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LLMom
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I am trying to come up with science ideas to teach a group of children ages 6-14. I don't have time to do 5 seperate curriculums and I need a plan. I don't have a lot of time to go to the library every week. I don't mind writing my own but I feel so overwhelmed. Science has always been our weakness. Any ideas? What have you done for science?
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Lisa
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Erin
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Lisa
Ditto all the above for me too.
I've just started planning science and I'm using whatever books on Macbeth's list that our librarty has (which isn't much  ) but I'm planning this for my dd13. For the younger ones I just hope osmosis and Magic School Bus is sufficient 
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alicegunther
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Erin wrote:
| For the younger ones I just hope osmosis and Magic School Bus is sufficient |
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It is--as a matter of fact, our younger ones learned about Osmosis from the Magic School Bus!
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mary
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i've used sonlight books (not the worksheets that go with it) for a few years. i did not care for the usborne science activities books, but i do like the encyclopedia type books. one year i ditched it all and did only nature study - reading thornton burgess books and taking a weekly nature hike at the nature center, birding pretty seriously.
this year i am trying noeo science
. it's not quite what i like either - i would prefer something much more hands on, although some of the books are really terrific, like how to think like a scientist
i think what i like best is picking books from lists (sonlight, mater ambalis and noeo.) it's the experiments that are hanging me up. i like some of the young scientist experiment kits rainbow sells them as well. i'm thinking about next year, just getting a kit for every "topic" or every 2 weeks or so. i also like weekly nature walks and keeping a notebook.
i'd love to hear if anyone has found something they really love.
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MacBeth
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alicegunther wrote:
Erin wrote:
| For the younger ones I just hope osmosis and Magic School Bus is sufficient |
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It is--as a matter of fact, our younger ones learned about Osmosis from the Magic School Bus!
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It is, really, especially for the younger kids. Of course, I love my book-lists,  so I will suggest them, and I have tried to make it so they can be modified for different ages. Choose a topic, and look for books on different levels. Choose a living book to link it all together, and get other books with more facts. For instance, if I were doing a study on caves (and it seems that I have! ), I'd read something like The Silver Chair or The Castle of Llyr, and follow up with fact books on caves, and, of course, a visit to one, if possible.
Younger kids might draw pictures, or write a short narration on caves. An older child might do research on caves, and present it to his younger siblings. If you have caves nearby, you might have the kids do a video documentary of their own. Older kids can interview a geologist.
Hope this helps! Many members here have linked studies they have done, too, in blogs and posts. And if all else fails, Google your topic for more ideas!
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LLMom
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These ideas sound wonderful but so difficult to plan and execute for a mom with many children (and several being quite little). That is why for the last 2 years I have done a packaged deal because I didn't have to come up with the ideas and they were fairly independent but not much fun. How to balance it all is where I am stumped. I want to make it fun, meaningful, and have them learn something but I feel overwhelmed on how to plan it all. ANy other ideas on how to record info? Narrations, notebooks, lapbooks?
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MacBeth
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Lisa, how old is your oldest? Maybe I can help map out an easier, age appropriate plan. For any child 4th grade and under, I recommend NO formal science curriculum at all. At 5th grade, I am still very careful about the books I use. Science texts are notoriously awful; for most kids, they are just an overview of the painfully obvious.
Funny thing is, to me (and I recognize that I am a science geek), pre-packaged curriculum seems so much harder than a book list and field trips. What I need to know is what exactly is most difficult for you. Is getting out hard for you? Friends tell me that this can be the hardest part of the nature study plan, especially with young kids, a mom who is expecting, sports commitments, lessons, etc. Fill us in a bit more on the situation, and I'll see if I can give you a workable solution.
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LLMom
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My oldest is in 11th grade right now but works on her own. She is taking science through a co-op so I just need to pull something together for a special needs 14 yo, 10 yo, almost 8 and almost 6 year olds. I also have a 1 and 3 year old. Getting out is hard since I have so many and live out in the boonies. So field trips and library is hard. I guess I would like a nice course study and then maybe recommendations on how to work through it. I guess I worry about never getting around to much physical science (or whatever) if we don't have much of a plan. Also, I don't know the best/easiest way with my group to record stuff. Lapbooks sound fun but a lot of work. My boys balk at written narrations. Maybe notebooking or something? And I need ideas for experiements that actually work. I can't tell you how many times we have followed experiements from books and they don't work!!!!!! It is so frustrating.
