16 Super Science Supplements

Science. Your kids probably either love it or hate it. I know few kids who are in between. For those who love it, the suggestions in this article will thrill them to no end. And for those who would rather take a trip to the dentist than perform a science experiment, these supplements will help to put the fun into science. In fact, they'll be having so much fun they'll forget they're actually learning something about the subject they can't stand.

Here are 16 suggested supplements to turn your child into a science "love it" kid, after all.

1. HOWS AND WHYS OF SCIENCE. This complete "lab" is perfect for the child who loves to discover how things work. Explore spider webs, how to make a rainbow, and many other HOWs and WHYs of the world. Conduct experiments and draw conclusions. Recommended for ages 8+

2. MAGIC SCHOOL BUS JOURNEY INTO THE HUMAN BODY. Fasten your seatbelt and join Ms. Frizzle and the gang on a trip through the human body. Includes a life-size poster with 8 sheets of sticker body parts. Recommended for ages 5+

3. VEGGIEHEADS GAME. A fun board game for older kids that teaches about health, body basics and making good food choices. Recommended for ages 12+

4. MY FIRST THREE NATURE GAMES. Three games in one box! Includes Baby Animals Memory Game, Who's afraid of the Fox, and Hide-and-Seek Dominoes. Recommended for grades PK+

5. TASTY SCIENCE. Combine snack time and science with this tasty kit. Includes ingredients, lab equipment, and recipes. Recommended for ages 6+

6. THE INVENTION GAME. This is a wild game of wacky inventions. Think you can guess what each invention and gizmo does? Choose the most correct answers and you win! Recommended for ages 12+

7. THE SOLAR SYSTEM GAME. Explore space and learn interesting facts such as which planet could float on water and which planet has the highest mountain. Game features actual NASA photographs. Recommended for grades 3+

8. BUGGO. Adults might rename this game YUCKO. But kids will love digging for bugs in the sand. Enhances memory and counting. Recommended for ages 5+

9. OCEANOPOLY. Swim around the board as your favorite sea creature. Teaches fascinating facts about the ocean and everything in it. Recommended for ages 8+

10. TOTALLY GROSS! Yes, some science is, indeed gross! Stretch your slime around the board and perform various totally gross antics. Recommended for ages 8+

11. ICE CREAM KIT. Your kids will scream for science with this yummy kit. Learn about solids, liquids and gases while inventing your own ice cream product! Recommended for ages 8+

12. REACTION. This competitive game tests chemical reactions. The player who builds the most molecules, wins! A great introduction to chemistry. Recommended for ages 10+

13. SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET. 6 fun games in 1! The first player to assemble their skeleton wins! No bones about it! Recommended for ages 7+

14. DECK OF DOGS. Perfect for pet lovers! Learn about various breeds of dogs and interesting facts about them. Includes 2 versions. Recommended for ages 7+

15. HA CHOO! Exciting board game where all players start out with a fever and set out to reduce their temperature to normal. Teaches the principles of good health. Recommended for ages 4-6.

16. PEARLY WHITES. Make them smile with this fun game. Helps kids learn or brush up on their oral hygiene knowledge and dental health. Recommended for ages 6+

This gives you a few suggestions on how to put the fun back into the subject of science. Now it's time to experiment with which of these supplements will become their favorite!

Author Info:

Lynn Powers is a staff writer for FaithReaders. Access any Bible Stories and Inspirational Stories at FaithReaders.

College Writing Source Use - Is Your Teen Ready?

Students are not usually expected to write a source paper until the high school research paper. As they learn about citations, cover pages and other details, one essential topic often is overlooked: appropriate use of source materials to support an opinion. Yet even middle school students can master this essential college writing skill in the course of writing persuasive essays.

Using sources correctly, whether in middle school or in college writing, means following a simple three-step strategy for each piece of evidence.

1) Prepare readers to understand the evidence

In speaking we say, "My mother says," "my boss told me yesterday," or "the weatherman said" before we present that person's ideas. In academic writing, writers also identify their source before they use the source's information.

Next, writers identify the source's credentials for speaking on the writer's topic. The head of the Mayo Clinic may not be as well qualified to speak about bunion pain as Aunt Irene, who has bunions.

