T. Rex Tracks: A Math and Science Activity with Turtle Trails Publishing

I am thrilled to share this guest post from my friend Carla from Turtle Trails Publishing. You may also know her from the excellent learning activities she shares at Preschool Powol Packets and Teaching Without Chairs. Your kids are going to love getting outside and trying this dinosaur-themed STEM activity!

Tyrannosaurus Rex is one of the most popular dinosaurs of all time for a lot of reasons, but how much do you actually know about this dinosaur? I have an awesome science + math activity you about T. Rexes for you and your kiddos today!

Hi! My name is Carla Mae Jansen, and I recently finished writing A Dinosaur Made Me Sneeze, a picture book about the rock cycle (more on that below!). Anyway, since I’ve been working on this book we have been doing a ton of dinosaur activities lately--partly because the book is on everybody’s minds and partly because we all love dinosaurs! Seriously, I think there’s a part of me that will be seven forever.

Anyway, today I’m excited to share this T. Rex Tracks activity with you! It’s a low-prep, easy to do dinosaur activity that has your kids use science reasoning and math skills to create T. Rex “tracks!” 

Simple Supplies:

1- Track Markers (masking tape OR paper OR sidewalk chalk if you’re outside!)
2- Measuring tape or rulers

Easy How To:

1- To begin, ask your kids to guess how tall their legs are. Most kid legs will be 2-3 feet high. Tell them that most T. Rex legs were about 11 feet high! Measure 11 feet high along a wall, and see where the T. Rex leg would be! The rim of our basketball hoop was right at 11 feet...and yes, my 7 year old can climb straight up to it!

2- When we did this, I told the kids that since T. Rex legs were so tall, their steps were HUGE! But before we looked at T. Rex steps, let’s see what kid steps look like. Let the kids work in teams to mark a set of kid “tracks” showing at least 10 steps.  Is this different if they run?

3- Ask your kids how many kid steps they think would fit inside of one T. Rex step (or stride). If you have paper, write down their guesses. Since we were outside, we just talked about it.

4- Ask the kids how they can figure out how many kid steps fit inside on T. Rex step. It might help them to know that T. Rex steps when walking were about 5 feet long and when running were about 12 feet long!  According to our measurements, my 4-year would have to 6 steps to keep up with a T. Rex, my 7-year old would have to run 4 steps for every 1 T. Rex step, and my 10 year old would have to run 3 mighty leaps to keep up.

How close were their guesses from #3?

T. Rex Fun Fact: Some researchers believe that T. Rexes could have run up to 20 miles per hour, but would not have run faster than that because if they were to fall going any faster the crash would have killed them!

To finish off the fun, we read A Dinosaur Made Me Sneeze!

This is my new dinosaur-themed, science-based picture book!  It’s a delightful rhyming story that introduces rock cycle science (complete with vocabulary like “sedimentary,” “igneous,” “metamorphic,” and more!) with fantastic characters and a hilarious story! It showcases the changes that the Earth and rocks on the Earth make as years go by. You can learn more about it, see some of the illustrations, and more HERE! I really hope you love it!!

I hope you have a “roar-some” time with your T. Rex tracks!! 

Thanks again for letting me join you, and happy educating!

Carla Mae Jansen

Carla Mae Jansen is an educator, author, and mom who lives in Virginia, USA. She loves going rock-hunting, eating chocolate, and exploring new places with her family. She has a master’s degree in teaching science, and is always looking for something new to learn! You can follow along with her publishing adventures at Turtle Trails Publishing.

Fractals in Nature: A Mathematical Suncatcher Project

In this STEAM activity we will combine art, nature, science, and math. Learn all about fractals and how to find their intricate repeating patterns in nature. Kids and students will create a beautiful suncatcher featuring fractal patterns for the classroom or window at home. 

While you can create these suncatchers any time of year, this can be a wonderful indoor activity in the winter. All you need is a window to sit by and a view of some deciduous trees! You will love this STEAM project as it leads to all sorts of curiosities and wonder about patterns in nature.

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What is a fractal? 

Let's combine science, math and art with a nature inspired STEAM project. Fractals are fascinating mathematical patterns that are never-ending. They repeat and are similar regardless of scale. In other words, a small part of the whole looks just like the whole. These patterns create beautiful images that can be constructed by humans, but are also prevalent in nature.

One common example of a fractal is the Sierpinski triangle, where the triangle shape repeats and is the same whether you are looking at just one of the smaller triangles, or the large triangle.

