I am need of a good Kindergarten level science and history program I bought some work books and they are bad and make things more complicated then K needs to be plus they are just now fun Anyone have any ideas where I can find a decent program for science and history Thanks!
There is no such thing as a good science or history curriculum at this level. You really DON'T need one! Pick a topic...butterflies or apples or magnets...go to the library, and get all kinds of books about it. Come home and read, read, read! Check on line for hands-on activities for that subject, talk with the librarian and she can also direct you to books of hands-on activities.
I'd have to agree with Jackie. At this age just make it fun and something they're interested in! Go out in the back yard and find worms or watch the birds or squirrels and talk about where they live and what they do. They won't even know they're learning!
For K science get the book More Mudpies to Magnets and do some fun science experiments. :wink: History comes in at 1st grade and we use SOTW
If your kids are as curious as mine are and were, then you can do all kinds of things. We aere science and history heavy, in our home. These are just some suggestions for kindergarten Here is a basic pattern that I followed, edit as suits you, of course.... General discussion: (To be asked when the situation presents itself) *What did God create? *How can we care for the plants, animals and earth? PLANT LIFE . . *What is living verses non-living things? Is the door-nob alive? Was it ever alive? What about the ant on the side walk? Is that a living thing? *Try to grow a small plant from a see that you let them choose at the local store.... Set in a window and check it every day. (Let them name it, and let them paint of color the styrofoam cup! They LOVE this!!) *Introduce the basic parts of a plant (Roots, Stem, Leaf, Flower) ANIMAL LIFE: *Animal babies and mommy match ups. You can do games with this or simple picture discussions. *What are the baby names for a Horse, cow, cat, dog, etc.... *Some animals use the plants for food or for shelter. *Outside exploring for insects. Does it fly? Does it crawl? Basic Physics: *What does hot or cold really mean? (Stand with your back against the refridgerator and open the freezer. That is cold!) (Turn on the over and after it heats up, *Open the over door with your hand just above the opening. That is hot!) *Talk about how the seasons (mention there are four and what their names are).. How the seasons are known for their temperatures (Hot or Cold) Have them chart the basic weather conditions everyday, such as: Is it cloudy or sunny? Is it hot, cold, wam, cool? Weights and measurements: *Weight EVERYTHING! Hahah! Kids love this! (Be carefull! They will want to weigh you, too! hahah! Let them have a ball with a bathroom scale. Let them weigh their toys, a book, the family pet. Discuss how somethings are heavier than others. Ask them why do they think that is. Measure everything!: Rulers and measuring tapes are cheap. Let them have their own and let them measure everything. They can practice their writing by noting how long something is. How long is your truck? How wide is the TV? And so on. This introduces them to the terms of science with out the rigorous curriculum pressure of regular science class. I did this with my twins and they are insatiable wih their science quests. Let them go at their own pace. But I pretty much followed the pattern above, because it tended to follow logical curiostiy patterns, but everyone is different.
Now that Fall is around the corner, when the leaves start falling off the trees, you can collect a bunch of different shapes. Dip them in paint and then you can transfer them onto paper. Emma loved doing this because she could see the veins of the leaves, the stem and the different shapes. Then you can hang it up and they can admire their beautiful art work. Patty
Patty, have her do this on a t-shirt with fabric paint. We did that in our co-op when I taught a unit on trees. The kids LOVED it!
Awesome ideas ladies!!! we are doing small units on various thems and including basic science in it..but your ideas are great!
I think I will do this and then send it to my parents in Arizona. The grandchildren make them some outlandish t-shirts but I guess people who see my parents wearing them know they must be grandparents because only a grandparent can wear some of those t-shirts with pride.
We made my MIL a sweatshirt last year with all the grandkids' handprints on them, except for the new-born and we used his footprint. It was labeled "Grandma's Precious Treasures"
I saw an craft article about doing this on a xmas tree skirt or a table cloth, and "adding" handprints every year, to see how you grow..more of a sentimental reasons really I guess, family tradition. every year I want to do this, maybe this year I will
My dh's dad cooks, so one year we made a cook's apron with their handprints on it. I think I wrote "We love Granddad!" on it too. He wore that with pride! Maybe we should do that again at this much older age that the kids are now!
Here's something I may try... 1. Have the kids write "We Love You" on paper. 2. Then scan the sheets on the scanner, into the computer. 3. Then combine the images together, so that they will fit on a T-Shirt. 4. Then print the combined image on T-Shirt transfer paper. 5. Then Iron it on a set of shirts for Grandma and Grandpa. That would be kool, eh? (For a gift?) jen
Too much work for me! I like just splattering the paint on and being done! :lol: But in reality, that sounds like a good idea to me if ya know how to do it all!
I think the t-shirt ideas are great! Unfortunately my mom would NEVER actually wear one. She's not one for hand made gifts. My MIL might wear one, so maybe for her...
