Elementary Science Centers

Have you ever thought about having Elementary Science Centers in your classroom? Do you have ELA and Math centers? Do you spend most of your time prepping and planning for ELA and Math? I bet the answer is we all do!

I don’t know about you but I love teaching science and social studies and I always feel like there is just not enough time. 

How to Use Science Centers in the Classroom

Integrate science into your everyday curriculum by adding a science center to either your ELA or Math rotations. I have a designated science area in my classroom. The science center is changed out each unit. Students have science in their Daily 5 rotation and they have to use their interactive notebook to record their findings or do their assignment. This could include reading, writing, responding to a question, making hypotheses or just exploring. Below you will find the units that I have used for my 2nd grade students and resources to each of these units. You can also check out my TpT Blog page to see what is available in my store.

Human Body

What’s included in the set up?

1. Any books you have on human body, muscles, bones, etc.
2. Human Body Figures  You can find many different human body figures on Amazon! You can even put in a donors-choose project for science centers!
3. Human Body Interactive Notebook Use this notebook as a whole group and you can pick and choose the activities students will do in the science center.

Students will love exploring in this center!

Click HERE for the Human Body Notebook

Life Cycles

What’s included in the set up?

1. Any books you have on life cycles
2. Life Cycles Figures.  I was lucky enough to receive my figures from a Donorschoose project, but you can find them on Amazon!
3. Life Cycles Interactive Notebook Use this notebook as a whole group and then have students use their cut out life cycles in the center.

Students will love this center!

Click HERE for the Life Cycles Interactive Notebook

Microscope Exploration

What’s included in the set up?

1. Microscope (you can put out as many as you have)
2. Slides
3. Microscope Observation Journal

That’s it! The students will look at the slides and draw and write about their observations. When introducing the center teach the students about the microscope, how it works, how to use it and how to gently use the slides.

Click HERE for Microscope Exploration

All About Rocks; Sedimentary, Igneous, Metamorphic

What’s included in the set up?

1. Any books you have on rocks and minerals.
2. Different types of rocks
3. Magnifying glasses
4. Sand and dirt for students to explore the particles.
5. Rock Observations Use the rock observation worksheets for your center. There are many more worksheets available for whole group and small group instruction.

Click HERE for the Rocks Unit

Mass and Measurement

What’s included in the set up?

1. Balance
2. Math Manipulatives
3. Ruler and items around the classroom to measure
4. Mass Science Center

Click HERE for the Mass Activity

Why Science Centers?

1. Fun
2. Engaging
3. Integrated
4. Independent
5. Higher Level Thinking
6. Differentiation
7. Hands on!

SAVE 15% with the BUNDLE Click HERE for ALL Activities and MORE