Let Nature Whet Your Child's Appetite for Life Science

 

Why Does Science Matter for America's Children?

It is difficult to get most Americans to admit that they are behind other nations in anything. We are a nation who loves winners. Yet in our children's science test scores, we have fallen behind many other developed nations.

This is, however, not a good time for any nation to fall behind in science and technology. Career opportunities in those fields are growing rapidly. If we do not shore up our children's science education, our children will lose out on these valuable opportunities.

To solve this problem, we need only to get our children hooked on science early in life. Even before they start school, parents need to nurture children's need to discover more about how things work in nature. When they reach school age, we need to keep their interest piqued with exciting learning experiences in their science classes and at home. Their natural curiosity and drive to know will do the rest.

Schools should provide labs for students in which they can express their creativity by conducting experiments and building models to test their ideas. When they arrive at home, keep the learning experience going with some of these ideas:

Children Can Study Life Science through Observing Nature

Biology doesn't stop with the classroom. In fact, the world is full of living organisms that provide a giant laboratory that children can observe every day both at home and school. Children love to observe living things-from their baby sister to their pet goldfish. When they go to the doctor, encourage your children to ask questions about how their own bodies work. When they are outside, let them stop and wonder at the world around them.
You can also create organized activities that keep your children out of mischief while they learn about the world around them. Here are some good ideas that can keep your future scientists busy for hours learning about nature.

Children love scavenger hunts - This activity can last for an hour or an entire day, depending on your available time and the children's ages. It takes only a little planning on your part, but can keep your children and their friends intrigued with finding the items you list. You can allow the children to work as teams or as individuals. Prepare a list of objects from nature that they can search for. Various kinds of leaves, grasses, flowers, pinecones can be on the list, as well as photographs or drawings of animals on the list.

Camping trips can be bonding experiences - Often a child just needs to unplug from everything and contemplate the world around her. Observing the natural world while living off the land can help your children grow in trust in each other, in you, and in nature itself. Developing a comfort level with nature will help your child see the connections between the world around him and what he learns in the classroom.

Be sure to point out the various types of flowers and trees, as well as what they can be used for. Observe birds and ants as they gather food and build their nests. Take hikes with your child. Point out the difference between the soil in your garden and the shale on the bank of the stream. Observe the changes in the seasons. Encourage your child to keep a journal of her experiences and observations, whether written, in pictures, or recorded on a cell phone or other device.

Zoos and museums can stretch your children's boundaries - Take your children and their friends to a zoo, a natural science center, or a museum. If you are in the Jacksonville, Florida area, you may want to take your children to the Arboretum and Gardens. The Arboretum's grounds offer nature trails and self-guided tours that point out various trees and other plants in a natural woodland. At the White Oak Conservation Center, children can see wild animals, including giraffes, cheetahs, and endangered species, including the native Florida panther.

At many museums, including Jacksonville's Museum of Science and History (MOSH), your children can see exhibits that feature close-up looks of the human body and other animals, both living and extinct.

A planetarium offers children a glimpse of worlds beyond the one on which they are living. Mineral exhibits give children a fascinating look at how various elements and compounds come together to form useful and beautiful objects.

Allow your children a wide variety of experiences to help them appreciate science as it exists outside of the classroom. The world is theirs to explore. Get them exploring today!

One of the top private schools in Jacksonville, Hendricks Day School focuses on teaching your child how to think. Contact us for a tour of our school in Jacksonville: 904-720-0398.

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