I explained previously our plan for science this year. I’m making self exploration boxes. Each box has a topic. I rotate the topics out so the kids have new material to explore. How much they find out about any particular subject depends on their level of interest. They can read every book and do every activity or they can not glance in the direction of the box. I know some of you are hyperventilating at the thought of your children self guiding their learning. But this works well for us, particularly for science. For my children, their interest in science exceeds any curriculum I could find. They don’t want to just learn what the curriculum says, they have questions that they want answered. Self exploration boxes lets them find the answers to those questions and then find more questions. I help guide them through the resources to find the answers they seek. They’re learning research and science all in one.
Our first box (and my boxes are milk crates) is The Human Body. I included books about learning to use the potty since I have one currently working toward that. Also, we don’t own all these books. We utilized our local library. So, this box cost me nothing. Here are the contents: (and some parental blurbs to see if this book is right for you)
The Holes in Your Nose by Genichiro Yagyu (contains illustrated pictures of blood and a penis)
Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi (contains illustrated pictures of poop and a penis)
All About Scabs by Genichiro Yagyu (contains illustrated pictures of blood and scabs)
The Gas We Pass by Shinta Cho (contains an illustrated picture of a penis)
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems
That Tickles! by Cindy West
Time To Pee! by Mo Willems (potty training book; contains illustrated pictures of butts)
The Foot Book by Dr. Suess
My Trip To The Hospital by Mercer Mayer
The Value of Believing in Yourself: The Story of Louis Pasteur by Spencer Johnson
What Make You Ill by Kate Woodward (contains information about immunization- it basically says all babies get them, which isn’t true.)
Sick Days by Jan and Mike Berenstain
Hidden World Human Body by Claude Delafosse (contains illustrations of babies in utero)
Why Do People Eat by Kate Needham
The New Potty by Gina and Mercer Mayer (potty training book)
Exploring Weird Science by Rebecca L. Grambo
A Picture Book of Florence Nightingale by David A. Adler
Germs Make Me Sick by Melvin Berger (contains a tiny bit of information on vaccines, but doesn’t assume all kids get them or that they are the cure all)
Parts by Tedd Arnold
Science Verse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith (contains a poem on evolution)
Everybody Has A Body by Robert E. Rockwell
Oh, Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty by Joy Masoff (Aidan, age 5, loves this book. It is pretty gross and contains information about body lint, cannibals, farts, poop, pus, vomit, and more. Also has illustrations that are pretty gross, including illustrations of vomiting.)
You and Your Body by Susan Meredith (contains illustrations of babies in utero, vaginas, and penises. Also contains information about sex and reproduction. Also includes information and illustrations about breastfeeding. Also has a little information on immunizations, which assumes all babies are immunized, which they are not. Also has information about c-sections and continuous fetal monitoring. And information on menstruation.)
The Visual Dictionary of The Human Body by Dorling Kindersley (contains images of babies in utero and a side section view of a vagina. Also has side section view of a penis. As well as a statue of a naked male and a naked female.)
First Encyclopedia of the Human Body by Fiona Chandler (Has minimal information on immunizations. Contains illustrations of babies in utero and sperm and egg. Contains information about hormones and reproduction, but starts from sperm meets egg and does not include any information about sex.)
The DoubleDay Children’s Encyclopedia by John Paton (This set of books moves through our boxes. (Has information on both asexual and sexual reproduction, but does not go into great detail. Side illustrations of male and female reproductive organs.)
From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
Bones: Our Skeletal System by Seymour Simon
Blood: The Circulatory System by Gillian Houghton
Bones: The Skeletal System by Gillian Houghton
All About Teeth by Mari Schuh
Your Bones by Terri DeGezelle
The Monster Health Book by Edward Miller
A Stethoscope
A Blood Pressure Cuff
A Thermometer
Kaplan Anatomy Coloring Book (free)
Super Teacher Human Body Worksheets
Activity Village Human Bodies Printables
Science Kids Human Body Pictures
Bottom View of Brain Coloring Page
Pregnancy Cross Section Coloring Page
Skeleton Back View Coloring Page
Digestive System Coloring Page
I printed off several copies of the worksheets and let them use the encyclopedias and books to color them in and label them. I simply put all the print outs and activities into the box and they pulled them out and used them as they wanted. I kept this box out for the month of September and they poured over every book (some multiple times) and utilized every single worksheet and activity. We also looked up a few things on the internet when they had specific questions.
From Conception to Birth Video
And remember, Wikipedia is your friend! I couldn’t answer all their questions, but when I didn’t know the answer, we looked it up!
Next box: Weather
