Kids Advent Calendar: An Experiment to Remember
This kids advent calendar is this homeschooling mom's solution to the holiday question: How can I keep Jesus the focus of our holiday season and still get some school work done?
A homeschooling mom's calendar is always packed, and sometimes just the thought of "adding in" more school work in December is terrifying. What if, instead, we simplified?
I'm trying an entirely unique, new way of celebrating Jesus' life while counting down the days to Christmas, and I would love to have you join me!
The idea behind An Experiment to Remember is that we let go of our regular school work for a few short weeks, and replace it with a fun, hands-on, low-prep curriculum that focuses on the Savior's life and includes easy-to-do science experiments, meaningful discussions, and writing. (Confession: My kids will still have to do additional math and reading...I think these are super important to do every day.) Anyway...
An Experiment to Remember fills your December with memorable science experiments and uses them as object lessons to teach about the Savior's life!
These Christmas science activities are so fun to do that older kids don't mind repeating them if they've already seen them, and younger kids feel like they're doing magic! Then, (this is my favorite part), they are tied into the Savior's life. My hope is that maybe next time the kids do, for example, a density experiment, they cannot help but think of Jesus and the miracles He did. The Christmas season can then be extended all year long!
Each lesson in An Experiment to Remember includes:
* a science activity, experiment, or demonstration!
* the "science" behind why it works!
* a scripture about Jesus and how it can be tied to the science project! (We use the KJV Bible, but you can always read from whatever version you prefer.)
* a thought question to make the lesson personally meaningful!
* a printable ornament related to the lesson to color in and hang on your tree! The ornaments are coloring-book style and relate to the lesson.
You can discuss the thought question with your kids or let everyone write about it in a journal.
Where did this kids advent calendar idea come from???
An Experiment to Remember is a kids advent calendar created by me, Carla, the author here at Teaching Without Chairs! (You can learn more about me here!) Every December I look for ways to focus on Jesus during the holiday season and still get some schoolwork done. This year I decided to write a little curriculum that integrated the life and teachings of Jesus with more traditional subjects like science and writing. I wanted a coloring activity as well so that our preschoolers could easily join the fun. As I finished planning it all out, I knew that it was something that could bless other homeschoolers (and even families in public school) too! I decided to share it here! It was a big decision because I don't normally share anything Christian on my blogs...but I decided that if I needed it, certainly others do too!
You can access An Experiment to Remember in two different ways:
1- Buy the ebook! I always appreciate your support, and the ebook includes each lesson laid out in a beautiful, simple page format.
You can print them and stick them in a binder, roll them up and tie with a ribbon (untie one each day), or put them in a basket with all the supplies for the entire month. The ebook includes 25 lesson pages (like the image above), 25 coloring-book style ornaments that correspond to the lessons (perfect for preschoolers, but also fun for older kids), instructions, and materials lists. You can put a spiral binding on them, put them in a notebook, or keep them separate! There are tons of different options!
Here's a closer look at what's inside:
Use the Buy Now button below!
AN EXPERIMENT TO REMEMBER:
$9.95
You can also buy it on TpT by clicking HERE!
2- Get the lesson plans using the links below!
Each lesson plan is written in a blog post, so you can get the instructions without buying the book! I do this because I know money is tight for a lot of homeschoolers and I don't want anyone to miss out on an educational or, in this case, spiritual opportunity. On the other hand, if you can afford the ebook, please consider buying it to support the work I do--blogging is part of our bill plan! ;)
Kids Advent Calendar:
An Experiment to Remember
** Coming Soon!! Lessons will be highlighted in yellow when the link is active!! **
Day 2: Nothing Shall Be Impossible (This lesson appears as a guest post at Life of a Homeschool Mom and includes both the lesson and the ornament as free printables!)
