Elementary age students really don't need fancy science curriculum or thick science textbooks. If that's what your child likes, then go for it, but it's not necessary. There is so much science going on around us all the time that you can easily use your everyday experiences and your child's interests to learn about all sorts of amazing scientific topics. In this post I share some of the easiest ways I've found to add a little science to our homeschool days.
Nature Study
There is so much to be learned by just observing and interacting with the natural world around us. Simple things like backyard bird watching, star gazing, watching the moon moving through its phases, observing insects, watching the seasons change, and researching about animal and plant life around your home are all great ways to incorporate science into your homeschool days.
Check out this post for lots of simple nature study ideas: 42 Nature Study Ideas.
Kitchen Science
Most people probably don't think about the science behind it, but baking is just edible chemistry. The reaction baking powder has when it meets wet ingredients in your bowl is an acid base reaction. The yeast used in bread making breaks down sugars into carbon dioxide gas and alcohol through a process called fermentation. When water is added to flour it allows the proteins in the flour to bind together- creating a new protein called gluten. It's all chemistry!
Here are some fun YouTube videos to pair with baking projects:
-What's the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder
-What is the Maillard Reaction?
-Why Does Cooking Eggs Make Them Hard?
And here are a few kitchen science projects to try:
Documentaries and Educational Shows
There are loads of great documentaries and educational shows about all sorts of fun science topics. Check YouTube and any streaming services you have for documentaries and shows about science topics your kids are interested in.
Some of our favorite science channels on YouTube are:
SciShow and SciShow Kids
National Geographic Kids, National Geographic, and Nat Geo WILD
My kids also love The Magic School Bus Rides Again series over on Netflix and many of the National Geographic documentaries available on Disney+. And if you don’t already have Discovery +, check it out. It has a lot of educational shows and cool science documentaries.
Magazine Subscriptions
Kids love mail so magazine subscriptions tend to be an easy way to get kids excited about science (and reading).
Some of my favorite science based kid magazines are: National Geographic Kids, Zoobooks, and Ranger Rick.
If you don’t want to pay for a subscription or your kids want to read more than one magazine edition per month, check your local public library. Libraries often have magazines available for check out and many let you check out as many as you want at once.
Journaling
I love journaling for science because it works great with a wide range of topics and a wide range of ages. It can also easily be used alongside any of the above mentioned activities.
What I do is make some simple journaling sheets on my computer and print them as needed for my kids to use. Our sheets usually include a spot at the top to write in a topic or title, a space or two for sketches and diagrams, and space for note taking or writing down interesting facts. Then my kids use them for notetaking, research, and recording interesting things they see.
Sometimes I make customized sheets specifically for nature study or taking notes while watching documentaries. This year I made some zoo animal journaling sheets for taking notes about animals during our zoo trips. To keep them organized, my kids each have a binder with sections that they keep their journaling sheets in.
What are some of your favorite simple science activities? Tell me in the comments!
If you enjoyed this post, check out:
Citizen Science Projects for Homeschoolers
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