Homeschool Science - A Low Stress Approach

Science is much more than just learning facts and memorizing animals or planets. The study of Science involves using what you know and then thinking and reasoning from there.

When studying Science you start with what you already know - you know what ice looks like.

You ask questions and guess what will happen - I wonder how ice got to be like that or I wonder what will happen if I let it sit out.

Then you start experimenting and testing your guesses - leave ice sit on the counter and observe what happens.

You can write down what you did and what happened in a notebook.

Then you talk about and analyze what happened and why it happened.

When you do hands-on activities you are much more likely to remember what you learned and how you learned it. This helps you develop confidence and helps you learn how to solve problems.

You can start Science with young children, even. Boys, especially, tend to be interested in experiments and making observations. My 6 year old son loves doing Chemistry. To him, chemistry means putting baking soda in the drain and then pouring vinegar over it and watching the bubbles and fizzing. :))

Children naturally ask questions and wonder about the world around them. Encourage your children to wonder and ask questions and then help them find the answers to their questions. A walk around your neighborhood or a television show or documentary can promote plenty of questions.

You can use books to help you have a more structured program. You can use the internet to help enhance what you are already discussing. Don't try to do it all in a few years. Break down your study of Science over many years. Science can be broken down in to three areas - Physical Science, Earth Science, Life Science. If you take a few years for each area, then you will have more manageable bits of information to study. You can check my website below for more ideas and book recommendations for homeschool Science.

Do you want to know more about homeschool Science? Download the free homeschool eBooks How to Find the Best Homeschool Resources or How to Get Started with Homeschooling at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com/free-homeschool-ebooks.html

Heidi Johnson enjoys helping people find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

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Apologia Science Homeschool Methods and Beliefs

I absolutely love Apologia Science and I believe it is the best homeschool science curriculum out there. What I love the most about it, is the fact that if I didn't teach it to my children, they would still learn it!

This is because Apologia Science is written in such a way that it requires no instructor. It talks directly to the student and teaches them the same way an instructor would. However, I do still like to participate in teaching it to my children as well, the text just makes it a whole lot easier on both me and my kids.

Apologia Science was designed by a former university professor to take advantage of the best ways to express ideas to children so that they will be excited about learning.

The experiments that Apologia Science offers are very engaging and get my children very excited about science. In fact, because of Apologia, science is my son's favorite subject.

One really fun experiment we just did was about the sun. First, we learned about how far away the sun was, how long it takes for the sun's light to reach the earth, and the danger of looking at the sun for too long.

Although there is a lot of really great information and instructions in the Apologia Science curriculum, the experiments are what truly set it apart. To show the damage that the sun could do to our eyes, we used a magnifying glass to set a piece of paper on fire. My children tell everyone about that experiment and the danger of looking at the sun for too long!

Apologia Science is great for the experiments, because you won't usually need to purchase anything for them. Most things that you will need are things that you already have in your home. The immersion into the world of science with Apologia Science is what makes the children love learning the material.

Since the Apologia Science curriculum is based on Christian teachings I know that none of the material will ever contradict with our religious beliefs. Everything is based around the fact that God created the world. This makes it the perfect science curriculum for Christian families.

For an average lesson we will start by reading over the lesson material. After we have done this, I will use the scripted questions to get input and answers from my children. We discuss things for a while, and when I know that they have a great grasp on what the concepts are, we will do the included experiment.

I will then have them write their thoughts about the lesson, and any notations about the experiment that we thought were interesting. Before we're ready to stop learning, the lesson is complete, and my children have learned a lot!

Having a curriculum like Apologia Science one that your children look forward to learning, is invaluable to a home-schooling parent. This is one of the reasons that I stick by Apologia, their ideas and views, and their curriculum.

Want to save money on your homeschool programs? Visit Used Homeschool Curriculum to snatch up great deals on used curriculum and to discover more about different homeschooling options.

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Homeschool Science Curriculum - What Are Your Options?

A homeschool science curriculum should be an important part of every homeschool. We live in a complex world in which science is all around us - from our cell phones to music downloads to solutions associated with global warming. If parents want their children to be able to compete in a global, technological economy, then parents who homeschool their children should take care to make sure their children are being exposed to science. This article explores several options for homeschooling science.

