To say that I have never enjoyed science is an understatement. I was not very good at it in school, and feared teaching it to my kids. And then can the book Science Unit Studies for Homeschoolers and Teachers, by Susan Killbride, from Funtastic Unit Studies!
This is a large softcover book which runs 201 pages, and has 20 unit studies in it on different topics. The first half of the book is geared to younger ages, while the second half would be for when they are a bit older.
We chose a unit from the first half for a variety of reasons. It interested us, the needed items were easy to access, it had a lot of food involved (remember, I have all boys, lol), and we wanted to include the boys next door, one of whom is going into the first grade.
So you are probably asking ok, but what did you do and learn? Why is it “Funtastic?” Because I know you are aware by now that wherever possible, I believe learning should be FUN! 🙂
We began by talking about teeth, and the various reasons it is important to care for them. We made homemade old fashioned tooth powder, and my boys then brushed with it, which caused them to appreciate more fully the tooth paste available today. They also learned not to use the homemade version more than once or twice, as it is very abrasive.
Here you see the only items going into the tooth powder:
All mixed together:
And here are the boys “joyfully” brushing their teeth with their homemade tooth powder which we flavored with vanilla, lol!
We learned about the importance of calcium, and made our own calcium-rich snack. It called for milk and lemon juice, although we also added some roasted garlic and herb seasoning.
We began with a quart of milk which the boys took turns pouring. Side note, I was going to buy a quart of milk, and my husband pointed out that I could just measure a quart from the gallon jug in the fridge. Duh! As I’ve told you before, I am NOT the science and math parent here. lol!
After, they stirred until it boiled:
Once it boiled, we added the lemon juice and stirred for a minute or two more . . . and the curds began to separate from the whey!
We drained it through a mesh colander, and this is how much we ended up with from the original quart of milk!
We also learned about and made a snack rich in vitamin A, which included cream cheese, shredded cheese, and carrots. The boys took turns stirring it up . . .
And then “The Artist” put on food handler gloves finished mixing it, and formed it into a ball!
We also put together a healthy fruit salad . . .
Once the boys next door got home from their summer day camp, we did some activities to see how germs spread. We used glitter so that they could actually visualize it.
We also did an experiment with a little spray bottle and a piece of poster board to show them just how far the germs can actually go if you cough or sneeze without covering . . .
For vitamin D, and also to talk about the importance of exercise, we went out doors for some fun!
As you can see, they had a blast jumping rope and playing limbo. Below, even the neighbor boys’ dad got involved!
I managed to get a quick video too! The neighbor boys’ parents are holding the rope.
Once we finished playing, the boys and I went inside to enjoy our healthy snacks!
As a quick addition that I forgot to add to the original post, we went to Sam’s yesterday, and my kids tried the Healthy Choice fudge bars, after which “The Batman” pointed out that it went with our health unit. The rest of the time we were there, they were checking labels for the vitamins, etc. So great, they actually had remembered what they learned, and applied it in real life!
All in all, we had a great time, and you can, too! Check out this free Plant Unit Study, as well as the free Molecules Unit from the book. Both will give you an idea of how much fun you can have! With science! Who knew!
To read about what other members of the crew did with this wonderful book, please click the banner below!
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