How do you teach Science?

[Yurtgirl]

I would love to know all about how you HE science - books, websites and most particularly equipment.

Ages ago someone told me about a science "club" that you can subscribe to - where they send you a box of stuff each month. Does sound familiar or am I talking gibberish!

Are you talking about the Electronic Wizards Apprentice? I have heard excellent feedback from that.

We too have a couple of chemistry sets (purchased off ebay) and use Robert Krampf's Science Experiment of the Week sent free to our inbox:
'The FREE Experiment of the Week Newsletter, will give you a free science activity each week, as well as information on newly posted videos and resources, and news about our travels and adventures.'

We got the Free Physics posters
and attend Free Institute of Physics lectures in our area.

We love Opitec for all sorts of equipment and kits and craft stuff. Such reasonable prices too.

The biology stuff we mostly cover by purposeful conversation-but then we cover masses of other stuff like that too, but we do have a lot of books etc as we are both from a nursing background.
We of course use the medium of TV-or rather the offspring watch what they are interested in and then we discuss it, taking it as far as they want to.

and then there are the other websites (haven't tried all of these-this list was made up by another home educator)
www.3bscientific.co.uk/3d_models.html
kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/htbw_main_page.html
www.visiblebody.com/
www.hhmi.org/coolscience/
www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiments/

Oooooh thanks for the links Julie - you are a fab source of knowledge

I realise now having read some other HE threads that my thread title "How do you teach Science?" should be more like "How do you enable learning in Science?"

Anyway you get the point!

I dont think electronic wizards apprentice is what I was thinking of - I could ask the person who mentioned it too me in the first place but I know she is mega busy!! I will try her blog...... failure!! It isnt listed!

Opitec - I have just looked at that site but I cant seem to figure it out, I can only seem to find a few things - Its not difficult to confuse me obviously!!!!!!

Re Opitec
Order a catalogue
I can't remember if they are free to everyone-if not say you are a home educator and then you will definitely get one free,

Then you can peruse the catalogue in your own time.

Enjoy!

Bump for any other ideas

Some excellent science websites others, some american some not

at home science

cool chemistry book

science resources

home-ed.info/science3.htm secondary

primary

Julie - I have just looked into the Electronics Wizard, linked from another thread you were on in fact. Yes that may well be it, although the person who was talking about it had been a subscriber in the past and her children are much younger so maybe there is another similar thing?

Having looked at it DS would absolutely love to do it so its definitely something to consider, although £250 is quite a bit! But I suspect good value considering all the bits involved. DS is a scientist/mathematician in the making so it would be worthwhile, plus his dad would love it a

Gimme the box
No I wanna open it
No me no me
Its my turn its my turn

I can hear it now!!!!!!

dd2 and I were fascinated when we watched the 'wizard' perform his stuff at HesFes. Made me want to join up immediately!
I think all of the 'apprentices' who join get to talk on a forum as well , so a real community develops helping each other and sharing.

If you look round the website, they do weekend courses for parent and child or on conservation stuff for adults.
One day when i have some money..........

good thread, have saved links

fwiw ds, 5, does electronic wizard's apprentice and LOVES it. He is very sciencey but esp into electronics. Good value for money too IMO.

DD1 did a robot building workshop with the Wizards Apprentice people which was really good (apparently she was the best solderer they'd seen [proud mummy alert] - she started the boxes, but found it too much with school work as well. Definately recommend them though.

Ooooh Fillyjonk - I am really glad you have found this thread!

You have 'wittered' elsewhere on mumsnet about HE and science and I found your words really helpful

Particularly the idea that the OU science course is similarish to CGSE science, thats a thought that hadnt occurred to me.

We are currently exploring the idea of HE. You live relatively near us (I havent come across any other MNetters that do) so my homing pigeon instincts have zoomed towards you as I dont know any rl HE children yet.

Thanks for your response Yurtgirl! I didn't see your Latin thread, will enjoy reading it.

