Third Grade Historical Experiments
In the third grade, when your child is overwhelmed by many new science topics, reminding them that the greatest scientists went through a lot of trial and error and were also overwhelmed can make them feel a lot better. One of the great things about studying the historical experiments and discoveries with your child is that they get to see the progression of scientific thought. Knowing that what they are learning now took years to think about and discover can make them feel better about not understanding it right away.
They also get to see how some scientists dedicated their whole lives to finding the answer to a question, and sometimes never got the answer. It would be years later when another younger scientist studies the notes or writings of the first puzzled scholar that a “Eureka!” moment appears and a discovery is made or understanding dawns of why something is the way it is.
Historical experiments can be really encouraging for your child, and it's also a great way to combine history class with their science class. Learning about historical experiments can also be a lot of fun because many times the first experiments were simple and easy to recreate. This gives your child a better understanding of the concept and how it's evolved into various uses today.
Astronomy
Astronomy is always a fun science to read about and discover. Many ancient astronomers set the standards for the study of physics, though they didn't know it at the time. By studying the movement of the heavenly bodies, they were able to make sense of some of the phenomena they observed on earth. This lay the groundwork for both the laws of motion, time, and space, but it also sparked in humans the interest of what lay beyond our planet.
A lot of astronomy has to do with observation and discovery, something many children are really good at. You can back up your study of an ancient astronomer's experiment or observations by finding recent stories of kids who by just observing the night sky have been able to make a name for themselves in history. There are many amateur astronomers who have observed strange phenomena, reported it and as a result have a star, comet, or other heavenly body named after them forever. These stories can be inspiring and exciting for your child to hear, and it can get them interested and involved in astronomy and learning about how the universe works.
Next Article: Seleucus' Tides