Each of the above offers uniques perspectives on the teaching of science in homeschools. But how does a parent decide which curriculum is best for their children? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. One thing is certain, if parents decide to go with a particular school, then they will use whatever science curriculum is provided by that school. For instance, there are Montessori, Waldorf, Sonlight, unit studies, and many other homeschooling schools. Again, how is a parent to decide?

Sorry, but there is no quick and easy way. Parents need to review the websites of the various schools, talk with friends and relatives, check out homeschool online forums and consult with those people to whom they look for advice on vital matters. However, whatever decision parents make, they will want to make the best decision for their children.

This article has sought to inform parents of some of their choices for science education which is critical to the development of a well rounded child who is able to compete in our highly technological and global society.

This author is amazed at the variety of homeschool science curriculum. There are at least the following:

o Alpha Omega Lifepac Curriculum

Bob Jones Science Curriculum

Switched-on Schoolhouse Science Curriculum

Real Science 4 Kids

God's Design Curriculum

o Teaching Tank

o Castle Heights Science Curriculum

Other Science Curriculum

Lyrical Learning

Stratton House

Eagle's Wings

Moody Science Videos

Apologia Curriculum

If you would like more information about college and the Homeschool Science Curriculum [http://homeschoolingbasics.info/homeschool-science-curriculum] as well as general information on homeschooling, please visit [http://homeschoolingbasics.info]

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Homeschool Science - Teaching Elementary Science With Great Literature

How do you teach a fact-heavy subject like science with great literature? First,science is not fact-heavy, or, at least it ought not to be. British educator, Charlotte Mason called science the study of "the great scheme of the unity of life".

Abstract concepts become easy to picture and understand when they are experienced in context. A picture-packed, glitzy book filled with facts cannot teach "the great scheme of unity of life" but literature and hands-on experimentation can.

Charlotte Mason felt that the only sound method of teaching science is to combine field work and great literature. Ms. Mason saw that the teaching of science in our schools has lost much of its educative value through a fatal and quite unnecessary divorce between science and the 'humanities.

Why use literature in a study of science?

Charlotte Mason wrote of the unnecessary divorce of the sciences and the humanities: "It is through great literature that one gets at great thoughts, not through dry, 'dumbed down' textbooks." (A Philosophy of Education, p. 223).Ms. Mason was not opposed to textbooks, only to their exclusive use and that they are too often "dry and dumbed down".

What if I don't have a strong background in science?

Learning along with your child is one of the delights of homeschooling. However, if the concern is that you will miss something of what a child should know in a science curriculum, consider this. If your child can name every scientific term, define it, and still not have a sense of wonder or a curious mind, you will have failed. If you want to be sure you haven't missed anything, borrow a science textbook and study the topics as a guide.

Where can I find good science books?

Look for living books in both non-fiction, fiction and biographies. Study the book choices of high-quality curriculum companies that use literature extensively. Go to your library and ask to see the science section. If the book has too many high graphics, and is not of a strong literary quality, leave it there.

Here are five titles that you can find through inter-library loan or a Amazon, the online bookstore:

Robert Boyle: Trail Blazer of Science, John Hudson Tiner

The Story Book of Science, Jean Fabre

Archimedes and the Door of Science, Jeanne Bendick

Galen and the Gateway to Medicine,John Hudson Tiner

Louis Pasteur:Founder of modern medicine, John Hudson Tiner

If you want to learn more about homeschooling and the Charlotte Mason method, read my article "Seven Keys of Learning".

Download it free here: Charlotte Mason

Sheila Carroll helps homeschooling parents use living books and Charlotte Mason's methods to produce outstanding results in learning.

http://www.livingbookscurriculum.com

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Fun Homeschool Science Activity Making Homemade Slime and Silly Putty

In the homeschool science projects that I teach, I call this "The Science of Slime." You will experience the same slimy feeling that you experience while holding a fish or a squid. Eeks!

Here are some fun homeschool science activities that you can do at home.

Bouncy Gunk

Take half a cup of water and mix a teaspoonful of Borax (found at the laundry section of your grocery store) in it. Stir the mixture vigorously with a popsicle stick. Alternatively, you can put the mixture in a glass jar with a lid and shake, shake, shake. Once the borax dissolves, add some more till it no longer dissolves. Take another cup and mix glue and water in equal proportions.

