A Tail Like This Interactive

Resource for Grades Pre-K-1

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Everyday Science: A Tail Like This Interactive

Media Type:
Interactive

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Size: 420.8 KB

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Collection Credits

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KET's Everyday Science is funded in part by Kentucky Power and the American Electric Power Foundation and PNC Bank.

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Everyday Science: A Tail Like This (Video)

Background Essay

As children begin to understand the structure of their own bodies, they learn how different parts of their bodies as well as their senses help them every day. With our eyes, we can look at the pictures in a book. Our ears help us hear voices and music. Our nose can smell a flower.

Animals have body parts that are similar to those of humans. In looking at the ways in which animals use these unique features to live and survive, children can begin to observe how their own physical attributes work to help them explore and understand the world around them.

The Teaching Tips will give you some ideas how to continue the conversation and expand on the content in the interactive.

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Teaching Tips

Activity 1: The Senses: Touch

Vocabulary

soft, sticky, rough, grainy, hard, smooth

For this lesson, you will need:

a small square of sand paper.

cotton cloth.

plastic.

wool cloth.

an orange peel.

some hand lotion.

tape.

sand, or rice in a small bowl.

chart paper and markers.

Directions
1. Have the children seated at the table.
2. Pass around the samples from the list above allowing children time to feel the surface and comment on how it feels.
3. Ask the children, “Which of the senses do you use for this experiment?”
4. Allow them time to experience the different textures by touching them with their fingers—and also by touching them to their cheeks (to demonstrate that we have the sense of touch all over our bodies).
5. Record the children’s responses for the experiment on a chart.

Activity 2: Anatomy

Vocabulary

height, image, scale, trace, outline

For this activity, you will need:

a large mirror for children to view themselves. The mirror should be large enough for children to view themselves from head to foot.

large sheets or rolls of paper. A printer/newspaper office will often provide “end rolls” to you free of charge. Prior to beginning the activity, have sections of the paper cut for each child’s height.

crayons, markers or both.

children’s scissors.

Directions
1. Have each child lie on a sheet of pre-cut paper. Trace the outline of the child. With supervision, you can divide the class into pairs and let the children take turns tracing their partners.
2. Once the outlines are completed, allow the children time to fill in the body parts. Encourage them to go back to the mirror to remind themselves of the parts that need to be added to the outline.
3. Once completed, provide scissors so the children can cut out their pictures.
4. Display the cutouts around the room.