How to teach your child - Science

[cokers4life]

I found these fantastic smart charts with a zoo theme the other day, and I did end up buying them for just five bucks.  They are excellent smart charts that can be tailored to your little ones.  I love them because they incorporate science and early writing exercises together.  For over 130 pages, its an excellent buy with endless activities that can grow with your child.  The author has several themes, and I plan to buy most all of them.  I just started with the zoo unit to incorporate into our weekly zoo trips and to add to our Animal Extravaganza in the month of September.

I will laminate many of the pages as they can be used several times with each kid as their knowledge of animals grows and expands. 

Check them out here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Thinking-about-Zoo-Animals-Smart-Charts-and-Writing-Frames#productrating

[Kerileanne99]

I recieved an email update from Math Mammoth advising that Aurora and Supercharged science are celebrating the release of a new product this week by giving it away free, this week only.
http://www.sciencelearningspace.com/members/go.php?r=3095&i=l38

Step by step science experiments, videos, and a guidebook. Primarily using things around the house...
I downloaded it and it does look nicely put together, although I have yet to try any of them...

[ecka]

Yay, those are very awesome links and I learned something new from you guys that I can do so that it will be easy for my daughter to learn science.

[Kerileanne99]

As part of our daily reading we have added a fantastic set of books on science topics (they do have other topics as well!). They are called Rookie Readers, and I can't recommend them enough for presenting complex topics in a child-friendly manner.  And they are even on a level that Alex can read for herself, although I do read them to her initially to teach about the topic. She loves them so much that she insists on keeping them in her bed with her for quiet time and the time before bedtime she is 'allowed ' to read to herself with her little head torch.

Some of our favorites so far:
What is Gravity?
What are Atoms?
What is Volume?
What is Friction?
What is Electricity?
All about Heat
What is a Thermometer?
How Do Your Lungs Work?
You Can Use a Balance
What is Mass?
Will it Sink or Float?
How Does Your Heart Work?

You get the idea!  There is a collection for geography, culture, and how to use maps...the list is extensive, but our library has dozens of these and they are fairly inexpensive as well. It really is an exceptional tool for introducing the concept, and you can take it from there!

Here is a link to the Amazon search I pulled up just to get you started:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=rookie+readers+all+about+science&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Arookie+readers+all+about+science&ajr=0

[Korrale4kq]

These do look good. I am going to check some out of my local library

Here is another link with more of them

http://shop.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchEndecaCmd

[Kerileanne99]

Korrale4kq-
I cannot stress just how awesome they are as a stepping stone, and are absolutely perfect for reading time and thought-provoking!
We read the first one we checked out, 'What is Gravity?' late one night, and I wasn't sure what she got from it...the next day, I entered her bedroom.

The kid was naked except for underpants, a single boot, and her climbing helmet, and a toy stethoscope. She was jumping on her bed, tossing her stuffed hen high into the air repeatedly!

Uuggghhhh! "Alex$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$ $$$$$$ $$$$$$$ $$$$$$$' (insert Full, serious-intent, mom's cross, name!) what, on earth are you DOING???!!!!"

" I am an veteranarian astronaut on the MOON, mommy, and I am checking for gravity!"

Oh.... Okay...

Caveat:
These books lead to serious curiosity and understanding, so have several backup books and experiments at the ready! I am seriously thinking of buying them as they really are THAT good!

They are also small, which seems to invite little hands and minds!

[Tamsyn]

We really love the Big Bag of Science by Steve Spangler.  There are a lot of fun videos on the internet of Spangler's science experiments.

http://www.amazon.com/Be-Amazing-Toys-Big-Science/dp/B0034N7OZO

[Krista G]

The Rookie Readers are very nice.  My library has a nice collection that we have been reading for years.  I second your recommendation.

[CVMomma]

Here is a link for the Rookie Readers for less than $5.00 a piece if you buy a whole set.
http://www.mariinc.com/errookie.html?gclid=CPj31Iv2nLICFcV7Qgodhl0Abw   

Our library doesn't have them.  Now one more thing to add to my wish list

[nee1]

Any idea how to find this yahoo group. I havent really had much to do with the yahoo groups.

Keri has given me a lot of ideas for books. And I go to our library for most books. We absolutely love the usborne behinners books. James learns so much from reading them over and over. But they are not comprehensive in all catergories. I love the science sections in the What Your _Grader needs to know series also. But I felt that it was lacking in its entirety. I really just wanted one all in one book. And I am absolutely smitten with the flow chart in the Buillding Foundations For Scientific Understanding book. I have plans to recreate that for math.
I still plan to do math haphazardly. I make up a lot of games and activities as I go along. And I borrow from a variety or curriculum and do sheets from various workbooks.   But I want to have a focus each day so that I am not skipping things or jumping ahead too much.

Korrale, this is my response to the question you asked about Building Foundations for Scientific Understanding (BFSU) on the "math curriculum for toddlers" thread

I found the yahoo group address on the author's website here: http://www.pressforlearning.com/meet_author.shtml. Under 'support', he list 2 yahoo groups. My feeling is that the first one "groups.yahoo.com/group/K5science" is group for BFSU K-2.

Under 'purchase' on his website (http://www.pressforlearning.com/buy_now.shtml), I found that the outskirts website he listed sells pdfs of his books for just $5 (http://outskirtspress.com/webpage.php?ISBN=9781432706104).

So there we go, if anyone wants pdf copies (rather than hardcopies) of his 3 science books, it can be bought for just $5 each at the outskirts website.

[Korrale4kq]

Oh wow. $5 is a great price. I paid $10 for the kindle version. I will be reading it tonight when the boy goes to bed.

[sonya_post]

This is the link to Dr. Nebel's yahoo group for Understanding Science.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/K5science/

It's not too busy so it won't take up your whole inbox.

I am considering making a curriculum for toddlers for LR based on this book with activity suggestions and books for Little tots. I want to wait until the new LR comes out as it is supposed to make this sort of thing easier. Perhaps one LR file a week with other activities to go with it. You could move much faster but as it is you would make it through the book in about a year. And i was thinking it might be nice if others were interested that maybe a collaboration might be in order.  

[sonya_post]

BTW- I have this nasty cold or something and my typing stinks....please ignore.

[sonya_post]

Nee,

I only have the first one. I just went over to the site and it says you can't print the books. If you have purchased the book on the site are you able to print it? I can't imagine getting the book and  then having to use the whole thing online. I am ready to take my to the printer, have them cut off the spine and then put holes in it so I can put it in a binder.

[Korrale4kq]

My version is on the kindle so I can only use it that way. Which is fine with me. My tiny house is overflowing with texts books. I am also legally blind so using my kindle is much easier for me to read. if I got the PDF I would also be reading it on my kindle.

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