Sunday, April 15, 2012

Fifth Grade Science Ideas

I love teaching fifth graders. They are not quite grown, yet they are not quite "little." It's exciting and fun. There are so many things you can do with fifth graders. One of which is adding a bit of excitement to science class by incorporating gardening into you lessons.

You can introduce the various aspects of seed germination and growth and experiment with it by planting your own seeds. You can even review with online science games.

Students will enjoy studying how the various plants like different types of soil, or amounts of water. Students can examine the roots systems, watch how the plants grow leaves, and then observe as the plants begin to blossom and fruit.

At harvest, students can study the correct times and ways to harvest the various plants, and then plan on how you would keep and store the harvest. A garden can provide your fifth graders with an outdoor science classroom!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

No Stressin' on Testin'

Do your children love to take tests? Do your children get totally stressed out when they test? I guess most of my children are somewhere in between. They don't really get crazy stressed out, but they do get pretty nervous. Yet, I have tutored young men between the grades of 3rd to high school that actually get so nervous, especially math anxiety, that they fail every test. I am not even talking about high stakes testing. I am talking about regular weekly class tests.

When your child has an issue with testing stress you need to learn a few ways that you can help him/her find peace. First, tell them that this isn't the end of the world. Though their stress may compound with each test that they fail they may not be able to see this. In our homeschool, I have told my children that if they fail the test we can always retest. We can go back relearn the subject matter, and then retest on the material. No stress! Also make sure that when they are in the day of the test, that they are not rushed or stressed out about other issues. Even if they have been able to calm themselves about their test stress, other stresses may affect their ability to test well! Help them be as relaxed and prepared as possible!