Explore Tubs for Objects & Materials {with freebies}

Here are some more Explore Tub ideas! Explore Tubs are my idea of early finisher tubs in Science class for when students finish their Interactive Science Journal page. You can read more about the tubs {here}, see my Senses tub ideas {here}, or my Weather & Seasons tubs {here}. I will change these six tubs out with each unit. I teach four units in Science: Weather & Seasons, Five Senses, Objects & Materials, and Living Things. These are my Objects & Materials explore tub ideas!

While I was doing my yearly plan, I decided to change things up for next year by teaching my Objects & Materials unit (which is usually only about 2 weeks) in April. The reason for this is one of the outcomes is about recycling which fits perfectly with Earth Day and the second reason is a fabulous follower of mine gave me the idea of doing a design project around building a house for the 3 Little Pigs. Well, I just happen to do a writing unit about the 3 Little Pigs in April, so how perfect!! I love when I can make connections between subject areas like that!

*Tub of random objects from dollar store, home, classroom, nature, etc.
*Magnifying glasses (I like these Primary Science Jumbo Magnifiers from Learning Resources)
*Science Sorting Mats from Lakeshore Learning--Students sort the random objects onto the different sorting mats (large/small, hard/soft, etc.).

*Variety of building toys such as Legos, Gears, and Tinkertoys

*Digital camera (an old one I don't use anymore)

*What Can You Build? sign (download here) laminated with dry erase marker. Students can build something out of the toys, write their name and what they built on the poster, and then take a picture of their structure with the poster. This helps eliminate the "I don't want to break it!" when time is up and we can make a class book out of all the pictures!

*Books about the three little pigs: The 3 Little Dassies, Three Pigs, One Wolf, and Seven Magic Shapes, The Three Horrid Little Pigs, Three Little Pigs, The Three Ninja Pigs, Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Fish, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, The Three Little Gators, Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Recyclers, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Wolves

*Three Little Pigs Puzzle from Lakeshore

*Three Little Pigs STEM Kit from Lakeshore

*Variety of materials (tin foil, paper, saran wrap, foam, newspaper, tissue paper, etc.)

*Mini flashlights

*Transparent, Opaque, and Translucent Sorting cards (download here). Students hold the flashlight up to each material to see if it is transparent, translucent, or opaque and sorts the material under the correct heading.

*Earth Day Sorting Game {by me on TpT}--I used sticky velcro dots to make my sorting game. Students sort the picture cards by if you would recycle it, reuse it, reduce it, compost it, or put it in the garbage.

*Books about the 3 R's: Cleaning Up Litter, Earth Day Hooray, Earth Day, It's Earth Day, Saving Water, Saving Energy, Pick Up the Park, Recycling Is Fun, We Need Water, Reusing and Recycling, What If Everybody Did That?, What Should I Recycle?

*Objects and Materials Sorting Game {by me on TpT}--I used sticky velcro dots to make my sorting game. Students sort the object cards by the type of material it is made of (rubber, metal, paper, wood, plastic, and fabric).

*Books about objects & materials: Joining Materials, Wood, Plastic, Paper, Rubber, Glass, Metal, Curious George Builds a House, Rock, The Most Magnificent Things, Natural and Human-Made, Materials

Hope this gives you some FUN ideas to make an otherwise boring unit more engaging for students!!