Mad Science: Let’s do projects!

New to home-schooling?  Is your child balking at four hours of continuous work?  Let’s do projects!  Paul, our grandson, is in fourth grade and enrolled in a school.  I have assigned work for him: English, Math, Science, and History.  This involves a great deal of griping.  We are also doing projects.  Where do you get ideas?  First, Paul is working in Zoology 1, part of Apologia’s Young Explorers Series.  The textbooks in the series have many experiments and project ideas, such as going on a scavenger hunt or creating a hummingbird solution.  One project suggestion is bird watching; Cornell has ideas.  Start a bird check list of common feeder birds.  Make a bird feeder.  I plan to do the wildlife assessment with our grandson, Paul.  He will evaluate the backyard and surroundings in terms of wildlife: food, water, shelter, and nesting spots.  My plan is to make this a project complete with photos and a report.

Here is another project—Badges!  Your child doe NOT have to be enrolled in Scouts to do the requirements for a badge.  Here is a list of Merit Badges for Boy Scouts, here are Cub Scout Adventures, and Girl Scout Awards and Badges.

Many organizations have ideas for outdoor activities.  Here are a few resources for kids: US Forstry, Trout Unlimited, and National Wildlife Foundation. Are you stuck in an apartment?  Try the Potomac Highlands eSchool.  What are you waiting for?  Let’s get started!