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*Safety Check-In: The activities in this curriculum are intended for family-style use under direct adult supervision. Because every family’s home environment and children are unique, please use your best judgment to ensure a safe experience. Always verify materials—such as plants, food items, or chemicals—for safety and allergies before use, and keep heat sources, tools, and small parts under close adult watch. You know your children best; please adapt these activities as needed to ensure they are age-appropriate and safe for your specific family.
Spark curiosity with two incredible hands-on science lessons in one! This interactive homeschool science activity simplifies complex topics like atomic charges, static electricity, and genetic heritability. Watch your students master these core concepts through a fun, memorable STEM experiment where they “grow” different hair types on a balloon and build a genetics family tree to connect physical traits with DNA. Perfect as an elementary science curriculum supplement or a standalone unit study printable!
Full Lesson Plans
Use the following lesson plans together or separately.
Static Hair Growth Experiment – Atoms & Electricity
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An activity-based learning extension exploring:
- an atom, it’s parts, & attraction vs. repulsion
- static vs. current electricity
- polarization
- tie-ins to the static hair growth activity
Static Hair Growth Experiment – Genetics & Heritability
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An activity-based learning extension exploring:
- family systems & family trees
- traits, inherited vs. acquired
- heritability, genes, DNA, alleles, & punnett squares
- tie-ins to the static hair growth activity
Click here to see what’s included and how family-style learning works with our lessons.
What’s Included
Our curriculum is designed to foster genuine critical thinking through intentional lesson layout: a foundational introduction to core concepts, hands-on activities and play-based learning that puts ideas into practice, and a reflective discussion to synthesize the learning. Depending on the subject, features may include:
- direct connections to the featured activities
- new information & concepts
- visual charts
- practice pages with answer keys
- observation and design pages
- naturally integrated vocabulary
- warm and memorable images
- scaffolded learning
- connections to living books & stories
- higher-order discussion questions
- immersive and play-based learning experiences
- social studies units often include positive affirmations combined with play-based bilateral stimulation
Family Style Learning
Our activities are intentionally designed to grow with your family. Lessons are designed for elementary and middle school students, but toddlers and preschoolers thrive using the exact same setups, learning through play. Because learning goals develop in complexity over time, you get more bang for your buck—utilizing the exact same supplies across all ages and through many years.
How activities are used by age:
- Infancy & Toddlerhood: Focuses on hands-on sensory and play-based exploration (touching, feeling, experiencing).
- Preschool & Pre-K: Develops language, basic concepts, and descriptive vocabulary using the same activities.
- Elementary & Beyond: Expands play and sensory based activities into formal lessons with deep conceptual understanding.
Through direct sensory experience, younger children will naturally absorb basic vocabulary and be exposed to advanced language and learning alongside their older siblings.
Materials & How To
Click here for materials & setup directions.
Materials:
- balloon
- ground pepper
- tissue paper (hair colored)
- short yarn (hair colored)
- long yarn pieces (hair colored)
- wool sock or mitten
- sharpie
How To:
Inflate and draw a face on a balloon. Rub the sock/mitten against the balloon and then hover the balloon over a pile of ground pepper, tissue paper, and long & short yarn pieces.
Find our full lesson plans above for more guidance and depth of learning.
Additional Learning Resources
Click here for additional resources, activities, & lessons.
More Lessons & Activities
- Full Lesson Plans: Browse our available full homeschool lesson plans in every collection.
- All About Me, My Family, & My Community: Explore related themed activities here.
- September Themes: Discover our September page for more activities in this collection.
- Themed Learning Extras: immerse yourself in our curated resources through music & meditations, read alouds & picture books, movie night picks, and additional free curriculum.
- The Year Ahead: Visit our Monthly Collections to get ready for upcoming learning.
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