Sierpinski Triangle (image: public domain)

Fractal patterns are found throughout the natural world. From fern fronds and planetary rings, to lightning and tree branches, nature is full of these beautiful patterns. Here are some examples:

Frost fractals

Romanesco Brocolli Fractals (image by Jon Sullivan, public domain)

Create a Fractal Suncatcher

You can go out and find fractals too! We went on a fractal scavenger hunt and then made a pretty suncatcher with one of the patterns we found.

To do this project you'll need:

• device that takes digital photos (or the internet) 
• printer
• tracing paper
• colored pencils or markers
• dark colored card stock

First, head outside to see what sort of fractal patterns you can find! Remember, they are the same at all scales, so you could find large or small examples. With the leaves gone from the trees it is easy to see the branching patterns:

Fractals in the branching of a tree.

Snap some photos of the fractal patterns you find.

Fractals in the branching pattern of flowers.

Once you're back indoors, you'll print out your favorite images and trace the patterns in any color or repeating scheme that you like onto your tracing paper.

If you are unable to go outside due to the weather, you can also print out fractal images from the internet. Check out these amazing examples of fractals in nature. 

Once you are happy with your fractal design, create a frame with the dark card stock to complete your suncatcher. Hang it on the window to enjoy.

We were amazed at how much our suncatcher, which was a repeated pattern from one tree, looked like branching blood vessels in the human body. It is amazing that similar patterns are found in so many naturally occurring places.

More Fun Learning with Fractals

If you are interested in learning more about fractals, we highly recommend Mysterious Patterns: Finding Fractals in Nature by Sarah C. Campbell, and incredible images by her husband, Richard P. Campbell. I was lucky enough to hear Sarah speak about her book, and she is one of the most enthusiastic people I've ever heard talk about patterns in nature.


**Purchasing books from Bookshop is a great way to support this blog AND your local book sellers!** 

You might also be interested in another book by the Campbells, Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature.



If you're looking for more great STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) activities, you won't want to miss the STEAM Kids e-book. Get it here, or read our review here.

More Math and Nature

The Golden Ratio in the Garden which is part of our Children's STEAM Festival series.

Lessons from Sunflowers 

This post is part of the 28 Days of STEAM series on the Left Brain, Craft Brain blog. Check it out for tons of fun STEAM activities!

DIY Zoetrope Animation STEAM Project

This DIY zoetrope is the perfect STEAM project for kids who love art, science and engineering. You most likely have all of the supplies you need around the house, or can get them easily and inexpensively.

Have you ever played with a zoetrope? Zoetropes are simple devices that pre-date film animation. The viewer looks through the slits in a spinning cylinder and sees an animated image.

The device works on the principle that our brains are able to fill in the motion between frames. So as we view the image broken up by the dark spaces between the openings in the cylinder, the imagery is no longer blurry, and our brains perceive motion as the picture changes. It is an optical illusion referred to as persistence of vision. The name zoetrope comes from the Greek zoe and tropos, meaning "wheel of life". 

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You can engineer your own zoetrope. All you need is a circular base, a way to make it spin, a dark colored cylinder with small slits cut into it, and a strip of paper with sequential drawings. In addition to the design we created below, there are all sorts of design ideas available on the internet. We designed ours from what we had around the house.


To make the zoetrope I will describe here, you'll need the following:

• Zoetrope templates (optional)
• Dark colored paper
• Scissors or an X-acto Knife
• Ruler
• Container like a pie tin
• Tape
• Pencil or a dowel
• White printer paper
• Writing utensils for drawing

First, you'll want to cut out your cylinder from the dark paper. We used the following dimensions, but you may want to experiment with other sizes depending on how you construct your zoetrope.

If you are working with a large group of students, or if you are short on time, you may want to grab the templates for the zoetrope here. I've found that with some groups the cutting and measuring bog down the joy of the project. For others, the specificity and engineering aspect is more fun.

Cut a strip of the dark paper 2.5 in (~ 6 cm) wide, and 17 in (~ 43 cm) long. You will have to tape together two different strips to get the length if you are using a standard size piece of paper.

Then using your ruler, measure out the slits. We made ours 1 in (2.5 cm)  apart and 1 in (2.5 cm) deep. Each slit was 1/8 in (~ 1/3 cm) wide. You can experiment with these dimensions to see how it changes the animation in your finished product!

Next, tape the strip of paper into a cylinder shape.

Poke a hole in the pie tin (or other container) with the pencil, or something pointy. Place the cylinder in the container. We used some tape to hold the cylinder in place.

Put the pencil through the hole and secure with tape if it is wobbly or loose.
 
Now comes the fun part! Draw yourself a cartoon on a strip of white paper. The paper should be no wider than the base of the cylinder. In other words, it should not obstruct the slits when placed in the zoetrope. In our case, no wider than 1.5 in (~ 3.5 cm). Templates for blank animation strips are included with the other zoetrope templates available here.

