TOS: Homeschooling moms either love or hate it, but most kids LOVE science!
Why is science so much fun?

Janice: Kids are often described as being "bright-eyed and bushy-tailed." This
characterizes their natural curiosity about the world around them. Science is fun
for kids because their inquisitive nature is satisfied by scientific explorations and discoveries of answers to the many questions they ask. Questions, such as: Why is the sky blue and grass green? Why do magnets stick to the fridge and not to doors? Why is my hair red? Homeschooling moms will love science too, when they stop fretting over not knowing all the answers and start having fun with their kids as they go on an adventure together to discover the answers via hands-on activities.

TOS: Can even younger children benefit from science instruction? What are the best ideas for doing so?

Janice: Science is learned through the use of our senses-seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling. One of the first learned senses is the smell of amniotic fluid, which a newborn uses to identify his/her mother. Once newborns arrive, they-without assistance from parents-immediately start using their senses to explore their environments. Yes! Babies and very young children experiment with science concepts by responding to sounds, colors, tastes, textures, temperatures,. and smells. These first learning experiences, which can be encouraged by parents, are the essential tools used later for more involved scientific explorations. Children are more
likely to develop a positive attitude toward science and an enthusiastic curiosity about life when parents join children in healthy play and experiment together. Parents can provide science instruction and encourage this learning process with their babies and young children by providing
sense-stimulating toys with different textures, colors, and sounds. They can learn along side of children with entertaining science experiments for young children, such as those in Janice VanCleave's Play and Find Out about Science book series.

TOS: The teaching of science is sure different from when I was a kid. How have you seen things change?

Janice: Only a short time ago science instruction was lecture and reading
research based. That is, teachers in public schools told kids why something happened
and kids basically read science books and answered questions. Today, there is more emphasis on science discoveries via hands-on investigations. For many homeschooled children, kitchen chemistry experiments and backyard science inquiries are common. Family vacations are often planned as an extension of homeschooling studies. What better way to study oceanography
than scuba diving in Cosamel? How could you better explain the effects of erosion than to stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon?

Advances in technology, such as home computers, have also changed the way science is being taught. Kids (via the Internet) can easily research science topics as well as find fun hands-on experiments. Some kids even contact science writers for help with their science projects. I've been known to help friends and grandchildren with math and science problems via email.

The best part about homeschooling science is that kids and parents are exploring and learning together. A parent's positive attitude about science greatly affects whether or not a child likes science.

TOS: Can you come to my house to teach? Barring that, what advice do you have for the home science teacher?

Janice: Don't take the joy of discovering away from kids by being too quick to supply answers to inquiring questions. When a kid asks a question, don't be afraid to say, "I don't know." If this really bothers you, then say, "I wonder? Let's find out!" This sets the stage for reading research as well as experimental research.

Within reason, allow kids to investigate to find answers to those "Why?" and "What If?" questions. Science can be the core for learning other curriculums-reading, history, math, art, etc. For example, select a scientist and study his or her life including the historical events of the day. The book, Janice VanCleave's Scientists Through the Ages, can provide basic information for this study.

Make science more child-centered and less teacher-centered. Remember that kids retain more knowledge if they are actively involved. In other words, let the child DO the hands-on experiments and not just watch you do them.
Plan ahead. When studying a certain topic, such as weather, pick out weather experiments from an experiment book and add any needed materials to your shopping list. It is discouraging to be ready to experiment and not have all the necessary supplies.
 

Don't just depend on textbook information. Seek fun hands-on activities, such as those in my experiment books or other comparable books. Also check out science web sites for fun facts and experiments, such as Janice VanCleave's Science for Fun on the Discovery Channel web site: http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral.

Children have a natural curiosity about science. Use it as a spring board to launch kids into a world of discovery. Have fun! If it is fun for you it will be fun for the kids.

TOS: If we have a child who may be considering science as a career, what kinds of things should we be having them do?

Janice: Kids with special interests in science may want to concentrate on a specific field of science, but encourage them to study all the sciences. First of all, they may change their mind about their career after studying different sciences. But most important, the sciences are not independent studies.

I am often so amazed about how integrated the different fields of science are. One cannot understand the workings of the human body without understanding biology, chemistry, and physics. For example, when studying the circulatory system one learns about its biological parts, blood chemistry as well as how gravity affects blood flow. In writing Scientists Through the Ages, I found it difficult to identify each scientist as being one specific type of scientist, such as a biologist or chemist. This is because their work involved many science fields.
I can summarize by advising a wide range of science studies, but do not forget the importance of all the other disciplines-English, math, art, etc. Scientists must properly report their findings and in this technological world they often have to verbally present their work to the media. I regret that I was too obsessed with science to the exclusion of other studies and
encourage kids not to do this.

TOS: You've written tons of books. What are your latest projects and how can our readers learn more about you?

Janice: See my web site to learn more about me, my science adventures as
well as my books. My web site address is http://JaniceVanCleave.com. My most recent publications for kids ages 8-12 are Teaching the Fun of Science, Help! My Science Project is Due Tomorrow!, and Science Through the Ages. Publications for kids 13 and older include A+ Projects in Physics, A+ Science Fair Projects and Scientists Through the Ages.

Projects currently in production include Science Around the World: Activities on Biomes from Pole to Pole, Science Models for Every Kid and Teaching the Fun of Math.

I'm currently working on a couple of projects. The first is a science fair project book based on the ideas of real kids. Kids who have developed a science fair project and would like to share their idea can contact me via email at JVCSCIENCE@aol.com. If I use their idea in my book, I'll contact them via email and send a permission form that will have to be signed and mailed to me. No monetary compensation will be paid for ideas, but the name of contributors will be
listed in the acknowledgment section of the book.

The second project that I am having lots of fun with is a Bible activity book. The book is designed for Bible teachers of kids from K-6 and/or pastors presenting children's sermons. Each object lesson will be scripted and most involve a very simple science experiment that represents the scripture being used. Anyone teaching Bible activities who would like to volunteer to field test one or more of the activities in this book can contact me via email at :JVCSCIENCE@aol.com.

I generally publish three books each year. I have the material in each book field tested by educators and am always looking for new reviewers. If you are interested in being a field tester for upcoming science books, contact me via email at JVCSCIENCE@aol.com .

TOS: Wow! You have truly inspired me! I can't wait to get back to science
with my kids. Thanks for helping to spark a fire in my homeschool!