science

Activity: The Seasons Are Changing

October 27, 2015 by Justin

Things are cooling off, and the leaves are starting to change color. Nature’s great visual and physical demonstrations make fall a fun time to start teaching young children about the changing of seasons. It’s also a great time to exercise their higher level thinking skills. Here is a fun, fast, and easy activity to get them thinking.

Explain the basic differences of the seasons, and then draw lines dividing a poster board or large sheet of paper into four sections.
Label each section as a different season—spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Invite your child to draw or cut out at least one picture of a favorite thing to do in each season. Examples might be carving a pumpkin in the fall, swimming in the summer, or picking flowers in the spring. If you live in an area without obvious changes, children may identify activities they would like to try.
Help your child place each picture in the section for the corresponding season.

By working on this hands-on activity with you, your child will enjoy learning while reviewing the material in a way that builds true understanding. In step 3 your child is recalling and understanding the key features of each season and then applies that knowledge in step 4 by placing each favorite activity in the proper category.

God’s Providence, Columbus’s Mistake

October 8, 2015 by Ben

Perspective matters in all of education, but it’s particularly clear that perspective impacts teaching about the past. The scene of an accident illustrates on a miniature scale how perspective influences the retelling of an event. Where a witness was standing and what he was doing at the time of the accident will dramatically affect his view of the event. Most historians aren’t eyewitnesses of the events they record, but they do have perspectives that color their narratives.

Christopher Columbus provides an excellent example since historians have many different perspectives about this world figure. My friend Wes wrote a blog post that questioned the morality of Columbus’s actions. But I’d like to discuss two different perspectives taught about Columbus’s scientific knowledge.

Columbus—Heroic Individualist

One educational television show teaches children about Columbus by having an “interview” with him. The man playing the part of the explorer explains that most people in his day thought that the world was flat and that anyone who sailed far enough west would fall off the edge. Columbus, however, believed the world was round and therefore thought he could reach the East Indies by sailing west.

In this widely held perspective, Columbus is seen as a heroic individualist, bucking the religious, intellectual, and political establishments of his time by boldly charting a path based on scientific fact. Secularists like this story because it pits the rationality of science against irrational notions of religion. But those details aren’t accurate. This common perspective on Columbus is one that professional historians are trying to dissuade popular culture from believing.

Columbus—Mistaken Merchant

Actually, the scientific controversy in Columbus’s day wasn’t about the shape of the earth but its size. Most people during that time knew the earth was round but thought it was a little smaller than it really is. Since Columbus was convinced that the earth was much smaller than it is, he believed Asia could be reached faster by sailing west.

The religious/intellectual establishment actually had a more accurate estimate of Earth’s size than Columbus did, but nobody at that time knew there was a large landmass in between Europe and Asia.

I appreciate how BJU Press concludes this historical account in the 3rd edition of Heritage Studies 1 (page 121):

Columbus did not reach Asia by sailing west. Though Columbus did not know where he landed, God did. Columbus did not know he had found new lands to explore. God used the voyage to change the world.

In this telling, Columbus is a mistaken merchant, but God changes the course of human events in a striking way.

Perspective really matters. Some historians want to make people the heroes and ignore what God says and does. As a Christian father, I want my daughters to develop a biblical perspective on the past. This statement from the same textbook (page 123) sums up the perspective I want them to have this holiday.

Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. It is a day to remember Christopher Columbus and the land he found. It is a day to remember what God did long ago.

Hands-on Learning Involves the Whole Mind

September 17, 2015 by Meredith

Family gatherings provide memorable educational experiences. When my dad’s side of the family gets together, we often spend time gazing up at the night sky. It can make for a long evening, but the whole experience is worth it!

Our family scientist sets up his telescope, someone checks the weather, and another person might pull up a star map of the night sky while the rest of us get chairs and blankets to make our hours outside in the cold night air more comfortable.

Once we’re all outside, the “lesson” gets started. We take turns viewing the surface of the moon, a nearby planet, or a passing meteor shower. Conversation centers on the local weather conditions, the size of a celestial object, the color something appears to be and why, or the speed of an object moving through our galaxy. Sometimes we just sit in awe of the greatness of our Creator.

By the end of our night together, we’ve all learned something new without even realizing it because our lesson has been conducted through hands-on learning.

Defining Hands-on Learning

Very simply, hands-on learning is involving one’s whole mind in understanding a concept or principle. The end goal is for the person to be actively involved in the learning process so that he or she can make connections and remember what has been taught. So how do you get that level of engagement for your child?

Involving the Whole Mind

There are two parts to facilitating hands-on learning. They also work hand-in-hand to make learning fun and memorable!

1. The Five Senses

God gave your child different senses that communicate to his brain and define memory. It’s through these experiences of hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, and tasting that he learns. These senses work together in that when something is experienced by more than one of the senses at the same time, that thing is more defined in his mind. There are times when his senses may be hindered (such as when he has a head cold). But maybe your child doesn’t have use of all five senses even when he’s healthy. God has given him everything he needs. If your child doesn’t have use of all five senses, he most likely has one or two heightened senses that compensate for any limitation.

2. Learning Styles

There’s more than one way to learn, but your child does have a predominant learning style that affects how he filters information. It’s important to understand what your child’s learning style is so that you can customize his lessons to fit his needs. Once you know how your child learns best, you can engage him in hands-on learning.

Applying Hands-on Learning

Hands-on learning involves including the different senses and your child’s primary learning styles as you teach and introduce concepts. Making connections in simple ways through different approaches (or senses) can be applied to all academic subjects. Here are some examples.