We started with a simple design of a stick figure wiggling back and forth. You can also print out zoetrope designs here.

 

When you are finished, roll up the cartoon strip and place it down into the cylinder. As you spin the pencil in your hands, look through the slits at the cartoon. Voila! Animation!

If you liked this project, and are looking for more ideas check out this patriotic twist on zoetrope animation for the 4th of July! 

 

Make a Thaumatrope

Kids can learn more about the science of vision and the concept of persistence of vision in my online class, "Toys that Trick the Eye". In the class we explore how our eyes work, check out some cool optical illusions and build another spinning toy- a thaumatrope, or "spinning wonder". Learn more about this class and view the current schedule here. You may also be able to enroll at a discount (or possibly free) with my coupon codes. Visit this page to see the current coupons. I'm looking forward to learning with your children!
 

This project is part of a larger series of engaging STEM projects and ideas. Check out the other posts here: The Best STEM Resources: An A-Z Guide for Exploring STEM.

Another cool way to explore the concept of persistence of vision!

Looking for more STEAM projects?

Valentine's Day Möbius Strip Serpentine Poetry

When you can integrate multiple subjects your curriculum automatically becomes richer and students immediately benefit. We have a fun and challenging Valentine's Day activity for you that incorporates math and language arts. Your students or kids will have a blast with this STEAM activity.

We've been playing with the idea of Möbius strip hearts inspired by the latest STEAM Kids book, STEAM Kids Valentine's Day.  In addition to some fun holiday-inspired art and math, we're also adding a poetry challenge to our Möbius strip hearts.

This post contains affiliate links, see disclosures for more information. 

The Math: What is a Möbius Strip?

A Möbius strip is formed when you cut a strip of paper, put one twist in it, and tape the ends together. Although the paper has two sides, in this configuration there is only one continuous surface. In other words, if you draw a line along the paper, you can get all the way around without picking up your pencil.

In mathematical terms, the strip has the property of being non-orientable. It was discovered in the mid-1800's by German mathematician August Ferdinand Möbius.

By David Benbennick (Own work) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

 

Create a Valentine's Day Möbius Strip

These fascinating paper creations can be constructed at any point in the year, but creating hearts with them is a fun Valentine's Day twist (see what I did there?).

To learn how to create these heart versions, plus Valentine's rockets, jumbo crystal hearts and many other fun activities, check out the STEAM Kids Valentine's Day e-book.

For a quick tutorial, watch this video.

Integrate Language Arts

To add a bit of language arts to the mix, how about a poetry challenge? Just as the Möbius strip has one surface that goes around and around, how about creating some looping poetry?

Serpentine verse is a line of poetry that begins and ends with the same word.

Here is an example: "love is sharing Rocky Road, the only flavor of ice cream that I love"

Now, write it in a loop and you read: "love is sharing Rocky Road, the only flavor of ice cream that I love is sharing Rocky Road, the only flavor of ice cream that I love..." etc.

Challenge yourself to create a serpentine verse and include it on your Möbius strip heart. Can you write it on the strip before you twist and tape it, or only after?

More Valentine's Day STEAM

To find 13 other STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities with a Valentine's Day theme, check out the STEAM Kids Valentine's Day. It's available as an instant download e-book here. (Live in a VAT country? Get it here)

Want more STEAM? Download the STEAM Kids and STEAM Kids Valentine's Day book bundle for a discounted price on 66 creative projects for kids. That's the type of sweet treat I could go for on Valentine's day!

More Valentine's Day Science

Looking for science-themed Valentine's Day cards? Check these adorable and funny downloads are full of science jokes and puns. You and your kids or students will love them! Check out the list here.

Celebrate Valentine's Day by making a treat for our feathered friends. Easy Valentine's inspired DIY bird treats to hang by the feeder.

Snow Crystal Symmetry Art Project

Kids love to make paper snowflakes. Here is a little spin on snowflake art for all aged kids that includes science and math concepts: crystal structures and symmetry. Head on over to my guest post at Extremely Good Parenting to learn how to do this activity. It's great for all ages and includes a free printable to get you started.

STEM Guide for Teachers

You've probably noticed that STEM and STEAM are really buzzy terms in the field of education these days. If you are new to the teaching field, or even a veteran ready to liven up your lessons, then this is a great time to leap into STEM. However, as an already very busy teacher, it can be daunting to change up your curriculum.

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The good news is, if you are teaching in a minds-on, hands-on way, you are most likely already incorporating STEM into your teaching. Here is everything you need to know about why you should be teaching STEM lessons, what it means exactly, and how to get started.

What is STEM?

