Which early elementary science program is mostly hands on experiments??

[Mommyfaithe]

I would like some REASON to do the experiments...as in the kids actually learning something by the experiment, not just making a mess.

My boys have been begging for experiments. I would like it to include some real books and all the materials I need.

 

Thanks,

faithe

[Aoife]

my votes go to REAL science odyssey and Nancy Larson! both fantastic programs!

[FrogMom5]

I don't know of any science program that fits your exact description but three come to mind that can be readily adapted.

 

The first is the Science 4 Real Kids series. Lots of experiements, short but meaty info. and a supply kit available if you want it. You will need to add readings to it if your dc are interested in additional info. on a topic.

 

Second, NOEO science. I've only looked at this one, never used it, but it comes with a supply kit and additional readings.

 

Finally, Critical Thinking Co. has a book called Developing Critical Thinking through Science. It is all experiments followed by questions about the topic. The materials required are things most people have at home. Even then, you don't have to do the experiment exactly. For instance, in exp. 2, we were supposed to record sounds around the classroom. Instead, I had my oldest make certain noises for my younger ones to identify with their eyes closed. We are using this now w/my 3rd grader. We do additional reading when he finds a topic particularly interesting.

 

I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

Denise

[In2why]

Real Science Odessey. We are using RSO Earth, Rock, and Space and it is basically all experiments with a cover page explaining what you are learning and suggested read alouds that are easy to either find at the library or find similar books. The kids really like it. The are retaining what they are learning and the experiments aren't difficult or hard to setup.

[FrogMom5]

I'm sorry, the first program is Real Science 4 Kids. I wrote it wrong in my first post. I think I just need more coffee.

 

Denise

[Researcher]

RSO is very hands on and my DS loved it.

 

We're now using Elemental Science which is more the WTM way and is not experiment heavy. If he wants more experiments, I'll pull from RSO.

 

HTH!

[jenL]

We're also doing RSO here, and my son is really enjoying all the experiments. We use all kids of extra books to supplement the one page of reading they offer before the experiments.

[atozmom]

Loving RSO here as well.

[Satori]

RSO (REAL Science Odyssey) has been so much fun for us. You can click my sig to see the lab activities we've done.

[Dancer Girl]

I would recommed Science Excusion. I have 3 brothers and sisters and we have all used it and loved it. It teaches all the areas of science and has an experiment after each lesson. It comes with a kit that has every thing you need for the experiments.

[FairProspects]

What do you define as experiment heavy? 1 per week? More?

 

I would define Elemental Science as experiment heavy because it schedules an experiment every week. More than that I just don't have time for in early elem. because we are working so hard on foundations in LA & Math. We really enjoy it and science is getting done without taking over!

[Guest]

Okay, here's my usual pitch for GEMS science. This is a series of teachers' guides put together by the people from the Lawrence Hall of Science, sometimes with others from NASA or other science agencies. They span grades K-8 and are entirely hands-on projects encompassing observation, modeling, variations, experimentation, and other activities. The teachers' guides come with materials lists (for classrooms; so downscale accordingly) and very detailed lesson plans you can follow as closely or as loosely as you please. There are often guided observation sheets or pages that are like simple lab notebook pages for kids to fill out as they work. The guides all include background information for teachers plus a long list of non-fiction and fiction books you might use as accompaniments. There are extension activities and assessment ideas if you want them.

 

I have used about half of all GEMS has with my dd, sometimes with just her, sometimes at science parties, and for a year and a half at a co-op with a group of kids. These are, hands down, the most incredibly engaging activities I've ever seen. There is some material gathering involved, and sometimes a bit of xeroxing. But once you have that done, the lessons run themselves. I have never seen kids so involved and absorbed, over and over again. There is a nice balance between guided exploration, direct instruction through modeling, and open experimentation.