Science—constellations

View the night sky with your child. Sometimes the naked eye might work best when pointing out the whole constellation, but a pair of binoculars or a telescope could also be used. Your eyes will need about thirty minutes to adjust to the outside lighting.
Talk about the color, size, and distance of each star. Some constellations appear rather close together, but their stars are actually far apart.
Make a constellation finder or plot out the location of stars on a map of the night sky.

Heritage Studies—the American flag

Show your child a picture of the American flag. Point out the colors, stripes, and stars. Talk about the flag’s symbolism.
Listen to a recording of the national anthem and sing along. Be sure to point out the words that describe the American flag.
Draw, paint, or color a picture of the American flag. Discuss the proper way to display it.

Math—multiplication

Have an equation written out for your child to see. Another helpful visual might be to use a number chart.
Count out loud by a factor of the equation (2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, etc.) so that your child can hear the numbers.
Use math manipulatives to make simple groupings. Blocks, coins, and edible treats work well and can add some excitement.

Each of these ideas is simple enough to do at home. They make the learning experience much more enjoyable and engaging for the whole family. That’s hands-on learning at its best!

The Special Way God Made You

September 15, 2015 by Justin

Spend some time around young children, and you’ll quickly realize how interested they are in the human body. They’re extremely observant and love to compare and contrast noses, ears, eyelashes, fingers, and toes, pointing out every little difference from size to color. My four-year-old nephew is fascinated with my beard. Every time we’re together, he asks why I have “whiskers,” and wants to know why he doesn’t. What children like my nephew may not realize is why each person is so different.

All people are valuable because God made every one of them in His image (Genesis 1:26). Each person’s differing characteristics show the vastness of God’s creative genius (Ps. 139:13–16). Children love to ask “why” questions all the time, and you might be surprised how often the Bible has an answer that is easier and better than “it just is.” I’ve found that it’s never too early to begin shaping a worldview that has the Bible as its foundation.

Using Scripture as the basis for lessons for young children

As homeschool parents, you have a unique opportunity to point out God’s goodness to children starting at a young age by basing academic lessons on the Bible. As an example, let’s look at elementary science. The human body is a topic typically covered in Grade 1. First graders are given a basic overview of the human body, the functions of its main parts, and basic tips on how to care for it. Integrating the Bible into a lesson like this isn’t that difficult, and our homeschool textbooks do a good job of this.

The Bible says that God created every part of us for a purpose (Job 10:11–12). As you work through the parts of the human body, talk with your children about His purpose for each. God knew that we would need to be able to chew food, so He designed our teeth. Our fingers allow us to pick things up. Some children are born with differences. They might be missing parts that others have. Use the Bible to talk with them about God’s special plan for them and their special differences (John 9:2–7, Romans 5:3–5, Exodus 4:11, Jeremiah 29:11).

Why caring for our bodies is important

Teaching your children to care for their bodies (proper washing, toothbrushing/flossing, doctors’ visits) is not always easy. These everyday tasks are often seen by children as interruptions in their play time, and it can be difficult to convey the value of these things. Ask your children what they would do if God loaned them something special that He had designed. Would they take good care of it? Tell them that their bodies belong to the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:19–20), and that includes every part, for example, their teeth. Remind them that they need to take good care of their teeth because they belong to God and are part of His plan.

Let’s try another example, the yearly eye exam. Young children don’t always understand the importance of checking the health of their eyes, but something they generally do understand is that God wants us to do things that the Bible says are good. Ask them to notice how we see everything in color. How would life be different in black and white? Remind them that God wants us to be able to appreciate the beauty of His world (Psalm 19:1), and having healthy eyes is very important to being able to do what God wants. This approach can be used to talk about any doctor’s visit and may alleviate a lot of anxiety as well.

Bible integration doesn’t have to be a scary concept. It can be a simple process of making Scripture your starting point and developing lessons with a little creativity and awareness of your child’s natural curiosities. So the next time your child asks you why something is the way it is or why he has to do something, check the Bible first. It has the answers he needs to know.

Remember These Dates in September

August 27, 2015 by Meredith

September 2

The US Department of the Treasury was instituted by an act of Congress on this date in 1789. This organization does a lot more than choosing Presidents’ portraits and printing them on our coins and currency. It primarily manages our country’s monetary resources. Take the family on a virtual field trip to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing with this Field Trip to the Money Factory video. It’s amazing to see the detail artists use when creating our currency.

September 8

Donate some books on International Literacy Day to a library, thrift store, or local prison. Literacy is an important key to an education worldwide. It is also a skill needed so that we can learn what God reveals about Himself to mankind in Scripture.

September 11

You and I have memories of what happened on 9/11, but your kids probably don’t. Remember why we should always observe Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance. You might want to have a discussion with your kids about this act of terrorism and how it impacts today’s world.

September 13

Nana and Papa deserve a hug on Grandparents Day! Find ways to celebrate the influence of older generations on the lives of your kids. A homemade card, a phone call, or a quality visit can communicate that grandparents (or “grandfriends”) are loved. Spend time learning family history by completing this simple family tree.

September 17

“We the People” have the opportunity to observe Constitution Day. On this date 228 years ago, the United States Constitution was signed, creating a stable national government for our young nation. The key principles in this document reflect the need for government because of man’s sin nature and the tendency of that power to corrupt those who hold it. Use brief biographies of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention as examples to teach your kids how citizens can serve their country.

September 22

Celebrate the birthday of Michael Faraday (1791–1867). A Christian physicist, Mr. Faraday is best known for his work in electromagnetism. He discovered that alternating magnetic fields can produce electrical currents, an essential principle in the development of our modern electric power industry. Children have also benefited from his experiments through a series of scientific lectures Faraday started just for them at the Royal Institution of London. Conduct an experiment with the kids and make an electromagnet.

Subscribe to the blog to receive the next event post about dates in October.