Science is one of the easiest and most enjoyable subjects to learn without a curriculum. Science experiments are also surprisingly easy to strew.
What kid – big or small – can resist the temptation to find out what will happen when we add this liquid to that powder, or when we connect a battery to this strange contraption?
What’s in my unschooling science video?
In my video this week I talk about – and show you – a fun afternoon we spent experimenting. As you’ll see, my children each took the initial idea to make red cabbage indicator in a completely different direction.
And you’ll hear about the shocking discovery I made when I recently browsed a science curriculum for KS3 children (aged 11-14).
My son would (approvingly) call the previous sentence ‘click bait’. Sorry about that. I first wrote ‘surprising discovery’ but I went back and changed it because my jaw really did drop at what I saw!
I plan to compile two more mini videos from the footage of our afternoon’s science:
(1) Our demonstration of how to make red cabbage indicator, and
(2) Cordie’s liver and hydrogen peroxide experiment that I talk about in this video.
Unschooling science – Show notes
Fun With Catalysts – How to Make Elephant Toothpaste
Fun With Acids and Bases – How to Use Red Cabbage as an Indicator (my original post)
You might also like to look at my science page for other fun experiments we’ve done.
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Thank you so much for all your lovely comments about my first video, and for your inspiring ideas for future videos. I did record another last week in which I talked about how we decide what to learn, but I’m not sure about it. (Perfectionism? Or fear of not being seen as a ‘proper’ unschooler? Maybe I’ll quietly put it up on YouTube anyway.)
If you enjoy watching the video I’d love you to share it on Facebook. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel and like my Navigating By Joy Facebook page.
Have you done any fun science experiments recently? I’d love to hear from you. 🙂
I’m appreciatively linking up at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers Weekly Wrap-Up.
Wow! That was super. You were both so great in front of the camera. I look forward to meeting Cordie on video too.
We also did that experiment a few years ago. We just might need to revisit it.
Ha. You certainly don’t need to be spending $$ on curriculum if the curriculum makers are using your ideas. I’ll just keep heading back here for new ideas and new inspiration :o)
I’d love love love to see the video about how you and the kids choose what to learn. Surely there’ll be no Judgy McJudgersons here. Homeschooling has SO many different styles, and unschooling has its whole own range of flavours too.
LOL about the Judgy McJudgersons! I’m so going to start using that expression. ?
Honestly, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your encouragement, M. Your daughter is so lucky to have you supporting her learning.
Funnily enough someone who’s met me in real life watched my first video and said my bubbliness didn’t come across on camera. I think she’s right. I’m not sure if it’s because I was a bit nervous or because I was unconsciously modelling myself on someone else. Probably best not to over-think it and just keep going. 😉
Btw I absolutely loved reading about your day. Thank you for sharing it, it was fascinating and inspiring. More on that via email.
I’m now feeling like it’s time we revisited the red cabbage experiment too! Where did you get your test tube set from, it’s lovely! Would you believe we haven’t done the elephant toothpaste yet so want to try that now too. I will certainly be checking out your science page soon – I’m really enjoying these videos 🙂
Ooh elephant toothpaste is so much fun. We’ve got some leftover hydrogen peroxide from the liver experiment; perhaps we’ll give it another go too. Or maybe I’ll find another experiment…
The test tubes are from Amazon. http://amzn.to/2dL41pV They were about £15 but they’ve lasted us well. 🙂
Thank you for watching the videos and for your encouragement!
P.S. I noticed you were quoted on a recent Denise Gaskins email – you get about 😀
Thank you for pointing that out, I’d missed it! I remember being thrilled when Denise made that graphic a few years ago. She quoted me from my review of her book, I think. I do love being part of the home ed world. 🙂
Lucinda,
That was a great video! I can see why you were shocked by your discovery. Did you contact the curriculum provider and tell them there’d used your photo without permission? Surely they used it illegally? I once found one of my images on someone else’s blog. Because it wasn’t a photo of my kids and it was on a homeschool blog, I overlooked the fact they hadn’t asked if they could use it. It just makes me wonder, though, how many of our photos are stolen without our knowledge. I really should watermark mine.
Anyway, I enjoyed watching your video and look forward to the next one!
Thank you so much, Sue. I really enjoyed making it.
Yes I do intend to get in touch with the curriculum seller and ask them to credit my blog perhaps and maybe send me a copy of the curriculum. (Perhaps they’ve used other photos!)
I was thinking about watermarking too. An extra step I’ve never made time for, but perhaps I should. I haven’t even got a copyright notice on my blogs – another thing I must do. (You wouldn’t know I used to be an intellectual property lawyer, would you? Or perhaps that’s why I’m no longer one!)
I can’t believe they used your photos/ideas without your permission (so illegal!), and are also selling their curriculum for 300 pounds! Wow, I would definitely contact them.
Yeah I really must contact them. I’m sure they didn’t intend any harm, but I don’t think I’m unreasonable wanting at least some recognition!
Possibly they didn’t mean any harm, but…to use someone else’s content/pictures without their permission and then to turn around and charge that much for it? Yikes!
I had a very nice apology from the curriculum makers. They’ve linked to my blog and given me a free set of their whole KS3 (middle school) science curricula. 🙂 Thanks for prodding me to take action!
Love the video experiments. They can watch those and recall the experience.
Thank you for watching, Nita. Yes videos are a really fun way of revising!