Science Fun

I've come to realize that I can't go high tide on more than one area at once. I can do lots of great Civil War stuff, while still continuing in Math, English, and other basics, for example, but if I try to start a big Chemistry unit at the same time, we're doomed.

I actually have a plan for a big Chemistry unit, but I doubt we'll get there until January. Does that mean no Science? Not at all. We've been having a great time with Planet Earth, and we've discovered (thank you, Ida!) Lyrical Life Science!

We've been having a great time listening to these in the car. They are simply jam packed with real information set to catchy folk tunes. They teach an unbelievable amount of information! Even when the kids don't understand everything they are singing, it starts great conversations in which I can explain things (last week, they asked, "What is RNA?"). You can get (middle to high school level) textbooks and workbooks to go with them, but I've skipped them, so far.

One favorite is "Protazoa, Also Called Protista." It goes through the kinds of protozoa, classifying them by their method of movement and listing examples. It's sung to "Listen to the Mockingbird." I think one reason why the songs work so well, is that they are all classic, catchy folk tunes sung well - they really stick in your head!

Anyway, Volume 1 is Bacteria to Birds, Volume 2 is Mammals and Biomes, Volume 3 is The Human Body (we haven't started that one yet) and they have an Earth Science one also.