Suggestions for science

[strange_girl]

Hello, homeschoolers. I have yet another question :)

 

Can you please give me some suggestions for elementary science? I have tried so many science books and I simply don't like any of them. I think the problem is that *I* am not a science lover to begin with. I have a positive allergy to doing hands-on/ experiments, and so forth.

 

My kids are going to need to know science eventually. Are there any teacher-friendly science courses that might also be good for the student?

 

Thanks!

[SilverMoon]

There's no reason a grammar stage DC has to do experiments and messy activities. It's perfectly okay to just read a variety of nonfiction science books and discuss them. :001_smile:

[MamaSheep]

My kids loved doing the messy science stuff, but I don't see any reason you couldn't just read library books about various science topics, and then have the kids make a notebook page about what they learned. At the ages of your kids I'd say just have them draw a picture and label it (if they can write), or have you label it (if they can't), or have you write the label on a separate sheet of paper so they can copy it in their own handwriting (if they're somewhere in between). Go outside and talk about the sun and moon and stars. No mess. Talk about the clouds. See what animals they see--dog, cat, hens, birds, squirrels. Let them practice classifying things by sorting the silverware into the drawer dividers. Talk about whether things are living or non-living, and if they're not alive, were they alive at one point but not anymore (like the wood in the table). Show them the water in the pot before it goes on the stove, and then lift each up to see it boiling before you put the pasta in for dinner. Put clean water in the sink with dish soap and let them look at the bubbles. Let them blow on the bubbles and talk about how air takes up space, is moved by their breathing, and can push on the bubbles. When you're running the vacuum, let them put their hands over the nozzle and feel the suction. Look at rocks, sticks, leaves, and bugs. Let them think of things about the cat, dog, and chickens that are the same (they all eat, they all have eyes, they all poop), and things that are different (chickens have feathers, dogs and cats have fur; chickens lay eggs, dogs and cats don't). Now think of things that are same/different between pets and people. When you bring home produce from the store, talk about what part of the plant each item comes from--is it a root, stem, leaf, fruit, or seed? Taste different kinds of food plants. 

There's a lot of science in everyday life for kids that age. And if you have them draw a picture of it and write "Bubbles move if I blow on them," or "Dogs and cats have fur but chickens have feathers", or "The vacuum picks up dirt with air," on the page and let them sign their name, then you've got a record of all the fun "experiments" they've done, they're learning to keep a science journal, and it's not really any messier than normal life would be. And they're learning science skills like classification, observation, recording data, and so forth. 

 

 

[strange_girl]

I like that idea, lol. Of course I do; it's easier for me.

 

If this is indeed the case...what have some of your favorite resources and/or nonfiction science books been?

 

Please share!

[AimeeM]

If you have absolutely any Catholic inclinations (lol!) I can't recommend Catholic Heritage Curricula's science enough.

[strange_girl]

My kids loved doing the messy science stuff, but I don't see any reason you couldn't just read library books about various science topics, and then have the kids make a notebook page about what they learned. At the ages of your kids I'd say just have them draw a picture and label it (if they can write), or have you label it (if they can't), or have you write the label on a separate sheet of paper so they can copy it in their own handwriting (if they're somewhere in between). Go outside and talk about the sun and moon and stars. No mess. Talk about the clouds. See what animals they see--dog, cat, hens, birds, squirrels. Let them practice classifying things by sorting the silverware into the drawer dividers. Talk about whether things are living or non-living, and if they're not alive, were they alive at one point but not anymore (like the wood in the table). Show them the water in the pot before it goes on the stove, and then lift each up to see it boiling before you put the pasta in for dinner. Put clean water in the sink with dish soap and let them look at the bubbles. Let them blow on the bubbles and talk about how air takes up space, is moved by their breathing, and can push on the bubbles. When you're running the vacuum, let them put their hands over the nozzle and feel the suction. Look at rocks, sticks, leaves, and bugs. Let them think of things about the cat, dog, and chickens that are the same (they all eat, they all have eyes, they all poop), and things that are different (chickens have feathers, dogs and cats have fur; chickens lay eggs, dogs and cats don't). Now think of things that are same/different between pets and people. When you bring home produce from the store, talk about what part of the plant each item comes from--is it a root, stem, leaf, fruit, or seed? Taste different kinds of food plants.

 

There's a lot of science in everyday life for kids that age. And if you have them draw a picture of it and write "Bubbles move if I blow on them," or "Dogs and cats have fur but chickens have feathers", or "The vacuum picks up dirt with air," on the page and let them sign their name, then you've got a record of all the fun "experiments" they've done, they're learning to keep a science journal, and it's not really any messier than normal life would be. And they're learning science skills like classification, observation, recording data, and so forth.

