Co-op class ideas -- SCIENCE?

[three4me]

It's time to start thinking about what co-op classes I want to teach next year. This year I've got the pre-k'ers and I think next year it's be fun to work with kids who are a little older. I though maybe a couple science classes would be fun (for lower and/or upper elementary ages).

 

So I guess I'd love some ideas from those of you who have done similar, or those of you who have used a science curriculum that might work as a co-op. Any ideas or advice would be great! My oldest just turned 5 and we haven't done any formal science stuff yet. I was thinking Apologia looked interesting, but would that work for co-op? Or perhaps Magic School Bus books or Let's Read and Find out?

 

Thanks!

[2_girls_mommy]

All of the above has worked at our co-op. I did one semester of Apologia Flying Creatures this year. The notebeooks were good, as there were lots of pages to have them take notes and cut/paste activities. Plus there were lots of activity and experiments ideas. And even just the coloring pages in the jur. notebooks were good. They could sometimes color in those as they listened to me read aloud or lecture.

 

We were just planning next year at our co-op today and one of the moms is going to do Magic Schoolbus next year. Another years she just did chemistry experiments and the kids learned a lot. I think she used a website that year as her guide, but I don't know which one. Anyway, the kids always learn a lot in co-op science classes.

 

I also had preschool this year, and I taught all with picture books. I found all kinds of units online w/lesson plans, printouts, craft ideas, picture book suggestions, and games and songs to go w/any topic that I wanted to do. It rarely took me 30 min. to plan the preschool classes.

[three4me]

Thanks for the input! Anyone else?

[Shellydon]

The Let's-Read-And-Find-Out books and science books by Gail Gibbons are fun.

[laughing lioness]

Supercharged Science has amazing units (20), experiments, vidoes and more! Our family just reviewed it and it is amazing! It would be a blast to use it in a co-op.

[linguistmama]

We used Elemental Science's Intro to Science for K and it would work well for a coop. This year in our coop I used some of RSO Life with first graders and it was fun. I will probably use parts of RSO Earth and Space and Chemistry in future years. There are activities to do and lab sheets that can be filled out. The Read and Find Out series are excellent as well. They often include some suggestions for activities to go along with the books.

[HSmomof2]

I did the Magic School Bus class for a 1st-3rd grade co-op class. We watched one of the videos each week, then did the corresponding experiment from Scholastic.com. It was fun and required little planning and preparation from me. :-)

[StephanieZ]

More Mudpies and magnets is the WTM classic for science activities for the youngest set. It has loads of fun, easy hands on activities.

 

I'd combine activities from that with let's read and find out books.

 

Alternatively, I'd do human body for part of the year, doing everybody has a body from teacher created materials, making the life size tracings, etc., but that would work well only if you have a place you can hang each child's body outline for the few months it would take to complete. Each week, I'd read a little book or a section of a book, add a body part to the outline, and do one or more hands on activities.

[lillysmom216]

I'm offering 3 classes next session. Junkyard Robotics, Engineering is Elementary- Solar Ovens and a Hodge-Podge Brain one where it ends in sheep dissection. All in the 8-13 range. Have a fun time whatever you decide!

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I'm using Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding to teach my Co-op- it has worked well!

[Momof3littles]

We've used Critical Thinking through Science with kids ranging from 5/6 to 8/9 yo.

[mom2boys030507]

I'm using Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding to teach my Co-op- it has worked well!

 

What ages are you teaching and what level books are you using? I am just starting to plan our sconce for K-8. The kids are split into 4 different age groups. I am hoping to have the same threads running in all of the classes adjusted for there learning levels. I love the idea of the kids learning through experimenting. Any pieces of advice will be greatly appreciated.I am feeling a little like I am in overnmy head at this point.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

What ages are you teaching and what level books are you using? I am just starting to plan our sconce for K-8. The kids are split into 4 different age groups. I am hoping to have the same threads running in all of the classes adjusted for there learning levels. I love the idea of the kids learning through experimenting. Any pieces of advice will be greatly appreciated.I am feeling a little like I am in overnmy head at this point.

 

 

I'm using the first book with ages 6-10. A few topics we've done more in-depth than what is covered in BFSU. There are some pinterest boards that have been put together with lots of hands-on ideas:

 

BFSU general resources

BFSU A thread

BFSU B thread

BFSU C thread

BFSU D thread

 

 

We spent most of the year focusing on the B thread. Next year, I hope to do the three other threads in more depth.