Exploring Matter with Toys: Using and Understanding the Senses

This unique resource for teachers of grades 1-4 is filled with innovative ways to use ordinary toys and play materials to demonstrate how the senses work in a way that young children can understand. And the best part is that these hands-on activities have already been proven effective in the classroom! Based on the successful National Science Foundation-funded Teaching Science with TOYS program at Miami University of Ohio, this teacher resource can be used to teach students how to use their five senses to explore the properties of matter by recording, classifying, presenting, and explaining their observations. This book also meets the requirements of the new National Science Education Standards and has 19 exciting activities. The three sections of the book include pedagogy, background science content for the teacher, and activities that feature dozens of reproducible work sheets, hand-outs, and suggestions for incorporating toy-based activities into lessons. Each activity includes grade level, key science topics, science process skills, a materials list, and more.