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MAKING DEDUCTIONS: SCIENCE

1. State the question.

2. Form a hypothesis.

3. Test the hypothesis through experimentation.

4. Draw conclusions.

—The scientific method

SUBJECT: Science: biology, astronomy and earth science, chemistry, physics

TIME REQUIRED: 3 hours per week—90 minutes per day, two days per week—plus additional time working on independent experimentation

 

In logic-stage science, the student begins to make connections—among the branches of science, between science and history, between the scientific method and the rules of logic. The middle-grade student will begin to mark scientific discoveries and the birth and death dates of scientists on his time line, bringing history and science closer together. He’ll use the logic of the scientific method, testing his new knowledge through experiments.

Grammar-stage science was a time of discovery. During the logic stage, the young scientist digs below the surface of the discoveries made in the earlier grades. The first grader learned about animals; the fifth grader will learn about the cells that make up an animal’s body. The second grader memorized the constellations; the sixth grader will learn about the birth and death of stars. The third grader experimented with food coloring and water; the seventh grader will study the atoms and molecules that make up water itself. The fourth grader did experiments with weights and planes; the eighth grader will learn about the laws of motion and the journey from Newton to Einstein.

YOUR GOALS

We warned you in the grammar stage against attempting a systematic study of any field of science. Scientific discovery hurtles forward while students pick their way carefully through new material. Middle-grade students have more maturity and better reading and writing skills than elementary students, but they still can’t be stuffed with an exhaustive knowledge of science.

Your goal in the early grades was to foster enthusiasm for science and to expose the child to basic facts about each field. In the middle grades, your goal is to teach the young student to think critically about doing science. He’ll learn how scientists in each field—biology, earth science, astronomy, chemistry, physics—use experimentation to confirm their theories. And through experimentation, he’ll practice using the scientific method himself.

This experiment-focused study will help the student learn the basics of each scientific field.

In biology, the student can learn about cells and their functions; about the physical systems that bring living things nutrients and air; about the ways living creatures reproduce; and about the different characteristics that divide the animal and plant kingdoms into phyla, classes, orders, and families.

The student of astronomy and earth science can learn about the makeup of earth and space; about the different types of materials that constitute the earth, the types of objects found in space, and their composition; about the way the earth behaves and the rules that govern planetary motion. He should learn about the earth’s relationship to the moon, the solar system, and the rest of the universe.

The young chemist should discover more about the basic elements of the physical universe and how they interact. He should be able to relate this knowledge to biology, astronomy, and earth science. What elements make up living things? the earth? the stars?

The beginning physicist should start to understand how that matter behaves in different circumstances (heated, chilled). He should explore how molecules behave, how the four forces (gravity, electromagnetism, weak and strong nuclear forces) affect matter. He should learn the basic properties of light. Most of all, the young scientist should enjoy doing hands-on science and learning through experimentation.

TEXTS

The logic-stage student will study science by doing an experiment, recording the results, and then by reading and writing more about his discovery. He’ll also sketch important diagrams—the parts of a cell, the structure of an atom, the order of the planets—and label them.

In order to do this, you’ll need a science program that offers plenty of interesting experiments and also gives the student a chance for deeper investigation. As in the grammar stage, you’ll want to stay on one area of science for an entire year, giving the student the opportunity to fit his newly acquired knowledge into a pattern. However, most fifth-and sixth-grade science programs still hold to a spiral sequence that leaps from topic to topic—and although some seventh-and eighth-grade curricula do begin to focus in on particular topics, textbook presentation is too often dry, focused on memorization rather than on discovery.

For three of the four middle-grade years, we recommend replacing a science textbook with fascinating kits and projects. In the pages that follow, we will describe several different ways to approach middle-grade science—all of them focused on discovery and experimentation.

In addition, you’ll need two or three science encyclopedias on hand for reference. The Usborne Internet-Linked Science Encyclopedia (also recommended for grammar-stage science) is a good resource for most fifth and sixth graders; the Dorling Kindersley Visual Encyclopedia of Science will provide an excellent second source for reports. Sixth graders and up will also benefit from the Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia, a slightly more advanced reference work, and the Usborne Illustrated Dictionary of Science: Physics, Chemistry and Biology Facts, a work approaching high-school level.

For each year, we also suggest books you might want to keep on hand—either purchased by you or borrowed from the library (although you might have to return them before you’re done with them). If you’re on a budget, you’ll need to plan ahead, glancing over your student’s science text several weeks in advance so that you can have the right library books on hand.

Remember, once again: Your goal for middle-grade science is not mastery of the principles that undergird biology, chemistry, astronomy, earth science, and physics. Those foundations will be laid in a systematic manner in the high-school courses. Your goal is to lead the student in understanding and using the scientific method across all of these scientific fields—to teach her how to do science.

As in the elementary years, remember that the biology/earth science-astronomy/chemistry/physics sequence is a convenient way to link history and science—but can always be rearranged if another sequence suits you better.

SCHEDULE

Plan on doing science two days per week for around an hour to an hour and a half per day. The student will spend the first science period performing experiments, recording the results, and making any appropriate sketches; he’ll spend the second preparing a report and recording any important dates. He should also plan on spending an occasional afternoon or evening working on additional science-fair type projects.

Your weekly schedule for each year, then, will look like this:

 

Day 1		Spend around ninety minutes doing experiments, recording results, and completing any sketches.
Day 2		Spend around ninety minutes preparing the science report, using the science encyclopedias as resources and recording any dates.

