Catherine Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 After reading and studying the long thread last fall in which I learned about lewelma's method for teaching science, I totally scrapped my (admittedly meager) plans for this fall and made my own science curriculum for my fifth grade ds, who loves biology, our science for this year. I left aside several weeks to work on a real research project, which we just finished in time for the science fair last week. He loved the research! Even though he hates writing and math and there was a lot of writing and a little math involved in the calculations, he diligently worked (with me) on finding subjects, testing them, and recording raw data, following the write up format. It was really an excellent learning experience for him. Overall, it has been a very good science year for us, despite some hiccups. I find making time for science and history still a challenge for this particular kid, who is still working on some skills that are grammar level, which is time-consuming. His interest in science has only grown this year and he's doing more and more reading and study on his own. So thank you lewelma! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 It sounds like you did a fabulous job teaching science. I can't wait until my DD11 gets to the state where she can handle a large research project. We've been doing a daily science lab for years. But the experiments have to be about 15 minutes maximum or her attention span wavers. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 An annual science fair project of DS's choosing has been central to our year ever since he was in kindergarten. I should warn you... (lol) Every year they get a little bigger... and we still do a complete textbook curriculum for science too... so science has gotten to be a Really Big Thing around here. :) He loved the research! Even though he hates writing and math and there was a lot of writing and a little math involved in the calculations, he diligently worked (with me) on finding subjects, testing them, and recording raw data, following the write up format. It was really an excellent learning experience for him. I had a similar realization.... I had thought of DS as "not really fond of writing" except that it was never a problem when it was science fair writing... even when the science fair writing was at really enormous length! I applied some of what I recognized from that to his other writing, too.... There are a few things that I think make the difference... The science project is a topic he chose, that he knows inside and out by the time he's producing a paper, and that he has his own data on. Those all help... but also I think that the idea of approaching a subject with your own question, rather than casting a net for whatever is out there, leads to a much better use of the resources. So to apply it to history, it's like the difference between a paper addressing "What do you know about the colonial era" versus one on "What did Roanoke have to do with the Anglo-Spanish war?" The first is a good broad assignment, but a terrible paper... getting to the second one (or another like it) involves the kid reading enough to stumble upon something intriguing, and then pursuing it until he's satisfied. And then he's ready to write! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 We have done science fair for two years in a row now, one project per child. It takes a large chunk of our year, like a little over a full month for us to work on. At least one week it takes the whole week to get the board ready for presentation. By the time they write up the information, decorate their boards and put it all together, it covers math, writing, art, as well as science. Then when they go present to the judges they have to practice their public speaking and be well prepared to answer questions on their own. I have been debating about continueing to do it every year, but they get so much out of it. So we will keep trying to do it anyway. Plus they really enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 After reading and studying the long thread last fall in which I learned about lewelma's method for teaching science, Would you please provide a link to this thread? Pretty please with gumballs on top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Would you please provide a link to this thread? Pretty please with gumballs on top? :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263107&highlight=shoot+me Hope this link works! I'll check back later to see how it is. Catherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 (edited) So thank you lewelma! You are so welcome. I am really glad that you have had such a good experience with a large investigation. I agree that integrating science with math, writing, and public speaking is one of the best parts of the project. This meshing of many separate subjects into one really reminds all of us why we study them. I am currently writing up this year's science fair project here: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=361740 I decided to write it week by week so that I could really flesh out all the scientific thinking that goes into this type of project. Ruth in NZ Edited April 4, 2012 by lewelma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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