an intuitive
sense of how things work

3. Science Topics
 Acids & Bases
 Color & Light
 Density
 Electricity
 Flight
 Forensics
 Human Body
 Magnets
 Optical Illusions
 Solutions & Mixtures

4. Example Program: Acids &
Bases
 Large group demo: test water, baking soda,
vinegar, and bleach with cabbage juice indicator
and order them from most basic to most acidic.
 Large group demo followed by experiment in table
groups: Put baking soda into vinegar. Test how
much baking soda it takes to fully react different
amounts of vinegar.
 Individual demo: Baking soda “bombs.” Put ¼ c
of vinegar into a quart-sized Ziploc. Wrap 2 T of
baking soda into a paper towel. Put the paper
towel in the bag and zip it up. Allow the vinegar to
soak through the towel and watch the bag blow up
like a balloon!

5. Materials
 Balloons
 Bubbles
 Candy

6. Example Program: Candy
 Large group demo: M&M color distribution. Everyone gets a mini mag.
Use dot stickers to display the number of candies of each color on
chart paper at the front of the room.
 Table group demo: Arrange one m&m of each color at the bottom of a
clear cup, with the m’s facing up. Cover with water. Check back in 5-
10 minutes. What has happened to the colors? Do you see anything
floating on top of the water? After everyone has gotten a chance to
look, swirl the cup gently. What happens?
 Table group experiment: Have everyone in the group choose one
wrapped candy. Predict whether that candy will float or sink. Test it to
see if you were correct. Try again without the wrapper. For an
interesting follow-up, see if you can make the floaters sink or the
sinkers float.
 Partner experiment: Dissolving candies in test tubes. Use hot water on
a variety of candies to see which types dissolve and which don’t OR
use the same kind of candy in different temperatures of water to see
what dissolves the quickest.

7. Time to Play!
 Straw Gliders (Formal or
Informal Experimentation)
 Floating Magnets
(Demonstration or Informal
Experimentation)
 Thaumatropes
(Demonstration)