STEM is an acronym representing curriculum that integrates the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. STEAM is becoming popular as well, which adds Art to the mix. This is becoming more prevalent and accessible as the benefits of adding Art and creativity to lessons are better researched and documented. You might even begin to see the acronym STREAM which also advocates for the integration of writing.
 

image: US Army CERDEC

What are the Benefits?

The benefits of STEM education are plentiful. STEM problem solving better models real-world problem solving. The subjects we learn in school are often partitioned off into distinct sections, but rarely is this the case in real life. Integrating subjects helps build skills students will use throughout their lives.

It empowers and inspires students to want to pursue jobs in STEM fields, a growing need in our country. STEM also encourages innovation and creativity as engineering challenges and science experiments require new ideas and support the process of trial and error. Not to mention that STEM is fun! These disciplines often get piled into the "too hard", or "only for nerds" category. Once students get to actually experience an engineering challenge, explore robotics or design their own experiment they find that those stereotypes are not true.

What Does STEM Look Like in the Classroom?

For a lesson to be STEM it should incorporate at least 2 of the STEM disciplines, and might use more. Here are some examples of STEM activities across all K-12 age groups.

Early Childhood (Preschool-Kindergarten)

Photo credit: Tugdual Grall via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA 

Students are presented with an engineering task, i.e. "How can we move this ball across the field without carrying it or kicking it?" Students are given supplies like gutters, tubes, ramps, blocks, string etc. They work together and through trial and error find a method of transporting the ball to its destination.

Through the process, they learn (although may not be able to name) the ideas of gravity, forces and motion, design and engineering.

Elementary School (1st-4th Grade)

Students are presented with the question: What does a plant need to grow? They design an experiment where seeds are grown under different conditions, light/no light, water/no water, etc. The plants are measured and heights are graphed. Further experimentation comes from designing a "plant maze" out of a cardboard box to see if it will grow through the maze to follow the light.

To add a fun technology element they track the amount of light the plant receives and the water in the soil by using a light meter and a moisture meter. Then they graph these results and analyze the data.

Through the process they learn about plant biology, abiotic factors like light and water, phototropism, design and engineering, data collection, measurement, graphing and scientific tool use.

Middle School (5th-8th Grade)

Students are presented with the task of designing and building a solar oven. They must first draw a blueprint that maps out design, materials and where heat energy transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) takes place. Then they build, test and modify their designs. They monitor and record the temperature using a thermometer, or digital infrared thermometer. Temperature data is collected and graphed based on time of day.

 

Through the process they learn about solar energy, heat energy transfer, design and engineering, research and development, data collection, graphing and proper use of scientific tools.

High School (9th-12th Grade)

Students are presented with the classic egg drop design challenge. They are required to build a device that will safely transport an egg dropped from a high location. Not only do they work through the process of design and engineering, but they also must complete some physics computations. Scales are provided for measuring mass. Video is shot of the drops and manipulated to further understand ideas like acceleration and velocity. Motion sensors may also be used to collect data. Data is graphed to understand the physics behind the project.




Through the process students learn the design and engineering process, collect data and calculate the physics of motion including, velocity, mass and acceleration, graph data and learn proper use of science tools and technology.

STEM Resources and Inspiration

Where can you go for help with STEM curriculum? I'm a huge advocate for joining the National Science Teacher's Association (NSTA) for some of the best resources. Members have access to a community of knowledgeable practitioners, many professional development opportunities, and discounts on books.

Each year NSTA holds a STEM Forum and Expo. I have not had the pleasure to attend, but expect that the forum measures up to their excellent conferences, which I have attended. You don't have to be a member or attend a conference to benefit from great resources though, their books can also be purchased right on Amazon.

To liven up your middle school lessons, check out Doing Good Science in Middle School: A Practical STEM Guide For an excellent guide to research projects explore the STEM Student Research Handbook. For a resource that is geared for 3rd-8th grade students, check out STEM Lesson Essentials. Finally, if you teach Pre-K through 5th grade, look into Bringing STEM to the Elementary Classroom.  

Check out these additional professional development and activity resources:

• STEM Ed Coalition
• United States Department of Education STEM site
• Edutopia STEM Discussion Boards 
• 6 Best STEM Blogs
• Ultimate STEM Guide for Kids 239 Cool Sites
• STEM Mom Blog (from author of the STEM Student Research Handbook) 

• For NGSS linked lessons: BetterLesson
• HowToSmile.org, Best Science and Math Lessons
• Science Buddies- STEM Projects 

Don't miss the rest of the posts in this STEM series on Little Bins for Little Hands:
The Best STEM Resources: An A-Z Guide to Understanding STEM

Planning your school's science night? Make it a Family STEAM Night!