Nocturnal Animals - A Family STEAM & Stories event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

Intro song:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, science, fun, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Hello science,
Hello science,
Hello science,
It's time to have some fun.   

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

·         Show the word cards for nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular.  Talk about what these words mean. 

·         Hand out a picture of an animal to each child.  Invite them to place the picture on the whiteboard under the category (nocturnal or diurnal) they think it belongs under. 

 

 

·         Read: After the Moonrise by Rich Lo

·         Animals who survive well at night have special adaptations (word card) that help them.  List some adaptations: Vision, ears for better hearing (echolocation), smell (raccoons), bioluminescence (glow). 

·         Instruct on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Listen like a bat (as seen at https://academy.animaljam.com/posts/discover-echolocation or https://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2014/10/preschool-lab-bats.html ) 

The children follow the directions to work with a partner.  One partner wears a blindfold while the other partner rattles a maraca around the room.  The first partner points to the rattle sound when they hear it.     

Station #2 – Opossum paper craft (adapted from what I saw at https://inthebagkidscrafts.com/possum-craft-for-kids/ )

Children cut out, color, and assemble a paper opossum.  They can even tape a pipe cleaner to its behind to then wrap around a craft stick or chopstick.  The paper opossum looks cute hanging from its “branch”.      

 

Station #3 – Hoot Owl Hoot board game

Invite the children to play this color recognition board game (similar to Candyland).