Science for 6 yr old?

[bry's-gal]

We are wanting to study astronomy next year. We are looking at using Apologia. Any thing else for me to look at and consider?

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I for one second apologia! We are using that this year and it is AWESOME! My daughter loves it and doesnt want to stop learning about it!

[Laura W.]

I used Apologia Astronomy with my oldest when she was in second grade. It was too much detail, and some of the projects and activities were too advanced for her. I wouldn't recommend it for a first grader.

 

For young children, I like First Encyclopedia of Space (put out by Usborne) as a spine. It has internet links, which allow you to dig deeper. For additional hands-on for that age, the Magic School Bus kits are great. There is one called Secrets of Space.

 

Another book I like is A Child's Introduction to the Night Sky, but I expect it would work better for a child who's slightly older. It might be useful for digging deeper into some topics, though.

 

Blessings,

 

Laura

[JennW in SoCal]

H.A. Rey, of Curious George fame, wrote 2 wonderful astronomy books for children. One is Find the Constellations, and the other is The Stars.

 

You really don't need a text for astronomy with a first grader. Get a picture book on planets and those H.A. Rey books, the Magic school bus book and show on the planets, go outside and watch the phases of the moon and look for planets and constellations, go to one of the public viewing nights sponsored by your area astronomy club. Google is your friend -- you can find all kinds of cool stuff like a local astronomy club and great pages about the planets, and even a NASA kid's club.

 

I did this with a group of elementary kids many years ago: How big is the solar system? The earth is the size of a peppercorn, the sun a soccer ball, and you walk out the distance between the sun and each of the planets.

 

Pick an activity a week, whether it is reading books or going outside at night, or building a kit of models of the planets and just have fun. Save the tedium of science text books for the high school years!!