 

THE NOTEBOOK

Because you’ll be using a number of different resources over the course of each year, use the science notebook to pull all of your study together in one place. Divide the notebook into six sections:

1. Experiments
2. Sketches
3. Reports
4. Dates
5. Memory Work
6. Extra Activities

Experiments

In all the sciences, the student will do experiments, using the scientific method to test and confirm his newfound knowledge.

Experiments should be recorded on a page following this pattern:

• 1. What question am I trying to answer? (state the question)
• 2. What could the answer be? (form a hypothesis)
• 3. How will I test this answer? (the steps of the experiment)
• 4. What result did I get?
• 5. Does this agree with the answer I thought I would get? If not, what answer should I give instead?

Sketches

Any models or diagrams (such as cell structure, molecules, planetary rings or moons) encountered in the experiment materials should be carefully reproduced, with colored pencils, and with all the parts labeled in clear print. Place these in the second section of the science notebook.

Reports

Reports will grow progressively more complicated. The fifth grader will write science reports of two to three paragraphs; the sixth grader, a page; the seventh and eighth grader, up to two pages.

Dates

In this section of the science notebook, place four sheets of paper. At the top of each sheet, write one of the divisions from history: “Ancients (5000 B.C.–A.D. 400),” “Medieval–Early Renaissance (400–2600),” “Late Renaissance-Early Modern (1600–1850),” and “Modern (1850–Present).” Whenever the student encounters dates of important scientific discoveries or events and the birth and death dates of scientists, he should write them on the appropriate sheet.

In addition, the student should enter on his history time line any scientific dates that fall within the period he’s studying in history.

Memory Work

It isn’t necessary to test at this level. The student is constantly reading, writing, and experimenting; and all of these activities will serve to fix the new knowledge in his mind.

At the end of the description for each grade, though, we’ve listed some information that the student should memorize, if possible. Set some time aside once every couple of weeks to review these lists.

Extra Activities

As time and interest permit, periodically plan extra activities and “field trips” to science museums or local science exhibits. Many areas also have science clubs (nature, astronomy, computer, and so forth) that welcome student and family participation. When possible, coordinate the activity with the subject under study each year.

Participating in a science fair is a great motivator for young science students. As a home schooler, you have two options: (1) to call your local school system and ask whether home schoolers can participate in the local school fair (in many cases, the answer will be yes); or (2) to call your state home-school organization and ask what exhibition opportunities are available for home schoolers. Organizations such as 4-H and the Boy or Girl Scouts also give students opportunities to show off science projects. And don’t forget national science competitions (listed in Appendix 3). At the end of this chapter, we’ve suggested several science-project idea books to get the creative juices flowing.

Keep track of the activities in the notebook. You can simply write:

1. Visited science museum. Saw special history of machines exhibit, September 10.
2. Attended computer club, October 11.
3. Went on nature walk in park to identify trees, October 15.
4. Entered Science Fair with my project, “The Orbit of Jupiter,” November 12.

and so on.

HOW TO DO IT

Fifth Grade: Biology

You’ll want to plan on doing about thirty-six weeks of biology. Each week, the student will spend the first day of science doing experiments. Choose from the following science kits and complete the experiments in each kit at the student’s natural pace; he can do as many (or as few) experiments as he can complete, record, and sketch during the ninety-minute experiment session. On the second day of science, allow the student to pick one topic (a concept, a new vocabulary item, a discovery) related to one of the finished experiments, research it briefly, and then write a short report. Two or three paragraphs is plenty. The student will learn more about research and writing by completing a brief weekly composition than by doing longer, less frequent papers. If the student develops a deep interest in one particular topic, adjust the science schedule—do more experiments in that area (skipping others if necessary), and allow him to research and write more detailed reports. Flexibility is one of the great advantages to home learning.

We suggest that you begin with Sally Stenhouse Kneidel’s Creepy Crawlies and the Scientific Method: Over One Hundred Hands-On Science Experiments for Children. This book leads students through the five steps of the scientific method, giving valuable instruction to those who are just starting to think critically about science. Spend three to five weeks, picking and choosing from the experiments in this book on the first day of study; ask the student to write his report on a related topic on the second.

Once you’re comfortable following the steps of the scientific method, you can begin to pick and choose from the following experiment kits. Begin with projects from the Intermediate list and then move on to the Advanced list. (Ordering information is in the Resources section at the end of this chapter.)

Intermediate

Owl Pellet Dissection Kit (1–2 weeks)

Three pellets and tools for identifying the owl’s meal.

Bug Hunt Kit (1–3 weeks)

Build four traps, catch bugs, identify them, document the process. Length of use depends on the time of year, and how many insects live in your area.

Carnivorous Creations Terrarium Kit (1 week to establish, return to the kit for 2–4 weeks over the course of the year)

Grow and feed carnivorous plants.

Smithsonian Bio Dome Habitat (2–3 weeks to establish, return to the kit for 3–5 weeks over the course of the year)

Build and manage a frog “rainforest,” an aquarium, a bug habitat, and an ant-hill.

Basic 5 Animals Dissection Kit (5–8 weeks)

Beginner dissection kit: crayfish, earthworm, starfish, frog, grasshopper, all tools, and a dissection manual/guide.

Blood Typing Kit (1 week)

Discover and document your blood type.

Fingerprint Kit (1–3 weeks)

Learn to collect and identify fingerprints as the unique markers they are.

