
TEACHING SCIENCE AT HOME About 150 years ago, a mother in Port Huron, Michigan, took her son out of school after a teacher called the youngster “addled.” She knew the boy was bright, so she decided to teach him at home. She encouraged his questions, let him set up a lab in the basement with old bottles and wires and parts he’d collected, and gave him a primer on physics called the School Compendium of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, which was full of experiments he could perform himself. Many years later, the son told a newspaper reporter, “My mother was the making of me.” By that time, Thomas Edison was America’s most celebrated inventor and scientist. There are several lessons to be drawn from Edison’s life. One is this: physics, chemistry, and biology aren’t just for the school lab. You can learn plenty of science at home. Perhaps the single best thing you can do is simply foster your child’s wonder about the world and teach him to ask: Why is that? What are clouds made of? Where does the water in rivers go? What makes birds fly? (Young Edison asked himself that one. He once talked a playmate...

TEACHING YOUR CHILD TO THINK LIK...
One of your school’s tasks is to train your child in the process of scientific research and thinking (or “scientific inquiry,” as it’s sometimes called in classrooms today). Scientific inquiry mostly involves being curious about th...
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MAKING OBSERVATIONS
Looking at things closely is one of the oldest and most fundamental scientific methods. Investigations usually begin with observing something and wondering about it. Every step after that-from coming up with a hypothesis to running a test to analyzing the...
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ASKING QUESTIONS
It’s fine for younger children to ask “What’s that?” but scientific investigation usually requires more precise queries. As your child grows, teach him to refine and focus questions. Break broad questions into sets of smaller ones ...
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FORMING A HYPOTHESIS
Once your child has posed a question, he may want to form a hypothesis. A hypothesis is really nothing more than an educated guess about why or how something happens-a possible explanation based on the information you’ve already observed. After fo...
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PLANNING AND CONDUCTING THE INVE...
Scientists use different kinds of investigations to answer their questions. The inquiry may involve going to books to get more information. It may involve simply watching closely-to find out what those ants are carrying, you may need to follow their tr...
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RECORDING AND ANALYZING WHAT HAP...
Gathering measurable data is a vital part of any scientific investigation. Help your child learn to observe carefully, write down what he sees, and organize that information in a way that helps him understand it. For example, if he’s investigating...
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DRAWING A CONCLUSION
After analyzing the data, your child can practice coming up with a conclusion-a statement that sums up what he’s learned. The conclusion should be about the question he started out to answer. Urge him to consider all possible explanations for the re...
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SCIENCE AT HOME AND BEYOND
“Backyards and basements are great labs for children, but most parents just don’t use them,” a Tennessee science teacher says. “The ones that do–their kids are always my most eager students.” Here are some ways to enric...
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AT-HOME SCIENCE SUPPLIES
Children don’t need a whole lot of fancy equipment to learn science, but a few supplies do wonders for their will to explore. One or two items for a kid’s home lab might make a great birthday gift. Here are some ideas: magnifying glass magnets...
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RESOURCES THAT HELP YOUR CHILD L...
Here are some books, magazines, and other resources that can help your child learn science. Your child’s teacher may have more suggestions. Â Books 101 Things Every Kid Should Know About Science, Samantha Beres and Arthur Friedman (Lowell House, 199...
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