Five Fun Ideas for Homeschool Science

 

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For every homeschooling family, there are one or two subjects that fill them with dread. How will we teach that in our homeschool? They might say, "I'm not good at math," or "I don't like to read." Or maybe they are concerned about art because they feel like they don't have the necessary talent or materials. And what about science? How can you possibly do science experiments in your homeschool? Today, I want to share five fun ideas for your homeschool science lessons. 

Crafts 

Sometimes, homeschool science lessons come with built-in crafts and activities, and other times we are inspired by books we read. We have created multiple volcano crafts and experiments over the years, including a painting that was part of a Natural Disasters Unit Study, and created a craft that showed the process of metamorphosis in a butterfly.

It's also fun to build dioramas for the animals and habitats you are studying, craft a model solar system, or build DNA out of candy. These are some fun hands-on craft ideas that are easy to incorporate into your homeschool science lesson. And many ideas can be completed with the items you have around your house. (I am all for not having to buy anything extra to complete a craft or experiment!) 

Puzzles 

We have reviewed several really cool puzzles over the years in our homeschool that are science-themed. It is wonderful to incorporate a fun past-time into our homeschool day. Why are puzzles important to include in your homeschool science lessons? 

Puzzles provide your children (and you) with the opportunity to develop memory skills. You need to remember what the picture will look like when you are done and remember where you have previously put pieces. As you pick and choose pieces, you test your ideas and solve problems. Does this piece fit here? Do the colors and patterns match? Often when I am working with our children, I will look for shapes first and then look at colors and patterns. 

We have used a number of anatomy-themed puzzles in our homeschool, including:

• For older children try: Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Thorax
• For younger children try one of the following: 
• Dr. Livingston JR Human Body Floor Puzzle
• Dr. Livingston JR. Human Brain Floor Puzzle
• Dr. Livingston JR. Human Heart Floor Puzzle

And a really fun puzzle that depicted the periodic table of elements. I would definitely recommend the Periodic Table of the Elements Puzzle to homeschooling families whether or not your children are studying chemistry. Read my review here: Finding The Fun in Homeschooling: Adding a Puzzle into your Chemistry Course. 

Hands-On Activities and Kits 

Our daughter really thrives on hands-on activities – especially in science. She loves to get outside, collect leaves, measure water, weigh objects, etc. Whether we are using her curriculum from My Father's World to examine roses (see if I have a photo) or using unit studies from SchoolhouseTeachers.com, she learns better with these hands-on homeschool science lessons. 

If you don't know where to start, you can purchase science kits to help you get started. From growing your own crystals to dissecting an owl pellet, there are so many great options. And they make perfect gifts for homeschooling families. 

Courses, Workbooks, and Other Lesson Resources 

Where do you turn for homeschool science lessons, workbooks, and resources? I hope you have my blog bookmarked, as I have shared numerous resources over the years. And today I would like to share more ideas with you. 

Our son enjoyed studying  Astronomy with Exploring Creation with Astronomy textbook and junior notebooking journal from Apologia so much so that we are using  The Book of Astronomy Set from Memoria Press this year for his science. We will be memorizing the 15 brightest stars and looking at constellations in more depth. I can't wait to go star gazing with him! 

SchoolhouseTeachers.com Courses 

Another favorite place to look for science courses is SchoolhouseTeachers.com. 

• Charlotte Mason Preschool – This six-month preschool course doesn't need a desk! Complete age-appropriate nature studies with your preschool to learn more about the world around you. 
• Creation, Nature, and You – For kindergarten through third grade. Explore how nature can point you and your children to God as the creator. There are 11 videos that can be used alongside your regular science homeschool curriculum to reinforce topics you are already studying. 
• General Biology by Core Academy – A great look at biology for your high schooler from a Christian worldview. 

And if you are looking to supplement your homeschool science lessons with worksheets, Super Teacher Worksheets is a great option. You can search for specific topics to find pre-made worksheets or create your own crossword puzzles or other worksheets to accompany your science lessons. Read more about Super Teacher Worksheets in my review here: Printables for Your Homeschool Classroom. 

Workbooks 

Some homeschooling families shy away from workbooks and worksheets. I've seen some very passionate arguments about why one should never use a workbook or worksheet in one's homeschool. But...every child is different. Some thrive on hands-on activities and lessons while others enjoy the process of reading and writing on a piece of paper. While our daughter loves hands-on experiments, our son would often rather just complete an assignment in a workbook. He is not a big fan of getting his hands dirty. So you must make the decision that works best for your family. 

One science workbook that I reviewed combined the best of both worlds. We reviewed the second and fourth grade editions of  Science: Lessons and Investigations published by Evan-Moor courtesy of Timberdoodle recently. The workbooks contain reading and writing activities as well as hands-on crafts and projects. Our daughter has been highly enjoying it. In fact, we just made a volcano craft to go along with a poem as part of her disasters unit last night. 

Fields Trips! 

There are so many great science-themed museums families can visit. And if you don't live near them, you can visit their website to see virtual exhibits or follow them on social media as many often share videos of experiments, talks, and more. 

Here are a few museums to get you started on your field trip experiences:

• The Franklin Institute (Philadelphia) – While you are there make sure you travel through the giant heart. 
• Museum of Science (Boston) – They have livestreams so you can enjoy science at home or at the museum. 
• Smithsonian (Washington DC) – There are several different museums ranging from natural history to astronomy. Be sure to plan your day to spend lots of time touring! 
• Science Museum (London) – Stop by to see a variety of traveling exhibits as well as visit the IMAX theater for a unique movie-going experience.