Hello! I am so glad to have so many awesome readers and subscribers to Share it! Science. It's hard to believe I've been adding content to this blog since 2014. Without you, this would not be possible!
I would like to get to know my readers a bit better so that I can create content that serves your needs.
If you have a few moments would you help me out? First, be sure you have subscribed to my newsletter, then answer a quick survey and as a thank-you enter to win a fun book giveaway.
This post may include affiliate links, see disclosures for more information.
Step 1: Subscribe to my Newsletter
First, if you are interested in more science, STEM, and STEAM resources and activities, sign up to receive my newsletter here:
No purchase necessary. You must be a Share it! Science Newsletter Subscriber to enter. Giveaway begins 12:00 Noon E.S.T. April 9th, 2025 and ends at 12:00 Noon E.S.T April 21st, 2025. Prizes ship within the United States only. Winner will be selected at random and notified via e-mail. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.
In New England the sap buckets are going up on the sugar maple trees. As the thaw begins maple farmers are beginning to harvest sap for one of my favorite treats...maple syrup!
There is so much to learn in the process of maple sugaring. Science, math, botany, engineering, history! Here is some background on the process of making maple syrup and lots of learning resources. Whether you hail from an area that makes syrup or not, there is something here to help you teach kids about maple syrup.
When you are finished with the learning, may I suggest consuming some pancakes and syrup as a capstone to your maple syrup unit?
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I make a small commission from purchases made from these links at no additional cost to you. Please see disclosures for more information.
Making Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is a versatile sweetener full of antioxidants. A secret treasure humans have borrowed from nature.
Maple syrup is a product made from the sap of a sugar maple tree. When winter begins to thaw into spring and temperatures fluctuate back and forth from warm to freezing the sap begins to flow.
Positive pressure builds in the tree when temperatures rise above freezing. This pressure forces the sap out of holes made in the tree for sugaring. Then as temperatures dip to below freezing again, negative pressure develops. This causes suction to draw water into the roots, replenishing the sap. The freeze-thaw cycle allows sugar farmers to collect sap during a short window of time as winter turns to spring.
Native Americans and European settlers collected the sap of sugar maples as it began to flow during early spring thaws. Much as we do today, they painstakingly boiled it down into a syrup. It was an excellent way to preserve food without refrigeration.
Today trees are still tapped and sap is collected in buckets, as has been tradition for years. More modern methods include collecting syrup through a series of plastic tubing and utilizing methods like reverse osmosis to maximize the time spent harvesting and boiling sap.
Sap is boiled down into syrup. In general it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. It is a time and labor intensive process for a small yield. Remember to thank a maple farmer next time you are enjoying some glorious maple syrup!
Maple Sugaring Teaching Resources
If you are fortunate enough to live near a sugar bush, then perhaps you can take your class or children on a maple syrup field trip! If not, here are tons of other learning resources for learning at home or in the classroom.
Achoo! Cold, flu, and allergy seasons are fabulous times to learn about germs and how to keep them to ourselves. Kids are not always great at covering up a sneeze. The Great Sneeze Experiment will help children understand the importance of sneezing into an elbow.
This science experiment is inspired by Zoey and Sassafras: Gnomes and Sneezes. This is the latest book in one of our all-time favorite series. A fabulous mix of fantasy and science concepts appropriate and engaging for kids ages 4-10.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I receive a small commission from purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. See disclosures for more information.
Gnomes and Sneezes
In book 10 of the Zoey and Sassafras series, Zoey discovers gnomes in the secret room of her friend's new house. The gnomes have a case of the sneezes! Zoey systematically works through the gnomes' symptoms and the environmental factors in their living space to identify what it causing these sniffles. Readers see her use graphing as a way to collect data.
You'll have to read the book to discover what is making the gnomes sneeze! We thoroughly enjoyed Zoey and Sassafras: Gnomes and Sneezes, and it inspired my kids to read the entire series over again (this will be the 3rd time for one of them!). If you want to encourage kids to test things out, experiment, and use logic and creativity to solve their problems, this series is the best!
You can grab a free Zoey and Sassafras science journal at the bottom of this post.
The Great Sneeze Experiment
In this simple experiment students will collect data on a "sneeze" that has not been covered and a "sneeze" that has.
Tape a piece of paper up about kid's chest level on the wall. (We used re-used paper from packaging.) Mark a place to stand a short distance away from the wall.
Fill up the spray bottle with water. If your paper is dark, using plain water will work just fine. You can also experiment with different colored water. If more than one kid is using the same piece of paper, colors can be helpful to tell whose "sneeze" is whose.
