Ant Farm Kits: An Easy Science Lesson for Multiple Ages Our boys exchange names every year for Christmas and then are blessed to buy gifts for their selected brother. This year, our youngest picked out an Ant Farm for his brother. Not only is this an excellent gift for the animal lover of our family, but it has turned into an amazing “cross-grade” science lesson. … Read More »
7 Thanksgiving Science Experiments Kids love science experiments. Me, not so much. Just for FUN: Download Your Thanksgiving Jokes- Cootie Catcher {Printable} I do not know what my problem with science activities is, but I tend to leave them for the end and then run out of time. Thanksgiving week is a perfect time to have a science experiment bonanza! Why not? Why only 7? That’s all I can even think about tackling during a holiday week. I am hoping to get to at least two. Drum roll once again… My Top 7 List of “Kid Friendly and Mother Approved” Science Experiments…. Read More »
7 Thanksgiving Science Experiments Kids love science experiments. Me, not so much. I do not know what my problem with science activities is, but I tend to leave them for the end and then run out of time. Thanksgiving week is a perfect time to have a science experiment bonanza! Why not? Why only 7? That’s all I can even think about tackling during a holiday week. I am hoping to get to at least 2:) Drum roll once again… My Top 7 List of “Kid Friendly and Mother Approved” Science Experiments. Solid, Liquid Gas Balloons I am thrilled to have found Ms. Liz’s site and am anxious to do this one with my boys! What a fun way to demonstrate the properties of solids, liquids, and gases! The Domino Effect I have to admit, my boys need very little motivation to set up a fantastic domino display. I guess I never thought about the science behind this fun activity. Jameson’s lab does a great job of helping us set our kids up for science and fun! What’s That Cloud? I love this one! While I have always loved saying big-hard to pronounce words, like cumulonimbus, I never could keep the clouds straight. Smmart Ideas has a brilliant way to teach your kiddo’s (and mine) how to identify the various types of clouds… Make a cloud categorize. Brilliant. Follow the link for the directions. Make your own Electromagnet I totally remember making one of these in the 3rd or 4th grade! I of course, could not remember how it was done, so I am so thankful for The Organized Classroom Blog for coming to my rescue. Follow the link for step by step instructions. Be sure to use the cute mini book! Make Music with Water This one from Prekinders speaks for itself. What does it say? Fun! Are Mittens Warm? This one is more up my alley because it has a literature connection. I love Jan Brett’s The Mitten. Get her book and read it to your kiddos, then do the simple and fun activity that Classroom Freebies put together for us! Mad Scientist Potions I stumbled upon this one at Babble. Too fun! With a little dry ice, you will look like a scientific genius! Have Scienc-y Fun this Thanksgiving! More Thanksgiving Activities Here Thanksgiving Math, Reading, Science Activities for 3rd Grade 30 Thanksgiving Activities, Crafts, and Games for K-2nd Grade 21 Thanksgiving Math Activities for Kindergarten 4 Thanksgiving Jokes Solved with Divisibility Fall Math and Literacy Super Bundle- Grades K-2 Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas! Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
Free! Super Charged Science Experiments for Homeschoolers Like all great scientific discoveries, this one was an accident. On a whim, I signed our three very different sons up for an online science class. I was skeptical, but not enough to hide my email address. … Read More »
Ants and Homeschool Nothing makes my skin crawl faster than crawling ants. Kaiser rolls are tasty. Imagine a hot ham and cheese sandwich on a kaiser roll. I even like those little black poppy seeds as long as they do not get trapped between my teeth. Yum. When I was in high school, I worked at a wonderful shop. It was like working with family. Only this family never got under your skin. Until they asked me to do the unthinkable. Photo by Skitter We had a five-gallon bucket of poppy seeds. That’s a lot in case you are wondering. … Read More »
Astonishing! What Does a Spoon Have to do with Science? Inside: How simple household items can be the breakthrough you need to teach science. My son was staring at his spoon. It was strange. “Mom, I’ve always wondered why my reflection is upside down in my spoon. What’s even more confusing is that when I turn it around, my reflection is right-side-up.” I laughed aloud. Not at him. … Read More »
What do comic books have to do with learning? Spiders and bug spray were meant to be introduced. Don’t you think? Sure, we need spiders. Lots of them in fact. Why? Because spiders eat flies. That’s why! I hate flies almost as much as these 8 legged wonders. OK, I don’t HATE spiders. I think they are pretty amazing. I just do not want to share the same space with them. Is that too much to ask? But what do spiders have to do with anything homeschool related? My boys would roll their eyes at us and scream, “Spiderman!”