My CI group wanted to incorporate Service Learning Activities to do with the kids at the Elementary and Middle Schools while in the Dominican Republic.
Building a mini garden:
- learning objective: learn about importance of recycling old resources and environment
- target audience: elementary and middle school kids
- time needed: one hour
- location: community garden, elementary school
- resources needed: old tires, knife to cut tire, dirt, seasonal plants/vegetables
Making Silly Putty
- learning objective: learn basic chemistry behind plastics and importance of recycling
- target audience: elementary and middle school students
- location: elementary school
- time needed: one hour
- Directions:
- Mix glue with food coloring
- Pour liquid starch into colored glue mixture.
- Stir and let sit for five minutes.
- Pull putty out of mixing bowl & set it on a paper towel. Knead putty in hands for 5-10 minutes.
- Play with it!
Hygiene Simon Says
- Simon says with body parts (Simon says brush your teeth, Simon says brush your hair, etc
- Bilingual version: Simon says first in Spanish, then teaches the kids how to say it in English
- Incorporate reward
- Learning objective: learn about dental and body hygiene (i.e. showering, brushing teeth, washing hands, etc) and learn English
- no extra materials needed
- elementary (or middle school) target audience
Dental Hygiene
- Learning Objective: Dental hygiene
- Handout instructions about proper dental hygiene, with instructions about proper teeth brushing
- Cut the bottoms off of large plastic soda bottles and turn them upside down – they look like teeth! Spray them with whip cream (toothpaste) and apply chocolate chips or any other candy (bacteria/cavities) and give the kids toothbrushes to brush the teeth clean.
- target audience: elementary school students (11 and under)
- ideal location: elementary school/after school program at community center
- time needed: one hour
- materials needed: whipped cream, candy (chocolate chips, gummy bears), large plastic soda bottles, toothbrushes
Sources:
- http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/homemade-silly-putty/
- http://www.mixer2mower.com/18-easy-to-make-diy-raised-garden-beds.html/3
- http://www.instructables.com/id/Used-Tired-Raised-Garden-amp-Tree-Ring/
- kristin-senseofwonder.blogspot.com