Science

In science, Casia has been learning some basic biology this year. We started with evolution, and learning about the scientific process and how to use tools, like the microscope. Then I taught her a bit of chemistry, so she had some basic understanding going in for the unit on cells followed by cellular respiration. Recently, she's been studying the diversity of living organism and learning about the different kingdoms and their general characteristics. We started with the single-celled organisms and worked our way through fungi, plants and then animals.  

I thought it would be good background for Casia to understand the various animal phyla (plus it makes 20-Questions more fun!), and I found this great resource from PBS. They have a video series called The Shape of Life. It was an awesome eight episode guide to most of the animal phyla. They had some online sheets, Introduction to Phyla and Phylum Comparison Challenge, that I used as background and a study guide for Casia as well. It took us awhile to get through all the episodes, but each was just under an hour long, which was the perfect length. They were extremely well done; informative and entertaining. We both enjoyed them and I highly recommend the series.

Now we've moved on to humans. This week, Casia has learned about the skeletal system and we're moving on the muscles next. If I'm able to stay on target (always a big IF), we should get through the rest of basic human anatomy, with some genetics, reproduction and nutrition thrown in, by the end of the school year. Our units are quick (just a few days each), but I think it's giving her enough biology basics that I'll feel comfortable moving onto something new next year.