Now add a globule of this glue mixture to the borax mixture. Stir with the popsicle stick and empty the contents on the palm of your hand. Roll the mixture on your hands till it gets drier and becomes bouncy. Now let it roll onto your table and see it bounce. Pick it up and squeeze it and watch it slither through your fingers.

You can add some food coloring of your choice while preparing the slime for added effect. Involve your friends in your homeschool science activities. Place the slime in the hand of another friend who does not know what you are holding. YUCK!

Starchy Goop

Take a paper cup and add a tablespoon of liquid starch (found at the laundry section of your grocery store) to it. Add a globule of glue mixture (same as the above) to it and stir with a popsicle stick. Empty the contents on the palm of your hand and roll it from hand to hand until it gets drier. What is the difference between this and the Bouncy Gunk?

Corny Glop

Take a cup of cornstarch in a bowl. Slowly add cold water and begin mixing with your fingers. If it is too runny, mix another cup of cornstarch and mix gently with your fingers. It must not be too dry and not too wet. Now you can do different things with it. Take in on the palm of your hand and squeeze it. Cut it with a pair of scissors. Pat it with a ladle. Throw it up in the air and see how it behaves before you catch it. Have fun!

When you are not playing with your homemade slime, you can place it in a plastic zip-lock bag. Slime collects dust and dirt, and therefore remember to discard the slime when it gets dirty.

In today's homeschool science activity, you have learned about substances called polymers. Jelly, rubber bands and gum are all different types of polymers. Some polymers act as solids and we can hold them in our hands. At the same time they take the shape of the containers they are placed in, thus behaving as liquids do. Polymers that are harder are also used in parts of cell phones, spectacles and other household articles.

Do some research and find out various things made up of polymers. Learn about the molecular structure of polymers.

For your free "Homeschool Parent's Guide to Teaching Science", filled with great science experiments and activities, visit the link below.

A great free resource for really cool science experiments and activities is the Homeschool Science Experiment Guide.

Another good homeschool resource for science ideas, experiments and activities, is the homeschool science blog (just click on the Blog link). Definitely worth bookmarking.

Have Fun!

About the Author
Aurora Lipper has been teaching science to kids for over 10 years. She is also a mechanical engineer, university instructor, pilot, astronomer, a real live rocket scientist (You should see the lab in her basement!) and a mom. She has inspired thousands of kids with the fun and magic of science.

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Homeschool Science - 4 Tips to Knowing How to Teach Science With Ease

Many people think that they can only teach home school Science if they have a degree in Biology or Chemistry. Some may think that they need to purchase a whole laboratory full of supplies to be able to teach Science effectively. Here are some tips to help you understand how to teach Science with ease:

1. All subjects of Science can be classified into one of three categories - Life, Earth, and Physical. Whether you think of animals, the universe, the body or electricity, they can all be traced back to these 3 categories.

2. In the early years of school you only need to skim the surface of Science. Young children just need to be familiar with basic Science concepts such as how a seed grows, where animals live, the fact that there are stars and planets, and a basic knowledge of how their body works. This can be done with good books from the library and answering your child's questions about the world around them.

3. All the aspects of Science can be spread out over all their years of schooling. They don't have to know about every detail of Science in just a few years. Actually, you could spend a lifetime learning about Science and not know it all. As your child gets older you will dive into a little more detail about the aspect of Science you are studying that year.

4. Decide what aspects of the 3 categories you want to teach which years. You may decide to focus on each area for 4 years. You may decide to teach on each area for 2 years and then spend 1 year on each area in greater detail. Some categories of Science will be more interesting than others.

Realize that you are still learning about Science and if you model a sense of wonder about the world around you, your children will follow your example. Science is a field of study to encounter, not a subject to conquer. Some children will be more interested in Science than others, but all need to be taught some basic concepts about the world and how it works.

Do you want to know more about homeschool Science? Download the free homeschool eBooks How to Find the Best Homeschool Resources or How to Get Started with Homeschooling at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com/free-homeschool-ebooks.html

Heidi Johnson enjoys helping people find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

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