Mind’s Eye: Optical Illusions & Human Perception (8–12 weeks)

Learn how the human eye handles depth, perspective, shape, motion, and more. Experiment manual included with 94 different experiments.

Advanced

Botanical Discoveries Science Fair Kit (1 week to establish, return to the kit for 4–7 weeks over the course of the year)

Comes with experiment guide; students learn about germination, phototropism, photosynthesis, root structures, and more.

Microscope & Biology Kit (8–16 weeks)

Twenty-five directed experiments using microscope and slides: learn how to use the microscope, prepare slides, and investigate specimens.

Fetal Pig Anatomy Lab (3–5 weeks)

Fetal pig, dissection mats, and anatomy guide (you’ll need to complete the Basic 5 Animals Dissection Kit above first).

In our Resources section, we’ve suggested several additional experiment books, science-project resources, and biology resources for you to consider.

 

Memory Work Choose among the following information:

• The basic phyla of the animal kingdom and their characteristics (Chordata, Echinodermata, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Annelida, Nematoda, Platyhelminthes, Coelenterata, Porifera).
• Plant-kingdom memory work, which should include lists of important structures—for example, the parts of a flower (receptacle, petals, sepals, nectaries, stamens, pistil); the types of compound leaves (palmate, trifoliate, ternate, pinnate, bipinnate); the types of root (tap-root, fibrous root, adventitious root, aerial root, prop root). Keep your eyes open for other lists as you study.
• Human-body memory work, which could include the body systems (skin, skeletal system, muscular system, digestive system, respiratory system, circulatory system, urinary system, reproductive system, endocrine system, and nervous system); major bones (cranium, mandible, clavicle, scapula, rib cage, ulna, radius, pelvis, carpus, femur, patella, fibula, tibia); the components of blood and what each does (red blood cells carry oxygen, white blood cells fight disease, platelets stop bleeding); the types of teeth (incisors, premolars, molars, wisdom teeth).

Extra Activities Record all field trips, club activities, and so forth.

Sixth Grade: Astronomy and Earth Science

In sixth grade, the student will revisit astronomy and earth science, first studied in second grade. You’ll want to plan on doing about eighteen weeks of earth science and eighteen weeks of astronomy over the course of the year; you can alternate, or choose to divide the year in half between the two subjects. Each week, the student will spend the first day of science doing experiments. Choose from the following science kits and complete the experiments in each kit at the student’s natural pace; he can do as many (or as few) experiments as he can complete, record, and sketch during the ninety-minute experiment session. On the second day of science, allow the student to pick one topic (a concept, a new vocabulary item, a discovery) related to one of the finished experiments, research it briefly, and then write a short report. Three-quarters of a page to one full page is long enough; remember that the student will learn more about research and writing by completing a brief weekly composition than by doing longer, less frequent papers. If the student develops a deep interest in one particular topic, adjust the science schedule—do more experiments in that area (skipping others if necessary), and allow him to research and write more detailed reports. Flexibility is one of the great advantages to home learning.

Pick and choose from the following experiment kits. (Ordering information is in the Resources section at the end of this chapter.) Observation lessons such as stargazing may not allow the student to completely fill out the experiment sheet for the notebook.

Earth Science

National Geographic Earthquakes & Volcanoes Experiment Kit (5–6 weeks)

Six experiments in plate tectonics and seismograph use, along with an experiment manual.

Smithsonian Weather Center Science Kit (1 week to install, revisit for 3–5 weeks over the course of the year)

Set up this minature tower to measure and chart wind speed and direction, temperature, rainfall, cloud coverage, and other weather conditions.

Volcano: Power Tech Series

Make an erupting volcano and experiment with the properties of lava (3–5 weeks)

Crystal PRO Crystal Growing & Crystallography Kit (9–12 weeks)

Fourteen experiments in growing, measuring, and evaluating crystals.

Wind Power: Renewable Energy Science Kit (8–12 weeks)

Twenty experiments in wind energy: make a turbine and learn how wind interacts with the earth.

Astronomy

Primer for the Beginning Astronomer/Astromax Introductory Astronomy Binocular Kit (5–8 weeks)

Five detailed lessons in studying the sky, log sheets, sky charts, and high-powered binoculars for observation.

Space Exploration: The Planets, Moon, Stars, Solar System & Rockets (10–18 weeks)

Twenty-two experiments in rocket propulsion, telescope use, solar system modeling, moon exploration, and more.

Slooh Telescope Card and Book (1–2 weeks)

Computer card gives you fifty minutes of access to high-powered telescopes on the Canary Islands; use the observations to fill out the accompanying activity book.

Memory Work

• The planets of the solar system, in the proper order.
• The elements of the earth’s crust (oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium).
• The parts of the earth (crust—oceanic and continental; mantle—litho-sphere and asthenosphere; outer core; inner core).
• The continents.
• The plates (North American, Cocos, Caribbean, South American, Nazca, African, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, Pacific).
• Types of clouds.
• Types of stars and their characteristics (red giants, white dwarfs, variable stars, supernovas, pulsars, binary stars, black holes, neutron stars).

Extra Activities In the second half of the year, schedule a few additional stargazing evenings (see second-grade science for tips on how to do this). If you don’t already have the second-grade astronomy guides on hand (The Stargazer’s Guide to the Galaxy and Spotter’s Guide: The Night Sky), invest in them now. Also, add a star wheel that helps you locate constellations at any time of year and night.

You can also visit available geographical sites—caverns, mountains, small islands, and so forth—and collect and classify rocks.