Finally, writers tell readers what to look for in the evidence, supplying a keyword or context that the evidence may not provide.

Writers need not make a big production of preparing the reader for the evidence. Many times they can introduce the source, the source's credentials, and set expectations all in one sentence. Sometimes they can give the evidence in the same sentence.

2) Present a summary of the evidence.

Using paraphrases and quotations is frowned on in college writing. Writers are expected to summarize.

Readers assume that all the ideas borrowed from a source are between the source's name and the end of that sentence.

To avoid plagiarism, writers have to be very careful to leave no doubt about which ideas are theirs and which ones are someone else's. Savvy writers present all the source's information in one block, even if that information runs several sentences. Then they make their comments on that material.

3) Explain the relevance of the evidence to the thesis.

More often than not, writers have to explain how the source material is relevant to the topic sentence of the body paragraph in which it appears.

An example will show what I mean.

Let's suppose Josh uses this information in an essay: WFYI meteorologist David Dope predicts Central New York will have unusually snowy winters for the next 10 years. Josh could be writing about global climate change, the town's highway department budget, or why his dad should buy him a snowmobile. Unless he explains how the information is relevant to his case, readers may not see the connection.

The standard five-paragraph essay format calls for three pieces of evidence in each body paragraph. That means the writer would use the presentation strategy nine times (3 x 3 = 9) in a single persuasive essay. It won't take too many essays before even slow students have the process down pat.

Students who learn this simple strategy for presenting evidence will be ready to handle the source papers college writing demands.

Author Info:

Linda Aragoni is a writer, writing teacher, and editor of You-Can-Teach-Writing.com, the guide to enabling students grades 7-12 to become competent writers. Get a free copy of all five articles in the series "Is Your Teen Ready for College Writing? just by signing up for Linda's free monthly ezine by Aug. 1, 2008. Details at http://www.you-can-teach-writing.com/ezine.html

Copyright 2008, Linda Gorton Aragoni. You may reprint this article provided the whole text, the author's name, the links, and this copyright notice remain intact.

Homeschool Basics, For Those Parents Overwhelmed With Questions About Homeschooling

Anyone thinking about homeschooling starts out with a zillion questions and overwhelmed by choices. What are the laws regarding homeschooling in my area? How do I prepare for the school year? What about a homeschool curriculum; should I buy one? Do you even need one? The following guidelines might help to make the process easier.

1. Find out your state's specific homeschooling laws. Each state has different laws concerning educating your child; you must understand and adhere to the laws in your state.

2. Define the educational goals for your child. This will help you decide which curriculum will best meet those goals. It will also give you a guide to see if you're on track throughout the year. Writing them down on paper will help you define them clearly.

3. Consider your "educational philosophy", or what you believe to be important. Are you mostly concerned about academics, or is character development most important? Do you want your child to test well in preparation for college, or do you want them to learn to think for themselves?

4. Consider your family's "personality" - do you normally plan or schedule everything, or are you more spontaneous? This alone can make a huge difference in choosing the style or method of homeschooling you select.

5. Do you Know your child's "learning style"? Do they learn best by seeing, or doing? Knowing their learning style will help determine what materials you will need to best meet their abilities to learn.

If your children are very young, you might not need the latest curriculum. Instead, you can spend much time with them helping them learn their alphabet, simple math, and prepare them to learn to read. You can usually find small workbooks at discount stores. Use beans or candy to teach math concepts. Teach them to form their letters properly using cereal, shaving cream. or rice on a cookie sheet. You don't necessarily need to spend a lot of money to teach the basics.

It's also important to make sure your child has an opportunity for fun. Get involved in a support group with other homeschoolers. Plan play days or field trips; let the children run and work off some of their pent-up energy. Having a support group helps parents as well, and can be especially helpful when you need guidance or have questions.

Author Info:

Consider the many online homeschooling resources, such as Complete Homeschool Guide; you can even pick up a homeschooling guide that will answer all of your questions in depth.

Stressed over questions about homeschooling? Before you make ANY decisions about homeschool, visit The Complete Homeschool Guide!