Columbus Day - Off To The Races!
After learning about Christopher Columbus' long voyage on the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, get your kiddos in on the fun with this awesome hands-on boat shape race activity from Jill over at Mrs. T's First Grade Class! Not only will your preschoolers get to create their own boat, they'll also review shapes and explore which shape is the 'fastest' along the way!
Shape Boats
How clever are these little boats?! A simple egg cup {separated from an egg carton} covered with aluminum foil, a drinking straw mast attached with play dough, and a construction paper shape sail – you'll be able to find most of the supplies in your kitchen or craft closet. Not to mention, construction is simple enough that your preschoolers will be able to craft the boat by themselves.
We also love the shape aspect. What a great way to incorporate other learning concepts! Before racing, students can hypothesize which shape they think will work the best, then test and tally the results. This is a great way to practice with graphing and other early math skills as well as discuss science concepts like aerodynamics, etc.
For the full activity, and to see how set up the race, be sure to visit Mrs. T's First Grade Class!
