Kindergarten Children Take a Close Look at Science

How can we use and change paper? Lester Prairie kindergarten students recently explored ways to use and change paper as they began the science study “Exploring Matter”.  As typical five and six year olds, they thrive on opportunities to be actively involved and to investigate, experiment, discuss, share, and draw conclusions about the world they live in. It was through this type of exploration they learned that by cutting, folding, tearing, and bending paper, they could make items such as paper boats, airplanes, chains, bridges, and collages. They predicted how many plastic, counting bears a paper boat would hold before sinking and they measured and compared the distance their planes flew. Through their observations the children learned what kinds of paper can and cannot easily absorb water and also that different papers have different strengths that can be affected by folding.

A final investigation included making recycled paper. The boys and girls tore newspaper and construction paper into tiny pieces, added water, and put it all in a blender. After it became pulp in the blender the children used metal screens to squeeze out the excess water. The material dried and formed recycled paper.

The children are looking forward to asking and answering questions about how to change metal, wood, and water as they continue to explore matter.

Picture 1: Will it sink? Arlet Garza, Alexes Juarez, and Roman Tervo predict that it will sink soon!

Picture 2: What kind of paper absorbs water? Cade Heimerl and Keaton Mathews are eager to share the results of their experiment.

Picture 3: Recycling Paper Step 1- First Eli Mullin, Keaton Mathews, and Cooper Mattson helped to tear newspaper into tiny pieces.

Picture 4: Recycling Paper Step 2 – Next Eathan-Ryan Simerll, Arlet Garza, Eli Mullin, and Alex Overbye, examined the pulp after the paper had been mixed with water in the blender.

Picture 5: We made paper! Arlet Garza, Alex Overbye, Mariana Ixtlilco, and Daniela Lopez are proud and amazed by the finished paper products.