Middle school is a great age for teaching astronomy.  The children are old enough to responsibly handle equipment such as telescopes and old enough to understand the use of tools such as star maps.  They are still young enough that the sky seems magical. Teaching astronomy in the middle school years is also a great opportunity to lay a foundation for later high school study and enjoyment.

The key to teaching astronomy is firsthand observation hours.  Thus, homeschooled middle schoolers have more of an opportunity for a good course than public school students.  But public school teachers can overcome the difficulty of sunny class hours by offering family lab nights a few times per week, where parents accompany their … Read the rest of this post…

With Exploring Creation with Astronomy, Apologia Educational Media has produced a stunning K-6 science homeschool curriculum fully as impressive as their deservedly praised high school science homeschool curriculum. Based on the note-booking approach of Charlotte Mason and the classical method, all a student needs is a notebook, blank and lined paper, colored pencils, and common household items. This Apologia science course has several levels of recommended activities from easy to challenging to make it suitable for a mixed age class.

The Young Explorers is the Apologia science curriculum for elementary students. It is an immersion approach to science, where students study one topic at a time in-depth. The Astronomy complete course includes numerous hands on activities to enhance understanding. … Read the rest of this post…

Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy is a Bible based science curriculum for elementary students.

Strengths:
The book begins with a general discussion of astronomy and then covers each planet as well as the sun, the moon, space rocks, stars and galaxies, and space travel.  The information is very detailed, yet explained simply enough for anyone to understand.  The book has fourteen lessons and each takes about two weeks to complete.  You will read information and have your child narrate or write what he or she has learned for the day.  Answers to discussion questions are provided in the back of the book.

The book is full of astronomy projects and experiments.  You will create a model of a hurricane as … Read the rest of this post…

For young kids, if you are looking for a science program that is colorful and will really keep them engaged, try the Young Explorers series from Apologia Educational Media is the way to go. Astronomy is the first book, intended for the youngest kids, however, they are all written at approximately a 4th-6th grade reading level and can actually be studied in any order.

The grand thing about the way Apologia science handles Astronomy is a really comprehensive year long study that gets the kids involved in depth in the learning about the stars and space. This isn’t just the “space chapter” that you whiz through in a two weeks, with perhaps one project, like your typical homeschool curriculum.… Read the rest of this post…

You might think there is not much to see with a small kids telescopes, but that’s not true.  Some are just toys, but others give a pretty decent image.  With just a four inch reflecting telescope it’s possible to see quite a few fascinating things.  You can view the moon or sun, planets, and even comets.

For instance, small kids telescopes of this size should give a pretty clear view of the mountains and valleys on the moon, as well as major craters.  Students can compare what they see to a map of the moon’s surface, or even make their own map.  Viewing the sun can be even more interesting, provided you take the right precautions.

The sun’s concentrated rays … Read the rest of this post…

Science is one of those subjects that everyone kind of shy’s away from. Many people think that science in any shape or form is just hard. I can’t tell how many time I hear that as a teacher. Yet, Apologia Press changes all of that. Apologia Science is designed specifically for the homeschool student. Astronomy for the elementary grades is laid out so that you can use one book for many different grades.

Strengths:
Apologia Science uses a revolutionary approach to the way we look at science. The result is an elementary science curriculum that is not only engaging and interesting, but also very fun! We have used this curriculum for several years now in our home school. This year … Read the rest of this post…

For children to understand astronomy, building solar system model can make a big difference.  Whether it is the rotation of the earth, the orbits of the planets, or the relative sizes of the planets, the concepts are much easier to grasp with a hands on model.  To demonstrate orbits and rotation, a small solar system model using a flashlight for the sun will work well inside the classroom.  To demonstrate the relative sizes of the planets and the distances between them requires more space.

In the classroom, set a light in the middle of a table.  Place a large poster with a circle on it under the light.  Take a softball and put a smiley face sticker on it to … Read the rest of this post…

Children are fascinated with space. From watching a rocket launch to looking for constellations and spotting meteorites, astronomy for kids can spark their interest and imagination in this amazing topic. Just going outside to look at stars and planets can be a thrill. It’s even better when kids can name stars and identify constellations.

A home planetarium is a great way to have fun exploring astronomy for kids. It doesn’t require a huge financial investment to get started. Kids can make a simple star projector using a recycled cylindrical container – such as a coffee can – along with a flashlight and support stand. Use a star chart to trace out overhead constellations and poke small holes in the container … Read the rest of this post…

Some of the best educational projects also provide great memories and family time together.  Astronomy projects are perfect for this.  The night sky provides wonder and fascination which few really take the time to notice.  Making time to appreciate this with your children is a great gift you can give that they will cherish the rest of their lives.

Each summer and fall, there are several opportunities for astronomy projects watching meteor showers with up to several meteors visible each minute.  There’s nothing quite like the surprise and wonder of a meteor shower.  Lying on sleeping bags in the front lawn counting shooting stars will be one of summer’s fondest memories for children.  Another special moment might be getting up … Read the rest of this post…