. While I try to teach them the abilities of arachnids, they would be trying to invent that cool webbing stuff that comes out of Peter Parkers wrists that enables him to swing through New York above rush hour traffic. But now that I have the boys’ attention, I’m going to try to keep it. Why not find some way to science and comics? When I heard there were comic books that could help my children learn science, I was excited. My kids love comic books and the magic of Manga learning tools seem like a perfect fit! What is Manga? It’s a style of Japanese comic books and graphic novels, typically aimed at adults as well as children. Why does it matter? And what does it have to do with learning? I’ve discovered this tremendous resource for teaching kids science and all about the human body. Rather than a dry text and diagram textbook, concepts are covered in a story-based format that’s also visual, so learners of all kinds have more to glom onto, and it’s easier to recall. Sort of like our trusted and true pal Ms. Frizzle of the Magic School Bus, but for a slightly older children depending on the book. Last but certainly not least – it makes learning fun! Imagine if your child requested to re-read a science text book. That’s what these amazing books can inspire. We started on the Survive! Inside the Human Body series, and even I am learning! Topics covered in this book series about the human body: Human Body (anatomy), Digestive System, Circulatory System, Nervous System, Personal Wellness, Effects of Food on the Body, Medicine & technology, and Genetics. But there are also advanced topics in this format like the Universe, Physics, Linear Algebra, and more available from Shockingly Awesome Learning on Educents.com. See inside the books in this cute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmpxhYmBAaM (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]=’EMAIL’;ftypes[0]=’email’;fnames[1]=’FNAME’;ftypes[1]=’text’;}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);
Ready for Geology? We are going to have 1 or two kids studying geology this year. We haven’t quite decided yet. In preparation I’ve been studying all about rocks, minerals, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes and the like. Can I just confess that science isn’t my subject. Well, I love science, I just don’t do so well at teaching it. And then I created an Oreo lab for plate tectonics. OREOS. You know, the cookies? Ok, I’m in now. (As long as there’s milk too…) Although I am nowhere near ready for school, I am ready to jump into geology with at least one son. That’s a start! Are you ready for school? Are you teaching geology this year? You may want to take a look at this resource. Download your FREE “Science is Curiosity” {Printable}
Summer Fun Dragonflies Free is good, right? Here’s a fun freebie for you! You will find this product in my store. 14 Fun Facts about Dragonflies More Dragonfly Fun
Science: Water Rocket I pretty much fail at teaching science. I try. I really do. But we just can’t be great at everything. On my list of “Things I am not great at Doing” is teaching science. My saving gracing, besides Jesus, is childhood ingenuity. With the help of a teacher friend, my 8th grader not only made a water rocket, but launched it successfully. While I may not be the best “science teacher”, but kids are the best independent learners! Here are some easy instructions for building your own Water Rocket. Be safe, and have a “BLAST”! New from my Store: Buy now Download your FREE “Science is Curiosity” {Printable}
Insects and Spring: The Perfect Homeschool Pair Spring has sprung! We live in the Pacific Northwest and there is no doubt that spring is in the air (Ah-choo!).While everything is covered in pollen so thick that you leave footprints in the yellow, the boys are in heaven. Sunshine Warmth Birds Bees Flowers Trees Take advantage of the spring in your area and do a unit study on one or more aspects of God’s Creation. This is a read along video about BUGS! Great for emerging readers! Unit Study on Insects Insect Documentary 50 Art Projects for Spring! Science Experiments! Have Fun! Download your FREE “Science is Curiosity” {Printable}
Snow Days: Setting Aside Curriculum For a Few Days My boys and I are learning all about snow! I set aside our “normal” curriculum and wrote a unit study on snow. Yes, I need a break. The boys are loving the break from the norm and are dreaming about our first snowfall. Hopefully we will be sledding before the new year. In the meantime we are learning about all the different types, colors, and sounds of snow. From Blood Falls to Surviving an avalanche, we are all amazed! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May the Lord bless you and your family!!!
Science: Learning About Cells-Mitosis We stumbled into a unit on cells this week. Don’t you love the freedom of homeschooling? We happened to be able to gain access to a microscope, some plant cell slides, and a science teacher all at the same time… excitement was born! While all I could say was, “That slide looks neat,” the teacher was able to share his love for cell division with the boys. In five minutes, the boys transformed from boys trying to use a microscope, to biologists trying to identify the different stages of cell division. God’s creation is truly amazing! Here’s how I helped fuel the flames of excitement: First: We watched a few videos on cell division: We loved Crash Course: Mitosis (He a fast talker, but does great overviews!) We also loved Bozeman’s “Phases of Mitosis” Although these video’s are targeting high schoolers, my boys caught the main ideas without a hitch! Then I stayed up waaay too late creating a Cell Cycle Flip Book kit for each son (for both plant and animal cells). The boys have been busy today coloring, cutting, arranging and flipping about cells. It’s been a fun and productive morning! I posted my cell flip book kit for anyone to grab a copy just a while ago. ***Be the first to comment on this post AND send me an email saying “I would love a Cell Flip Book for my Kids” and I will email you a free copy!
