Superheroes often rely on their powers, like super-strength and flight, to help conquer evil villains. But, to catch the bad guy, crime fighters also need to utilize their brain to save the day. Help your child follow the clues to uncover this week’s new vocabulary word: evidence.
Remember that evidence isn’t just used by detectives trying to crack a case; scientists also rely on evidence to try and prove a hypothesis correct. Make evidence your word of the week and try some of these activities to help your child learn this new vocabulary word.
Word of the Week: Evidence
Definition: The proof that tells you something is true or false.
Activity 1: At home experiments. Help teach your child how scientists use evidence with these experiments that are perfect for the home. Try our Egg-Speriment, which tests the strength of eggshells. Before you start, ask your child to predict how many books the shell can hold. Then run the experiment and show your child how the outcome can be used as evidence. If you’re looking for other fun experiments, try our Rocket Balloon Car activity or this Gummy Worm experiment.
Activity 2: Design your own experiment. Encourage your child to design an original experiment. Start with a hypothesis like, “Mom washes the dishes faster than Dad.” Then, let your child test this assumption by timing both parents as they wash the dishes. Help your child analyze the data to find who washes dishes faster on average and help explain how this data is evidence to support an idea.
Activity 3: Read a mystery novel. There is no better way to help your child learn about evidence than following a literary character tasked at solving a mystery. If your child loves books shrouded in mystery and suspense, try Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist. This book follows Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay, who find themselves in the middle of an international art scandal and must follow a series of clues to solve the case. Read along with your child and encourage your child to discover the culprit based on the evidence in the book.
Activity 4: Create your own mystery. Help kids create their own mystery to solve. Start with a fictional crime that occurred at your house, such as “Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?” Then ask your child to plant clues around the house. Maybe the robber left behind his favorite tie at the crime scene? Maybe there’s an empty plate on someone’s night stand? Encourage your child to create the evidence and then try to track down the criminal together!