Science

I love science and so does John...I thought I would be this magnificent science teacher when I started this homeschooling adventure and I am when I get my act together BUT hands on science and experiments take planning, extra supplies, money, and cause boomerang errands (errands outside of the norm for small things that you don't have lying around the house already).  So I found myself lacking and scrambling.  One of my favorite things about the co-op we do is that there is a science experiment or presentation every week...most of the time it is super hands and someone else does the boomerang errands! 

This past week the science memory work was to memorize the parts of a plant...so in co-op they went over the parts of a plant and then took these leaves, that had been boiled in lye soap, and brushed them clean to expose and examine the skeleton of the leaf. 

 John Daniel's Class working hard brushing and cleaning their leaves

The 7 classifications of living things....graduated circles to identify each one.  Each kid chose and animal to classify.  John Daniel chose the King Cobra and Emily chose the jaguar.

This lady came from St. Fancis Wildlife Refuge to share her animals at our co-op.  She brought a great horned owl, red tail hawk, and a barn owl....all predator birds...They were amazing!

She did an hour lecture for all the classes, let them ask questions, and see the animals.  She also brought some snakes and a flying squirrel.

JD's class learning how to dissect a crayfish....these boys loved it!

The tutor showed them how to find all the parts of the crayfish...they even figured out if it was male or female.

Emily loved the smell of it!

JD's class found the brain, the liver, the stomach....incredible!

We went seining at the St. Marks lighthouse....

And found all kinds of creatures.

The FSU Marine Biology Professor and students came to our Co-op with huge touch tanks.  They let the kids touch and hold the sea creatures. 

They learned all about the sea life big and small....

They had this really cool magnifying computer...the student put a starfish under it in a bowl and you could see the tentacles moving...the finest details of it! 

These are Buss Beetles.....we had 100 at co-op this day.  Each class took 3-4 beetles and experimented on how much weight they could pull.  They attached fishing line around their heads that were attached to a plate.  They added metal washers to see how much weight they could pull.  Some of the beetles pulled up to 34 washers!

It was all done in a very humane way of course:)