Common Sense Science - Human Body e-book

Items in this section tend to be instructional frameworks, or unit studies with a "core" teaching resource supplemented with additional text and/or activity resources.

Teaching elementary science should be efficient, easy, and enjoyable – I mean it is just common sense! Common Sense Science is the recently revised edition of the classic Great Science Adventures (GSA) and retains two key virtues of GSA: children create their own science program by putting complicated information in a simple-to-understand visual format that solidifies learning and retention, and the ability to teach all your children together (multilevel learning). Rather than displaying the information in textbook form with questions at the end of each chapter, this is a much more novel way of presenting the material. Each Book contains an introduction to the program including how to use, all the lessons with vocabulary and teaching information, and the lab and activity instructions. To help the students conceptualize, analyze, review, and apply the knowledge gleaned lessons will have at least one activity which involves the construction of 3D Graphic Organizers, a sort of cut-and-create model to create individual booklets. These are found in the Student Material Packet. The activities focus on skills such as compare/contrast, observation, describing a process or explaining functions and most of the activities include writing about the subject matter. Vocabulary is also integral to the lessons. The activities don't stop there, though. After all, what is a science program without a lab? For the most part, the labs require regular household items and sometimes incorporate other things, like the Graphic Organizers, into the process. To ensure that the labs are effective and practical, the scientific method is used to guide the student through each step of the lab: ask a question or present a concept, make a prediction, experiment/observe, and draw a conclusion. Students will use index cards to record predictions, observations, experiments, and conclusions. Additionally, students will need pencils, scissors, glue, colored pencils/crayons, letter-size manilla file folders (or 12”x 18” cardstock), multi-colored 8.5” x 11” paper, and a large zip lock bag. Each semester Book in the Common Sense Science series is divided into 18 weeks at a pace of three days per week, for one semester of learning. Completing two books in one year is manageable and provides a thorough year’s worth of science. Books are independent of one another, allowing students to pursue different topics that pique their interest. Parents/Teachers are encouraged to include topical library books, videos, or supplemental teaching tools from the Internet to enrich student learning. If you are looking for a program where students are spoon-fed information from a textbook and the teacher needs little preparation time, look elsewhere. This is the essence of a hands-on program. For those who learn best by doing, this approach is well worth considering. The Book and Student Materials Packets are available in print or e-book editions, individually or packaged together in a set. Access to the e-books comes in an email with download information that is sent 1-2 business days after the order is processed. You then have 14 days to download the book which does not expire from your computer. (Access will come from the following email address: orders@commonsensepress.com.). Student Materials are reproducible for the purchasing family. – Zach/Deanne