Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will learn about environmental science through the fun activity of playing with playdough.

Materials and Prep

• Playdough (homemade or store-bought)
• Plastic trays or plates
• Small plastic animals or toy trees (optional)

No prior knowledge or preparation is required for this lesson.

Activities

1. Create different landforms:

   • Roll the playdough into a ball to represent a mountain.
   • Flatten the playdough to create a plain or valley.
   • Mold the playdough into a circular shape to make a lake or pond.

2. Build a habitat:

   • Use the playdough to create a small environment for a plastic animal or toy tree.
   • Discuss how the habitat provides food, water, and shelter for the living organism.

3. Discuss environmental changes:

   • Make changes to the playdough landforms and habitats, such as adding more playdough to represent erosion or removing playdough to show deforestation.
   • Talk about how these changes can impact the environment and the living organisms within it.

Preschool Grade Talking Points

• "Today, we are going to learn about the environment and how it relates to the things around us."
• "We will use playdough to create different landforms like mountains, plains, and lakes."
• "We can also build habitats for animals or trees using the playdough. These habitats provide food, water, and shelter for living things."
• "Sometimes, the environment can change. We can use the playdough to show erosion, which is when the land gets worn away, or deforestation, which is when trees are cut down."
• "These changes can affect the environment and the living things that depend on it."