What's the coolest thing you've ever done/ bought for elementary science?

[Aludlam]

We're looking to do some cool, fun science stuff. What are some of your coolest finds? Any subject area.

 

thanks!

[MissKNG]

Magic School Bus books! Any of them - picture books, readers and chapter books!

[Aludlam]

Magic School Bus books! Any of them - picture books, readers and chapter books!

 

 

I'll have to look into the chapter books, b/c my little as no interest in the "regular books". She says, "I've already seen that one!" - We love the show.

 

thanks!

[Crimson Wife]

The Elements by Ellen McHenry. My kids also really like the kits from The Young Scientists' Club.

[Aludlam]

The Elements by Ellen McHenry. My kids also really like the kits from The Young Scientists' Club.

 

Are the Young Scientist club kits the ones that are delivered every month?

[Julie in AZ]

Sonlight Disover and Do Dvds with the kits for the kids to do all the experiments.

[Crimson Wife]

Are the Young Scientist club kits the ones that are delivered every month?

 

We bought ours from RR because we wanted specific topics but you can subscribe to have them delivered once or twice per month.

[Guest]

GEMS science.

 

1) Plate Tectonics unit. The co-op class I used this with had so much fun; they made their own model volcanoes and erupted them in two different ways (with rubber stoppers to pop out for strato volcanoes) for a total of six hours, until the volcanoes literally disintegrated. We mixed three different batches of lava with different viscosities and timed their runs down the slope. We did lots of other activities in the unit, but this took the cake.

 

2) River Cutters. We made two model rivers out of huge plastic containers (four feet long) filled with sand, and a plastic water bottle fitted with a drip attachment. This class actually ran itself. I did nothing but sit back and say things like, "Oh, can you do that again?" or "How did you make that happen?" The kids ended up discovering and doing every single one of the suggested experiments/activities in the guide book on their own over the course of three weeks. We had people from ages four to fifty coming into the classroom to see what was going on. It was a wonderful experience.

http://www.lawrencehallofscience.com/GEMS

 

The other Greatest Hit was a Scientific Explorer kit called Science You Can Do With Your Dog. Our eager dog became an experimental subject for such things as finding hidden biscuits and being timed as to how fast he found them when we suddenly switched where they were hidden; doing a biscuit "taste test," etc. this turned into a science fair project my dd still remembers very fondly.

[KarenC]

Snap Circuits are probably the favorite. But ant farms, caterpillar/butterfly kit, and tadpole kits were also very popular.

[TracyP]

KarenAnne, are the GEMS kits hard to adapt to a homeschool setting?

Are they basically unit studies?

Are the materials hard to find?

They look interesting. Anything else you can tell me about them?

[Guest]

KarenAnne, are the GEMS kits hard to adapt to a homeschool setting?

Are they basically unit studies?

Are the materials hard to find?

They look interesting. Anything else you can tell me about them?

 

Most of them work quite well in a homeschool setting. I have done about half of everything they've got with only dd and me. Sometimes there are "discussions" in which you have to be another voice, asking questions a kid might ask, or playing devil's advocate.

 

There are a few others that work so well in groups because the kids feed off each other's energy, or because the set-up and clean-up are more extensive so you get the kids to help. The ones that I think worked best with groups (either a co-op or we had some science parties one year) were Mystery Festival, Bubble-ology/Bubble Festival, River Cutters, and Dry Ice Investigations. The kids had so many ideas that spilled over onto one another, and they kept things going longer than dd would have by herself with me.

 

The material-finding is the single pain about this program. You do have to put in some time collecting things from around the house, at the hardware store and at the grocery store. It is a pain, no doubt about it. The only thing I can say is that you are dramatically, brilliantly repaid for that time investment by the extent of kid engagement and understanding. The activities are almost all hands-on, and they are truly scientific -- kids are thinking about their preconceptions, making models, role-playing, honing observation skills, collecting data, handling a lot of different materials, and designing single-variable experiments. Also, after you've done a few of the guides, you'll find you have some of the most frequently used materials, so collecting the rest is a bit easier.