Now, aren't you glad you asked what I am looking for?! It is a lot!
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dizzylaurel
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Anyone interested in a good meteorology unit can find it here:
http://www.srh.weather.gov/srh/jetstream/matrix.htm
The topics are organized, include experiments (that work!), and printable worksheets and unit quizzes are included for the older kids. We were able to find some videos to round it out for the younger kids. The only thing we had hoped to do was to visit the National Weather SErvice station, but the trip was cancelled due to sickness. We never did reschedule. I used this for four girls from 3rd-8th grade, just simplifying a bit for the younger.
Hope this helps for at least ONE topic...I know what you mean about science being the "weakest" link!
Blessings,
Laurel in PA
Hope this helps.
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LLMom
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Laurel,
Thanks. Yes, any units help. MA has a wonderful Human body unit study that we all really loved. Thanks again.
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MacBeth
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LLMom wrote:
Now, aren't you glad you asked what I am looking for?! It is a lot! |
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I don't want you to think I have forgotten...I'll be back to this in a few days.
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Gang, a confession.
Every year, sometime in the middle of August, I put in a call to MacBeth about what books to list on my IHIPs: "What are we doing this year, MacBeth?"
We read the books she suggests and do some real life nature study, drawing in our nature journals and checking out random books from the library when we can. Science is *always* painless in our house.
Last year, I had the three girls take the IOWA tests for the first time. They did well, but there was one unifying score that speaks volumes about the casual, MacBeth-inspired approach--99th percentiles in science across the board (even though they went in with *no test prep* whatsoever).
I am not saying this to brag--I don't even take credit for myself as a teacher, because I did very little--but only to cry from the rooftops that the laid back approach works beautifully for this subject!
Now head on over to MacBeth's site for some great resources you will all enjoy!!! Don't try to tailor for each individual age group, but work together, and you will be amazed at what everyone retains.
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MacBeth wrote:
| I don't want you to think I have forgotten...I'll be back to this in a few days. |
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Macbeth,
Just to add to your thoughts I'd like to know how you assess a sceince book to give it the Aokay to make it to your list?
We haven't done formal science before and as dd is now 13 I guess we really should We have dithered over using a text and we actually purchased Apologia 7 last year and it remained unused. Dd found the text too wordy despite being an avid reader of literature.
I have poured over your list in the geology section for highschool and our library has only three of your recommendations. Needless to say I am not in a hurry at present to spend more money unless I know its a good fit. Of the three books dd only like one the Practical Geologist by Dixon (sorry not to link folks short for time) the other two were too chatty. So I guess I have worked out the style that appeals. 'Get straight to the point please'
Our library has lots of other books if I go in and peruse the shelves how do I decide what is good?
Also after reading I was planning on her notebooking the information that 'jumped out' at her. Any other suggestions to take it further, how about experiements? I'm not too worried here I have recently heard that they hardly do experiements in schools anymore due to 'safety issues'. But I don't car about schools really but I do want dd to understand what she is reading.
Thanks Macbeth.
(I must confess I retain very little science knowledge, I had a very boring science education whereas dh reads science encyclopedias for fun  )
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KellyinPA
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[QUOTE=alicegunther] Gang, a confession.
Every year, sometime in the middle of August, I put in a call to MacBeth about what books to list on my IHIPs: "What are we doing this year, MacBeth?"
QUOTE]
I think that's a great idea, what ARE we doing this year MacBeth?
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I also enthusiastically support the MacBeth approach to science. And don't think that just because the books are not textbooks that they are not rigorous and informative. Just the opposite is true. Of the books from her list I have experience with (quite a few) they tend to go further into depth than one would get in a textbook. For instance, you will learn so much more about insects reading Fabre's charming tales than you will in any dry text!Plus they are much more interesting, which leads to dc wanting to learn even more.
Now, of course each child's interests differ and you have to choose the books from the list that would appeal to your child. Thanksfully there are plenty to choose from. (And I am sure we could come up with even more suggestions if need be.)
I do advocate hands-on learning for science at all levels. I think it is one subject that just begs to be handled. For youngers this may mean simply keeping an aquarium and gardening, bird watching, nature walks,etc. For olders science should be more inquiry based:why does the ant stop to greet it's nestmates? What is the effect of water temperature on the fish's respiration rate? What happens when acid rain hits this rock? These are all great, interesting quetions that children will ask. You don't even need to know the answers yourself because these are all questions children can answer with their own small experiments. Again, each child differs in their interests and aptitudes toward science (as does each parent, right?). My ds (11) and at an age when I normally would advocate remaining in a relaxed mode a bit longer. But he absolutely thrives on experiments and is a little science sponge like his mom and dad, so I feed his appetite with as much as he will consume. My older son wasn't nearly so interested at that age. They are all different, right?
