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Kindergarten Science


mom of 2 boys
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Hi there, I'm having some trouble figuring out how to handle science for my Kindergartner. He is highly interested in science and engineering, so I need learning materials that will go into some depth. At the same time, his "worksheet" abilities are average, so I cannot simply buy something that is designed for an older child. I'd like to spend the early years giving him an introductory overview of general science topics, and then go into more detail as he gets older. I can't see spending an entire year on one topic for quite some time. 

 

Anyway, I'm considering Sonlight core A, but I have read that their curriculum is "choppy" and that the science experiments and books are unrelated to the science topic that is being covered. I think that is almost a deal breaker for me. I just can't see jumping around constantly. I am also considering just purchasing the DVD and experiment supplies, but that would just be supplemental, and would inevitably lead to us jumping back and forth between topics anyway. 

 

I am also considering simply purchasing a few of those Thames and Kosmos science kit's and using those along with related library books. I was hoping that someone could fill me in as to whether or not those are educational, or if they are more of a toy. 

 

My third idea, which I am honestly kind of leaning towards at the moment, is to purchase the "A reason for Science" workbook off of Christianbook.com ($15.49) to use as a guide, and then just purchase related science materials to go along with some of the topics. Here is the scope and sequence :http://www.areasonfor.com/SC_S&S_NOV08%20Level%20A.pdf . There is a list of all of the topics covered at the bottom. I could pick out a magnet kit to go along with the magnet unit, a solar system model and/or poster, a fossil kit, etc. And these materials would be reusable. A reason for science does sell an experiment kit, but it is very expensive, and from the few reviews I can find, it sounds like it is designed for classroom use (groups of 5, so there are extra materials that I would have to pay for) and I'm just not really sure it's worth that kind of money. I would also be able to plan ahead and order library books to use along with each topic. 

 

 

I have looked at Nancy Larson, but again, it is very expensive, and I really don't like the scripts that are included. 

 

Anyway, if anyone has any advice or other ideas, I would love to hear it! Thank you! 

 

 

 

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Science in our house (currently 6, 4, and 3 yo) involves reading books and youtube. It's all interest led. So we read about different things each time. Between that and life (outdoor time, helping with our goats and chickens, working on machines with daddy), I call it good.

Disclaimer: Science is so not my thing. I know I will need to get more formal about it at some point, but that isn't now, especially with a baby due in 2 months. Perhaps next school year will be the time. 

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Science in our house (currently 6, 4, and 3 yo) involves reading books and youtube. It's all interest led. So we read about different things each time. Between that and life (outdoor time, helping with our goats and chickens, working on machines with daddy), I call it good.

 

Disclaimer: Science is so not my thing. I know I will need to get more formal about it at some point, but that isn't now, especially with a baby due in 2 months. Perhaps next school year will be the time. 

 

I hear you. To be honest, I think it's really just *me* who needs the structure, but at the same time I don't like the "structures" that are available, so I'm my own worst enemy. We're just using library books at the moment, and even though I know that it's plenty educational, It's making me anxious. I need a list, I need a work book, I need a project planned 6 months in advance lol. I'm not a science person either, but my son is, so I'm trying to get into it for his sake  :laugh:  

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We do interest led right now as well. You might like Exploration Education. We own Building Foundation of Scientific Understanding which I have and like, but not yet implemented. $5 PDF. SWB recommends Mudpies to Magnets or Magnets to Mudpies. I don't remember. I still want the Big Messy Science Kit and Apologia Astronomy.

Edited by Slache
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We do Magic School Bus World of Germs kit together. This is a nice little kit that is easy to pick up and use that also introduces "real" science well, meaning a question is posed to you, you make a hypothesis, conduct your experiment and record your results either immediately or over a period of time, then make a conclusion.

 

DS also does the Magic School Bus Microscope Lab independently. The microscope is not great quality and its very difficult to get it in focus, however, it is something DS can do completely on his own. One great thing about it is the lab journal that has spaces for drawing what you see under the microscope. I think its an easy, fun introduction to scientific observation and journaling that will hopefully lead into continued interest in more general science journaling as he gets older. I plan to get Thames and Cosmos next year as I've heard they are better quality.

 

We are also doing Guest Hollow's Junior Anatomy, which is mostly read alouds. And we are going through the Read and Find Out Science books from our library for breadth. Those books would be great as a jumping off point for further studies as well.

 

For engineering type of things, DS does Da Vinci and other physics based modeling kits with his father, and Lego and K'nex education kits by himself. I have been looking and looking for a book of engineering/physics projects written to young students, but haven't found anything yet. So (since my kid hasn't turned five quite yet), this year I'm getting him the book "Art Lab for Little Kids" to practice independent creation. It has project ideas but encourages doing your own thing rather than strictly copying. I am looking at the book "STEAM Kids: 50+ Science...Projects for Kids" which I hope is a similar kind of thing but with more science.

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We do interest led right now as well. You might like Exploration Education. We own Building Foundation of Scientific Understanding which I have and like, but not yet implemented. $5 PDF. SWB recommends Mudpies to Magnets or Magnets to Mudpies. I don't remember. I still want the Big Messy Science Kit and Apologia Astronomy.

