Pre-K Science & Nature
36 weeks of short, flexible play-based activities for ages 3–5. Explore with a caring adult; practice may be oral, physical, or artistic.
What children will practice
Watch a grown-up demonstrate, try it together, then show what you notice by speaking, pointing, moving, or drawing. There are no timed drills or required independent handwriting tasks.
All 36 weekly science & nature activities
📖 Open Textbook- Week 1
Notice with our eyes
I can observe a leaf closely and tell the grown-up its colors and shape.
Unit: Welcome to Learning - Week 2
Hear quiet and loud
I can compare a gentle tap and a loud clap with comfortable sound levels.
Unit: Welcome to Learning - Week 3
Touch soft and rough
I can feel cotton and sandpaper; describe how each feels.
Unit: Welcome to Learning - Week 4
Smell safely
I can compare the smell of an orange peel and a flower without tasting them.
Unit: Welcome to Learning - Week 5
Explore day and night
I can sort pictures of daytime activities and nighttime activities.
Unit: Our Families & Feelings - Week 6
Observe the sky
I can look outside and choose whether the sky is cloudy or clear.
Unit: Our Families & Feelings - Week 7
Watch seeds
I can plant a large bean in soil with an adult and observe it over time.
Unit: Our Families & Feelings - Week 8
What needs water?
I can compare a plant after watering with a dry paper towel.
Unit: Our Families & Feelings - Week 9
Find living things
I can look for a tree, a bird, and a rock; talk about what grows.
Unit: Colors, Shapes & Sounds - Week 10
Explore floating and sinking
I can predict if a cork and a stone will float in a supervised bowl.
Unit: Colors, Shapes & Sounds - Week 11
Make shadows
I can use a flashlight with adult help to change the length of a toy shadow.
Unit: Colors, Shapes & Sounds - Week 12
Explore wind
I can blow on a paper feather and notice how it moves.
Unit: Colors, Shapes & Sounds - Week 13
Sort by texture
I can compare smooth pebbles and rough bark with an adult.
Unit: Nature Detectives - Week 14
Watch ice melt
I can observe an ice cube on a tray and describe what changes.
Unit: Nature Detectives - Week 15
Animal body parts
I can point to legs, wings, and tails on animal pictures.
Unit: Nature Detectives - Week 16
What birds need
I can build a pretend nest with twigs and talk about shelter.
Unit: Nature Detectives - Week 17
Compare leaves
I can find two leaves and name a difference in shape or size.
Unit: Stories & Imagination - Week 18
Make a rain gauge
I can set out a clear container and look for water after a rainy day.
Unit: Stories & Imagination - Week 19
Investigate magnets
I can use a child-safe encased magnet to test steel and wood with an adult.
Unit: Stories & Imagination - Week 20
Explore light and dark
I can switch a flashlight on and off in a safe dim room.
Unit: Stories & Imagination - Week 21
Sort natural materials
I can sort big leaves, pinecones, and stones on a tray.
Unit: Things That Move - Week 22
Animal habitats
I can match toy fish to water and toy birds to trees in a pretend scene.
Unit: Things That Move - Week 23
Explore sounds
I can tap wooden and metal kitchen objects with adult supervision.
Unit: Things That Move - Week 24
Build a ramp
I can roll a toy car down a short cardboard ramp and observe where it stops.
Unit: Things That Move - Week 25
What absorbs water?
I can test a sponge and a plastic lid using drops of water.
Unit: Our Neighborhood - Week 26
Notice changing weather
I can record sunny, rainy, or windy days with simple picture symbols.
Unit: Our Neighborhood - Week 27
Grow roots
I can watch roots grow from a bean in a clear container with an adult.
Unit: Our Neighborhood - Week 28
Discover the five senses
I can choose one safe observation for sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste.
Unit: Our Neighborhood - Week 29
Compare heavy and light
I can hold a soft toy and a book, then predict which feels heavier.
Unit: Growing & Changing - Week 30
Where do insects live?
I can observe a bug outdoors from a respectful distance without touching.
Unit: Growing & Changing - Week 31
Explore shadows outside
I can trace a toy's shadow at two different times with adult help.
Unit: Growing & Changing - Week 32
Mix two colors
I can mix washable yellow and blue paint and notice the new color.
Unit: Growing & Changing - Week 33
What changes when heated?
I can watch an adult warm water safely; notice steam from far away without touching.
Unit: Ready to Celebrate - Week 34
Explore simple machines
I can use a toy wagon to see how wheels help objects move.
Unit: Ready to Celebrate - Week 35
Care for the Earth
I can pick up safe paper litter with a grown-up and sort recyclables.
Unit: Ready to Celebrate - Week 36
Share a discovery
I can choose your favorite observation and explain how you found it.
Unit: Ready to Celebrate