In Science, with both kindergarten and 1st grade, we have been making observations about everyday, familiar things. For kindergarten science we use a Science Activity Book published by Harcourt School Publishing. For our first grader, we use First Grade Science: Earth & Space, Life, Physical by

D. W. Skrabanek.

We began by transforming a Primary Journal Tablet into a "Science Journal". We then had our very first lesson on "Science Safety", about thinking clearly, being careful, taking care of our science supplies, and on NEVER putting any science supply or experiment in our mouths unless the teacher (Mom, which is me) or the administrator (namely, their Daddy) tells them it is OK.

Since that first rather boring, albeit important lesson, we have had fun observing various objects, comparing objects, and thinking up some very good questions that a good scientist would ask.

We have sorted science tools that we would use to make our observations and comparisons from things that we would actually use the tools to study. We have sorted large rocks from smaller pebbles. We have had the girls think up questions about a picture of a house (Who lives there? What kind of tree is this one? Where is that snake going? and more).

We combine doing worksheets with keeping journals/notes with hands-on experiments.This is why we choose to homeschool using an eclectic approach. We are free to use textbooks and worksheets. We borrowed the Science Journal idea from "Sid the Science Kid" off one of the girls' favorite cartoons. And the experiments? Well, the ideas for those come from a wide variety of resources: textbooks, library books, magazines, the internet, and some we just decide to check out the possibilities with a "What if..." question.

The world is our science classroom!