Welcome to the science component of Thy Early-American Experience "Thinker Day!” We are so thrilled that you’ve decided to embark on this experience with us this year.

 

This year we will study scientific discoveries that took place between 800 and 1880 AD, when bold and brave men and women had the courage to challenge ideas, question popular thinking, and search for beauty, meaning, and truth. As we follow in the footsteps of our predecessors, we too will behave as "natural philosophers" and will explore, investigate, question, observe, reflect, experiment, and enjoy the wonder of our world together. No texts are required, but below I have listed many of the resources I will be using and suggesting as optional reading. Photocopies of handouts, worksheets, lab papers, etc. will be provided for students in class when used. 

 

What to do to prepare each week: 

Here you will be able to access the Scope and Sequence (above) and weekly lessons, which will include a summary as well as optional additional reading, videos, and activities. These weekly lessons will be linked in the Scope and Sequence one week at a time throughout the year. I will also be including photos of my whiteboard notes and other photos of activities from each week.

 

What will count as completed “homework?” (to be checked in your student’s first class of the day): 

Any science work (ex: an optional worksheet, a write-up about a field trip, an experiment) that is completed outside of class will earn your student an additional Colonial Dollar. 

 

What to expect in science class:

In class, your learners will hear a description of the lesson material, copy down additional notes and illustrations on the whiteboard, get to interact with models and manipulatives whenever they are available, and conduct lab experiments, investigations, or hands-on activities dealing with the topic at hand. Learners should come to class with their Science Sketchbook. See below for details.

 

Personal materials to bring to class each day:

All students need to bring in a notebook/sketchbook for science class. The sketchbook can be very simple, and should be at least 60 pages and approximately 8.5 x 11 inch size (not a tiny one and not an enormous one). It can be spiral-bound, book-bound, or even a simple composition notebook. It is preferable that it be bound on the side, and not on the top of the sketchbook. It is up to you and your student to decide if you prefer it to be lined or blank, or a combination of both. Students are also welcome and encouraged to provide their own pencils and colored pencils, but I will always have plenty to share!

Here is an example from Amazon 

This is a 2-pack from Amazon

Here is one from Michael’s

Here is one from Staples

 

Please know that, in all things and at all times, we acknowledge and respect you as your children’s primary teachers. We are here to serve and support you and your family in your homeschool endeavors. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me!

With gratitude,

Amanda Knox 

amandaknox@terraarts.org

 

Optional Books (Any Age):

These are available at www.bfbooks.com, Amazon, Abe Books, and many other new/used book distributors. 

 

The Picture History of Great Inventors

by Gillian Clements

 

The Way Science Works (DK Publishing)

by Robin Kerrod and Dr. Sharon Ann Holgate

 

The History of Science Timeline (www.bfbooks.com)

by Christen Blechschmid

 

Along Came Galileo 

by Jeanne Bendick

 

Leonardo da Vinci 

by Diane Stanley

 

Isaac Newton, The Scientist Who Changed Everything 

by Philip Steele

 

Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia

by Margaret Cousins

 

Pasteur’s Fight Against Microbes

by Beverly Birch & Christian Birmingham

 

The Story of Thomas Alva Edison

by Margaret Cousins

 

George Washington Carver 

by Tonya Bolden

 

The Wright Brothers for Kids: How They Invented the Airplane 

by Mary Kay Carson

 

Marie Curie’s Search for Radium

by Beverly Birch and Christian Birmingham

 

Ordinary Genius, The Story of Albert Einstein

by Stephanie S. McPherson

 

Science Year by Year: A Visual History, From Stone Tools to Space Travel

by DK and Smithsonian

 

Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World by Julia Rothman (her other books are wonderful too!)

 

The Usborne Science Encyclopedia

 

DKfindout! Science

Older Optional Books (5th Grade & Up):

The Story of Science: Newton At the Center by Joy Hakim

 

Student’s Quest Guide: Newton At the Center by Johns Hopkins University

 

Timelines of Science: The Ultimate Visual Guide to the Discoveries That Shaped the World by DK and Smithsonian