Anyway, this is a long, roundabout way of saying science can and ideally should be done with living books and a hands-on approach. Just my humble opinion.
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Erin
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lapazfarm wrote:
| I think it is one subject that just begs to be handled. For youngers this may mean simply keeping an aquarium and gardening, bird watching, nature walks,etc. For olders science should be more inquiry based:why does the ant stop to greet it's nestmates? What is the effect of water temperature on the fish's respiration rate? What happens when acid rain hits this rock? These are all great, interesting quetions that children will ask. You don't even need to know the answers yourself because these are all questions children can answer with their own small experiments. Again, each child differs in their interests and aptitudes toward science (as does each parent, right?) |
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Theresa,
I agree that hands on is vital after all the ONLY things I remember from high school science are the lessons accompanied with a hands on activity. However I never know what to suggest and when our experiements fail (which they usally do) dh says" turn that into a lesson" all very well but I have NO idea. Because I have NO knowledge I am lost.
How do I switch on a science/inquiring brain for me? I do think the dc are keen I just need to really foster it and I don't.
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Just a further thought, if you had a bit of money to buy living science books what would you consider 'must haves'? Books that wouldn't matter if you were on the opposite side of the world to the author that is?
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lapazfarm
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Erin wrote:
How do I switch on a science/inquiring brain for me? I do think the dc are keen I just need to really foster it and I don't. |
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I think that is an excellent question and I would like to take some time and give it some more thought. But my first thoughts on the matter are these:
Inquiry begins with observation. This may sound obvious to some, but I think it is very important and often left out of descriptions of "the scientific method" which often say scientists begin with a question or hypothesis. Well, how can one think up a question about a thing (animal, plant, process, etc) that one has never seen (or just briefly) and knows nothing about? What question could you possibly have to ask?
You have to have some experience with your subject first, through close and lengthy observation. Take, for example, fish in a tank. What questions can we have that are worthy of investigation if we have never done more than drop in a pinch of food, clean the tank weekly and add another fish when we find a floater?
But if we sit and watch for awhile, observe their behaviors at different times and in different situations, we begin to quite naturally ask questions. Why do they move actively around the tank at some times, and lay low and still at others? Do they ever sleep? And what would that look like in a fish, anyway? Why do their gill covers move in and out at a certain rate, and do they sometimes move faster or slower?
This is the beginnings of science. These are exactly the types of questions scientists ask, born out of curiosity about the world around them. And these are the the types of questions we all ask, but only after we have observed a thing long enough to ask them. Have you ever wondered why a loaf of bread didn't rise properly, or a souffle fell? This is inquiry. It is scientific inquiry if we then try to figure out "WHY." Is our yeast no good? Was the oven temperature too hot? Next time I will try a new brand of yeast, or set my oven temp differently. Now we have moved on to experimentation! Isolate a variable (oven temp, brand of yeast) and manipulate it. There is nothing mysterius about the scientific method. In common terms it is just trial and error and keeping track of what works and what doesn't.You are already a scientist!
Getting back to the fish in the tank. Curiosity has led us to do some reading and we find that the gill cover beats because the fish is "breathing," getting water to flow over the gills to absorb the oxygen in the water. Just how fast is the gill cover beating? Lets time it (more observation). Now, what can we do that will affect that rate?(what variable can we manipulate?) How about the temperature of the tank? I think the rate will go up as I raise the temperature (hypothesis). Lets bump it up a notch and see what happens...an experiment has begun!
Now, isn't this more fun than following a "recipe" experiment in a book? There is no way our experiment can fail because it is born from curiosity, a natural desire to know more. No matter what our result we have learned something about our fish.
And that, my friend, in my opinion, is the whole point of science.
So, as far a which books to recommend? I say whichever ones feed that desire to know more. Not the ones that ANSWER all your questions, but the ones that cause your children to ASK more.
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Cheryl
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Wow Theresa. I'm very impressed with this answer. You make science simple for me, who tends to complicate it.
MacBeth, I checked out your website last night and I loved the new booklists you're working on under the elementary science catergory. I'll be returning to them often.
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: putting together a science curriculum
