Supercharged Science Cast

Do you know who your kids are really learning from? How much do you really know their teachers, the ones they spend a lot of time learning from? Who are THEIR role models? What are THEIR values? If you're part of our Supercharged Science family, then you know that I am the one that does 95% of the teaching in our online program. And if you're a member, you also know that I taught Mechanical Engineering since I was 21 at Cal Poly State, I was going to high school, attending college and working for NASA all at the same time, and I love sharing my passion by teaching others. While most of my role models are not famous or celebrity-types, here is a couple of ones you may have heard of: Patty Wagstaff (I love her passion, dedication, and educational programs that she has available to everyone.) Michael Faraday (I admire how he started from nothing, not even an education, and taught himself everything just by being inquisitive.) Emmy Noether (I really am amazed at everything she accomplished, even though she was not allowed to earn a living doing what she loved. Her time was always devoted to her students. She's probably the most incredible mathematician no one knows about.) I thought that the best way to get to know someone is to find out really who inspires them in the first place.

It's easy to see things in retrospect. Here's the things I wish I had known or learned more quickly when I first started teaching. I hope this is helpful! If you want to get my homeschool guidebook, go here: www.SuperchargedScience.com/homeschool Thanks for walking with me!

What would you want to learn about if you got the chance to be your own teacher? Go here if you want to download my free homeschool science guidebook: www.SuperchargedScience.com

Go here to teach you rkids how to keep a science journal:www.SuperchargedScience.com/journal Homeschool Science doesn't have to be hard or take a ton of time! There's a couple of key steps to keep in mind as you train your kids to do their science lessons independently, so they can learn their stuff and turn around and teach *you* science! When you first start doing science lessons, do them right along with your child. Work right alongside them, talking with them about what you're doing. You've got to teach them "best practices" like reading the instructions, figuring out what materials to gather, and how to execute a real science experiment, not just make a mess and do whatever seems like a good idea in the moment (like watching YouTube videos that show "science" projects that are downright dangerous). You can write out a list with a standard framework for how to do science experiments, just like a real scientist does. I have complete instructions for how to do this here on my website: www.SuperchargedScience.com/journal If you get them started with the right structure ahead of time, they won't have to relearn it later when they hit college (the info on that page are from my engineering courses I taught). You'll need to train your kids to stay focused on what they are doing. Start small, like 5-10 minutes, and every day increase it by a minute or two. Or increment it weekly. The goal is to every week make it slightly longer so by the end of the year, you notice a big difference in their time they can spend focused on one topic. Make sure you schedule in breaks! Also remember some days are going to be easier than others. It's the long-term progress that we've got our eye on. Next, start turning over the tasks to them, one step at a time. For example, you can have your third grader read aloud the directions to you. Or have them read it quietly and then show you how to runt he experiment. Or have them gather all the materials and set everything up so it's ready for you both to work together. Add one new thing for them to be responsible for every week, and in a couple of months, they will be running things on their own! This doesn't mean you abdicate teaching science. It means that they are now in charge of making sure they do their lessons and check in with you about what was finished, what still needs work, and what they'd like to learn about next. This can be done daily, hourly, etc on your schedule. One thing that a lot of homeschool parents in our science family like to do is to get their kids get themselves ready for one of our classes. I make sure everyone has access to the worksheet ahead of time before a class, which includes materials to gather and vocabulary to know. Kids will set everything up next to the computer screen, so when class time starts, we are all ready to go together. If you'd like to participate in one of our free homeschool science classes, go here: www.SuperchargedScience.com/class

Go here to download my free guidebook on teaching homeschool science: www.SuperchargedScience.com/homeschool

Go here if you want my free homeschool guide: www.SuperchargedScience.com/homeschool

