Sign up below to receive weekly tips & tools for homeschool science and we'll send you a FREE copy of 
This purple coneflowers is known as a composite flower. In these types of flowers, what we see as one bloom is actually a composite of two different type of flowers! There are: Simple ray flowers (outside), which serve to attract pollinators. Complete disc flowers (inside) where the pollination actually occurs. Fun Fact - Sunflowers are also composite flowers! Teaching Science at … [Read more...]
Double Cherries {InstaScience}
We love fresh cherries in our house - a bag of them does not last very long between the four of us. But a recent chance pull of some double cherries led us to set down the bag and learn some science instead! We guessed that these double wonders were products of a seed split or maybe some genetic mutation. So, we weren't so keen to actually eat them. But after a bit of research, we learned … [Read more...]
Nature Study with Middle Schoolers
When our daughter hit the middle school years, all of a sudden I was painfully aware of how close we were to the time when it starts to count. During the elementary years, high school seems so very far away. But then your student starts maturing before your eyes, and you start to realize that high school is not so far off. You start getting "serious" about her studies and leave those "fun" … [Read more...]
15 Minutes at the Window {Winter Nature Study}
Let’s face it – during the winter months our kids are not usually clamoring to head outside and run around in nature. And if we are really honest, neither are we. Though I do see value in heading outside to study nature up close during the winter months, it can be downright cold! Enter 15 minutes at the window. This unpretentious form of indoor nature study is as simple as: Sitting … [Read more...]
How to make a Seed Board
I love it when fall hits in earnest, the weather turns cooler and the colors turn warmer. Fall is also a great time of year to collect seeds for next year. In today's Science Corner, I want to share with you how to make a seed board to display what you have collected. How to make a seed board Step 1: Collect the Seeds The first step in making a seed board is to collect the seeds. Where to … [Read more...]
Observation Is Key
Observation is a key ability for all scientists to possess, but what exactly is observation? Webster's says: Observation — an act or instance of noticing or perceiving, an act or instance of regarding attentively or watching. Simply put, observation is taking the time to look at the things going on around you. It's intentionally watching what is happening right in front of you. The … [Read more...]