Science and the Library

We utilize our local library a ton.  It is a regular thing to find what seems to be 100’s of library items on our library shelves.  We are so thankful for our local library and the children’s librarians who help us find just about anything!

One of our favorite science series is the Let’s-Read-And-Find-Out About science series.  There are two levels that we have used:  one for Kindergarten and one for first and second grade.  While they are secular, I have found that they don’t deal a ton with evolution.  The ones that do have become a talking point for us about God and His design for the universe in contrast to man’s design for the universe.

Here are some of our favorites:

All pictures are from Amazon.

Shoelaces, Fractions and Ant Hills

Shoelaces:  After getting baptized last night, Dacia Grace decided that she just had to learn how to tie shoelaces.  So here she is after tying the shoe many, many times!

Fractions:  First grade math is centered around many activities that are hands on.  The intention is that Dacia Grace will learn math from touching, feeling, and tasting math.  What a fun way!  Well this morning’s math topic was FRACTIONS!  What better way to experience how fractions affect our daily lives than by baking.  We sure enjoyed the scones!

    

Ant Hills:  First grade science is also very hands on.  Today we soaked a piece of bread in honey and then laid it outside near a rock that we knew had ants under it.  Soon there were ants everywhere.  We fully expected the ants to carry the bread off to their hill/nest piece by piece.  We were very surprised to see the ants COVER the piece of bread entirely and then carry the bread piece by piece into their store rooms from UNDERNEATH the ground.

The piece of bread is still barely visible at the bottom right of the middle of the picture.  I know it is not easy to see.  Mainly we are including this picture so that WE can remember what happened.  :)

Science

Our curriculum, My Father’s World, includes three fantastic books for science.   We are so excited to go through these books.  There will be many hands on activities.

Our first topic of discussion will be “Close to the ground”.  We will be doing nature hikes, creating a worm jar to watch worms tunnel through soil and then feeding some ants……at the park NOT my house!   In preparation of these activities we read some fun books from the library that introduce the importance of worms in our environment.  Dacia Grace loved them!

Love, Love, Love Our Library

When we moved into this house in June of 2007 we were excited to be so close to our local library.  (Our home is actually at the end of the walking trail that leads by the library .....how cool is that!)  I knew that the library would be a great resource for us when we began home school.

We have been able to request rare children's books at no cost to us.  We have borrowed countless cd's of classical and jazz music.  Art books.  Craft books.  Cookbooks, etc.

Recently we have enjoyed some DVD's which are perfect for preschool through early elementary school.

Art appreciation:  a simple and straight forward introduction to Claude Monet and some of his most famous works. This DVD is part of a series Getting to Know which includes other masters.  The publisher also has a series on our presidents, composers, scientists and inventors.  We really enjoy these. 

According to Dacia Grace "the movie was Funny and taught you what Monet did." 

Science:  Finding science videos that are age appropriate and content appropriate has been somewhat difficult for us.  One Smart Cookie Productions has two videos that we have enjoyed:  Autumn and Winter and Spring and Summer.  These are the only two that I can recommend with confidence.  I like them because they offer the same material but taught at three different learning stages:  preschool, kindergarten and 1-3 grade.

Dacia Grace found the content to be introduced in a fun and playful manner.  She watched this several times.  Later when we went out for a walk I noticed that she had retained much of the information and was able to recall and apply it appropriately.