Want Your 2nd Grader To Love Science?
Imagine back in time a bit to your old school days. Do you remember your teacher giving you a bunch of boring facts to memorize? Was looking at the pictures in the textbook the most fun you had in your science class?
If you were bored in science, imagine how your child feels in 2nd grade science class. This is not because there is anything wrong with science or that science is boring. The problem is, that it is being introduced the wrong way.
Make Science Come Alive
A textbook works great as a guide to learning science, but should try and do more to make science really exciting. The perfect way to go about this is through fun science experiments.
One thing you can try is to have your child plant a seed in a cup with some soil and watch as it goes through the life cycle of growing and sprouting. Out of all the 2nd grade science curriculum on the market, my absolute favorite is Apologia Science. This is because Apologia teaches children science through activities and they are successful at making science come to life.
Children, especially 2nd graders, love interaction. Let a chick hatch from an egg and let your child care for and observe it. This will not only help your child learn about science, but also about life itself.
Children Need to Be Allowed to Think for Themselves
When a child asks you how something works, your natural instinct is to explain it to just explain it all to them. While that's fine, you might want to try answering their question with a question. This way you can teach your child how to think for themselves and learn the answer at the same time.
For example, if your child is curious about what certain fish eat, you can ask a question like, 'Well, what kind of snack do you think this fish likes the best?' Show the child what that fish has in it's environment, and encourage them to give you their thoughts.
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Published September 22nd, 2007