Day 5: God Protects
Day 6: The Carpenter
Day 8: Our Needs
Day 9: More Food
Day 11: Ready to Learn
Day 12: Power
Day 13: Exercise Faith
Day 14: A Power You Cannot See
Day 15: Storms
Day 16: Jesus Cleanses and Makes New
Day 17: Cured Blind
Day 18: Jesus Sticks With Us
Day 19: An Unexpected Solution
Day 20: The Last Supper & Sacrament
Day 23: Jesus is Risen
Day 25: A New Light
Supply Lists:
I chose activities that used supplies that most people have around the house or can easily get to. All of the supplies except one are sold at grocery stores. (The one exception is 6% hydrogen peroxide, for lesson 3. You will need to order it or buy it at a beauty supply store. At a beauty supply store, pick up 20 volume CLEAR developer.) Here is the master list of all supplies, followed by a daily list of supplies (both of these lists are also in the ebook):
Master Supply List:
Reusable: glass cup, sharp pencils, water, large pan, plate, candle, lighter, beaker or glass jar with a narrow opening, tea candle, mason jar, vase, bowls, black watercolor marker, pennies, tongs, ping pong ball, egg, stove top, microwave, hair drier, cookie sheet
Consumable: toilet paper roll, paper towel roll, white paper, ziplock bags, 6% hydrogen peroxide, liquid dish soap, food coloring, yeast, index card, 5 toothpicks, 5 balloons, 1/4 cup popcorn kernels, brown lunch paper bag, baking soda, vinegar, cornstarch, coffee filter or paper towel, 2 water or coke bottles (2 liter is best, but small works too), duct tape, lemon juice, bag of cotton balls, toilet paper or tissue paper, empty coke can, ice (enough to fill a pan), bleach, salt, light connected to 2 wires (alternatively, cut a light off a cheap string of Christmas lights)
Daily Supply List:
1: toilet
paper roll, paper towel roll, optional: seashell
2: sharp
pencils, zip-lock bag, water, sink or pan
3- water
bottle, water, pan, yeast, liquid dish soap, 6% hydrogen peroxide
4- cup, index
card or cardstock, water
5- cup, paper,
pen, pan, water
6- 5 wooden
toothpicks, pan, water
7- 2 balloons,
water, candle, lighter
8- balloon,
water, jar, paper towel, lighter
9- popcorn
kernels, brown paper lunch bag, microwave
10- candle,
lighter, mason jar
11- Rubins
Vase printable (after lesson plan)
12- vase,
vinegar, baking soda, liquid dishsoap, optional: food coloring
13- bowl,
cornstarch, water, optional: food coloring
14- bowl,
water, paper towel, black watercolor marker
15- 2 water
bottles, duct tape, washer, food coloring, water
16- pennies,
glass bowl, lemon juice or vinegar, paper or cloth towel
17- cotton
balls, glass cup or jar, water
18- balloon, 1-ply
tissue or toilet paper
19- empty
aluminum can, water, tongs, glove, stove top or hotplate, cold water (optional:
use ice)
20- ping-pong
ball, hair drier
21- mason jar
or water bottle, water, oil, food coloring, liquid dish soap, optional: straw
22- tall cup
or jar, raw egg, water, salt
23- water
bottle, vinegar, baking soda, balloon
24- mason jar,
food coloring, water, bleach, baking soda, goggles
25- Christmas
light cut with wires exposed, 6- or 9- volt battery
So will you join us?!! Let me know in a comment or email (preschoolpackets@gmail.com)!!
(hint: use CHRISTMAS to get a 20% discount!)
key words: kids advent calendar, Christmas science, Christmas science experiments
And if you're looking for more homeschool unit studies, be sure to check out our growing collection here!
Happy Educating,
Carla & the kids who don't sit still!
5 comments
This looks awesome! When will they all be available? Also, how much will the digital download be? We need something different to throw into our normal school day and this looks perfect!
ReplyDeleteI would love to purchase the book, but the link appears to be broken! I'm hoping it will be fixed soon- I will check back in a day or so!
ReplyDeleteHi Rae & Brittni! I'm so sorry for the delay! It will be up for $9.95 by Nov. 28th! It is looking *amazing*!!
ReplyDeleteWill we be able to purchase this anytime during the year?
ReplyDeleteYes! It will always be up! :)
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