Seventh Grade: Chemistry

You’ll want to plan on doing about thirty-six weeks of chemistry during this year. Each week, the student will spend the first day of science doing experiments. Choose from the following science kits and complete the experiments in each kit at the student’s natural pace; he can do as many (or as few) experiments as he can complete, record, and sketch during the ninety-minute experiment session. On the second day of science, allow the student to pick one topic (a concept, a new vocabulary item, a discovery) related to one of the finished experiments, research it briefly, and then write a short report—one to one and a half pages long. Remember: the student will learn more about research and writing by completing a brief weekly composition than by doing longer, less frequent papers. If the student develops a deep interest in one particular topic, adjust the science schedule—do more experiments in that area (skipping others if necessary), and allow him to research and write more detailed reports. Flexibility is one of the great advantages to home learning.

We suggest that you invest in the Thames & Kosmos CHEM2000 chemistry kit, which comes with a 251-experiment manual covering the major topics in chemistry. Supplement this with experiments chosen (according to the student’s interest) from Mastering the Periodic Table: Exercises on the Elements, by Linda Trombley and Thomas G. Cohn. For reference, we recommend an elements chart such as the Periodic Table of Elements Chartlet listed in the Resources section at the end of this chapter.

Alternative

Real Science-4-Kids, suggested for possible use in the grammar-school year, publishes a middle-school chemistry curriculum—one of the few that stays on topic for an entire year. The program includes experimentation, but is a more typical textbook-centered course. You can see samples of the RealScience curriculum at the publisher’s website, www.gravitaspublications.com

If you decide to use Real Science-4-Kids, you may want to follow the Real Science recommended sequence of chemistry/biology/physics over grades 5–7, and do earth science and astronomy in eighth grade. Ordering information is found in the Resources section at the end of this chapter.

Chemistry

CHEM C2000 Chemistry Set (30–36 weeks)

This set and the accompanying manual from Thames & Kosmos provides material for 251 experiments that cover all of the major bases in beginning chemistry.

Linda Trombley and Thomas Cohn, Mastering the Periodic Table: Exercises on the Elements.

 

Periodic Table of Elements Chartlet.

 

In the Resources list, we’ve recommended several chemistry kits that you can add for a fun variation.

 

Memory Work At the very least, cover the following:

• Atom: the basic building blocks of all things; made up of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
• Molecule: a combination of atoms, tightly bound together by electrical charges.
• Electron: small particle with a negative charge that spins around the nucleus.
• Proton: small particle in the nucleus; has a positive charge.
• Neutron: small particle in the nucleus; has no charge.
• Nucleus: the center of an atom; made up of protons and neutrons.

Also consider having the student memorize the basic makeup of common elements (water: H₂O) encountered in his study.

Extra Activities Along with science-fair projects, try to visit places where chemistry is at work: industrial plants that manufacture products, bakeries (we have a cookie factory near us), swimming pools (ask the staff how the chlorine and other chemicals are kept in balance), car-repair centers (ask how oil, used freon, and other chemicals are disposed of), and so forth.

Eighth Grade: Physics

You’ll want to plan on doing about thirty-six weeks of physics (at this level, “physical science”—investigating force, motion, sound, light, and magnetism). Each week, the student will spend the first day of science doing experiments. Choose from the following science kits and complete the experiments in each kit at the student’s natural pace; he can do as many (or as few) experiments as he can complete, record, and sketch during the ninety-minute experiment session. On the second day of science, allow the student to pick one topic (a concept, a new vocabulary item, a discovery) related to one of the finished experiments, research it briefly, and then write a report—one to two pages in length. If the student develops a deep interest in one particular topic, adjust the science schedule—do more experiments in that area (skipping others if necessary), and allow him to research and write more detailed reports. Flexibility is one of the great advantages to home learning.

Begin with projects from the Intermediate list and then move on to the Advanced list. (Ordering information is in the Resources section at the end of this chapter.)

Intermediate

Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices (4–8 weeks)

The only non-kit resource on this list, Backyard Ballistics is a guidebook to making projectiles with common household objects and investigating the physical principles behind their operation.

Physics Discovery (3–5 weeks)

An introduction to mechanical physics: build twelve models and learn about levers, pulleys, centripetal and centrifugal forces, gears.

Physics Workshop (10–14 weeks)

73 experiments based on 36 models: windmill, crane, centrifugal switch, and more; simple machines, planes, pulleys, and axles.

Physics Solar Workshop (6–10 weeks)

30 experiments based on twelve models: exploring motors, simple machines, the conversion of solar energy into electricity, fossil fuel use, and more.

Supercharged Science: Physics Kit (3–5 weeks)

Three categories of experiments: roller coaster experiments (force and motion), sonic vibrations, and simple machines. The kit comes with an instructional DVD, the “hard to find” materials (you supply some of the everyday ones, which will require a trip to the hardware store), and student workbook.

Supercharged Science: Electricity and Robotics Kit (3–5 weeks)

Electrical charges and currents, circuits and switches. The kit comes with an instructional DVD, student workbook, and most materials.

Supercharged Science: Laser Show Kit (3–5 weeks)

Experiments with lights: color, lenses, filters, prisms, and more. The kit comes with an instructional DVD, student workbook, and most materials.

Advanced

Introduction to Electronics (10–16 weeks)

Move from simple circuits through more complex systems with sensors, testers, timers, and more; 148 experiments, seven different categories of exploration.

Kite Dynamics (4–8 weeks)

Build different models of kites and test them to learn about the principles of flying: lift and drag, Bernoulli’s principle, and more.

