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Science
and Scientists, An Introduction to Science for Elementary
Students
This
unit is ©Copyright
2008 by Cindy Downes. All rights reserved. Permission
is given to homeschooling parents to use this unit free
of charge in their own homeschool only and to classroom
teachers to use in their own classroom only. This unit
may not be reprinted in any other form, for any other purpose
(commercial or otherwise) without permission from Cindy
Downes. Contact her at contact@oklahomahomeschool.com.
This
unit is based on The Checklist and
is designed to be completed in 16 weeks, completing
one lesson per week;
however, you can customize it to any length, depending
upon how much material you cover and how long you take
to cover it. Read
over General Directions for Cindy's
Unit Studies for information on how to teach Cindy's
units.
The
goal of this unit is to give students a
brief overview of the major science fields. I suggest using
it between 2nd and 5th grade; however, it could be used
as a supplement for other grade levels. In each unit, you
and your students will read about two scientists who worked
in the field, as well as read about two specific topics
related to the field. (You can borrow the suggested books
from the library or purchase them by clicking on blue links.)
You and your students will also research the internet to
learn more about each field and the related topics. Finally,
your students will complete some activities related to
the topics.
Note:
Two additional books that go well with this unit are 100
Scientist Who Shaped World History by
John Hudson Tiner and Men
of Science, Men of God by Henry M. Morris.
Unit
1: Astronomy (Planets, Space)
Lesson
1: Tycho Brahe (Sweden, 1546-1601) — Astronomer
Reading:
Tycho
Brahe: Mapping the Heavens by
William J. Boerst.
There’s
No Place Like Space! All About Our Solar System by
Tish Rabe.
Website Research:
Brahe: Tycho
Brahe
Astronomy: Solar
System Simulator.
Activities:
Tycho
Brahe Color
Page.
Solar
System Coloring
Book and coloring
page.
Astronomy
Activities:
(Solar
System)
Play
Solar
System Switch-a-Roo.
Make
a Solar System from round foam balls or use this
3-D
Solar System Kit.
Planet
Minuet (song).
Recipe:
Moon Rock Candy
Lesson
2: Galilei Galileo (Italy, 1564-1642) — Telescope
Reading:
Along
Came Galileo
by Jeanne Bendick. All ages.
Galileo:
The Genius Who Faced the Inquisition by
Philip Steele.
Looking Through a Telescope by
Linda Bullock.
Website
Research:
Galileo: Galileo
Project.
Telescope:
The
Telescope
Activities:
Photos
of Antique Telescopes: Antique
Telescopes.
Build
a simple telescope (telescope2) or
purchase a Telescope.
Galileo
for Kids by
by Richard Panchyk. Activities for all ages.
Galileo,
On the Shoulder of Giants - DVD (rent or purchase)
Unit 2: Biology
(Human Anatomy)
Lesson 1: Elizabeth Blackwell (New York, 1821-1910), 1st
Woman Physician
Reading:
Elizabeth
Blackwell: Girl Doctor by Joanne Landers Henry
Website
Research:
Elizabeth
Blackwell, biography.
How
the Body Works, Interactive lesson.
Skeletons.
Activities:
Make
a macaroni
skeleton or put
together a Skeleton
Puzzle
Draw
outline of your child's body on butcher paper, draw
in bones, and label major bones.
Draw
outline of your child's body on butcher paper and label
major organs.
Skeleton
Coloring Page or Interactive
Skeleton.
The
Human Skeleton, interactive review game.
Life
Processes and living things activities.
Them
Not-so-dry Bones (song)
Lesson
2: Hippocrates (Greece, 460?-377? BC)—Father of
Medicine, Hippocratic Oath
Reading:
Hippocrates by
Jim Whiting.
Website
Research:
Hippocrates,
Biography and audio
biography.
Hippocratic
Oath.
Activities:
Write
your own "Hippocratic Oath"
Fat
Facts Webquest - online learning about healthy
eating.
Dole
5 A Day Activities.
Food
Labels info.
Unit
3: Botany (Plants, Trees, Flowers)
Lesson
1: Luther Burbank (Massachusetts/California, 1849-1926)—Botanist:
Potato
Reading:
Here
a Plant, There a Plant, Everywhere a Plant, Plant
by Robert M. Quackenbush.
Potatoes by
Melanie Mitchell.
Website
Research:
Luther
Burbank Virtual Museum.
Activities:
Fun
horticulture
activities for kids.
Lesson
2: George Washington Carver (Missouri/Alabama, 1864-1943)—Scientist
and Teacher, Peanuts
Reading:
The
Forty-Acre Swindle (George
Washington Carver) by Dave Jackson
Website
Research:
Learn
about peanuts with lesson plans and worksheets.
Peanuts from Kids Gardening.
Activities:
Peanut
Crafts and Games for kids.
Peanut
activities for kids.
More peanut
activities.
Unit 4: Chemistry
Lesson
1: Robert Bunsen (German, 1811-99)—Bunsen
Burner
Reading:
Chemistry
by Ann Newmark
Website
Research:
Robert
Bunsen, biography.
Chemistry
for Kids (Chem4Kids).
Activities:
Go
on a chemistry
scavenger hunt.
Solve
a mystery using chemistry.
Chemistry
experiments. Check
out a library book or use Science
Wiz: Chemistry.