 

The teachers' guides include materials lists (cut down, as they are meant for classrooms), prep times, lists of questions or material to present, very detailed activity guidelines, data sheets, notebook pages (for some guides), suggested fiction and non-fiction books to accompany the activities, extension activities, and assessment ideas.

 

Some of them are very like unit studies, while others are more a series of investigations or activities centered on a relatively small idea -- for instance, there's one where kids analyze the vitamin C content of different brands of vitamins. Some are very introductory (the microscope one, which was actually really fun) while others are much more sophisticated (understanding the seasons, for example). Some run only a week or so, and others occupied my co-op class for a couple of months.

 

Some fairly easy ones to start with that are VERY kid-engaging are Oobleck, Dry Ice Investigations, Bubble-ology, Stories in Stone, and Of Cabbages and Chemistry.

[creekmom]

Last year when we studied chemistry, my son started collecting all the elements. He made the board himself using a drill bit to cut out the circles for each element. He learned so much and had a blast doing it!

[creekmom]

Sorry those pics were so small. If you click on these, you can see it better.

[Mom0012]

My kids really have enjoyed the lego education kit we bought. We've also really enjoyed the TOPS books.

 

Lisa

 

ETA: We also did one of those gel ant farms (that was my favorite), grew a frog from a tadpole and bought a butterfly kit. All of those were lots of fun. I'm thinking about doing at least one of those again since they were so little when we did them the first time.

Edited November 2, 2010 by LisaTheresa

[Mom-ninja.]

So far my kids have loved growing frogs and butterflies.

 

Now that Beakman's World is on Netflix they love that.

[Mrs Mungo]

I LOVE the Science in a Nutshell kits.

[shinyhappypeople]

So far my kids have loved growing frogs and butterflies.

 

:iagree: This.

[Jennifer3141]

A GOOD microscope. We've been having so much fun looking at the world through it that I can't wait to get a telescope now!!

[Chris in VA]

Dd enjoyed playing around with Lentil Science by TOPS when she visited this summer.

We liked Home Science Adventures Microscopy. Dd uses her little Tasco all the time outside.

We are looking forward to doing project/kit based science ala WTM rec's for logic stage.

[HollyDay]

Little Professor Science Kit - polymers....

 

Other than that, Noeo Chem 2

[daffodil]

My kids are young, but we love raising butterflies every year. We'll have to give frogs a try next!

[jenn&charles]

The Elements by Ellen McHenry (LOVVVVVVVVVVVE this)

Snap Circuits (one of the best science kits I ever purchased)

Raising butterflies & tadpoles

A critter keeper (we put in a praying mantis, spiders and whatever to observe for awhile - including a crayfish that was on our street!!)

A good microscope (we recently looked at a mosquito and it was amazing - you could even see the compound eye and some of the blood cells)

Polymers kit

[Julie in AZ]

My kids are young, but we love raising butterflies every year. We'll have to give frogs a try next!

 

Oh yes, butterflies were a huge hit here too! :)

[blakereese]

A GOOD microscope. We've been having so much fun looking at the world through it that I can't wait to get a telescope now!!

 

 

Can someone recommend a good microscope? This is on my son's holiday wish list and I would love to hear reviews from ones you all have used. :001_smile:

 

Also, where do you buy your snap circuit sets??

 

Thx~!

[Halcyon]

Sorry those pics were so small. If you click on these, you can see it better.

 

 

What a wonderful idea!

[Mom-ninja.]

I saw Snap Circuits on Amazon.

 

Which set(s) do you recommend?

[kalanamak]

Chemistry Bits

http://www.universeofscience.com/bits.html

 

Adventures in Atoms and Molecules

 

Snap Circuits

 

Mammal parts of dissection via Home Science Tools

 

A trip through the desert to caves, Grand Canyon, Salt Flats, Yellowstone, Death Valley, etc.

[kalanamak]

Can someone recommend a good microscope? This is on my son's holiday wish list and I would love to hear reviews from ones you all have used. :001_smile:

 

Also, where do you buy your snap circuit sets??

 

Thx~!

 

What age son?

 

I got my snap circuits via Amazon, and for a non-highschooler, I think the Brock Magiscope is enough/easy to use.

[Farrar]

I second (or um... third or fourth or fifth or whatever...) the snap circuits. We just have the standard kit and I understand if the kids are into it you can get additional kits to add on to it.

