How to Help Your 2nd Grader Love Science
Remember back when you were in school. Did your science teacher just stand there and present you with a bunch of facts and figures? For most of us, the only entertainment we ever had in science was looking at the photos in our textbooks.
This is probably how your child is feeling right now about his or her 2nd grade science. 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 fun and simple experiment you can try is to put a small seed in a cup, add some soil and watch the process of life as it grows and sprouts. My favorite 2nd grade science curriculum would have to be Apologia Science. I have found Apologia to be the best at really making science fun and engaging for children.
Children love to be engaged, especially 2nd graders. 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 will teach your child that he or she can rely on their own thinking abilities to figure out how something works.
For instance, if your child asks you what fish like to eat, you could answer back 'What do you think fish like to eat?' Show the child what that fish has in it's environment, and encourage them to give you their thoughts.
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- Amy H