Silly
song: O Chemistree (sung to the tune of Oh Christmas
Tree)
O CHEMISTREE
O Chemistree, O chemistry
I have so much to learn from thee.
O Chemistree, O chemistry
How intricate your branches.
The elements we all must learn;
The compounds that we Bunsen burn.
O Chemistree, O chemistry
My grades are not a catastrophe
O Chemistree, O chemistry
Mass and weight and density.
O Chemistree, O chemistry
Specific heat capacity
Sodium perchlorate
And calcium diphosphate
O Chemistree, O chemistry
I’ll pass you with, more than a “C.”
— words by Paige
Davis ( edited
by Cindy)
Lesson
2: Gabriel Fahrenheit (Poland, 1686-1736)—Fahrenheit
Scale of Measuring Temperature
Reading:
The Fahrenheit and Celsius Story
by Lynette Catalano
Website
Research:
Daniel
Gabriel Fahrenheit, biography and audio
biography.
Activities:
Fahrenheit-Celsius
Converter.
Practice
reading a thermometer. Take temperatures of food,
family members, outside pond, etc. or use this webpage.
Unit
5: Physics (Invention & Electicity)
Lesson
1: Thomas Alva Edison (Ohio, 1847-1931)—Inventor
Reading:
Thomas
Edison by
Sue Guthridge or The Story of Thomas Edison by Margaret Cousins.
Website
Research:
Thomas
Edison, biography and Thomas
Edison biography.
Read
about inventors on Inventor
of the Week. Inventor's
handbook and games on this site.
Smithsonian Science
and Technology
Activities:
Edison
quiz (select Edison from list)
Edison
motion pictures.
Energy
Quest activities.
Invention
at Play.
Lesson
2: Benjamin Franklin (Massachusetts, 1706-1790)—
Electricity
Reading:
Benjamin
Franklin: Live Wire
by Janet Benge or A
Picture Book of Ben Franklin by
David A. Adler or Who
was Ben Franklin? by Dennis Fradin.
Website
Research:
Ben
Franklin and electricity (audio)
Franklin's
Kite (video)
Lightning
Safety Quiz.
Kite
history.
Activities:
Electricity
and Magnetism Experiments.
How
to make a kite.
AC/DC
current simulation.
Electric
experiments online or purchase kit, Electro
Wiz: Electricity.
Electricity (song)
Unit
6: Geology (Rocks & Minerals)
Lesson
1: Friedrich Mohs (Germany, 1773-1839)—Mohs’ Scale for Hardness
Reading:
Friedrich
Mohs, biography.
Rocks and Minerals
by Ann O. Squire
Website
Research:
This
Planet Really Rocks.
Activities:
Mineral
Identification (pdf document from The National
Science Digital Library)
Student
worksheet for mineral testing.
Rock
and Gems and Minerals (song)
Lesson
2: Dr. Charles F. Richter (Ohio, 1900-1985)—Earthquakes
and Richter Scale
Reading:
Earthquakes by
Seymour Simon
Website
Research:
Rock
Shakey Ground (includes activities)
What
is Plate Techtonics?/
How
does a Seismograph work?/
Richtar
Scale
How
do Earthquakes Work?
Interesting
Earthquake Facts.
Activities:
Virtual
Earthquake.
Fault
animations.
Flyover
the Andreas
Fault (animation)
Richter
Scale Activity.
Magnitude
of Richter Scale Activity.
Earthquake
coloring pages.
Plate
Techonics Game
Unit 7: Meteorology
(Weather)
Lesson
1: Evangelista Torricelli (Italy, 1608-1647), Barometer
Reading:
What
is a barometer? InfoPlease.
The
Aneroid Barometer.
Website
Research:
How
a Barometer works.
Weather.
Activities:
Weather
and Painting lesson plan & activity.
Make
your own Barometer and How
to Make a Barometer.
Weather
experiments.
Weather (song)
Lesson
2: Sir Francis Galton (England, 1822-1911)— Weather
Map Symbols
Reading:
Sir
Francis Galton biography.
Weather
Basics from Weather Dude.
Learn
about weather maps.
Weather
maps and symbols.
Website
Research:
Weather
Instruments.
Activities:
Weather
forecasting activity.
Weather
Symbols worksheet.
Weather
symbols and Weather
Symbol Concentration.
Weather
Games.
Weather
songs.
Take
a weather
quiz.
Unit
8: Zoology
(Animal Life) & Oceanography (Oceans & Ocean
Life)
Lesson
1: Carolus
Linnaeus (Sweden, 1707-1778)—Classification System
Reading:
Carolus
Linnaeus biography.
Website
Research:
Linnaeus
Classification of Kingdoms and sample
classification page.
Activities:
Make
a classification notebook. Collect pictures of the
animal world and classify them according to type
of organism. (animal
classification)
Printable
animal classification
chart.
Animal
printables.
Take
the animal
classification quiz. Another quiz.
Mammals (song)
Lesson
2: Jacques Cousteau (France, 1910- )—Oceanographer
Reading:
Jacques
Cousteau biography.
Website
Research:
All
about oceans.
Oceans.
Activities:
Journal about
the ocean.
Complete
the Ocean
Creature Webquest.
Ocean
activities. More ocean
activities.
Ocean
printables. More ocean
printables.
What's
in the Ocean (Song)
Recipe:
Make an edible
aquarium to eat!
Be
sure to check off the appropriate topics in The
Checklist when you are done!
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