When our daughter hit the middle school years, all of a sudden I was painfully aware of how close we were to the time when it starts to count. During the elementary years, high school seems so very far away. But then your student starts maturing before your eyes, and you start to realize that high school is not so far off. You start getting "serious" about her studies and leave those "fun" … [Read more...]
I want to teach science, but without having to do experiments at home!
One of the reasons I love going to conventions is that I get to connect with other homeschoolers. I get to hear about why you love the idea of teaching science and what your struggles are. I get the chance to encourage you in your homeschooling journey and in turn you all encourage me to keep writing about science. In that spirit, I want to begin sharing a series that will address some of … [Read more...]
Ideas for Building Simple Machines at Home
A simple machine is a tool that you can use to help you to do work. In other words, simple machines make the task of lifting or moving an object easier. Types of Simple Machines There are seven main types of simple machines. 1. The Lever The lever is a rigid bar that is free to move around at a fixed point. Levers are frequently used to lift things, i.e. using a flat piece of metal to pry … [Read more...]
The Punnett Square
The Punnett Square is a foundational genetic principle. It helps scientist predict which traits an offspring can have. In today's post, I wanted to provide you with the tools to introduce this concept to your students. DNA, Genes, and the Punnett Square Coded within the DNA of an organism are thousands of genes. Each of these genes contain the code for certain characteristics. Genes are … [Read more...]
2 YouTube Channels & a Podcast you can use for homeschool science
We live in a digital world. Smartphones and social media abound. The great thing is that as homeschoolers we can use technology to our advantage. These days we can be mesmerized by the eagle as she tends to her nest in real-time. We can listen to the classics with the touch of a button. And we can answer our kids burning questions with a quick Google Search. I thought that today I … [Read more...]
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...]
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