 

We have also enjoyed the Magic Schoolbus science kits.

 

And we've liked having a really nice microscope. I talked the in laws into making this nice investment for us as a holiday present one year and it's been great. It hasn't had heavy use yet, but we've seen some cool stuff through it and I assume it'll last us into high school.

 

Finally, I keep a box of "science stuff" - here are the things I've found that one needs as repeating elements for science experiments at the elementary level:

balloons

straws

jars of different sizes

baking soda

vinegar

food coloring

string

modeling clay

rubber bands

thermometers

coffee filters

ping pong balls

marbles

popsicle sticks

wire

paper clips

magnets

magnifying glasses

2 liter plastic bottle

 

Wow... now I'm looking at that list and it seems nuts, like those things shouldn't add up to anything, but in the last year, I've found having those items handy for doing the sort of "household items" experiments that we see a lot, such as the ones from the Janice VanCleave books. It's nice to have it all in one big box.

[Guest]

Last year when we studied chemistry, my son started collecting all the elements. He made the board himself using a drill bit to cut out the circles for each element. He learned so much and had a blast doing it!

 

This is totally wonderful. Did he get the inspiration from Theodore Gray or did he think it up himself? Is he still at it?

[Aludlam]

My school kids loved the Thames & Kosmos kits I used with them. I just wish I had the funds to get more of them, but the school only gave me so much money...

 

My nephew is in 1st grade and we got him one of the physics kits for his bday and he loves it!

 

 

What kind of physics kit did you get?

[lmrich]

Hatching ducks with an incubator. We ended up having half the neighborhood over on crack day. My kids read everything they could about ducks.

[creekmom]

This is totally wonderful. Did he get the inspiration from Theodore Gray or did he think it up himself? Is he still at it?

 

The inspiration came from my dh - he LOVES science (even though his career is teaching art). My husband started his own collection with my son. They found a lot of elements on Ebay. The Theodore Gray book was extremely helpful for how/where to find a lot of the elements. -This school year has been pretty busy, so he really hasn't done a lot with his collection.

[SailorMom]

Disected a fetal pig, extracted our DNA out of cheek cells, cultered bacteria to look at through a microscope, played "Sponge Bob Genetics"

 

ETA : one son was in 5th grade the other was 6th - so the very edge of elementary that year :)

[Alessandra]

Finally, I keep a box of "science stuff" - here are the things I've found that one needs as repeating elements for science experiments at the elementary level:

balloons

straws

jars of different sizes

baking soda

vinegar

food coloring

string

modeling clay

rubber bands

thermometers

coffee filters

ping pong balls

marbles

popsicle sticks

wire

paper clips

magnets

magnifying glasses

2 liter plastic bottle

 

Wow... now I'm looking at that list and it seems nuts, like those things shouldn't add up to anything, but in the last year, I've found having those items handy for doing the sort of "household items" experiments that we see a lot, such as the ones from the Janice VanCleave books. It's nice to have it all in one big box.

 

We do this too. But your list is better. Thank you!

[Aludlam]

For you guys out there who hatched birds --- what did you do with them after they hatched?

 

I saw incubators and eggs on Home Science Tools. Looks cool.

 

thanks

[MtnTeaching]

We studied the human body one year and put together a big "science fair" type display. We had a blast with the book "The Body Book: Easy-to-Make Hands-On Models that Teach" by Donald Silver and Patricia Wynne. You build paper models of all the major systems of the body. It also has lists of other great resources to round out the study.

 

Two other of our favorite books that I used in this study: "Blood and Guts: A Working Guide to Your Own Insides" by Linda Allison and DK's "How the Incredible Human Body Works" by the Brainwaves.

 

I scoured the internet and found a ton of fun experiments to add to this study - the messier the better- and I will always remember this study as one of our favorites.

 

Oh - and the "Body Worlds" exhibit was at our Science and Nature Museum at the time. It was the perfect fieldtrip.

[Hericane]

No doubt the winner is: Nancy Larson Science.

You can find great parent reviews on their blog: www.bloomingscientists.com and on HomeschoolCreations.