Physics Pro (15–20 weeks)

More complex experiments in statics and dynamics, building off lessons learned in the Physics Discovery, Physics Workshop, or Physics Solar Workshop kits above: fluid dynamics, oscillation, hydraulics, and pneumatics. Build first smaller models, then more difficult versions of real-life machines.

Alternatives

Real Science-4-Kids, suggested for possible use in the grammar-school year, publishes a middle-school physics curriculum—one of the few that stays on topic for an entire year. The program includes experimentation, but is a more typical textbook-centered course. You can see samples of the RealScience curriculum at the publisher’s website, www.gravitaspublications.com.

If you decide to use the Real Science-4-Kids, you may want to follow the Real Science recommended sequence of chemistry/biology/physics over grades 5–7, and do earth science and astronomy in eighth grade. Ordering information is found in the Resources section at the end of this chapter.

A second alternative is the physical science course Exploration Education: Intermediate Physical Science. This engaging course, published on CD, is self-directing; the student progresses through the lessons on the computer (Windows or Mac), fills out a paper-and-pencil logbook, and completes a number of projects (supplies provided). The course is a good introduction to physical forces for most middle-grade students, but will be too elementary for advanced learners; they should stick to the more difficult physics projects listed above. Samples can be viewed on the publisher’s website, www.explorationeducation.com.

 

Memory Work This memory work should center around physics facts collected by the student as he studies. These will differ, depending on which area of physics he’s chosen to pursue. A few options:

• The speed of light.
• The speed of sound.
• The three gas laws.
• The boiling point of water, both Celsius and Fahrenheit.
• The laws of thermodynamics.
• Isaac Newton’s three laws of motion.
• The definition of a solar day.
• The colors in the spectrum.
• Direct current versus alternating current.
• The definitions of ampere, ohm, volt, and watt.

Extra Activities Visit physical-science exhibits at local museums. Spend extra time on the physics projects (building machines and so forth) found in the resources we recommend.

At the end of four years of logic-stage science, the student will have grasped the basic principles of experimentation in biology, earth science, astronomy, chemistry, and physics. Even more important: he’ll have learned how to draw conclusions from an experiment, how to research those conclusions, and how to summarize the information in writing.

RESOURCES

For publisher and catalog addresses, telephone numbers, and other information, see Sources (Appendix 4). Most books can be obtained from any bookstore or library; where we know of a mail-order option, we have provided it. Each year’s resources are divided into basic texts and optional supplementary materials; these are further divided by subject (human body, earth science, astronomy, and so forth) in the order you’ll encounter them during the school year. You can still use many of the resources listed in Chapter 8, particularly the detailed Dover coloring books and the experiment kits.

Reference Materials for All Four Years

Note: If you choose the Microscope & Biology Kit from Thames & Kosmos as one of the fifth-grade biology projects, a microscope is included in the kit.

 

Blister Microscope. Minneapolis, Minn.: General Science Service Co.

$65.95. Order from Blister Microscope. This affordable microscope can be used with regular slides or with the custom-fitted Blister Slides, which have a small depression for the easy viewing of insects and small organisms in liquid. 100 slides come with the microscope.

Brock Magiscope. Maitland, Fla.: Brock Optical, Inc.

$119.00 and up. Order from Brock. If you want better optics than those provided by the $65.95 microscope above, use a Brock Magiscope—tough, reliable, easy to use, good magnification.

Dorling Kindersley Visual Encyclopedia of Science. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2005.

$12.99. Hundreds of photographs and diagrams; fifth-to sixth-grade reading level.

Rogers, Kirsteen, et. al. The Usborne Internet-Linked Science Encyclopedia. Tulsa, Okla.: Usborne Publishing, 2003.

$19.99 (paperback version).

Stockley, Corinne, et al. The Usborne Illustrated Dictionary of Science. Tulsa, Okla.: Usborne Publishing, 2007.

$29.99. Detailed facts in physics, chemistry, and biology.

Taylor, Charles. The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia. New York: Kingfisher, 2006.

$24.95. An excellent middle-grade reference.

Life Science: Animals, Human Beings, and Plants (Fifth Grade)

Basic Resources

Basic 5 Animals Dissection Kit.

$29.99. Order from Tobin’s Lab.

Biological Inheritance & Genetic Engineering. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$34.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Blood Typing Kit.

$7.99. Order from Tobin’s Lab. Single-use kit.

Botanical Discoveries Science Fair Kit.

$24.99. Order from Discover This.

Bug Hunt. Plymouth, Mich.: Slinky Science.

$12.95. Order from Discover This.

Carnivorous Creations Terrarum Kit. Chagrin Falls, Ohio: DuneCraft.

$24.99. Order from Discover This.

Fetal Pig Anatomy Lab.

$39.99. Order from Tobin’s Lab. (Sequel to the Basic 5 Animals Dissection Kit, which should be completed first.)

Fingerprint Kit. Plymouth, Mich.: Slinky Science.

$9.88. Order from Are You Game.

Kneidel, Sally Stenhouse. Creepy Crawlies and the Scientific Method: Over One Hundred Hands-On Science Experiments for Children. Golden, Col.: Fulcrum Publications, 1993.

$18.95. Shows parents how to teach children the five steps of the scientific method: question, hypothesis, methods, result, and conclusion.

Microscope & Biology Kit. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$119.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Mind’s Eye: Optical Illusions & Human Perception. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$69.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Owl Pellet Dissection Kit.

