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DISCUSS:
What do scientists DO?
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You've completed the activity!
If you have time, you can extend this activity to include the Color Experiment. Check out the Extensions for additional activity steps.
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If you want, you can extend the activity to include the Color Experiment for K-2. We have provided an additional printout so students can record their results.
Go to the next slide to start the Color Experiment!
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In the mini-lesson, students explore some things they do every day that scientists ALSO do: observe, ask questions, do experiments, and share their questions and learning. In the activity, Termite Tester, students virtually observe termite behavior and then do a series of virtual experiments to figure out the answers to their questions.
Preview activity| Termite Tracker (Grades 3-5) worksheet | 30 copies |
| Termite Tracker (Grades K-2) worksheet | 30 copies |
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Crayons
(For grades 3-5 only. Each student will need a black, blue, and red crayon.)
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Details
90 crayons
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We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.
The observations and experiments in this activity are focused on termites. We think they’re small and cute, but if you have students who are particularly sensitive to seeing any type of creepy crawly, you may want to preview the lesson prior to presenting it to your class.
There are three experiments for 3-5 students (Shape, Color, and Writing Tool) and two experiments for K-2 students (Shape and Writing Tool). If you’d like to extend the activity to include the Color Experiment for K-2, we have an additional worksheet so students can record their results. You can find the activity steps for this extension here.
If you are curious, the termites only follow ink from Bic brand pens because a chemical in the pen ink is similar to a scent that termites recognize. Termites don’t have eyes and rely on their sense of smell to know where to go! If you and your students are interested, you can even order termites online and bring them into your classroom for more hands-on experiments!
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