I feel like a broken record raving about NL Science, but it's the only curriculum I've found that is so superior and different from everything else, that I can't help myself.

If you haven't looked at NL Science, you must before you make any decision. It's a complete science program with all the work done for you. It's super easy to teach. It also helps the DC with reading, language arts, critical thinking, and helps me structure our nature studies. It gives me lots of ideas for extra activities and my DC are thinking, really thinking about science and how it's all around us and every where. WOW!

Good luck in your search, and please give this a good look.

[LindaOz]

Sonlight Disover and Do Dvds with the kits for the kids to do all the experiments.

 

:iagree: YES! My kids love these DVDs.

 

Also, my 4th grader is doing the TOPS Radishes book at the moment and she is really enjoying it. It is her 'favorite'!!!

[Guest TheBugsMom]

Sun paper.

We have used this so many ways in our science studies over the last 16 yrs. The latest use was showing magnetic fields.

[Laura Corin]

Naked Egg experiment. No curriculum - just found the description online.

 

Laura

[lovinmomma]

Sun paper.

We have used this so many ways in our science studies over the last 16 yrs. The latest use was showing magnetic fields.

 

I bought some of this a month or so ago. Can you give me some more ideas for how to use it?

[AngelBee]

Sun paper.

We have used this so many ways in our science studies over the last 16 yrs. The latest use was showing magnetic fields.

I had never even heard of sun paper.

 

Taking notes...

[lmrich]

Our first ducklings went to a farm nearby. It is important that there are not other ducks there as they are not known to be friendly. My next set, sadly, were killed in my fenced in back yard in another fenced in area and inside a little tykes house, covered by a tarp. We believe that a fox got them. We were so upset.

[rootsnwings]

What size area do you need to keep the ducklings in after they hatch? I assume incubation is done inside? We have an old rabbit pen that's not getting any use and is up off the ground so critters can't reach the animals (theoretically! ;))... I would have to find a place for them to go before we got them though, can't be having anymore ducklings in my house! :)

[lmrich]

Ducklings need to be kept warm with a heat lamp for the first three weeks and therefore should be indoors. I kept them in large cardboard boxes lined with paper towels and a reptile rug. They are a lot of work in the beginning, but the kids' excitement did not wane. I put them outside on nice warm days inside a little fenced area (just chicken wire). I ran a heat lamp out there as well in case they needed it. They are really cute and fun for the family. There is a ton of information on the web about how to care for them properly; there are some very specific food requirements and heating requirements. By the way we got our eggs from bay. My incubator is really nice and is an older model from this company:http://www.brinsea.com/prod-Mini_Advance_fully_digital_7_egg_incubator-230.aspx.

[swellmomma]

The most memorable for the kids was hatching chicks with an incubator. We got them from a hatchery int eh city that used to rent out the incubators and give you the eggs. You could return the birds within 5 days, or keep them longer and find them a home. I opted to give them to a homeschooling family I knew that had a little farm. Now that company does not do that anymore so this year I plan to buy our own incubator and do it on our own. I already know who I am going to give the chicks to, I have 2 sisters in my daycare that raise chicks and sell the eggs to pay for summer camps etc. I am going to give the chicks to them when we are done.

 

Other hits have been the microscope, telescope and cool kits like make your own chocolate, make your own cheese, owl pellets, and magic school bus kits.

 

Sun paper that a pp mentioned has always been a hit here too. THat stuff is so cool!

[Mom-ninja.]

What is sun paper?

[kalanamak]

Chemistry Bits

[BatmansWife]

My daughter got to use the sun paper (I think they called it something else, but I can't remember what....maybe solar paper??) at a nature class this past summer. It was cool. Here's more info about it:

 

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/1354

 

One of the neatest things we bought, years ago, was a stereo microscope. We also have a compound microscope that a friend gave us (which you use to view microscope slides; it has very high power magnification). Stereo microscopes usually have 2 magnifications, which are much lower, and you can put just about anything under the lens.......rocks, cloth, food, hair, your hand, bugs, the possiblilities are really endless. I will tell you this.....I will *never* look at a lady bug the same again. These are quite pricey (we had gotten a new one of eBay)....but they are so worth it. It's been a fascinating thing to have.