I still have many thoughts and ideas swimming about my head from our homeschool convention, but I am especially excited about one resource I found there: Academy of Science for Kids: Little Professor Science Kits !
These kits look fantastic---and I am hopeful that using them will be just as fantastic----I think that will be the case! :-) I will most definitely be posting pictures and reviewing individual activities as we go along throughout the year, but I wanted to write about the benefits I see to these kits even upon first look for those who might be looking for science resources for the upcoming year (or for those who might keep wish list/gift idea lists and such).
Each kit comes with an assignment/record book journal and a science project mini-backboard. (I say mini because of the size, but I am sure the backboard could be used as is for exhibition in many cases if desired.) The layout of the course journal is very easy to follow and the topics and experiments are so interesting....JB has asked several times to jump in and get started! (I've just been trying to decide where to start. LOL) The directions are clearly stated and easy to follow and the space given to answer questions and record data seems adequate. Younger children may need an adult to write in some answers if they are still working on fine motor control or writing in smaller lined spaces, but that is easily handled if necessary.
My FAVORITE thing (which goes hand in hand with the actual content of the experiments) about these kits is that EVERYTHING you need to conduct experiments is INCLUDED in the box-----everything except water, that is! ;-) The supplies for every single activity are grouped together in a plastic bag and clearly labeled. The work that has gone in to assembling these kits is amazing. From portioned scoops, to tweezers, to magnifying glasses, to different types of soil, to rocks, to seeds-----it is all included and ready to use. Not having supplies on hand or needing only one of something that is packaged in a bag of twelve or more stops me from doing experiments with JB even though she loves them. This is the answer to those problems! And the box....everything fits into a neatly packed box which is easy to store or carry around!
The Academy of Science for Kids (ASK) has also developed a fun system of recognition for students as well. Students can earn certificates/diplomas after completing a kit and taking a test at the ASK site. Students can also earn some really neat prizes. Those things are just the "icing on the cake" so to speak to everything else one receives with these kits-----but they are worth mentioning because the price of the kits helps to support these benefits I'm sure.
I am really looking forward to getting started with these, and I will post updates in the future!