Experince First: Marine Biology Experience First: Marine Biology is a post from Bekki @ A Better Way to Homeschool where we learn to train our children to become lifelong learners. If you have enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Bekki on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+! I am not excited about marine biology. The thought of teaching about bio-luminescence and phytoplankton simply do not cross my mind during the school year. So what if I have a Marine Biologist hiding inside one of my children? This is a prime example of experience first. You know, get up to your elbows in a subject first, then teach about it later… Our second son worked all spring and summer to pay his own way on a Tall Ship adventure. He was excited to learn to sail, kayak, and snorkel. He just returned this past weekend with a passion to learn all about marine biology. Why? He studied different phytoplankton under a microscope. He Observed an octopus in the ships aquarium. He snorkeled among our state fish (the garibaldi). Finally, he swam with baby seal lions. Actually, one jumped right onto his back while he was on his boogie board: How cool is that? Should it surprise me that he now wants to study marine biology? Of course not! He was able to experience the wonder of the ocean before I ever had him prepare a 5 paragraph essay on the wide varieties of ocean creatures. Take your children out into this amazing world. Let them get wet, muddy, and wonderfully dirty. Explore until you find what makes their heart skip a beat, then dive into the books to learn more. You will be thrilled with the “education” you are delivering to your children.
Electricity and Magnetism Electricity and Magnetism is a post from Bekki @ A Better Way to Homeschool where we learn to train our children to become lifelong learners. If you have enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Bekki on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+! Don’t you just love YouTube? I am using a cool hands on kit to teach the kids about electricity and motors. You can see the actual kit here: Elenco Snap Circuits UC-40 Upgrade Kit SC-100 to SC-500 (affiliate link) What is unbelievable is that even I can teach them about electricity using this kit! I know nothing about electricity and even less about motors and physics. This step by step, easy to snap and operate kit makes me seem brilliant! I do not know about you, but I love things like this. Every time we complete a simple project, we do YouTube research. Did I already tell you I love YouTube? We found a neat little instruction video that taught us all about electricity, magnetic fields, and the homopolar motor. Enjoy learning along side your kids! Did You Enjoy this Article? Subscribe here to make sure you do not miss a thing:)
Experience First: Flight Every time the Space Shuttle launched I cried like a baby. “Mission Control, This is Endeavour are we cleared for launch?” “Endeavor you are cleared to launch in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…” I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Now, teaching kids about aerodynamics is another subject altogether. I get a headache just thinking about it. For me, this is a dry and dull subject (if you are an aerospace engineer who may visit this article, forgive me). Related: Your preschools don’t need to sit still, they need to move! So how do I teach my kids about things I find dull and boring? I find someone who is passionate about the subject and get my kids in front of their enthusiasm! The funny thing is when I am with my children I catch the enthusiasm. In our “who you know” world, our family was invited to watch the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour as it made its California Tour. (My husband worked for NASA at the time). I have to say this was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in my life. We were able to have a front row seat to view the shuttle fly by on the back of its 747 and then land and park directly in front of our family ( and a few thousand other blessed people). Wow. I still cannot believe we were able to see this. Now let me ask you. Do you think my boys are going to be interested as we learn about flight and aerodynamics? You tell me… While it is true that not everyone can get an invitation like this, everyone has opportunities all around them to explore something amazing. Seize every one of those opportunities as you homeschool. I hear of homeschoolers that farm, raise chickens and cows, build an organic homestead and store, visit local (and not so local) museums, participate in living history days, attend plays, play musical instruments, attend art shows, shadow professionals to preview jobs, design and build computers, and more. What do you have available to you and your kids? Maybe it’s fishing. If you want your kids to learn about the fish of the sea, begin by taking them fishing. Don’t know how to fish? Ask around. My hubby took two of our sons out with a friend today to participate in their first fishing derby. Look at that King Salmon! You can bet that boy will be primed and ready to learn about the life cycle of a fish, and the impact of the Salmon on the health of the Pacific Northwest where we live. He’ll likely even be ready to help protect fish to ensure that his kids can experience this same thrill. It could be anything, but usually kids don’t say, “Hey, I’m passionate about this thing I’ve never done before!” Kids need to experience first, become intrigued and then they’ll be excited to learn. Always lead with EXPERIENCE Ask a neighbor or two for their top ten sites in your town for their top ten list of places to see Visit your local chamber of commerce Order your national parks map and visit 3 parks this year Read your local paper and attend things that you may think are boring (just do not say that aloud to your kids) Then stand back. As your kids taste and see this amazing world, they will be primed and ready to receive the “educational” activities rolling in your imagination. Just be sure to hook their curiosity before you blast off into learning! How to Make Learning Fun: EASY! Hebrew for Homeschoolers High School Electives for Homeschoolers
Boy Heaven Boy Heaven is a post from Bekki @ A Better Way to Homeschool where we learn to train our children to become lifelong learners. If you have enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Bekki on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+! Boy Heaven! My husband recently bought me a new printer for my office. He surprised the boys today by handing them the old broken unit and a few screw drivers. They were busy for hours! Yes, they are wearing helmets. They were riding bikes and scooters until the surprise project was presented. They were so excited they left their helmets on for quite a while… Favorite discovery. Circuit boards galore! The boys were astounded at how many parts, pieces, springs, electronics, ribbon cables, gears, and screws were hidden inside this simple machine. What a great lesson!