Standing in the spot marked on the floor, hold up the spray bottle at chest level and spray once. It's optional but fun to let out a big "ACHOOO" sound when you do this.
Draw a circle* around all of the spray drops on the paper from the "sneeze". Measure how wide the circle is. Note this on a data sheet.
*This step is important if you are using plain water for your experiment. The wet spot will evaporate and dry fairly quickly, so note your results!
Now, cover an arm with the towel and position your spray bottle as close to the same position as possible. Spray behind the towel covered arm. This represents sneezing into your elbow. Let out another "ACHOOO!"
Again, circle any spray from the "sneeze" you see on the paper. Measure the spots and note them in a data table.
The Great Sneeze Experiment: Results
What did you find out? I don't think I want to be in the way of that uncovered sneeze! If you are completing this experiment as a class, compile all the data before discussing it.
Some discussion questions:
What does covering the sneeze do?
How is this experiment like real life?
How is it different from real life?
More Zoey and Sassafras Science Investigations!
We love Zoey and Sassafras! Here are two other Zoey and Sassafras inspired experiments to try.
My kids were so excited to try out another MEL Science kit. In the Heat Transfer set we completed activities that taught us about heat. Through the use of a thermochromic screen included in the science kit we were able to actually see heating and cooling.
This was a very engaging set that kept the kids busy long after the original activities were completed. Read on to learn more about our experience this physics set from MEL Science and for an exclusive promo code!
This post contains affiliate links meaning I receive a small commission from purchases made from these links at no additional cost to you. Please see disclosures for more information.
Heat Transfer Physics Kit from MEL Science
The Heat Transfer kit from MEL Science includes everything you need to complete three physics activities. We were able to make heat visible in the "heat trace" activity, explored evaporative cooling, held a thermal race.
Directions for each activity are in the kit, and you can also follow animated step-by-step instructions on the free MEL Science app.
This kit is intended for ages 8 and up. As I was doing the experiments with my kids, my 8-year-old and her 5-year-old sister worked easily and safely together. Although the younger one didn't grasp as much of the science, they both found these activities engaging and fun.
Making Heat Visible
The activities in the Heat Transfer physics kit make use of a thermochromic screen. Thermochromic means a substance that changes color as it changes temperature.
Thermochromic pigments and liquid crystals are used in familiar items such as color-changing mood rings, forehead thermometers, or if you grew up in the late 80's and early 90's like me, those popular Hypercolor shirts! (If you are looking to share a little nostalgia with your kids, you can still get heat-sensitive color changing shirts here.)
The thermochromic screen makes an excellent tool for allowing students to see heat in action. You can see how heat transfer through conduction works if you press your hand on the screen for a few seconds. You can also see how warm your breath is if you breathe on it through a straw. This particular screen changed color in a temperature range of 75-93 degrees F.
Evaporative Cooling
Another way heat is transferred is through evaporative cooling. This is when temperature is reduced due to moisture evaporating and removing heat from a surface. When we sweat we cool down due to evaporative cooling.
We once again experimented with the color changing screen. It was neat to see the heat dissipate as the water from a paintbrush evaporated. My daughter explored painting with water on the thermochromic screen for quite a while.
Heat Conduction: A Thermal Race
Lastly we experimented with two different metals to see which would be a better conductor of heat. It's so cool to be able to see the temperature change!
The thermochromic screen in our kit has really been put through its paces, but I'm sure it will be played with more before it is worn out. When the time comes, we would be excited to order this heat sensitive color-changing sheet. It's bigger too, so many possibilities!
We recently explored the science of sound waves with a MEL Science STEM kit. My kids built a music box on their own with supplies from the kit. They also learned about vibration and sound waves with a lesson on the free MEL STEM app. They definitely learned a lot and enjoyed the activities in their STEM kit. Then we extended our learning with one of my favorite easy sound wave investigations.
MEL Science offers monthly subscription box STEM kits for kids. The kits come with everything kids need to complete a STEM project. My children loved doing the activities and made some great science connections and discoveries.
This post contains affiliate links meaning I receive a small commission from purchases made from these links at no additional cost to you. Please see disclosures for more information.
You will also find out how you can teach about sound waves at home or school, whether you have a subscription STEM service or not.
Exploring Sound Waves with MEL Science
We were excited to dive into our MEL Science STEM kit. The box came with everything necessary to complete the project, including some extension activities and access to digital resources.
We really liked that the instruction booklet included a story. As the kids built their music box, the story played out. It was an engaging way to connect with the science concepts in a kid friendly way.
By taking turns the kids were able to work together independently to complete their task with very little arguing! They are familiar with LEGO and the instruction booklet is laid out in a similar way to a LEGO kit. Each page had a diagram for a single step and the materials needed to accomplish it.
