WriterMommy Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 My DS6 wants more hands-on science. I'm following WTM curriculum suggestions for 1st grade. We usually read a few pages and then he writes a one page summary, and sometimes draws a picture. It's ok. He doesn't fight me, but he's not super-pumped about it. I'm wondering how I can make biology more hands-on at this level. When I think of hands-on science, I go straight to baking soda volcanoes, and other simple chemical reactions which would be chemistry, and not used in WTM till later (3rd or 4th, I forget...) or physics topics like heat transfer and magnets, etc. I don't think he's ready for dissection and microscopes and other hands-on biology things that I did in high school. Does anyone have a suggestion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Ivy Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 My favorite is Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding. You read the lesson to yourself, highlight what the main points are, gather the supplies (household items, usually) and have a discussion with the recommended demonstration or experiment. This usually takes an hour a week. We pair it with REAL Science Odyssey, which has pre-made lab sheets and notebooking pages for little ones who can write. We love it, and the kids have retained so much! Science is their favorite subject! I have learned a lot of science, too. You could do one or the other and not both, though. I'm sure you'll get a lot of recommendations; there's a ton of stuff available. I chose BFSU and REAL Odyssey because I feel its gets to the point of science, teaches concepts, little prep for me, can be done with multiple ages at once, and cost effective for a large family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 We love REAL Science Odyssey here. Very easy (for mom, I mean!), very hands-on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssavings Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecclecticmum Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 WInter Promise would be hands on (Animals and their Worlds) Searching on Pinterest for Biology experiments (DIY digestive system, life size skeleton, CD case seeds, bringing up wild insects etc) Science in the Beginning is very hands on, but not whatyou want. Science Acitivities in a Bag (available from currclick)has experiments for that hands on factor. Elemental Science does WTM inspired science and is quite activity based, whilst still having the notebook factor and not being too over the top, so I reckon your best bet would be to switch to that if you wanted hands-on without having to organize it yourself and keepingwith WTM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nature girl Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 My daughter loves the Magic School Bus science kits, and I think 6 is a perfect age for them. We have many of the books and videos too (recognizing the characters has made her enjoy the kits even more), so that's helped her get a really good understanding of a lot of topics. We've bought the kits separately from Amazon, but there's also a monthly subscription we're looking forward to trying in the next year or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjdan Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 My son loved the Magic School bus science kits- we had the subscription. They were great, and we watched the videos and read the books that went along with the kit. The Magic School Bus kits send you everything that you'd need (except very common household items), have a good hypothesis/result page for each experiment, etc. Very hands-on and fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 http://www.thamesandkosmos.com/products/ll/ll.html maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 ... I'm following WTM curriculum suggestions for 1st grade. We usually read a few pages and then he writes a one page summary, and sometimes draws a picture. No offense but... blech! :ack2: I'm all for following some of the WTM recommendations... but I can't imagine making a 1st grader WRITE about science! Here are some hands-on Biology (Life Science) ideas to get you started: General Resource for Activity Ideas: * The Kids Nature Book: 365 Indoor/Outdoor Activities * Little Labs: Plant Science Kit * Magic School Bus Kit: Exploring the Wonders of Nature * Magic School Bus Kit: Microscope Lab HUMAN BODY (Anatomy) - Body Systems * Magic School Bus Kit: Human Body * life size human anatomy systems * digestive system: make poop * Blood (clogged/clear arteries, components of blood (or, a different version here)) - Five Senses * Science Pocket: Human Senses and Body Parts * guess what things are just by scent * see how smell & taste are connected: blindfold so you can't see; then hold nose shut tightly, then have assistant hand you a piece of peeled potato and a piece of peeled apple; eat and see if you can tell which is which * test the sweet/sour/bitter/salty parts of the tongue - more topic ideas to search for activities: * Germs / Illness / Medicine * Teeth / Dental Hygiene * Brain PLANTS (Botany) - plant parts (stems, roots, leaves, flowers, seeds) * collect and eat veggies that are different parts of the plant (carrot = root; celery = stem; lettuce = leaf; broccoli = flower bud) * leaf collection, leaf rubbings, identify tree varieties through matching leaves to a tree ID book * cut the bottom off a stalk of celery, place in water with food coloring in it, see color go up stalk * buy a carrot with the greens still attached; cut off greens with about an inch of carrot, place in a shallow saucer of water, and watch the carrot grow new roots -- then plant it * collect several very different flowers; cut in half with scissors or plastic knife; examine with magnifying glass -- how similar/different? label parts - seeds and gardening * TOPS radish unit or corn & bean unit * watch a bean seed sprout * buy marigold seeds and plant in a disposable cup (hole punched in bottom) and potting soil; grow on window sill * egg carton garden (start a variety of seeds) * sprout grass or alfalfa seed in a disposable pie pan of soil * chart plant growth rates - ecology * make a terrarium from a recycled soda bottle - Magic School Bus Kit: Going Green - more topic ideas to search for activities: * gardening / compost / earthworms * pollination * tree rings * how plants make food * different types of plants: fungi / water plants / catcus - eco-systems ANIMALS (Zoology) - Birds * how strong are bird bones * dissect an owl pellet * examine different types of bird feathers * compare different bird beaks with what the bird eats - Insects * do a backyard bug survey * make a chart of butterfly's life cycle with pasta * catch a caterpillar, make a habitat, watch the who life cycle - Fish * visit the pet store or aquarium and watch different fish up close * go fishing; when you gut the fish, examine all the innards (dissection!) - more topic ideas to search for activities * zoology science fair ideas * Mammals * animal tracks (here or * Reptiles * Amphibians (frog activities, * life cycles * zoo * habitats * food chain * marine biology Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 My daughter loves the Magic School Bus science kits, and I think 6 is a perfect age for them. We have many of the books and videos too (recognizing the characters has made her enjoy the kits even more), so that's helped her get a really good understanding of a lot of topics. We've bought the kits separately from Amazon, but there's also a monthly subscription we're looking forward to trying in the next year or so. I just ordered these for my son who is 5 but I am thinking we may wait a bit to start doing them. Educents had and may still have them at 50% off. I paid $120 for a 12 month subscription so $10/each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 A one page summary seems to be mass overkill for a 6 year old to me. I think that you might find he is more enthused with a more age appropriate assignment. Is he writing this one page or dictating it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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