Time for Some Good Science

Today marks the beginning of another semester of homeschool co-op for us. Our third go-round. I am actually teaching a class this semester. It's called Explorations in Science and I have a co-teacher so I think I'll only need about five lessons. Based on my brainstorming from yesterday (yes, yesterday...I had lots of ideas swirling around in my head for weeks though), I think it will work out really well. I'm going with a Bill Nye approach which mainly means I'm pulling my favorite things that work well and will be fun for kids. I won't be blowing anything up, but I have considered fire. I'll meet the kids today and see who I'm working with before I make that decision. My former science supervisor (where I taught, teachers have building administration to supervise them and a curriculum supervisor who takes care of all of a discipline's teachers at the county level), used to have a thing about whether or not you were doing "good science" when he came to observe you. His reputation precedes him and let's just say his discernment was not always right on target. Former colleagues if you are reading, give my regards! For the next 10 weeks it is all about good science friends!

I'm taxing Dan with pulling out my actual "school" materials. I'm going to make room for some of my former classroom things on this shelf pictured below- we're talking lesson plans with lab directions here. It's been 10 years since I taught so I want to check on a few details.

My science library... click if you want an up close view of those titles.

In addition to teaching the science class, I'm assisting in Pioneer Crafts which is going to be so fun! We're talking Little House immersion here folks! Little House craft books, Prairie Primer references, Laura and Mary antics, the works. Word on the street is we're gonna make hay sticks...R8 is in both of these classes with me (she got bumped from the Ben Franklin invention class. Rats. But I did order the book so we can do the cool stuff at home).

E10 is taking watercolors and coin collecting. I-6 is taking Stories and Cooking and Midget Math. J3 will be rockin' in the preschool room.

Co-op... it is ON!