+1 on BFSU

 

It takes a bit of planning, but what you were describing with supplementing other programs takes just add much time.

 

 

 

Sent from my U9200 using Tapatalk

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We were really laid back in K for science, but DS's favorite thing from that year was our tree study. Once a week, we went for a walk in our woods and took a picture of the same 5 trees. They were all different - maple, oak, birch, white pine and apple. I let him take most of the pictures, but I took some with him next to the trees. We printed them out each week and talked about any changes (leaves changing, falling, snow, etc). At the end of the year, he had a binder full of great pictures and observations. 

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Science has been tricky for me, mainly due to my lack of preparation for lesson plans in general but it is a priority for me as well.  One child has returned to public school- middle school and is in an 'advanced' class.  It is incredible how superficial it is, the teacher laments that there is not much time except to cover the very basics.  So remember that with your little ones, and keep it fun and crafty.

 

I in particular have found success with the online program called supercharged science, it's cheap, the materials are cheap, and the resources are VAST on her website.

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We have established a natural rhythm rotating science, culture & art weekly. On science weeks, we loosely follow Exploring Nature With Children. We've studied insects, seeds, leaves, & are now performing an experiment about the impact amount of light has on a plant's growth.

 

Next year we are doing a year-long Continents & Cultures study, so science will be Geography & Animal Science (animals from each continent, habitats, etc)

Edited by Expat_Mama_Shelli
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Read, watch, play. Get outside, verbalized scientific thinking (e.g. "I noticed this, so I wonder if I try X if anything will change?" Or "wow! Why do you think that is the case?"). They will learn as much if not more about science by actively participating in a natural environment versus a curriculum at that age NO MATTER HOW BRIGHT. Being actively engage in the world around them also continues to develop a bunch of other stuff they need - sensory integration, fine and gross motor skills, visual acuity and tracking, etc.

 

They don't need to do science output at this age. My oldest two excel in and love science and I didn't use ANY curriculum until they were in 5th grade. (Take that back, we tried task cards when oldest two were 6 and 9 and quickly scrapped it because of output demands). We did lots in nature, museums, building (and deconstructing), playing around with little kits and snap circuits, watching kids shows as well as documentaries, and reading... Kid finds a caterpillar so we put it in a jar and get a book about life cycle of butterflies and moths, watch the caterpillar spin cocoon, and die :-/ Learned a lot!

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We use BFSU and expand in interest areas. My youngest is starting the second book now, at the beginning of 2nd, and my oldest are halfway through the third book in 6th. When they finish I'll have them do interest-led until high school.

 

I picked, and stick with, BFSU because it is laid out for multiple years, so I don't have to make a science decision every year, and we cover a wide variety of topics.

 

It is not terribly user friendly, but it has been worth the prep work on my part to make it work for us.

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I focus on interests in Kindergarten.  We read library books on topics of choice or if it can parallel with other things we are discussing.  If he is interested in mechanical type things he might like Snap Circuits.  My 5 yr. old LOVES them and after I showed him how to do a couple and how to follow the instructions he now works on his own.  My son also LOVES science experiments.  There are so many out there could google some topics, pinterest is awesome :), make volcanoes, magnet set (another favorite here) let him explore some on his own and then read books relating with it.

 

We have a few of the Thames kits but they might be a bit hard for him to do on his own.  Another idea my son loves are K'nex  (can also get the ones focusing on simple machines etc. my son is able to build with these) wheels and axles set here as well.

 

 

I would NOT do worksheets for a 5 yr. old that would lose all the fun and wonder right out!  We also do outside exploring if you want to practice some "writing" with it.  My son has a nature journal where he feels in what he wants and what he saw and learns about.  HTH 

 

 

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We have established a natural rhythm rotating science, culture & art weekly. On science weeks, we loosely follow Exploring Nature With Children. We've studied insects, seeds, leaves, & are now performing an experiment about the impact amount of light has on a plant's growth.

 

Next year we are doing a year-long Continents & Cultures study, so science will be Geography & Animal Science (animals from each continent, habitats, etc)

 

Funny, that is what we are doing this year for Kindergarten and having a great time!  For additional science he is doing nature study once a week and he does experiments and other things of interest throughout the week as well.  :)

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Science for my 2nd grader this year is Pandia Press's Life Level 1, and we both love it. Because I spent money on it, I make sure it gets done, and I like its text. The projects have been good too. We supplement it with fiction and nonfiction picture books and Magic School Bus chapter books, and my Ker usually follows along with those too.

 

We look up things, either related to Life science or just as they have questions, on YouTube/internet as needed. We read seasonal books. And they looooove Wild Kratts and have fantastic understandings of animals from that.

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Thank you so much for the advice, everyone! I chose to order the Thames and Kosmos "Intro to Engineering" kit. It's right up his alley and he was so excited when it came in the mail. It's Friday evening, my kid is thanking me for his school supplies, and asking to do schoolwork. What a beautiful thing that is  :laugh:

 

I'm thinking that I'll just take out library books that are related to the projects. I'm really hoping this works out, because there are so many interesting science kits out there that look like so much fun to go through! This particular kit looks like it is really right on his level. They have a few different ones that are similar to it too. 

 

Thanks again :) 

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