 

Some of the teachers' guides include activities such as: keeping a terrarium and modeling animal movement; making formulas for toothpaste and ice cream; experimenting with dry ice, bubbles, slime; modeling a river through time; creating two types of model volcanoes and measuring the viscosity of different batches of "lava"; working with sample data of various electromagnetic emissions in the solar system.

 

These are not kits, nor do the materials come in tidy boxes. But it is extremely powerful, very good science.

 

http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/GEMS

 

And while these materials are not a program, they are spectacular: the San Francisco Exploratorium publishes a series of books called "Snackbooks" which are mini-versions of their displays. They also have a great book called Exploratopia, which is filled with quite simple activities kids could easily do themselves, which are nevertheless science on a high conceptual level -- not your usual baking soda and vinegar type thing.

[Corraleno]

Inquiry in Action is a free 470-page elementary/middle school chemistry program that is entirely experiment-based. There are 7 "Investigation" topics, each of which has from 5-10 related experiments, most of which use basic household materials. There are worksheets, lab reports, and grading rubrics for all the activities — and it's "real science," not just the usual kiddie demonstrations. Excellent resource, and totally free!

 

Jackie

[melissel]

Inquiry in Action is a free 470-page elementary/middle school chemistry program that is entirely experiment-based. There are 7 "Investigation" topics, each of which has from 5-10 related experiments, most of which use basic household materials. There are worksheets, lab reports, and grading rubrics for all the activities — and it's "real science," not just the usual kiddie demonstrations. Excellent resource, and totally free!

 

Jackie

 

That is an AWESOME resource! How have I not seen it before?! Thank you for sharing!

[Luckymama]

Inquiry in Action is a free 470-page elementary/middle school chemistry program that is entirely experiment-based. There are 7 "Investigation" topics, each of which has from 5-10 related experiments, most of which use basic household materials. There are worksheets, lab reports, and grading rubrics for all the activities — and it's "real science," not just the usual kiddie demonstrations. Excellent resource, and totally free!

 

Jackie

 

:w00t: Oh my goodness....................

 

(former chemist wipes drool from face)

[Melissa H. in GA]

Thanks so much for sharing.:001_smile:

 

Melissa

[Hericane]

I like Nancy Larson Science for activities and experiments that support the science learning. The teacher's manual is scripted and each lesson starts with a review of the learning from the previous lesson.

Hey, everyone likes to make a gooey mess and get slimy, but what do they learn? I was never sure and frankly don't have the time to research and figure it out, then write it down to teach. So all of the hands-on programs I've seen and tried before seemed like more fluff than learning.

NL Science cures that problem. It's fun and they learn.

[....]

Finally, Critical Thinking Co. has a book called Developing Critical Thinking through Science. It is all experiments followed by questions about the topic. The materials required are things most people have at home. Even then, you don't have to do the experiment exactly. For instance, in exp. 2, we were supposed to record sounds around the classroom. Instead, I had my oldest make certain noises for my younger ones to identify with their eyes closed. We are using this now w/my 3rd grader. We do additional reading when he finds a topic particularly interesting.

 

 

I'm actually teaching science to 2nd and 3rd grade homeschoolers on Tuesdays using this book. They absolutely love it. Our class was so loud last week that "other kids" started coming in to see watch we were doing. :glare: I like to add some science behind real-world machines/tech. We're on the air unit and we're learning a little aerodynamics: lift, drag, etc. We're buying styrofoam gliders and are going to take the kids into a field and let them fly them around.

 

Have fun!

[TXMary2]

We are doing Elemental Science and so far all the experiments (except one) coordinated with the reading. When we read about Polar Bears we did an experiment about how the fur on the PB's feet helps them to move around on the ice. When we read about camels we did an experiment to show why they don't sink into the sand when walking across the desert.