$19.95. Order from Discover This.

Planetarium Garden Lab.

$24.95. Order from Discover This.

Smithsonian Bio Dome Habitat.

$32.50. Order from The Science Fair.

Supplementary Resources

Animals

Burnie, David. Eyewitness: Bird. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2008.

$15.99. A good resource to have on hand for the study of birds.

Giant Ant Farm.

$24.99. Order from Tobins Lab. A good-sized ant farm with a coupon for live ants.

Greenway, Theresa, and Geoff Dann. Eyewitness: Jungle. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2004.

$15.99. A good reference book to have on hand for the study of mammals.

Parker, Steve, and Dave King. Eyewitness: Mammal. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2004.

$15.99. Another good reference book to have on hand for the study of mammals.

———. Eyewitness: Seashore. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2004.

$15.99. A good reference book to have on hand for the study of freshwater fish and amphibians.

Parker, Steve, and Philip Dowell. Eyewitness: Pond and River. New York: Knopf, 2005.

$15.99. A good reference book to have on hand for the study of fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

Peterson, Roger Tory, et al. Butterflies (Peterson Field Guide Color-In Books). Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.

$7.95. This coloring book, based on the Peterson’s Field Guide series, contains detailed drawings with information about each specimen.

———. Reptiles and Amphibians (Peterson Field Guide Color-In Books). Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.

$7.95. This coloring book, based on the Peterson’s Field Guide series, contains detailed drawings with information about each specimen.

———. Birds (Peterson Field Guide Color-In Books). Boston, Mass: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.

$7.95. This coloring book, based on the Peterson’s Field Guide series, contains detailed drawings with information about each specimen.

Science Fair Fun 5 Book Set: Life Science. San Francisco, Calif.: University Games.

$26.88. Order from Are You Game. Five books with all the science experiments in botany, ecology, the human body, microscopes, and measurement you’ll ever need.

Van Cleave, Janice. A+ Projects in Biology: Winning Experiments for Science Fairs and Extra Credit. New York: Wiley, 1999.

$22.75. Includes experiments in both animal and plant science.

———. Biology for Every Kid. New York: Wiley, 1990.

$12.95.

Human Beings

Cumbaa, Stephen. The Bones Book and Skeleton. Illus. Kim La Fave. New York: Somerville House, 1998.

$16.95. Assemble a 12-inch, 25-piece plastic skeleton with moving joints.

Matt, Margaret, et al. Human Anatomy Coloring Book. New York: Dover, 1990.

$3.95. Order from The Book Peddler. Detailed, scientifically accurate drawings of body organs and systems, with charts listing names of body parts.

Pac-Man: Human Torso Model. Bensenville, Ill.: Pacific Science Supplies.

$35.00. Order from Tobin’s Lab. A plastic molded figure with anatomically correct organs that fit into it to show how the body’s parts work together.

Science in a Nutshell series. Nashua, N.H.: Delta Education.

$36.00 each. Order from Delta Education. These kits provide a complete science experiment and activity center; consider going in with a friend, since the kits provide material for two or three students.

Body Basics.

Kit includes materials for an overview of the human body, along with an activity guide and student journal.

The Human Machine.

Kit includes materials for the study of bones, muscles, and joints, along with an activity guide and student journal.

A Peek Inside You.

Respiration, digestion, and circulation.

Smell, Taste, and Touch.

The senses.

Vision and Hearing.

Experiments based on illusions in sight and sound.

Stark, Fred. Gray’s Anatomy: A Fact-Filled Coloring Book. Philadelphia, Pa.: Running Press, 2001.

This simplified black-line version of Gray’s Anatomy is more difficult and more interesting than the Dover coloring book listed above.

The Visual Dictionary of the Human Body. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1991.

$18.99. Big clear drawings, exploded views, cutaways and sections, all labeled with proper Latin names. A beautiful book.

Plants

Arbel, Ilil. Medicinal Plants Coloring Book. New York: Dover, 1993.

$3.95.

Bernath, Stefen. Herbs Coloring Book. New York: Dover, 1977.

$3.95.

Burnie, David. Eyewitness: Plant. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2004.

$15.99. A good resource to keep on hand during the study of the plant kingdom.

Peterson, Roger Tory, et al. Wildflowers (Peterson Field Guide Color-In Books). Boston, Mass: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.

$7.95. Order from Rainbow Resource Center. This coloring book, based on the Peterson’s Field Guide series, contains detailed drawings with information about each specimen.

Earth Science and Astronomy (Sixth Grade)

Basic Resources

Crystal PRO Crystal Growing & Crystallography Kit.

$29.95. Order from Discover This.

National Geographic Earthquakes & Volcanoes Experiment Kit.

$34.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Primer for the Beginning Astronomer/Astromax Introductory Astronomy Binocular Kit.

$5.00 for the five-lesson primer, $99.00 for the high-powered binocular/star chart kit. Order from Astromax.

Slooh Telescope Card and Book.

$14.99. Order from Learning Express.

Smithsonian Weather Center Science Kit.

$29.98. Order from Are You Game.

Space Exploration: The Planets, Moon, Stars, Solar System & Rockets. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$34.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Volcano: Power Tech Series. Wheeling, Ill.: Elenco, Inc.

$24.99. Order from Amazon.com.

Wind Power: Renewable Energy Science Kits. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$49.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Supplementary Resources

Earth Science

Clayborne, Anna. The Encyclopedia of Planet Earth. Tulsa, Okla.: Usborne, 2003.