Want to try a MEL Science STEM kit, too? Take 50% off your first box with our exclusive promo code: SHAREITSCIENCE Click here to get started.
Building a Music Box
The music box activity was a great way to connect the concept that vibrations make sound to a real life scenario. The kids were able to create their own songs by moving around the pieces that would make the hammers strike.
In the finished product we wished the hammers hit the bars more accurately and firmly so the sound was louder and more consistent. However, this did give us the opportunity to think like engineers and discuss how we might redesign that one element to make it better.
Augmented Reality Sound Wave Lesson
In addition to the hands-on STEM project, we had access through the free MEL STEM app to a short science lesson on sound waves. We watched our interactive lesson using Augmented Reality (AR). The kids really got a kick out of seeing the animations sitting right on our kitchen table. We liked the characters and kid-friendly explanations.
While building my kids connected the concepts from the AR science lesson to their build. They recognized that the different sized bars would make either low or high sounds based on how fast they were vibrating.
MEL Science Perks
The instruction booklet offered several ideas for extension activities. With some adult assistance, kids can get a lot more out of their MEL Science STEM kit.
Want to try a MEL Science STEM kit? Take 50% off your first box with our exclusive promo code: SHAREITSCIENCE Click here to get started.
We Recommend MEL Science STEM Kits
We really enjoyed our MEL Science STEM Kit. I asked my kids what they liked best about it compared to other subscription box kits we've used before and they said they liked that there was an illustrated story in the instruction book. I agree that the story was a fun way for the kids to engage with the project.
I liked that my kids could easily work together to build something that they could use again later. Through the sound waves augmented reality science lesson on the free app they connected with science concepts in a fun and accessible way. The MEL Science Sound Waves box inspired some curiosity and a desire to continue to explore and play with the concept of sound waves.
We would highly recommend MEL Science to other families and students who enjoy hands-on building projects!
Put some plastic wrap or foil over the opening of the recycled container. Set the container on or very close to your speaker. Sprinkle just a bit of salt, or something small and light weight on top of the plastic. Start your speaker at low volume and slowly increase.
What happens? Can you make the salt dance? What happens when you change the type of music? How does the vibration of high notes and low notes differ? Do you notice any patterns or interesting motion as you experiment with volume and music type?
Here is just a short clip of our experiment. In this clip we are using a microphone that is attached to the speaker.
With the right resources, observing the night sky children can be an exciting activity. Whether it is a celestial event like a meteor shower or lunar eclipse, or just regular stargazing, here are some of my favorite resources for learning astronomy.
These are my favorite resources and can be used in the classroom and out. However, its not always possible to get into the field with students. Maybe you only see the kids during the day, or city lights or weather prevent them from observing the night sky. Some of the digital resources in this post can help with that too!
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I make a small commission from purchases made from these links, at no additional cost to you. See disclosures for more information.
Free Resources for Understanding the Night Sky
You don't need expensive equipment to enjoy stargazing. A dark clear area is all you need, a decent pair of binoculars and a star wheel are a bonus.
If you are not feeling confident with your astronomy skills, here are some resources that will be helpful to you, and are also fairly kid-friendly.
Download and explore Stellarium. This is a free open-source planetarium. You can choose a location and time and see what the night sky in your area will look like. This is a powerful free resource for becoming familiar with astronomy. Encourage your students to have some free exploration of the software. They can turn on and off constellations, locate planets, "observe" moon phases, etc. It is especially useful when you are in a situation where observing the night sky is not possible.
When you look up at the night sky and notice a really bright object but have no idea what you are looking at, you need Google's free Sky Map app. Just point your device at that part of the sky and see it labeled on the app. This can be super handy. (Then once you have identified what you are looking at, turn off the device and enjoy nature!)
Download this free star wheel from Sky and Telescope and print it out. You can turn the wheel to the current date and find out what you should be able to see in the night sky in your area.
Observe and Track the Moon
A fabulous way to connect with the night sky is observing and tracking the phases and position of the moon. It is a great assignment for kids too. Observe what the moon looks like each night for a month, or even just a few times a week. You'll understand a piece of nature more fully and get some fresh air to boot!
Assign kids a moon observing and tracking project. Here are some printable downloads that make great hand-outs for this assignment:
If you are looking for a little something extra for your kids in the science, STEM, and STEAM department, then this post is for you! I've rounded up 10 different online classes that your child can try for FREE this fall.
Science inspired book clubs, princess and wizard STEM, dinosaurs, biology, current scientific research and more!
