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AmandaV Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 27 2009 Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline Posts: 707
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Posted: Sept 26 2012 at 2:14pm | IP Logged
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CrunchyMom wrote:
Not really a project, but I thought that this video done by an astronaut on the space station was neat. He shows his yo-yo tricks and then gives a little physics lesson. |
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Here are the rest of the "science off the sphere" episodes: Science off of the sphere
Neat find!
__________________ Amanda
wife since 6/03, Mom to son 7/04, daughter 2/06, twin sons 6/08 and son 7/11, son 1/2014
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pumpkinmom Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2012 Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline Posts: 1028
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Posted: Feb 12 2013 at 7:34pm | IP Logged
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I'm budgeting for next school year! We are planning on doing this, but need to buy the three K'Nex and a snap circuit set. I don't think I can afford to buy all 4 of these things. Those who have done this, do I need all 4 sets or can I make do with less? If less, which ones are a must? I can buy them all if it's a must, but we will have to rethink other book choices. I had these on the boys Christmas list, but they didn't get bought.
__________________ Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
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Mackfam Board Moderator
Non Nobis
Joined: April 24 2006 Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline Posts: 14656
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Posted: Feb 12 2013 at 8:06pm | IP Logged
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We got the most use out of our K'Nex sets during this course...so if I were to limit myself, those would be the sets I'd invest in. And, just as a follow-up-review - my science fella still uses those sets regularly when building projects. So, they've seen other use besides this science course (which was 3 years ago for us).
In budgeting, I often split purchases up by terms which allows me to spread out any purchases. Perhaps, if you have the book already, or could borrow it from someone/the library, you can take a look at the Table of Contents (you might even be able to view the TOC in the "Look Inside this book" feature sometimes available on Amazon), decide which topics you'd like to cover for each term, and then just purchase the corresponding K'Nex set for that term. It would allow you to spread your purchases throughout the year anyway.
Good luck budgeting and deciding! I know that's a big factor in making lists, decisions and purchases!
__________________ Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Becky Parker Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Feb 21 2013 at 12:29pm | IP Logged
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We're doing the physical science course this year and I want to agree with what Jen said. The K'Nex Simple Machines kits are great! Make sure, if you get them, to use the CD. There's a ton of information there and they even have lesson plans to walk you through each lesson. If I could only buy two of these I would probably leave out the gears kit since that is technically not listed as a simple machine. Making the chain saw was way cool though!
A friend and I actually divided the year. I did simple machines with her son here, using the three K'Nex kits for simple machines and now she is doing Force and Motion with my son at her house. She even found a K'Nex kit for Force and Motion to use.
So far it's working out great!
We have a snap circuits set but I'm not sure we're even going to get to it. We are delving deeper than I thought and the sections on simple machines and now force and motion are taking longer. I've just been letting my ds's "play" with the snap circuits kit, reading the directions and doing the experiments/activities during their free time.
__________________ Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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Angel Forum All-Star
Joined: April 22 2006
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Posted: Feb 21 2013 at 4:41pm | IP Logged
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Becky Parker wrote:
We have a snap circuits set but I'm not sure we're even going to get to it. We are delving deeper than I thought and the sections on simple machines and now force and motion are taking longer. I've just been letting my ds's "play" with the snap circuits kit, reading the directions and doing the experiments/activities during their free time. |
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IMO, Snap Circuits really lend themselves to that kind of exploration anyway. My 5 yo has been making all sorts of stuff from our (large) Snap Circuits selection for at least a year, but the older kids are fully capable of following the directions in the books themselves to make specific "stuff". I think the K'nex kits are a little more involved, so I do think kids using them do benefit from a little adult involvement. Don't know what everyone else thinks, but that's how it's panned out in our house... although I guess my kids are all a little younger than the targeted age for Jen's course. (My budding engineer is 9.5-ish, and while we have some of the kits and the book, we haven't attempted a formal "course" at this point. We might in the future, though! )
__________________ Angela
Mom to 9, 7 boys and 2 girls
Three Plus Two
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SeaStar Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 16 2006
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Posted: Feb 23 2013 at 11:44am | IP Logged
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OK- a fun game to go with this type of study is Meliissa and Doug
Suspend
There are two ways to play... the first you use your rods by size, and in the second you use the die and place your rods according to the color you roll.
If you knock down a rod/s, you have to put it in your pile. The first player to successfully hang all his rods wins.
The second way is addictive- requires planning and some strategy. It really makes you think- how some combinations work and others don't, about what you thought would happen and what actually happens.
It gives me new respect for builders and architects.
I was surprised this was a Melissa and Doug game- I had not seen it before, but my son spotted it and was instantly drawn to it.
It would be a fun Easter basket gift or stocking stuffer for Christmas.
__________________ Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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