One of our state requirements is science. I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations on what to use for teaching K science. Our son is very hands on. TIA
I used Calvert for my son when he was in Kindergarten. It was very hands on. We had to do posters, charts, research, and crafts. I don't know if Apologia has something for Kindergarten, but I heard they are a good program. Hope this helps.
There are free printables on the net for tons of different topics. Keep a book list of your read-alouds from the library (if you have to document) on every possible topic in the world. Take nature walks and let him collect "specimens" of leaves, rocks, sticks, flowers (press them), acorns and other seeds, whatever, and take pictures of him holding a beetle, grasshopper, flower that won't press well, a frog, or other perishable stuff. Look at all the stuff with a magnifying glass. Grow a bean plant in a cup. Let him watch Sid Science Kid if you do television (PBS), or some of the Science, Discovery. NatGeo, or History channel (carefully selected). Maybe the library has some science videos? Let him make a chart (like on a calendar with big open squares) with symbols like the weatherman on tv for sunny, partly cloudy, rain, etc., and introduce the thermometer and numbers for recording the temperature at the same time each day. Talk about what clothes to wear for the weather. You could even make a little boy cardboard cutout like a paperdoll and dress it with rainhat, raincoat, boots, umbrella for rain; swimsuit or shorts and t-shirt for sunny and warm; big coat and hat and mittens for cold weather, etc., if you're so inclined. Investigate things that float/don't float in a pan of water or the bathtub or pool if you have a pool.
I recommend www.learningpage.com - it is free - just have to sign up with your email address. They have science themed learning sheets which are a GREAT springboard for the other stuff. Even have suggestions for books you can take out of the library OR if you joing Reading A-Z you can download their suggested books (they are run by RAZ). Also, I recommend the "Lets Read and Find Out About" Science books. Those are fun to read, and I'm sure you could come up with some fun activities online to coincide with them. There's also "Simply Science" readers which are short science readers. And, of course, there is Christian Liberty Press Nature readers. Personally, for K, I would not do TOO much science, but would concentrate on animals and their habitats, learning the planets and space, learning how a plant grows, and maybe learn about insects and maybe very generic human body/health stuff. HTH.
I am trying some books I found at christian book dot com. They are actually I-can-read level 3 books I think, but they had really interesting pictures and I thought they would make good read-alouds. They are called "God Made Our Bodies," "God Made Outer Space," and "God Made Dinosaurs." They're part of the "Happy Day Books" collection, and they're by Heno Head, Jr. CB dot com sells them for $1.69 each, so if they are duds, I figure it's no big loss. I am looking to fill them out with other material though, and definitely some crafts and nature walks. Me and Miles planted an experimental garden this summer, so he's learned about plants growing from seeds, and how they need water and sunlight to grow and that sort of thing. Also learned about overwatering... (Unfortunately we've learned this the hard way--right after planting, we had nothing but solid rain for a month! Destroyed the tomato and pepper plants, and stunted the squash. But we're still trying!) Anyway, we also will sit down and hit you tube for videos on science subjects. Recently he asked me what lava was, so we looked up lava and volcanoes on you tube and talked about what we saw. Hooray for free learning! =) We use google a lot to learn about nature because I can't get out much.
I used Real Science 4 Kids - Pre-Level in Kindergarten with both of my boys. They both really enjoyed it. It comes with a textbook and a lab book. The textbook is colorful, not too long, and it explains things in fun ways kids will enjoy. It has you doing one lab activity for each lesson. The labs are fun experiments using things normally found around the house. I did the chemistry book and my son still wants science to be all about explosions
McRuffy Press is AWESOME!!! Even though I thought it silly to buy a science curriculum for K, I'm glad I did because it's fun, hands on and my kids LOVE it. We also read tons of science-y books (Magic School Bus, Let's REad and Find Out, etc) and explore the world around us (which living in the middle of no where on 400 acres of farm land and a few thousand acres of state forrest surrounding us is always interesting) as much as we can.... now these are our favorite science things
I'm a Real Science 4 Kids fan also! While, I do not think you need a whole set up for a 5 year old...Real Science 4 Kids has a wonderful curriculum. Your child will have her own textbook and lab book. The lab book follows the scientific method from the start! It's great training and exposure. In addition, I always provide fun and creative science projects and discussions to keep my children curious on the whole. But if you need a set curriculum then Real Science 4 Kids is wonderful.
