In the words of one pretty intelligent young’un many children know, “Today is a good day…for SCIENCE!” I used to love watching Dexter’s Lab, even though by that time, I already had two kids. It was one of the few from that era which I could truly enjoy. The rest were too gross or absolutely opposite to what I’m trying to achieve with my life.
Let’s Talk Science
Technically, we’re studying biology this year. To be honest, it’s my favorite of the sciences, with physical science coming in a close second since that one covers a little bit of all the sciences. (That’s perfect for me, really, since science is an interest and I’m not a genius with numbers.)
My favorite part of the study of biology is fungi, molds, lichen, and that kind of thing. I think it’s because there are so many and I don’t get to see them every day. It’s also interesting that the colors they sport are so varied.
Using Current Events to Teach
It’s looking more and more like we’re going to see a fifth named hurricane this year. I don’t see how we can afford to fight through yet another one, but humans are, if nothing else, adaptable. We’ll manage somehow.
Still, we covet your prayers since most of our parishes are considered poverty parishes. (I know this sounds awful, but honestly, people here just make do with what they have and we are a pretty thrifty lot.) Thankfully, this storm isn’t projected to hit our area directly. We’ll see some rain from it, but that should be the extent. While I’m happy for us, I mourn for those in its path because it does such a number on small businesses, farms, and the oil field which are areas many people in our state work in. Support your small businesses, folks, regardless. And when it takes them a bit longer to get your order out, or they can’t market as well as a bigger corporation, support them anyway and spread the word. Louisiana government is not small business friendly, no matter they try to say. So this compounds the difficulty for those in a small business who face restoration after a huge storm.
I found several online sites to help us learn more about how these big storms affect the environment. I knew this was something important which every resident of a coastal state should at least be aware of. Sometimes, these types of lessons can fall by the wayside in an interest-based learning style and I chose it, rather than Ro. But her love of animals can be brought into focus here since storms do affect everything they pass over. It will be interesting to see how, I think. Here are a couple of sites I stumbled on in a brief Google search:
- Hurricanes: Science and Society: Ecosystem Perspective: What can a hurricane do to the environment? – The University of Rhode Island
- What is the Effect of Hurricanes on Wildlife? – Kids Environment Kids Health – National Institute of Enviromental Health Sciences
We’re also using a couple of books I had on hand from previous years. One is an old college physical science text book from around 2010 or so. The other is The Complete Guide to Our World which is written for students probably in grades 2 – 5 or so. The descriptions are short but pointed and the bits of trivia scattered on each page make reading this book something like a scavenger hunt.
Using College Textbooks to Teach Younger Students
Did any of you cringe when I mentioned using a college textbook to teach my dyslexic high school-er? Well, never fear! I use it sparingly and only the sections which actually fit what we’re studying. For instance, there’s a short section on hurricanes in the middle of a huge, word-packed chapter on weather and climate. We’ll only use that section. Sometimes the activities at the end of each chapter can be modified to help the student review the lesson, too. You simply wouldn’t expect as much from a younger student as you would from an older one when it comes to the complexity of an assignment.
Any book which informs can be useful in teaching your students. I’ve found opinions in books which are supposed to contain facts only. We’ve incorporated the occurrence into our lesson whenever we encounter it. It’s simply a matter of thought and perspective when you choose to use whatever books are available to you, rather than a curriculum pack. Yes, it’s definitely more work for you, the teacher, but in the end, everyone is learning and learning is fun…or it can be. 🙂
A Breath of Hope
And now for a breath of hope from the Bible.
Thank you for reading today. I apologize for any overlap or repetition. I started this post yesterday and with something major coming up this weekend, I just don’t have the extra time to devote to proofreading, though I know it’s important. I hope you’ll enjoy the post and find it informative in spite of this massive lapse on my part. I should’ve had it prepped days ago, but totally forgot. But I will do my best to have a more put-together piece for you next week.
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Magniflorious Homeschool Life 