Teaching homeschool science is as easy as looking right outside your back door. Using the world around you as your inspiration, you are sure to find plenty of great lessons to explore with your child. Tune yourself in to the natural world around you; each season offers new and exciting things to learn. Here are some ideas for studying science in autumn.
* The Autumnal Equinox in September offers the perfect chance to learn about the Earth's changing position in relation to the sun. Find a globe and use a flashlight to show how the sun's position changes through the year. Better yet, let your child make a model of the Earth and the sun.
* The Harvest Moon (the full moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox) and the Hunter's Moon (the full moon after the Autumnal Equinox) present a wonderful opportunity to study the phases of the moon. Read books together about the moon, and make a Moon Journal. Each night, let your child sketch the moon, following its changes throughout the month.
* As the leaves begin to change colors and fall to the ground, it's a great time to discover the wonders of deciduous trees with your child. Go to your library and find some books about deciduous trees. Teach your child why and how that brilliant foliage happens. Find a field guide for identifying types of trees and take it with you as you go on nature walks with your child. Gather different kinds of fallen leaves and press them for a leaf scrapbook.
* While you're out walking and looking at trees, you're bound to see some squirrels scurrying about, hiding acorns for winter. Look up into the sky, and see birds flying south. This opens the door to learning about how different animals spend autumn preparing for winter. You can learn about migration, hibernation, and about how some animals grow thicker fur or layers of fat to prepare for the long winter.
* When the frost is on the pumpkin, it's a great opportunity to learn about states of matter. Explain to your child how summer's dew becomes autumn's frost. Scrape some frost off and bring it inside to watch it turn to water. Further explore this concept with books from your local library, and by doing other experiments such as boiling water to make water vapor and setting containers of water outside to freeze.
Using the changing of the seasons and your child's natural curiosity as your guide, you will find that teaching science to your homeschooler can be a fun adventure for both of you.
http://www.life123.com/parenting/education/homeschooling/homeschool-science-through-the-seasons-autumn.shtml
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