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Category Archives: Science
Vampire Bats
Rarely attack humans, don’t suck blood but bite and then lick, and generally consume about a tablespoon per attack.
And we know this because my five year old insisted I google it so she could stop worrying and go to bed. 🙂
All the Water on the Earth
Biology
Christopher said he’s getting bored with the elementary school science lessons we’ve been doing and he wants something more challenging. Awhile back I had looked at the BYU Independent Study college courses and saw they have Bio 110 and a certain text. I checked Paperback Swap and why look – there it is! Seemed like a good reference book so I picked it up, and Christopher decided he wants that to be his text for the next year.
Looking through it while the vocabulary is obviously advanced, it’s really not horribly over his head – he asks me when he doesn’t know a word but it defines most everything. The chapters aren’t too long and have review sections, self testing, etc. We’ve decided to try doing one chapter a week together, and the other kids listen in – I’m surprised at how much they (a) already know (b) are picking up despite the advanced vocabulary. We had a great discussion today and I’m really excited for what we’ll be learning together.
And a free college textbook is always great! It’s an older edition but I’m not worried, by the time they take this for college credit I’m sure there will be a few more editions out. Rather than giving them the super simple (and boring) version of biology let’s just give them the big stuff and see how they do!
SuperMoon 2012
Butterflies
Apparently we’re in a flight path of something. Everywhere.
Homeschooler Day at the Dallas Zoo
Sorry for the last minute notice but it’s not too late – homeschooler day at the Dallas zoo is MONDAY and it’s $5 per person 3 years old and up, parking is $7, and the additional Safari back pack is $5. Here’s the form to print out and bring on Monday (online registration has ended.)
They Might Be Giants
Current obsession:
15 Minutes Outside
(Kindle edition is only $1.99!!)
I started reading this last night and wasn’t through the first chapter before I told Kit, “This is going to be a life changing book – I need to buy it.”
It’s such a simple premise – spend 15 minutes a day outside playing with your children. And there are stages of our life during which we’ve done that, but not consistently and not when it’s too cold, or too hot, or too wet. 🙂 But it struck me while starting this book that WE NEED TO BE DOING THIS. I checked this out from the library but it’s not a book you can read through and then return – you need to own it, because it literally has daily suggestions for outside activities for an entire year. Not super obvious ones, either, but wonderfully creative ideas. Go check it out!!
(It strikes me as a very Charlotte Mason approach.)
Update: You know how I love the Homeschool Blog? Kit read this post about 15 minutes outside and then emailed me something he just made:
I have the funniest husband ever.
Animal Science Curriculum
If you are looking for a fantastic animal book for your kids that absolutely works as your entire animal science curriculum, you should get them this book – Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia
C wrote his own blog post about this book. (Side note, I’m thrilled with how great his writing is these days! Go, Little Blogger!) And he loves getting comments on his blog so please say hi over there.
Whoops, forgot his blog is private! If you want access send me an email. 🙂