[2_girls_mommy]

WTM 3rd grade ( I see you have an 8 yr old too!) suggests Chemistry for Science. We do it as described exactly in WTM using the experiment book, Adventures with Atoms and Molecules. We do an experiment a week, you can do as many as you want though. We follow with doing the notebooking, answering the questions in WTM, about the experiment and then she does a definition page and diagram. The experiments build on each other teaching a new concept of Chemistry as you go. It is going well here. My 6 yr old is tagging along and picking up quite a bit. It is very cute to hear a 6 yr say, "molecule" btw :)

[Farrar]

What do you define as experiment heavy? 1 per week? More?

 

I would define Elemental Science as experiment heavy because it schedules an experiment every week.

 

Really? I wouldn't consider one experiment a week heavy. I mean, if that's all a family does, that's fine (no judgment, seriously!) but I wouldn't consider that a lot of experiments. We spend a whole afternoon once a week on experiments and science journals with another family - we do readings and watch videos at other points in the week. We do at least 5-6 experiments a week, and often more. Of course some experiments can take an hour, others can take ten minutes or less. And I made my own program so we would do that much.

 

I guess I'm just saying that I know a lot of families feel like they don't do a lot of science for the early grades (which, again, is fine, no judgment!), but that I think you can if you want to. Also, to me, one experiment a week would not be a lot of science - especially not when the majority of science experiments for elementary school kids are relatively simple.

[Alice]

For earth science this year we've been using the Science in a Nutshell kits. http://www.delta-education.com/siangallery.aspx?subjectID=5&subID=5&menuID=67 It's a bit pricey but I ordered a "cluster" which contains all the materials for 5 different nutshells and will easily last us the entire year. There are plenty of materials for one student and you could add more and split the cost with another family. I'm finding that all I need to add is some library books and the occasional video and it's a very good course.

 

We've worked through one nutshell so far and I've been very impressed. The kit comes with a teacher manual (somewhat geared to a classroom but easily adaptable) and activity pages to write down observations for the experiments. The experiements are deceptively simple but geared right to the kids and the teacher's guide comes with suggested questions for discussion. There is also an assessment for each nutshell designed for testing but we used just to review. Then at the end there are additional "cluster" activities that combine concepts from all the different nutshells.

 

We do an experiment once or twice a week and on other days do read alouds and nature walks. At this pace this will easily last us the year. We might go faster at some point in order to also cover space/astronomy at the end of the year. The point being it's pretty flexible how much you do.

[rafiki]

.

[Dolphin]

I second the WTM adventures in Atoms and Molecules. It used to be hard to find level 2, but Rainbow Resources has picked it up. We do 2 experiments per week.

[clarkacademy]

Wow you guys have mentioned stuff I have never even heard of. Right in time as I am researching next year LOL

[FairProspects]

Really? I wouldn't consider one experiment a week heavy. I mean, if that's all a family does, that's fine (no judgment, seriously!) but I wouldn't consider that a lot of experiments. We spend a whole afternoon once a week on experiments and science journals with another family - we do readings and watch videos at other points in the week. We do at least 5-6 experiments a week, and often more. Of course some experiments can take an hour, others can take ten minutes or less. And I made my own program so we would do that much.

 

I guess I'm just saying that I know a lot of families feel like they don't do a lot of science for the early grades (which, again, is fine, no judgment!), but that I think you can if you want to. Also, to me, one experiment a week would not be a lot of science - especially not when the majority of science experiments for elementary school kids are relatively simple.

 

I guess I consider it experiment-heavy because I know plenty of families who do nothing but nature study until the logic stage/middle grades. LCC & Highlands Latin School recommend no science at all other than nature observation. So in the sense of a lot of classical recommendations, yes, once per week would be experiment heavy. For us personally, we are only doing K, and I think that's a lot of science for K given how much other time is spent on language work & learning to read.

[JESSICAinMD]

I love experiments too. We use RSO and love it.

[....]

LCC & Highlands Latin School recommend no science at all other than nature observation.

 

My kids would rebel and secretly do science anyway...:tongue_smilie:

 

I have read that too - about nature observation until middle school for some classical/Charlotte Mason programs.