T-Shirt Chromatography

One of the few experiments I remember doing in high school was t-shirt chromatography. I can still picture the coffee cans and sharpies all lined up and ready to go in my mind. We spend the whole class period making the shirts and I wore mine until it faded and basically fell apart. So today, I’m going to do you a favor. I’m going to share just how to do this activity with your … [Read more...]

3 Christmas Science Activities

Christmas is almost upon us! The scent of pine mingled with peppermint is wafting through the air in homes around the country. The trees are trimmed, the icicle lights adorn the porch, and the gifts are wrapped – well maybe not quite yet. . . I don’t know about you and your kids, but at our house we love Christmas morning. We have a big breakfast full of once-a-year treats. We open … [Read more...]

What should middle school science look like?

I was researching for one of the programs I am working on and ran across this statement from the National Science Teacher's Association: The middle school years, grades 5 through 9, are a time of tremendous physical, emotional, and cognitive changes for students. It also is a pivotal time in their understanding of and enthusiasm for science. Research has shown that if educators don’t capture … [Read more...]

3 Thanksgiving Science Activities

Thanksgiving is almost upon us! Bring on the turkey, the sweet potato casserole, the pumpkin pie, and . . . the science! In honor of the upcoming holiday, I wanted to share with you all three Thanksgiving science activities that you can enjoy after the clean-up is done. But before we do that, I have to take a proud mama moment to tell you that the turkey pictured in this post is actually … [Read more...]

All About Lichens at the Homeschool Science Corner

Lichens are perfect to study around this time of year. As the trees are shedding their leaves and the plants are starting to die off, the lichens in the area begin to stand out. Lichens can be found all over the world, including the in the desert! Typically, you will find them on the bark of a tree or on a rock. Many lichens are about the size of a human fist, but they can grow to be as large … [Read more...]

Types of Pollination

The Joshua tree has a unique insect-pollinator, the yucca moth. The bumble bee pollinates the morning glory in the cool beginnings of a new day. And a gentle breeze is responsible for spreading the pollen of the spruce tree. The moth, bee, and wind all act as pollinators for these plants. They are responsible for getting the pollen from the male part of the flower to the female part, so … [Read more...]