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Erin
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| Posted: April 16 2011 at 12:57am | IP Logged
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I'm rather excited, I finally have room to set up a mini learning center. Eventually the plan is to have several learning centers around the room, but for now we are planning on rotating a different center fortnightly/monthly. The dc have decided to begin with featuring a science center.
What would you place in a science center? (on a six seater table) I have a few science experiement books laid out and a couple of interesting science books on stands. A couple of magnets and that's it  I'm planning on featuring science and nature as seperate tables as I think they are both huge areas of their own. I am open to being persuaded otherwise.
Ideas, pictures etc are most appreciated. Theresa's Science Room is inspirational.
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Erin
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: April 16 2011 at 1:27am | IP Logged
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I'd be tempted to do something like a fish tank (not something expensive or long term though).. you're going into fall/winter but when you're headed into spring maybe some catepillars to watch cocoon and emerge as butterflies..
I tend to intertwine nature and science so pick which you'd want where ;)
What about one of those tornado in a bottle?
colored water in jars.. you can set them up to form a rainbow or you can overlap and see different colors..
Oh prisms!
magnifying glasses and interesting things.. shells, leaves etc.
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: April 16 2011 at 6:03am | IP Logged
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This is a great idea Erin, and Theresa's science room has me quite jealous! Will this be for your older kids, or both older and younger? For the olders I could see getting a microscope. I've always wanted one here but the cost always scares me away. Along with that you could have slides of various things, slide making materials, and books like The Complete Book of the Microscope which my kids found fascinating.
For the younger ones that can read you could set up experiments. I do this for my younger kids sometimes. I write out the simple directions, provide the materials, and let them do it on their own. For my first grader who can't read well I sometimes draw picture directions.
TOPS Science Activities are great too! My 6th grade dd did magnets and electricity this year for science. These experiments would work well in a center situation!
Also, for the youngers, these Take it To Your Seat books work well. You usually have to take some time to get them set up though.
Keep us posted on how it turns out Erin! I'm excited for you and wishing I had some extra room to devote to something like this!
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Becky
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AtHomeScience
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| Posted: April 16 2011 at 7:28pm | IP Logged
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Wow, Erin, what an inspiration you have just given me! We recently relocated our school area from one half of the playrrom upstairs down to the livingroom--which we are very happy with. All the science stuff is in the basement to be brought out when we get a chance to use it.
Now I am inspired to turn that half of the playroom into our science area. It already has shelves, and bins, and a big table. It just doesn't have a sink, but that's O.K. I can put a curiosity cabinet up there, the microscope, all the other miscellaneous stuff from the basement, the Zomes. What a great idea!
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Mackfam
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| Posted: April 26 2011 at 9:25pm | IP Logged
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Erin wrote:
I'm rather excited, I finally have room to set up a mini learning center. Eventually the plan is to have several learning centers around the room, but for now we are planning on rotating a different center fortnightly/monthly. The dc have decided to begin with featuring a science center.
What would you place in a science center? |
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Oh, I'm so thrilled for you, Erin! I just could not do without a dedicated science/nature space!! I would be so thrilled to have an entire science room...even a closet!!!!! We are science people!!!!! Alas, I have a wall in the learning room...so I make the most of it!!
We tend to keep nature materials and science materials combined in the interest of space. I do rotate some books and supplies to focus on themes we might be studying, but in general I try to keep general materials and supplies out and accessible that would be used for natural history exploration or scientific study of a topic.
My biggest tip: CONTAIN EVERYTHING
My second tip: LABEL EVERYTHING
Perhaps it would be nice to set out a basket or bin of materials, supplies, and books that support a particular topic of study and then use the rest of your space for general science exploring tools like:
microscope
slides and cover slips
hand lens
beakers
petri dishes
thermometers
scale
etc.
And then...if you had space, I might set up a tray or some shallow bins that could contain ongoing/longterm experimentation projects.
As far as nature study materials, I tend to set things out seasonally and around a theme. Then, just like the science materials, we keep general supplies used for science exploration out at all times:
small clear containers
old but clean plastic jars with lids
small lidded specimen containers for grouping
cheesecloth
ziploc
good tweezers
binoculars
flower and leaf press
pertinent and favorite field guides
notebooks that contain ongoing studies
IDEAS:
- I'll add a new resource that we've been using since early winter that is a WINNER!!! This tabletop tarp is wonderful for containing a smallish, but messy project and then the sides snap for the project and un-snap for clean up. It's fantastic in the science area!!
- I had one other idea - why not set up something that organizes supplies in the center of the table...something that can go vertical to maximize space and really allow you to organize around ideas/topics. I must say, I love the cardboard organizers that Highsmith makes - like this cardboard shelf with shallow shelves. In the picture, my cardboard shelf is pictured in blue. It's great for organizing microscope slides, identification cards, etc. It's quite sturdy for being cardboard! If you had a few of these, or something like it (shallow plastic bins, or maybe one of your big fellas could build a simple set of shallow shelves out of wood that could sit in the middle of your table??) you would provide a visual break in the table and have a few different areas you could organize for different ages and science topics. And vertical storage is your friend!!
- Another idea - if you have a space, and it doesn't need to be a big space, you can usually find unexpected unused space somewhere around your science table...affix/glue thin strips of cork. I don't know if you can see it from the picture above, but I've glued cork strips to the end of the shelves in the science area. We use pins to hold various items (papers, science grids, large leaves (one is pictured), reference sources, illustrations for species we're trying to identify). It's an unexpected tool, doesn't take up much space, and is really a help!
The nice thing about a science/nature area is that it can evolve and grow with you, with different seasons, with different topics. It's fun to find unique tools and resources to add to the science area! Please update us as you set this area up!!!! I can't wait to hear what you come up with...and see (if you post pics!)!!!
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Jen Mackintosh
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kristacecilia
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| Posted: April 26 2011 at 9:43pm | IP Logged
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Can I just say... I sincerely hope to someday have an area dedicated to science! You are all inspiring me!
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Krista
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Erin
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| Posted: May 09 2011 at 1:42am | IP Logged
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After posting here you inspired me to see what items I did have. I ended up finding and shelving next to the table; an electronics kit, a rock collection, K'nex and a meccano set. It was so heartening to see lots of interest and learning occurring.
I'm still planning on rotating learning centres on this table at present. So rotating for an art centre next, then nature in a fortnight's time.
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Erin
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Setting up a Science Center
