There is a HUGE resource out there for teaching your kids science which is FREE. It is NASA. YES! You can go have a look and choose from their vast array of videos, lesson plans, projects and competitions. This year we participated in the competition called Moon Math, which very broadly involved doing some measurement of the moon, it was aimed at grade 5-7, they WANT a parent involved, they are happy to work with homeschoolers. They have materials aimed at ALL grades. I mean what more could you want?
For our moon math we decided to see if the moon was always the same distance from the earth, by taking photos of the moon and comparing the diameter over time. But, you say, this is a very basic topic! However, the goal is NOT the answer, the goal is for the kids to be exposed to the scientific process: 1. consider a question, 2. propose a hypothesis - do some background research and develop a research plan (hand this in), 3. begin your experiment, 4.write your research up in the manner of a scientific paper, (summary, introduction, materials and methods, results, conclusions) - and hand this in. And then your child has successfully followed the same process that all great scientists have.
If you are an unschooler this will suit you down to a T. Here is the blurb the NASA people sent out about their resources. I highly recommend the experience of working with them. It has been very productive from a "did the kids learn anything?" perspective, and it has been fun!
The Educational Materials section of NASA's Web site offers classroom activities, educator guides, posters and other types of resources that are available for use in the classroom. Materials are listed by type, grade level and subject. The following items are now available for downloading.
Lunar Nautics: Designing a Mission to Live and Work on the Moon Educator Guide -- Grades 6-8
This unit features 40 activities that challenge students to assume the roles of workers at Lunar Nautics Space Systems, Inc., a fictional aerospace company specializing in mission management, lunar habitat and exploration design, and scientific research.
The guide includes information to teach the basics on Newton’s Laws of Motion, rocket design, microgravity, and the moon. Students design, test and analyze a model lunar lander, a robot, and a soda bottle rocket. They also build edible models, a solar oven to cook hot dogs, and a microgravity sled while underwater.
Educators can use this guide in a variety of formats such as week- long day camps, after-school programs, a classroom unit or as supporting curriculum.
Extra-Credit Problems in Space Science -- Grades 7-9
These activities comprise a series of 20 practical math applications in space science. Students looking for additional challenges in math and physical science are encouraged to use these as potential extra credit problems. The problems are authentic glimpses of modern engineering issues that arise in designing satellites to work in space. Each word problem has background information providing insight into the basic phenomena of the sun-Earth system, specifically space weather. The one-page assignments are accompanied by one-page teachers guides with answer keys.
Additional Video Learning Clips Added
More than 50 educational video clips have been added to the Videos section of the NASA Educational Materials site.
Educational video clips are short segments about aeronautics, Earth science, space science, space exploration and other NASA-related topics. Designed for students in grades K-12, these short videos are ideal for supplementing teaching ideas in the classroom.
Use the Find Teaching Materials tool at the link below to select Video Learning Clips and the appropriate grade level.
Kids measuring the diameter of the moon.
Aussie Kim
No matter which Geography or History curriculum you are using (or if you are unschooling), you can REALLY jazz it up and give your kids a more wholistic view of the world with GOOGLE EARTH.
This is how we use it: When studying China we learnt about the Terracotta Warriors or the Entombed Warriors, we were then able to enter the town name on the Google Earth screen, and we were instantly "Flying" over to China, and ZOOMING down to the town of Xi'an for a look around.
People post their snaps (photos) of these locations onto Google Earth. You are able to see what the place looks like by clicking on these photo sites, as well as viewing the aerial images that make up Google Earth. On top of this, Google Earth includes photos and information about significant places on the map as well. I promise you (and the kids!) will want to stay on Google Earth for hours!! They notice things on Google Earth that no amount of talking will explain to them. After looking at some of these towns in China, my kids were amazed at how close the houses were together for such big cities. Go look at Mount Everest or see how BIG the Amazon Jungle is (and how much of the edges are logged!), or how LONG the Mississippi River is! Like I said, you could stay on there all day!
This simple addition to our schooling has made a big difference to the childrens' perspective on the earth and the topics of geography and history. Try it yourself!
This is a photo (taken from an aeroplane (airplane) of where??? Clue: it is the capital of Australia! (Double click = more detail)
P.S. With this version you can also "fly" around the solar system. Now how about that for improving your science curriculum!
PPS Put a timer on before you start flying around the world, or leave this activity as the thing to do once the other schoolwork is done......(trust me on this one...we did it wrong, so you can do it right!)
Aussie Kim
Here's a P.S. from LA Sue - The Sphinx and the Pyramids are our favorite things to visit using Google Earth.
What's your favorite?
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