$19.95. Order from any bookstore or from an Usborne distributor. Less like an encyclopedia than like an atlas; seven sections cover climate, the earth’s layers, weather, land and water, and much more. Beautiful illustrations.

Introductory Earth Science Collection.

$65.00. Order from Rainbow Resource Center. Seventy-five rock samples, along with a study guide and equipment for testing properties.

Science Fair Fun 5 Book Set: Earth Sciences. San Francisco, Calif.: University Games.

$26.88. Order from Are You Game. Five books with science experiments in geology, weather, and magnetism.

Science in a Nutshell series. Nashua, N.H.: Delta Education.

$36.00 each. Order from Delta Education. These kits provide a complete science experiment and activity center; consider going in with a friend, since the kits provide material for two or three students.

Fossil Formations.

Six fossil samples, sand, plaster of Paris, and modeling clay, along with an activity guide and student journal.

Rock Origins.

Twenty-two rock and mineral samples and materials for investigating their properties.

Van Cleave, Janice. Earth Science for Every Kid. Boston, Mass.: Jossey-Bass, 1991.

$12.95. 101 experiments.

———. Spectacular Science: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects series. New York: Wiley.

$10.95 each. These experiments are more complex (and interesting) than those in the Every Kid series. Suitable for exhibition.

Earthquakes. 1993.

Rocks and Minerals. 1995.

Volcanoes. 1995.

Weather. 1995.

Van Rose, Susanna. Eyewitness: Earth. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2005.

$15.99. A good reference work for report writing.

Astronomy

Henbest, N., and E. Harris. Spotter’s Guide: The Night Sky. Tulsa, Okla: E.D.C. Publications, 2006.

$5.99. Order from any bookstore or from an Usborne distributor.

Lafontaine, Bruce. Exploring the Solar System Coloring Book. New York: Dover, 1998.

$3.95. Order from Rainbow Resource Center.

Lippincott, Kirsten. Eyewitness: Astronomy. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2008.

$15.99. Wonderful pictures.

Mars 2020. Dexter, Mich.: Aristoplay.

$30.00. In this family board game, a race to Mars teaches about space and space exploration.

Pearce, Q. L. The Stargazer’s Guide to the Galaxy. Illus. Mary Ann Fraser. New York: Tor, 1991.

$6.99.

Planet Poster Set.

$13.99. Order from Tobin’s Lab. Twelve posters (just under 12 × 12 inches) with every planet, the sun, the moon, and a galaxy. Facts listed for each.

Staal, Julius D. The New Patterns in the Sky: Myths and Legends of the Stars. Granville, Ohio.: McDonald & Woodward, 1996.

$24.95. For good readers, a complete guide to the myths behind the constellations from a number of different countries.

Styrofoam Solar System Kit

$16.99. Order from Rainbow Resource Center. Paint and construct a Styrofoam ball model of the solar system.

Van Cleave, Janice. Constellations for Every Kid. New York: Wiley, 1997.

$12.95. Straightforward astronomy experiments.

———. Astronomy for Every Kid. New York: Wiley, 1991.

$12.95.

Chemistry (Seventh Grade)

Basic Resources

CHEM C2000 Chemistry Kit. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$154.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Periodic Table of Elements Chartlet

$1.99. Order from Rainbow Resource Center. A 17 × 22-inch reference chart of the table of elements.

Trombley, Linda, and Thomas G. Cohn. Mastering the Periodic Table: Exercises on the Elements. Portland, Me.: J. Weston Walch, 1985.

$22.99. Order from J. Weston Walch or from Rainbow Resource Center.

Supplementary Resources

Cooper, Christopher. Eyewitness: Matter. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1999.

$15.99. Same series as the Chemistry book listed below; a look at the elements from a slightly different angle.

ElementO.

$34.95. Order from Rainbow Resource Center. In this Monopoly-type game, players collect elements and pay each other with proton and neutron certificates. Keep track with the Periodic Table of Elements in the middle of the board. A great way to memorize the basic properties of chemistry.

Elements series. Danbury, Conn.: Grolier.

Check your library; most will carry a few of these titles. The books contain clear and detailed explanations of the elements, so consider reading through at least a couple of them. They are listed here in the order they appear on the periodic table.

Hydrogen and the Noble Gases.

Sodium and Potassium.

Calcium and Magnesium.

Iron, Chromium, and Manganese.

Copper, Silver, and Gold.

Zinc, Cadmium, and Mercury.

Aluminum.

Carbon.

Silicon.

Lead and Tin.

Nitrogen and Phosphorus.

Oxygen.

Sulfur.

Chlorine, Fluorine, Bromine, and Iodine.

Uranium and Other Radioactive Elements.

Goose Eggs: Three in One Science Kits. Greensboro, N.C.: The Wild Goose Company.

$6.99 each. Order from Wild Goose. These affordable minilabs contain three activities each, materials, and illustrated instructions.

Chemo-Electro!

Zinc plating and electrical messages.

Growing Crystals!

Crystals.

pH Fun!

Measure the pH of common household substances (including dog slobber).

Super Bounce Putty!

Make polymers.

Newmark, Ann. Eyewitness: Chemistry. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2005.

$15.99.

Science Fair Fun 5 Book Set: Chemistry. San Francisco, Calif.: University Games.

$24.36. Order from Are You Game. Five books with science-fair level experiments in chemistry.

Van Cleave, Janice. Chemistry for Every Kid: One Hundred Easy Experiments That Really Work. Boston, Mass.: Jossey-Bass, 2002.

