Just because a child is homeschooled doesn’t mean he misses out on all the fun traditional school activities. Case in point is "Homeschoolers Conquer Science," a science fair organized by Homeschool Global, where around 200 eager homeschooled young minds exhibited their science projects and inventions.
There were workshops on robotics and 3D printing, lots of interactive booths and, of course, a chance for the students to showcase their science know-how.From all the participants, however, three were chosen as the best. Two projects won the Best Science Project title. One of them was 10-year-old Trisha for creating a laser microscope. The other went to siblings Jasmine, 8, and Jasper Espino, 7 (below), who built an aquaponics and hydroponic systems.
“The kids learned about plants and animals this quarter so their project was to make a small aquaponics sytem that would be easy to maintain,” their mom Olga told SmartParenting.com.ph. “Through aquaponics, they will be able to grow organic plants while taking care of fish at the same time.
“The kids also prepared two different hydroponic systems to demonstrate sustainable ways to grow organic plants in small homes,” she added. A hydroponic system grows plants without soil. They’re grown instead on water loaded with nutrients.
An award was also given to the Best Collaborative Work, which went to Andie, 12, Reese, 12, and Sam, 14 (below), who demonstrated how solar energy could be stored in rechargeable batteries and used to power gadgets and small household items.
“With very limited time for preparation, the kids really had to double-up with their research. They learned a lot because they had a hands-on opportunity to see how inverters and solar panels work,” Lala Evangelista, mom of Sam, told us.
“They also learned how to seek help from others. For the solar battery they needed, they were able to get a sponsorship from Motolite Philippines,” she said.ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWhat other parents are reading
Seeing the kids’ awesome projects and experiments, we just had to ask the moms for their secret techniques. How did they make science an interesting and fun subject for their kids?
Mommy Olga says children are naturally curious and inquisitive. “What we do is try to fuel their love for learning by allowing them to experience different things. At home, we have simple science projects that make their lessons relevant to real life. We also take them to mini-field trips where they can discover more about the lessons we studied at home.” Here’s a list of places in the metro that are great for just that.
For homeschooling moms, Ilene Riego, mom of Reese who was part of the team that won Best Collaborative Work, says the key is to find out how your child learns best. “It's really a matter of choosing the right curriculum that will interest the child.”
And, of course, your attitude towards the subject also affects how your child will feel about it, says Leny Yusay, mom of Andie, who also worked on the solar energy project. “All the moms were there all the way to supervise and show support. When they saw our enthusiasm and commitment, they were also inspired to do the same.”Here re more kids from the fair and their impressive work:
Noah, 10, and his brother Tax, 7, worked on a water vacuum experiment using a bowl with water, a candle, and a short drinking glass to demonstrate that gas tends to to expand when heated (also known as Charles’ Law).
Eliano, 6, put together a “Mint Backyard Farm” to illustrate how plants make food. He brought potted plants and seedlings with him along with hand-drawn display boards.
Jaime, 11, presented a project he called “Mystery and Science of Surface Tension” to find out how he could weaken water surface tension. He achieved this by adding a few drops of dishwashing soap to the liquid, which broke the surface bond of the water molecules.
CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch nowWant to start doing science experiments with your kids? Find fun ideas here.
.jpg)
