Water is such a fun topic for homeschool science. Yep, plain ol' water. You can study its properties, its physical states, the water cycle, weather events, the geography of water around our world, water sources, water treatment, and water conservation. You can learn about water as biomes and the various life that inhabits each. You can observe water in nature, measure it in many ways, test it in many ways, change it in many ways, and about a zillion other experiments. Each of these fitting into various science categories like earth science, physical science, chemistry, and environmental science. And, can you imagine the nature study as science possibilities? Today, I'd like to ... Read More
How to Teach Out-of-the-Box Homeschool High School Chemistry
We veered off the "typical homeschool path" this year to teach out-of-the-box homeschool high school chemistry instead. This isn't the first time we've chosen a different path for our son, who is a smart kid but doesn't thrive in the textbook world of science. Do you remember how we chose an out-of-the-box biology course last year? Because that course worked out so well, it was just natural to continue with a similar plan for chemistry this year. And, it worked again! This post contains affiliate links. Background Info Our oldest went the typical homeschool route of Apologia Chemistry during high school. It's an excellent course that provides a thorough and well-practiced ... Read More
Homeschooling High School Science
(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business, Shining Dawn Books.) Is Homeschooling High School Science Intimidating? Yes, it can be. I've found so many wonderful resources to make it easier, though! Apologia We now have two years under our belt using Exploring Creation with Biology and Exploring Creation With Chemistry from Apologia. Both books have been fantastic spines to our science learning. My daughter has been able to handle most of the text material on her own, while we participated in co-op labs (see below) for the experiments. The mathematical side of chemistry was a little tough, but we made it. Co-op Labs and Science Class Opportunities I am so ... Read More
Chemistry Show
This was our last official project of the 2008-09 school year. Besides finishing up some math and grammar, we're done! WooHoo!! We're taking the next couple of weeks to tie up the loose ends, write report cards and pack up our work. Of course, around here the learning never stops, it's just less official. (And I get a lot more done around the house!) Besides nature study, our science topic for the year was chemistry. After finishing the lessons from Christian Kids Explore Chemistry, I wanted to be sure they fully understand the concepts we covered. So, a project week was assigned! I wanted them to research, plan, organize, and present a project that came almost completely from ... Read More
Chemisty Update
Okay, I have to admit up front that Christian Kids Explore Chemistry is getting tough for this ol' momma who realized early on that she was never meant to be a chemist in life. Seriously, what I'm teaching the kids now are things I learned in high school! Lucky for me, the book is walking us through each of the concepts slowly and in fairly kid-friendly terms. Unfortunately, though, I'm finding that I'd really appreciate an answer key for the daily lessons now. Chemical Reaction - Acid on Copper Reversing the Chemical Reaction of Acid on Copper Mahayla is doing well. She will have a great base of understanding when high school chemistry rolls around. Caleb, is doing well, too, ... Read More
Field Trip Fun
For those of you who know Melissa from blogging, consider yourselves blessed. But, if you're lucky enough to know her in person, how much more blessed you are! It was such a treat to spend time with her last week. Not only that, she took on all three of my children while I spoke at the THINK meeting AND hosted us overnight so we didn't have to drive home late. Thank you, Melissa. I know I owe you one for sure! (Toddlers who know how to escape out of the house are so much fun, aren't they??) On our way home from Melissa's Wednesday morning, I spied a sign for Big Bone Lick State Park. It had been so long since we'd been there, I decided to take an impromtu field trip. This is a ... Read More
The Christmas Cookie Mystery
A sneaky little elf switched some of Mrs. Claus' cookie baking ingredients! Christmas science doesn't get much more fun than solving a mystery. The Case of the Christmas Cookie Mystery is a hands-on investigation to determine which powder mixture contains the correct ingredients to Mrs. Clause's cookie recipe. Through simple experiments, your children will observe and note various properties to reveal the correct mixture. You can find the directions and worksheets at The Science Spot. It takes a little time on your part to set up the mystery, but it's worth the effort! Of course, this is a great lesson to get you in the mood for some actual cookie baking. You'll love ... Read More