The "science in the box" sounds somewhat grander than what it is. I was refering to the University of Oxford Smart Kit Series an example of these here and their kids pocket science kits which you can buy from Amazon, or in The Works, where I brought ours. The box is actually used in some of the experiments. They're great for keeping younger kids absorbed and introducing concepts like Water displacement, magnetism etc. But if you're after something more sophisticated I'm afraid I haven't yet really got to grips with this subject myself yet. I did discover something interesting known as the Teaching Tank www.tchg.com/pictures.asp and here but like a lot of great HE teaching materials, you'd have to purchase from America I have definitely seen a company on the web that sells a science curriculum complete with experiments all wrapped in a box. It comes from America, but sold in England through Ithacus Resources. Looked for you, but can't find either website anymore. But Electronic Wizard sounds great!

Thanks 2kidzandi those kits in the first link are similar to a Chemistry kit from Oxford (same packaging so I guess similar thing) that I saw on Amazon

Each time I find something useful re HE and Science I am trying to add it to this thread as I searched the MN HE section for science ideas and couldnt find any so this is IT!

My ds is a science/maths/nature fanantic so being able to teach him science with excellent resources will be really important to us if we finally take the plunge

This looks like a useful list

mudpies to magnets

This is for kids up to age 6 but would probably work with older kids.

We check out books from the library each week on different topics. I especially like ones with stories to illustrate the science for young kids. In fact we use books for most of our learning at the moment with DS1 3yrs 11 mths

eg. Tiny seed

Alice
www.ifnotschool.blogspot.com/

just purchased a DM2 Stereoscope from brunel Microscropes it's brilliant! It's got the ds's switched on to science big time - they haven't stopped trying to place everything they can lay their hands on under it. It gives really clear images (compared to one I brought in toy shop previously. It was worth it to pay more) The company gave me really excellent service so I recommend them if anyone's thinking of purchasing one in the future.

I take my kids to the Royal Institute of Great Britain for their schools science lectures.

They are brilliant and tailored for different Key Stages, from 1 to 4, then some sixth form lectures.

www.rigb.org

Does anybody know any science suppliers that provide things like clips and wires, beakers and test tubes to Home educators? Can't seem to find any, the ones I've found will only supply to schools.

Hello Shineynewthings - thankyou for bumping this thread

Try school surplus loads of fabulous things at fantastic prices - best for maths stuff I find (check out the fraction things!) but also have science stuff as well

Also tryhere
That site also has loads of fab maths and literacy stuff - worth a look while you are there!

Oooowww thank you for that LauraIngallsWilder! Lots of lovely things on that school surplus one. I can tell i'm going to be addicted. The fraction things look pretty cool. My poor battered purse!

One of our faves:
www.planet-science.com/home.html
No longer being updated and a little bit Welsh: www.bbc.co.uk/wales/scifiles/index.shtml
Both my kids enjoyed the forensics investigation (quite grim but not too graphic):
www.centredessciencesdemontreal.com/en/jeunes/jeunes_jeux.htm
www.ypte.org .uk/about-us.php
www.kidsastronomy.com/
nicholasacademy.com/science.html
www .sciencemuseum.org.uk/onlinestuff/games.aspx
www.biology-resources.com/
www.schoolsc ience.co.uk/
www.naturedetectives.org.uk/
www.sciencenewsforkids.org/
www.ge tbodysmart.com/index.htm
www.cellsalive.com/
www.show.me.uk/index.html
yucky .discovery.com/flash/

Okay, so that's kind of a lot. I find Brightminds.co.uk good for science resources although it can be expensive. But I've found some of the things cheaper on Amazon. We got some cheap dvds about the planets (discovery channel) from the works. My son has them on while he plays with his Lego, seemingly taking no notice of them, then dazzles everyone with his knowledge of planetary gases . We like this book because it's full of really simple experiments and explanations.

Sorry, guys. Should've made all those into links.

Oooww there's more! All this is going to keep us busy for ages.

They have some tempting science kits here too. I discovered the site whilst searching for a trundle wheel.
www.rapidonline.com/Educational-Products/