Use my code: MSSARAH2020 for a $20 credit you can use towards any class on Outschool. (New enrollments only.) Each of the classes I've listed in this post are $20 or under. Use your credit to try a class for FREE!
STEM, STEAM and Science Fantasy Fun!
Who says you can't mix in a little fiction with your science? Check out these magical classes:
In this class for ages 7-10 kids will complete fun STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) projects through scientific spells, potions and alchemy! Learn more here.
Hands-on STEM and STEAM projects through storytelling for ages 7-11. Learn more here.
Use my code: MSSARAH2020 for a $20 credit you can use towards any class on Outschool. (New enrollments only.) Each of the classes I've listed in this post are $20 or under. Use your credit to try a class for FREE!
Investigate a new ocean animal each week in this science and art class for ages 4-9. Learn more here.
Use my code: MSSARAH2020 for a $20 credit you can use towards any class on Outschool. (New enrollments only.) Each of the classes I've listed in this post are $20 or under. Use your credit to try a class for FREE!
What an awesome opportunity to think like a scientist! In this class for ages 10-13 students discuss current scientific research in articles adapted for kids. Learn more here.
Use my code: MSSARAH2020 for a $20 credit you can use towards any class on Outschool. (New enrollments only.) Each of the classes I've listed in this post are $20 or under. Use your credit to try a class for FREE!
Funding for Online Science Classes
Be sure to use the code: MSSARAH2020 when you checkout on Outschool to redeem your $20 credit. This code is only valid for students who have not enrolled in an Outschool class before. If you did not see something you liked in this post, there are so many other courses available! The $20 credit will work towards any class, in any subject.
Recycling your bits of broken crayon into new crayons is always a fun activity. Have you ever built a solar oven to recycle your crayons in?
When the sun is hot and you're looking for something to do with your kids or students, this makes for an engaging STEAM project. Not only will you create something new that you can make art with, there are science and engineering concepts inherent in each step of the process. Plus, making crayons in the solar oven is adaptable across a wide range of ages.
Create an engineering challenge out of designing a solar oven, or build a simple one and focus on the science of heat transfer, phase changes and melting point. If the kids are really young it is a great opportunity to identify and sort colors.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I receive a small commission from purchase made through these links at no additional cost to you. Please see disclosures for more information.
Build a Solar Oven
First, decide how you will go about building your solar oven. You can make this an engineering challenge in and of itself. I had kids build them annually for years and it is always a super engaging learning experience. You can see how I've given students a solar oven engineering design challenge here.
First you'll need to gather up the bits and bobs of crayons from the crayon box. This crayon prep work is excellent for small hands.
We measured to determine which crayons were keepers and which would be recycled. Then we made sure all the crayons that we were using to recycle had been peeled.
Next we sorted the crayon bits by color. There is a lot of discussion surrounding this. Do they have to be the same shade of the color? Can you make a rainbow crayon? The sky is the limit here, so anything goes.
Then we put the sorted crayons into our silicone mold. You can use any shape silicone mold, or even a muffin tin. If you choose to use a muffin tin, spray with cooking spray ahead of time to assure your new crayons slip right out.
As you can see the silicone molds are a bit stained. They have been used to make milk plastic (the directions for milk plastic can be found in the STEAM Kids activity book, which you can find digitally here or in print here) and many times for recycled crayons. The silicone molds work great for this, but I would suggest dedicating a set specifically for craft projects and science experiments and not for food.
Make Recycled Crayons with Solar Power
Find a spot that will remain sunny for several hours. Take note of the direction and angle of the sun and set up the oven where the sun is shining down. You may need to adjust the position of your oven throughout the day as the sun shifts. You can even build a sundial while you wait for your crayons to melt!
How long does it take before your crayons begin to melt? You may want to put a thermometer inside your oven, or use an infrared surface thermometer and periodically check the temperature.
Once the crayon bits have turned completely into a puddle, then very carefully move the solar oven into the shade, or bring it inside where it is cooler. We brought ours inside in the late afternoon. Just to be sure we didn't break any bits that hadn't solidified all the way we waited until the following morning to pull them out of the mold.
Once they are completely cooled, carefully pull them out of the mold.
With younger children a discussion about melting point and phase change could include a simple experiment to see what materials melt in the heat of our hand. Does our hand make as much heat as the Sun? Does a crayon melt in our hand? How about a chocolate chip? Different materials have different properties.
.jpg "how warm is your hand MEL science heat transfer physics kit")
.png "Sound waves MEL STEM kit review")
.jpg)
.png "making a music box MEL Science STEM sound waves")
.jpg "Augmented reality MEL STEM sound waves")
.jpg "Screenshot MEL STEM kit sound waves app AR augmented reality")
