Core Skills Analysis
Science
- Georgia explored absorption by watching water move up the paper towel, showing how some materials soak up liquids.
- She observed a cause-and-effect change when the paper towel absorbed water and the texta colours spread or changed.
- Georgia used a simple investigation to notice how water travels through a material, building early understanding of capillary action.
- She practised careful observation by comparing the dry paper towel before dipping it with the wet result afterward.
Art & Design
- Georgia created a flower shape by cutting paper towel, showing control with scissors and an understanding of form.
- She used texta to add colour and decoration, making artistic choices about appearance and pattern.
- Georgia combined art with experimentation, turning a simple craft into a visual display of movement and colour.
- She showed creativity by transforming everyday materials into something flower-like and expressive.
Maths
- Georgia practised early spatial reasoning by shaping the paper towel into a flower form.
- She likely noticed changes in colour spread and water movement, which supports comparing before and after results.
- The activity involved sequencing steps in order: cut, colour, dip, and observe.
- Georgia engaged with measurement concepts informally by seeing how far the water travelled through the paper.
Tips
Tips: To extend Georgia’s learning, try repeating the experiment with different paper types, such as tissue, napkin, or card, so she can compare which materials absorb water best. You could also ask her to predict what will happen before dipping each flower, then talk about whether her prediction matched the result. For a creative challenge, invite Georgia to make a whole garden of paper flowers using different colours and observe how each one changes in water. Finally, encourage her to draw or talk about the sequence of steps she followed, which supports science vocabulary and memory.
Book Recommendations
- Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert: A colourful picture book that connects beautifully to flowers, colour, and observation.
- The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle: A classic story about flowers, growth, and changes in nature.
- Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh: A playful book about colour mixing and visual change.
Learning Standards
- Science: Observing and describing how materials change when mixed with water aligns with early inquiry skills and material properties investigation.
- Science: The activity supports understanding of cause and effect, a key foundation for scientific reasoning.
- Science: Comparing how water moves through different materials connects to early exploration of scientific processes and changes.
- Arts: Cutting and decorating the paper towel flower supports early creative design, fine-motor skills, and visual expression.
- Mathematics: Sequencing steps and comparing outcomes supports early patterning, ordering, and informal measurement language.
Try This Next
- Draw and label the paper flower before and after dipping it in water.
- Ask Georgia: What do you think will happen to the colour when water touches it?
- Make a simple comparison chart for different paper materials and how fast they absorb water.