redsquirrel Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 OK, you are my kind of woman :D yeah, I get that a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 Backyard Ballistics? Bingo! :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I love backyard ballistics! But the "backyard" bit is a little misleading. If you have access to a large field, then it will be great, but a lot won't work on our small suburban section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 We did this: http://www.amazon.com/Janice-VanCleaves-Physics-Every-Kid/dp/0471525057 I have vague memories of taking the fluorescent bulb out of the fixture for one of the experiments. Man, that was a long time ago, ds is almost finished with college.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappyhappymama Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Snap Circuits are as big hit here. Also The Way Things Work that was mentioned earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I'm bookmarking this thread! However, I'll add my suggestions: Max Axiom Super Scientist graphic novels TOPS units (good, hands on fun) Always!! We've read everything from Force to Photosynthesis in the Max Axiom universe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Backyard Ballistics (if you are playing too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rootsnwings Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Do you use this site? Do you like it and is it comprehensive as a curricula or just a supplement? Sorry, I'm just seeing your reply. But YES! We have been using Aha! Science since January (I think) and we have been using it as our "spine" along with the UILSE and tons of non-fiction from the library. I actually use some of the books NOEO physics suggests as well. Aha! is the "lecture" part of our study, then we can also play the games and do the suggested activities before we outline the corresponding pages in the UILSE and read/narrate/notebook whatever NF books we get on the related topics. I think Aha! would just be considered general science though as it touches on all science topics at a 3rd-5th grade level (actually I think the range is probably more like 2nd-7th depending on the expectations of output for the student). And, we also have/love The Way Things Work. :) HTH Some! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I didn't see it listed, but there's a computer CD of The Way Things Work, too, with games to play to help understanding.... I agree with the recs for various Lego, FisherTeknik, K'nex, etc. building kits. I know K'nex has ones geared to simple machines. Lego offers robotics.... Hobby Lobby carries a number of physics related kits, such as catapults, various Da Vinci contraptions, bridges of various designs, etc. Delta Education's Science in a Nutshell kits for physical sciences are good, too! There are various gear kits available out there, too, although I've not seen one lately.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imprimis Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Thames & Kosmos Physics Kit is well done (like all their products, imo) and makes a good supplement for a Physics program. Also, FischerTechnic, as someone else mentioned, has some amazing sets. The Janice VanCleeve science books are wonderful, although we haven't used the physics one yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 We've been watching a wonderful series of dvds from the library titled Physical Science in Action - they have many in the series, for example - Forces, Light, Magnetism, Motion & Balance, Properties of Matter, Flight, etc. They are really good, and we're enjoying them thoroughly as a family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Teaching Physics with Toys: Activities for Grades K-9. Out of print but I snagged a used copy from Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Like snap circuits, but gears for Lego, my son has made everything in the kit and is now inventing his own stuff, including an automated cracker cruncher for those of you too lazy to crunch your own crackers, or who just think it is cooler to crunch them with Legos: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GWO5K2/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1591747775&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1SZTW1ZHYAJJJM10ZVCB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poetic license Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I created a word document for myself to save all these suggestions, so I thought I'd paste the list below. Here it is, but beware, it is not nicely formatted, just a simple cut-and-paste: "Roller Coaster Science" Lego Education Teaching Physics With Toys www.lawrencehallofscience.org/GEMS www.stevespanglerscience.com http://crayonphysics.com/ http://www.commonsensemedia.org/game...physics-deluxe Education Exploration http://www.gravitaspublications.com/products Cartoon Guide to Physics Bite Size Physics http://www.physicscentral.com/experi...sics/index.cfm books listed for Sonlight Science's Physics lessons http://www.amazon.com/Wonders-Physic...8682439&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593271964 As an online supplement: https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.or...temid=1024&c=1 http://www.amazon.com/Giant-Golden-B...r_dp_orig_subj Horrible Science series http://www.amazon.com/Gizmos-Gadgets...8683424&sr=8-1 Also, this blog has a wealth of resources for doing physical science at home. I think she posts here too. http://farrarwilliams.wordpress.com/...without-a-net/ These free coloring and activity books from Physics Central http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004VD3Q26 Macaulay's The Way Things Work http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...hysics&x=0&y=0. The Flying Circus of Physics by Walker. Hands-On Physics (Carson-Dellosa) Evan-Moor Simple Machines . Physics Experiments for Kids, Muriel Mandell Janice VanCleave's Engineering for Every Kid The Wonders of Physics: An Introduction to the Physical World, Irving Adler - DK Force and Motion Kingfisher Young Discoverers MPH . Max Axiom Super Scientist graphic novels TOPS units (good, hands on fun) www.youtube.com/watch?v=by-7kkAu2Pg Forbidden Lego: Build the Models Your Parents Warned You Against! Snap Circuits sets -- my son has enjoyed all of these; especially the Rover robot one Power House Kit -- Fischertechnik Mechanic and Static Backyard Ballistics Delta Education's Science in a Nutshell kits for physical sciences . Thames & Kosmos Physics Kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I don't have time to read the other replies, but "The NEW Way Things Work" is an excellent book and uses funny cartoon mammoths to teach concepts in physics starting with a incline plane and ending with computers. http://www.amazon.com/New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311364392&sr=1-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RahRah Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Lego Education. My kid started with Duplo and now he's reading Feynman. a :iagree: The LEGO Simple Machines kit is great - they have activity books to go with the set too. That is a great start to lots of other building ideas you can do with basic LEGO bricks. In addition, with DS, we built a bunch of contraptions to understand the mechanics of various things like levers, ramps (inclined plane), etc. - lots of toys work well into these, like small matchbox cars, trains, etc. Then there is making parachutes for mini-figures, bridges for them to have to cross, etc. - or building contraptions to see what type protects an egg from breaking on a fall and why some work better than others. Snap circuits were a hit here for electricity....as was the potato clock and other battery contraptions we made. Lots of magnet things to do, like making your own magnets, extracting iron from cold cereal (fortified cereal), etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Dude, he's 7? And you are his dad? Oh come on, be a hero: http://tinyurl.com/3op4qmp http://tinyurl.com/3maxnfo http://tinyurl.com/67chhpd http://tinyurl.com/6fgwp3w Okay. You guys are killiing me! I had planned on following TWTM recs for elementary physics but these (and several other links provided in this thread) look like much more fun! This always happens to me when I open these threads! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Sift through some of these: http://www.delicious.com/in2edu/physics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfatherslily Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Such great suggestions! We just finished Week 2 of Noeo Physics. I saved some of the suggestions and others will be great in a few years when my son is older:) Mostly it's DD7 doing science and DS5 is just tagging along. I know he'll love all this building stuff someday! She, on the other hand, chose to demonstrate mass today by drawing pictures of different sized pink animals;) I love the songs from Singing Science Records. Unfortunately, the website where I downloaded them doesn't have them available anymore. Ohh, just found them on youtube! Awesome. Look for Space Songs and Energy & Motion Songs http://www.youtube.com/user/vektorgt My poor kids had to suffer through "Friction" and "Gravity" a dozen times this week:D (BTW, the nature songs are awful, imo) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 I wish I could remember a website I had found at one time. It utilizes physics principles. You build machines to move something with various levers and cogs and such. Maybe my poor description will spark a memory of someone here. I do believe I had found it as a result of WTM forums. Good luck with your search Bill. Here it is. It's an old game you can download and my ds6 and ds8 ADORE it. I have totally forgotten what these things are called...but do you remember in Back to the Future where Doc built a machine that once his alarm clock went off, it would trigger the toast to cook and the dog's food to be opened, etc? Well, in this game, you are giving a goal and you have to use the items in the game to make a machine that can reach the goal. Items include a bowling ball, a gun, a rope, a magnifying glass, a candle (use the magnifying glass to light the candle, which burns thru the rope holding the bowling ball, which drops....you get the idea.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Literary Mom Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 ...any curriculum suggestions for cramming physics into a semester for a 4th and 2nd grader? (preferably classical) We just did Elemental Chemistry this past semester and we want to try something else... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 BFSU Volume 2 has some very good sections on Physics. Well, BFSU 1 does too, but he may be beyond some of that. I would use them in conjunction. We are doing a lot of physics stuff now with Volume 2 and we all love it. And the books are cheap if you get the downloads, so that doesn't hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maus Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Here it is. It's an old game you can download and my ds6 and ds8 ADORE it. I have totally forgotten what these things are called...but do you remember in Back to the Future where Doc built a machine that once his alarm clock went off, it would trigger the toast to cook and the dog's food to be opened, etc? Well, in this game, you are giving a goal and you have to use the items in the game to make a machine that can reach the goal. Items include a bowling ball, a gun, a rope, a magnifying glass, a candle (use the magnifying glass to light the candle, which burns thru the rope holding the bowling ball, which drops....you get the idea.) Rube Goldberg Machine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maus Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Probably too old for a seven year old, but you can watch "The Mechanical Universe & Beyond" online here. And there's Physics4kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Another vote for K'nex physics kits. My son loves these kits. They come with a cd-rom that walks you through the educational concepts of each project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 First off the Physics book that SWB recommends is only $5.95 and PRIME eligible on Amazon. It is a good little book with a lot of ideas. I read through it to get an idea of what we could be looking at this year. After most of the experiments it has an " you will see that;" and an explanation. Then we went for the fun factor. Have you discovered Timberdoodle? It is a Christian company, but they have a lot of secular products. The a for mentioned Max Axiom Also mentioned Snap circuits (which I use as a bribe to get ds to hurry up) This is what we are starting next week as our Magnet unit and then Engino simple machines is what we will finish our Physics year out with We are doing a few other things, but at this age for the most part we are breaking it into electricity, magnets, and simple machines. We are doing force and motion with simple machines. We did a short intro to matter with the experiments from the physics book and Max Axiom. Sound and light this year have been left to Max Axiom. We will go more in depth in the logic stage. I never would have believed that we would both have more fun with Physics that Chemistry. Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 This may have been mentioned before... but I loved using the old Eureka! cartoon shorts to review Force, Simple Machines, Heat & Temperature. The Lever List of all episodes of Eureka! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka!_%28TV_series%29 You can look up the episodes on YouTube and they are wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Fantastic Contraption! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I know this is an old thread, but sue me I'm bumping since it randomly popped up in another search: My vote would be for the Montessori Simple Machines and for Irving Adler's Wonders of Physics OOP Golden book, which is (a) beautiful and (b) extremely clear and understandable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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