$12.95.

———. Janice Van Cleave’s A+ Projects in Chemistry: Winning Experiments for Science Fairs and Extra Credit. Boston, Mass.: Jossey-Bass, 1993.

$12.95. These experiments, slightly more complex than those in the Every Kid series, are suitable for exhibition.

———. Molecules: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects. Boston, Mass.: Jossey-Bass, 1995.

$10.95.

Physics (Eighth Grade)

Basic Texts

Gurstelle, William. Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices. Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Review Press, 2001.

$16.95. Order from any bookstore or from MindWare.

Introduction to Electronics. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$109.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Kite Dynamics. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$39.95. Order from Discover This.

Physics Discover. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$24.95. Order from Discover This.

Physics Pro. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$54.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Physics Solar Workshop. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$64.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Physics Workshop. Portsmouth, R.I.: Thames & Kosmos.

$99.95. Order from Thames & Kosmos.

Supercharged Science Kits. San Luis Obispo, Calif.: Superchanged Science.

Order kits from Supercharged Science.

Physics Kit. $89.95.

Electricity and Robotics Kit. $89.95.

Laser Show Kit. $119.95.

Supplementary Resources

Adventures in Science kits

$12.99 each. Order from Rainbow Resource Center.

Color and Light.

Electricity.

How Things Work.

Magnetism.

Cassidy, John. Explorabook: A Kid’s Science Museum in a Book. Palo Alto, Calif.: Klutz Press, 1992.

$21.95. Order from Klutz Press. One hundred pages on seven subjects like light-wave craziness, magnetism, hair-dryer science, and ouchless physics. Bound directly into the book are most of the tools needed; these include a mylar mirror, a magnet, two packets of agar growth medium, a diffraction grating, and a Fresnel lens.

Doherty, Paul, John Cassidy, and Martin Gardner. The Klutz Book of Magnetic Magic. Palo Alto, Calif.: Klutz Press, 1994.

$12.95. Order from Klutz Press. Written by an MIT physicist and two magicians (one of whom is a mathematician), this book includes ten magnets and thirty-one magic activities that explore their properties.

Eyewitness Science series. New York: Dorling Kindersley.

$15.99 each.

Burnie, David. Light. 1999.

Challoner, Jack. Energy. 2000.

Gribbon, Mary, and John R. Gribbon. Time and Space. 2000.

Lafferty, Peter. Force and Motion. 1999.

Parker, Steve. Electricity. 2005.

Horemis, Spyros. Visual Illusions. New York: Dover, 1976.

$3.95. Order from Rainbow Resource Center. You won’t know whether the lines are straight or curved until you color them. Finished, the designs are spectacular.

Sato, Koichi. Optical Illusions Coloring Book. New York: Dover, 1995.

$3.95. Order from Rainbow Resource Center. Mind-bending pictures to color. Eighth-grade level.

Science in a Nutshell series. Nashua, N.H.: Delta Education.

$36.00 each. Order from Delta Education. These kits provide a complete science experiment and activity center, designed for grades 2–6. Consider sharing the cost with a neighbor, since the kits provide materials for two or three students.

Bubble Science.

Variables affecting the size, shape, color, and durability of bubbles.

Charge It! Static Electricity.

Positive and negative charges, static electricity.

Clever Levers.

Build a wheelbarrow, balance a scale, lift weights, and more.

Electrical Connections.

Simple and complex circuits, current, batteries.

Energy and Motion.

Stored energy, motion; weights, marbles, and ramps.

Flight! Gliders to Jets.

Build designes for parachutes, gliders, propeller and jet craft; teaches principles of air pressure and Newton’s third law of motion.

Gears at Work.

Gear systems and interaction.

Magnetic Magic.

Magnetic materials, polar strength.

Pulley Power.

Using fixed and movable pulleys to reduce the force needed to lift objects.

Sound Vibrations.

Sound waves and their interaction with various materials.

Work: Plane and Simple.

Inclined planes; force and friction.

Van Cleave, Janice. Janice Van Cleave’s Machines: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects. Boston, Mass.: Jossey-Bass, 1993.

$10.95.

———. Janice Van Cleave’s Magnets: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects. Boston, Mass.: Jossey-Bass, 1993.

$10.95.

———. Physics for Every Kid. Boston, Mass.: Jossey-Bass, 1991.

$12.95. Simpler experiments than the Spectacular Science series. Deals with motion, heat, light, machines, and sound.

Alternatives

Exploration Education Science Curriculum. Walnut Creek, Calif.: Exploration Education.

Intermediate Physical Science Course.

$119.95. Order from Exploration Education. Course on CD, Student Logbook, instructor guide, all experiment supplies except for glue gun, scissors, ruler, and pencils.

Real Science-4-Kids, by Rebecca Keller. Albuquerque, N. Mex.: Gravitas Publications, Inc.

Order from Gravitas Publications.

Level 1 Chemistry

Student Text. $29.95

Student Workbook. $21.95

Teacher’s Manual. $26.95.

Student/Teacher Bundle (contains all of the above). $100.80.

Level 1 Biology

Student Text. $29.95

Student Workbook. $21.95

Teacher’s Manual. $26.95.

Student/Teacher Bundle (contains all of the above). $100.80.

Level 1 Physics

Student Text. $29.95

Laboratory Workbook. $21.95

Teacher’s Manual. $26.95.

Student/Teacher Bundle (contains all of the above). $100.80.