Science for Beginners: Living Things

In From Wonder to Mastery, John D. Mays recommends “introduce students early to appropriate ways of thinking and speaking about science…we should endeavor, even in these early years, to help children develop an appropriate vocabulary for talking about how science works.” This introductory course will teach lower school students how to talk and think like young scientists as they are introduced to the history of science, scientific terms, and the scientific method.

Focusing on discoveries in the study of living things, students will learn about various scientists whose curiosity and compassion led them to the study of living things. Students will be introduced to the concepts of beginning Life Science (and Biology).

Class time will include read-alouds, discussions, “show and tell” type activities, observations, and viewing simple experiments. Students will use the teacher-supplied PDFs or a simple notebook for writing, listening, and drawing narrations. Lessons will be completed in class, except for personal journal observations about the subject studied that week. Students will practice a "wonder to wisdom" journaling time in nature outside of class time. Time spent in nature and science will help students personalize their study of science and relationship with the Creator. Students will work on one project at the end of each quarter and participate in an invention showcase at the end of the year.

Quarter 1

Focus: Curiosity, Character, and the Birth of Scientific Thinking” Book: Gaelen and the Gateway to Medicine Project: Scientist Mini book of observations (pdf from teacher)

Quarter 2

Focus: Wonder, Order, and Care in the Plant World **Books: **Karl Get Out of the Garden, The Little Plant Doctor - Dr. George Washington Carver, A Seed Is Sleepy, In the Garden with Dr Carver  Project: Plant Doctor Care Kit

Quarter 3

Focus: Naturalists, Tracks & Animal Clues Books: Beatrix Potter, Scientist; Out of School and Into Nature; The Girl Who Thought in Pictures; Tracks, Scats, and Signs Project: Animal Track Casting

Quarter 4

Focus: Habitats, Exploration & Human Ingenuity Books: Habitats of the World (DK Panorama), Alexander von Humboldt, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Reader edition) Project: Invention Showcase

• Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
• High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
• Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
• Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
• Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:
  1. Visit zoom.us/download.
  2. Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
  3. Open and run the installer on your computer.
  4. In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
• Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.