Studying natural resources

One of our kindergarten science units focuses on Wood & Paper - natural resources that we use every day in school. After we learned the term "natural resources," we began to study wood the way scientists do.

First, we read books about where wood products come from, and looked closely at samples of wood, comparing the various types. We wrote what we observed in our wood journals.

Next, we went on a hunt around the classroom for products that are made out of wood. Turns out there are quite a few around here (including a teacher with the word in her last name...at least a half dozen kids put a "wood" sticker on me...)

On another day, we went for a wood hunt around the school, and even out in the school forest!

Then we recorded what we found.

Here is our new "touching table," which one of our parents made by hand for the classroom! On the table right now are samples of wood and other products that come from trees (nuts, birchbark, etc) and a loupe for looking closely. 

We are taking a break from our wood unit for a few weeks, to pursue our social studies unit on celebrating diversity - but we will pick up where we left off before the end of the month!