Workshop Topics

all-aboard.pngAll Aboard!

Children will be introduced to the different uses of trains and the key factors of railway safety.

  • Identify the different types of train cars and their uses.
  • Plan and construct a train car out of recycled materials.
  • Learn the basic rules of railway safety.
  • Identify the different types of signs at railroad crossings.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 1.A, 1.B, 1.C, 2.C, 4.A, 4.B, 9.A, 9.B, 22.A, 24.A, 24.C, 26.A, 26.B

Animal Adaptations

Children will learn how animals adapt to their environment through exploring birds, insects, invertebrates, and amphibians.

  • Investigate and identify physical features that help animals survive.
  • Observe and explore the survival behaviors of worms, spiders and lizards.
  • Compare and contrast how humans and animals use tools to obtain food.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 4.A, 4.B, 11.A, 12.A, 12.B, 31.A

Animal Habitats

Children will explore, compare, contrast and construct animal homes/shelters.

  • Investigate materials found in nature to create shelters.
  • Compare animal shelters with human shelters.
  • Explore bird’s nests through observational drawings and discussion.
  • Create a bird nest using a variety of natural materials.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 1.B, 4.A, 11.A, 12.A, 12.B, 31.A

blow-house-down.pngBlow the House Down

Children will experiment with and test the strength of building materials.

  • Relate lessons learned from a story to real life.
  • Compare and contrast a variety of building materials.
  • Plan, build and test structures to withstand a strong gust of air.
  • Record and discuss the test results.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 1.A, 4.A, 5.B, 10.A, 11.A, 11.B, 31.A

dimensions-art.pngDimensions in Art

Children will investigate and learn about various media by creating three-dimensional works of art inspired by artists Augusta Savage and Alexander Calder.

  • Understand the difference between two- and three- dimensional art.
  • Investigate and identify objects by their shape, size, color texture and pattern.
  • Explore how clay and other unusual objects can be used as art media.
  • Plan, create and build three-dimensional sculptures.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 4.A, 9.A, 25.A, 25.B, 26.A, 26.B, 31.A

energy-around-us.pngEnergy Around Us

Children will discover how wind and water can be energy sources through experimentation.

  • Measure the effects of different energy sources.
  • Explore how water moves objects.
  • Compare and contrast the impact of wind on various objects.
  • Design, create and test a wind instrument.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 4.A, 4.B, 7.A, 11.A, 11B, 12.C, 12.D, 31.A

dimensions-art.pngGeometric Explorations

Children will investigate geometric concepts through the exploration of art and tessellations.

  • Identify and locate tessellations in everyday environments.
  • View and discuss the graphic art work of Maurits C. Escher.
  • Experiment with and explore a variety of tessellation patterns.
  • Plan and construct tessellation patterns.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 4.A, 4.B, 8.B, 9.A, 9.B, 31.A

dimensions-art.pngH20 Art

Children will explore the properties of water, color, shape and texture through the creation of “water art.”

  • Explore color mixing by experimenting with colored ice to create a picture.
  • Learn about absorption and color value through experimenting with coffee filter staining.
  • Experiment with buoyancy, shape, and texture by building and testing a floating sculpture.
  • Discover how water and dirt mix through creating a textured mud painting.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1
Meets Illinois State Goals: 4.A, 11.A, 11.B, 12.C, 25.A, 25.B, 31.A

health-nutrition.pngHealth and Nutrition

Understand how a balance of good nutrition and physical activity are important for living a healthy lifestyle.

  • Understand how energy is used during physical activity.
  • Experience the importance of eating foods from each of the five food groups every day.
  • Create a balanced meal.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 20.A, 21.A, 22.A, 23.B, 24.B, 31.A

moving-water.pngMoving Water

Children will investigate various tools and methods to move water.

  • Test materials and methods to move water by comparing and contrasting various tools including pipettes, basters, and sponges.
  • Graph and chart results.
  • Plan, construct, and test a pipeline to move water from one location to another.
  • Learn about the flow of water by molding sand to create streams, rivers and dams.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 4.A, 8.B, 10.A, 10.B, 11.A, 11.B, 12.C, 31.A

reuse-it.pngRe-Use It

Children will investigate methods to reduce and reuse garbage.

  • Discover how children can help to reduce garbage.
  • Sort and chart objects that can be reused.
  • Analyze methods of how to reuse garbage.
  • Creatively reuse garbage to make practical and functional products.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 4.A, 4.B, 5.B, 6.A, 11.A, 11.B, 31.A

science-sound.pngThe Science of Sound

Explore, design, build and test musical instruments to discover how sound is created through vibration.

  • Experience vibration by observing, touching and listening to a variety of instruments.
  • Plan and construct a vibrating instrument with recycled materials.
  • Test the instrument’s effectiveness to vibrate.
  • Describe how the instrument produces sound through vibration.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 3.C, 4.A, 4.B, 11.A, 11.B, 12.D, 31.A

Sensational Senses

Children will discover how the 5 senses help people learn about their world.

  • Identify objects using tactile discrimination.
  • Explore sweet and sour tastes.
  • Utilize visual discrimination to explore color change and mixing.
  • Compare and match the sound of different objects.
  • Distinguish and identify various scents

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1
Meets Illinois State Goals:  1.B, 1.C, 2.B, 4.A, 4.B, 11.A 31.A

Simple Machines

Children will discover how simple machines work to make our everyday lives easier.

  • Compare, contrast and test the effectiveness of simple machines.
  • Graph and chart results.
  • Explore force and motion through manipulating wheels, levers and other simple machines.
  • Understand and explain how the mechanics of simple machines work.

Appropriate for Grades: PK, K, 1, 2, 3
Meets Illinois State Goals: 4.A, 8.B, 11.A, 11.B, 12.D, 31.A