How Science Works is the first unit in the Earth & Space science course. Intended to fill a month of science learning, it has plenty of information and activities to carry you weeks beyond that time. In this unit, you will learn about the history of science and the scientific method along with other scientific thinking skills. It contains sections on:
- Tools of the Scientist
- History of Science
- Scientific Method
Some of the activities inside this unit include:
- Building and keeping a Science Notebook, like a professional scientist
- Making qualitative and quantitative observations
- Learning to take metric measurements of length, volume, time, mass, and temperature
- Making a history of science cascading book
- Making a philosopher’s stone as you learn how alchemy gave rise to chemistry
- Crafting a scientific method wheel
- Doing a real plant experiment with scientific controls
- Use the scientific method to carefully find out if sugar or artificial sweetener makes better cookies
- Plus much more!
Each Layers of Learning Science unit includes library lists of books, a family read-aloud suggestion, hands-on activities, printables and paper crafts, sidebars for extra learning, and tools to help you assess student’s progress and mastery.
Flexibility
This unit was written to be used for a month but contains plenty of content for many more weeks of learning if you choose. This is a pick-and-choose curriculum, meant to be cycled back to in the future when your child is older. As such, it intentionally includes far more material than you can possibly cover in a month.
How Science Works is also part of the overall Earth & Space course, the first Year of the four year Layers of Learning Science cycle. If you use the program in order, it will take you though the four branches of science from Earth & Space to Biology to Chemistry to Physics in a logical progression where skills are learned and then practiced and used. However, each unit stands alone and can be used independently of any other unit.
Printable Pack
This unit comes with a downloadable Printable Pack that includes all the student worksheets. The printables can be copied as many times as needed for your family or class.
This is the Printable Pack cover. You can download the Printable Pack from your receipt or from your account at Layers of Learning.
Extra Resources
This unit comes with extra weblinks and a YouTube video playlist on the Earth & Space Resources page.
Chantelle Grubbs –
The flexibility of this unit is amazing! There are book recommendations and exploration/experiment options to suit all ages! We are able to choose the ones that suit our needs and know that when we come around to this unit again in 4 years there will be plenty that we didn’t do the last time!
Kaya Seaton –
This was an excellent introduction to foundational scientific concepts! This built such a great base for understanding how and why we study science. Full of facts, great books, hands on projects, and fun for all ages!