Good Night Sweet Dreams – The Science of Sleep

(Suggested age: 9 to 12 years)

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SLEEPING & DREAMING?

Hey, kiddos!!! Let’s see what you know about sleeping and dreaming. Discuss the following questions with your friends/parents.

How does our body know what time it is?  Why do we dream?  Why do our parents say we shouldn’t have screen time right before bed?

Here is the science behind the zzzzzzzs. Let’s watch a few videos to see what happens.

How does your body know what time it is?

Why do we dream?

How to fall asleep in 2 minutes?

FOLLOWUP ACTIVITY

Sleep Latency: Exactly how long does it take you to fall asleep?  Write down the time you get into bed. When you are in bed trying to get to sleep, hold a metal spoon over a plate on the floor. When you fall asleep, your muscles will relax and the spoon will fall out of your hand. The noise of the spoon hitting the plate should wake you up. Write down the time you woke up. The difference between the time you got into bed and the time you woke up is your sleep latency.

If the spoon misses the plate, you may not wake up. You could substitute a large metal cookie sheet if this happens.

 Materials: Spoon, Plate (or cookie sheet), Clock (or timer)