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Each year we allow our students to make "blood". We use corn syrup, mini marshmellows, red hot candies,and red food coloring. Not only is this a fun science experiment, it is also "spooktacular" fun. It connects to our math curriculum as well. You should try it.

How do you tie this into your science curriculum? Are you currently teaching your students about the circulatory system?

I could see teaching fractions, what is the recipie? I'm interested.

What else are you teaching- I like the concept- special one day lesson for Halloween.... how are you using the science of blood etc... I know my own children's elementary school grades 1-5 do a "Mad Scientists" day on Halloween full of dry ice, sheep eyeball disection and other with a few hands on things. Its a behavior "carrot" etc. to get to go- they love it and talk about it regularly in 6th grade. I have wondered about doing something of my own or our own at middle school but, haven't thought of much- too much to think of with science fair and chemistry, ecology etc.... But, looking for it on the back burner

In our Kindergarten classrooms at my school we tie in Halloween with the use of a pumpkin in each classroom. The pumpkin can lead to discussions about seasons, weather, fiction and non-fiction stories, and health. We then tie the pumpkin into science by looking at the stages of growth, as we near Halloween day we then cut open the pumpkns,estimate the number of seeds and then count the seeds as a group. Students then take those seeds and plant them in our school's garden. Of course, art comes into play when we use the pumpkin to make a classroom jack-o-lantern. These lessons can last more than a week and these are only a few example. The students really enjoy the activities and it creates hands-on learning.

Every Halloween, we teach a unit on bats. Students love learning about the different species of bats around the world. We learn about mammals and how bats are the only mammals that can fly. We look at different diagrams of the bat's body and research their habitats. At the end of the lesson, we make a bat mask for them to wear and/or decorate our classroom. This falls under our science standards... SC.3.3.1 Describe how plants depend on animals SC.3.4.1 Compare distinct structures of living things that help them to survive SC.3.51 Describe the relationship between structure and function in organisms We also do a lot of reading and research on bats, which relates to those standards as well.

Just remembered...when I was student teaching in 5th grade, I taught a unit on skeletons for Halloween. We learned the parts of the body and the importance of each part. At the end of the lesson, we had students focus on one part of the body. They had to complete an art project by using pasta to form that body part. Then, they wrote a paragraph on the structure and function of that part of the body.

I know Halloween has passed but I was thinking that some of these ideas would be great for Thanksgiving as well. I hope I can bring in a pumpkin to count the seeds. I also hope that could be a great way for me to tie in nutrition and making good choices when we have a Thanksgiving feast. I won't be making blood or going over the skeletal system but some of these ideas are very applicable. I even can make something like friendship mix and follow a recipe using measurement. Thank you for the great ideas.

Hello all, As a preschool teacher, I am always thinking of ways I can modify activities so that my students can learn about and understand concepts that may be too abstract for them to learn. In the month of October, I too, introduce higher level concepts about the human body. During the first couple of months in school, we begin introduction of body parts and physical features of the human body. By October, it is logical to begin to introduce the insides of our bodies and by November, it is perfect timing for nutrition activities. Like Alana mentioned, teaching about skeletons is perfect for this time of year. This past Halloween, I brought in real x-rays to show my young students what the is on the inside of our bodies. I then provided them with a plain black picture in the shape of a body. Using q-tips, my students glued onto each part of the body it's skeleton. We also discuss keeping our bones safe and strong and I bring in casts and slings to show how we heal broken bones. Ricki, I think I will use your idea of introducing blood next year as well. I think this will be a great way to introduce the circulatory system and heart. By November, talk of nutrition can include how we can keep our heart healthy. I am already thinking of how I can illustrate the heart pumping blood throughout our bodies. If anyone has any ideas for teaching this concept to young learners (3- to 6-year-olds) please share. Thank you in advanced!