Oh Boy- my boy came home with a packet of papers, and the expectation that I could assist him in preparing his project. I want to, but I feel kinda lost about how…

Anyone have some experience with this? How do you help them get it going, even if you don’t know anything about the project they have selected?

the internet! we found lots of web sites dedicated to giving science project ideas and how-tos for projects ... you don’t want to help TOO much because part of the learning experience is the “project management” skill development they gain ...

basically, you supervise and help formulate the plan: ask that they make a list of needed materials and go shopping together (after scrounging what you can from home drawers and the great outdoors) ... don’t overlook thrift stores and junkyards for parts and pieces ...

my biggest piece of advice: let it be theirs, in all its glorious imperfection.

Good advice, Lumina.

AK, the internet is a good resource, with supervision. Also, pull in other kids or adults for help, if they’re available. One of our neighbors is a 6th grader who loves helping my third grader with homework. And he’s done the stuff more recently than I have, for sure.

Well, its just that my boy came home with something super advanced, and (between my husband and I) we just couldn’t wrap our own minds around it (physics and advanced math).

We tried looking stuff up on the internet, but all we could find on the subject was from university websites, where the language and concepts were just toooooo advanced. I was thinking we could make a little miniture compost....but no-

ANyhow, to be honest, I felt a little pissed about it. I felt that the teacher should have helped him select something a little more appropriate for his age.

We finally got somewhere with it after working all night last night, but we had to really butcher the original project.

I kinda feel like I should give some feedback to the teacher.

Here are some great online sites for various projects or homework helps.

http://www.edheads.org/

http://www.si.edu/

http://www.kidinfo.com/

http://scienceclub.org/

The project is completed and turned in...all about joyous sound waves and frequencies! Yippee!!!

Thanks for the support and suggestion, folkies :0)

Next year, I think we will build a miniture compost system....

Thanks Nancy.