A List for the End of the Year

I can tell that the end of the school year is quickly approaching, because we are finishing up workbooks and books and programs around here all the time now.  Or so it seems.

Connor just finished his science book for the year.

This is the second one of these that he has done.  He did the first grade one last year, and he really liked it, so we continued with the second grade level.  Again, he really liked it, so we are going to do the third grade one for next year.  He's planning on starting it later on this summer when he turns 8 years old.

I like these books because they describe science concepts in terms that are really interesting to kids.

Here's a list of the topics we covered using this book.  Feel free to skip/skim this part:

Big Idea 1:  All living things have different cycles.
Week 1:  Why do kangaroos carry their babies in pouches?
Week 2:  How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly?
Week 3:  How do tiny seeds turn into giant trees?
Week 4:  Why do some plants have flowers?

Big Idea 2:  Plants and animals look a lot like their parents.
Week 1:  What's the different between a fox and a wolf?
Week 2:  Why can't an apple tree grow oranges?
Week 3:  How can a spotted cat have striped kittens?
Week 4:  Why don't all grapes have seeds?

Big Idea 3:  Earth contains rock, water and air.  People use all of these things.
Week 1:  How far up does the sky reach?
Week 2:  How much water is there on Earth?
Week 3:  Why do beaches and deserts have sand?
Week 4:  Why do people recycle?

Big Idea 4:  The sun, moon, and stars all have predictable patterns of movement.
Week 1:  What happens to the sun at night?
Week 2:  Why aren't stars always in the same part of the sky at night?
Week 3:  Is the moon a planet?
Week 4:  Why does the moon change shape?

Big Idea 5:  Sounds are made by vibrating objects.  Sounds can travel through solids, liquids and gases.
Week 1:  How do crickets chirp?
Week 2:  Where do echoes come from?
Week 3:  Does sound travel underwater?
Week 4:  How do animals without ears hear?

Big Idea 6:  Magnets make some things move without touching them.  They also attract or repel other magnets.
Week 1:  Why does a magnet stick to a refrigerator?
Week 2:  How can magnets move things without touching them?
Week 3:  Why are some magnets stronger than others?
Week 4:  How does a compass work?

So there.  Those are the science topics that we studied this year using this book.  Stay tuned for more end-of-the-school-year notes.  I'm sure there will be more.