Those are all good ideas...but my oldest has done all of those things and more. She likes science. She's also very advanced. She helps DH work on the cars. she goes off adventuring into the woods (we have 8 acres in Maine) with her notebook and a box of crayons...to 'draw what she finds'. She goes to sleep at night reading books about gasses and solids and scientific theory. She wants to know why. She wants to know how.

 

And inwardly I groan and wonder how I'm going to get through this. I want her to get what she needs but I'm not sure how to give it to her. Library books might be enough, but I can't help wonder if she needs more.

[vonfirmath]

In K, the way they did labeling in the GATE program was having the words typed out on paper. The kids cut them out and glued them in where they belonged on the image.  Then drew in lines.

[strange_girl]

In K, the way they did labeling in the GATE program was having the words typed out on paper. The kids cut them out and glued them in where they belonged on the image. Then drew in lines.

Thanks :)

 

My daughter writes on a third grade level. We're not worrying about labeling.

[happymomofboys]

Sonlight Science is great.  It has lots of wonderful science books to read, activity pages, a box of all the materials you need for experiments and a video for experiments if you don't want to do the hands-on part just yet.  It can also be used with multiple ages.  Combined with a nature walk once a week, it's just the right amount of science for elementary.

[MamaSheep]

Those are all good ideas...but my oldest has done all of those things and more. She likes science. She's also very advanced. She helps DH work on the cars. she goes off adventuring into the woods (we have 8 acres in Maine) with her notebook and a box of crayons...to 'draw what she finds'. She goes to sleep at night reading books about gasses and solids and scientific theory. She wants to know why. She wants to know how.

 

And inwardly I groan and wonder how I'm going to get through this. I want her to get what she needs but I'm not sure how to give it to her. Library books might be enough, but I can't help wonder if she needs more.

 

Hmm....that does complicate matters some. When my son was in 4th grade and my daughter was 4 we used the level one Life Science from Real Science Odyssey, and they both really enjoyed it and so did I.  So that's what I think of first for science for that age range. But it does have a lot of hands-on stuff. And some of it is quite messy. Science at my house is usually messy, so maybe I'm not the best person to respond. 

 

But you might just be able to read from library books and science encyclopedias and have her draw and write about what she learned and call it good. Maybe add in field trips to science-related museums (natural history, etc.) and other places of scientific interest (zoo, aquarium, bird sanctuary...). And videos from the library or Netflix?

[Arcadia]

She helps DH work on the cars. she goes off adventuring into the woods (we have 8 acres in Maine) with her notebook and a box of crayons...to 'draw what she finds'. She goes to sleep at night reading books about gasses and solids and scientific theory. She wants to know why. She wants to know how.

 

Binoculars

Field microscope - brock handheld is recommended in this forum

Bug box

 

Snap circuits kit for bad weather days

Arduino and/or raspberry pi kit if she has the interest in programming

 

Get some dry ice if you can (ice-cream cake stores might sell). Its wonderful fun for watching dry ice becomes "fog" skipping the liquid phase/state

 

PBS Nova videos (website)

http://video.pbs.org/program/nova/

PBS ScienceNow videos (website)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/

How its made series (Youtube)

The way things work DVD set (library)

Disney Imagineering DVD set (library)

 

Old Car manuals in pdf

http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/

[evansmom]

Mr. Q has free Life Science (you have to print out the whole thing so there is a cost to you) but my kids LOVED it. We used it with two families and got together once a week, the kids were 1st-4th. I can't recommend it enough. Experiments were manageable and cheap.

[Homemama2]

We liked Apologia for elementary.  It seemed to have a depth that other programs we did were lacking.  We often didn't do the experiments because we had already done similar ones before, so we just discussed them (and if I remember right there was only one per chapter-so maybe 14 in a book).  They suggest you do one book per year, but you can do one per semester if you don't want to study one subject that long.  That's what we did and it worked well. 

[8filltheheart]

I like that idea, lol. Of course I do; it's easier for me.

 

If this is indeed the case...what have some of your favorite resources and/or nonfiction science books been?

 

Please share!

The library's science books ;)

Any of the Scientists in the Field books

The NSTA lists. http://www.nsta.org/publications/ostb/

Nmoira has a list she has created http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?viewstyle=5&view=nmoira&collection=133922&shelf=list&sort=dewey

 

That should give you an idea of how to start :)

[strange_girl]

Thanks everyone! Great ideas! :)

[chelsmm]

We are currently doing Real Science Odyssey Life. It is fun and I'm not finding it messy or comicated. They have a try before you buy on their website. You can print out almost half a year of Life.

 

I also have been doing matter with the kids. I'm just finding random stuff online and doing little experiments. They are loving it. Simple, free ( using library books) and fun.

 

Mr Q has a bunch of great, easy to put together experiments as well.