If you want your kids to learn how to use their scientific instruments from a real scientist, go here: www.SuperchargedScience.com/easy How do you know what kind of microscope or telescope to get if you don't know how to work it? They're usually really expensive, so how can you be sure not to get ripped off? Ask a real scientist who uses them both in the field and also when they teach kids! A lot out there on the market is junk, and what's left is usually too hard and frustrating for kids to learn on. And that's the stuff most folks buy, because they either don't know how to tell a good instrument from junk or they can't afford a good instrument. Both of these usually frustrate the kids to the point of turning them off from science completely, the exact opposite of what well-meaning parents are trying to do. So - let me show you what I use when I teach kids. If you want to take a deep dive into how to use these these once you've got them, I have a complete online video course in microscopes (in my biology series) and telescopes (astronomy) that you can get here: www.SuperchargedScience.com/easy Here are my personal favorites that I use when I do science: Microscope: You'll need to make sure it's a compound microscope with a mechanical stage and three lenses on a rotating piece (4X, 10X and 40X) and a 10X at the eyepiece (the place you put your eye up to). Get one with a mirror (no electrical cord) if you plan to use it primarily outdoors in nature. I got my microscope from Great Scopes, but there are lots of places that will make good ones and expect to spend between $150-$250. Anything cheaper won't last, if it works at all. Telescope: The kind of telescope most people want to get is not the one I'd get for my kids because it's hard to use than a Dobsonian, but since it's cheap (less than $150) and up on skinny legs (it LOOKS like the telescope in most people's minds) most people want one like this. I got my telescopes for my kids from Orion, and opted for the 8" Dobsonian (non "go-to"). You can opt for the "Build Your Own" style or "assembled". BETTER than a Telescope... is a pair of good BINOCULARS! Telescopes are useless if you don't know where to point them, so invest in a set of good 10X50 binoculars (I use Orion's UltraViews) and a good star gazing app. Star Gazing Apps: Stellarium (my favorite)SkyViewNightSkyNASA (another favorite) I hope this has been helpful! If you want your kids to not only learn how to use these types of scientific instruments, but also really understand their world around them and make more projects that use things like this, and if you found this helpful and you find yourself thinking, “Hey, you know, I want this person to teach my kids science for me, and to create my curriculum lessons for me…” then we can do just that. Go to www.SuperchargedScience.com When you get there, you’ll see a video that shows you the science curriculum that I developed and teach. If you like what you see on that website, just fill in the form below the video and your kids can get started today doing real hands-on science with everyday materials. Thanks for watching!AuroraSupercharged ScienceHomeschool Science Curriculum P.S. By the way, if you know anybody that might find this content useful or helpful, please share it! Thanks so much!!

If you want your kids to keep a rock-solid science journal this year, go to: https://www.superchargedscience.com/how-to-keep-a-science-journal/ to learn the three simple steps on how to do it! Doing science experiments is fun, exciting, and full of big ideas! Why bother with writing when you could be mixing up chemicals, blasting rockets, or spinning laser beams? Because all your “great ideas” are worth nothing if you can’t tell others about what you’re doing. Scientists write in journals to let others know the latest news with their experiments, announce their new discoveries, or to simply keep track of their progress. Keeping a science journal doesn’t have to be flashy or fancy, just accurate. I’m going to show you the three easy steps to keeping a journal. You don’t have to write a novel – just keep track of what you’re doing along with any questions that come up. It’s a lot easier to do a couple pages a day for a month rather than trying to pound out a hundred pages in a day! This is something you’re going to use throughout the program doing just a little bit at a time, At the end of the month or year, you’ll be surprised to see how much science you’ve covered! Here’s a quick and easy way to handle the documentation issue minimal fuss and hassle. This method will even score you points toward your science curriculum requirements along with setting up a life-long habit, which will serve your child even greater in the future, which is really what we’re after.

If you want your kids to learn how to do real chemistry, go here: www.SuperchargedScience.com/ChemClass A lot of folks get nervous around chemistry. You can’t always ‘see’ what’s going on (are there toxic gases generated from that reaction?), and many people have a certain level of fear around chemicals in general. Many of these fears came about by watching demonstrations where things went awry or hearing about accidents. This kind of exposure to chemistry are the ones forever burned in the memory of the audience, who are now fearful and have made the generalization that chemicals are dangerous and their effects are bad. In fact, every chemical is potentially harmful if not handled properly. That is why I’ve prepared a special set of chemistry experiments that include step-by-step demonstrations on how to properly handle the chemicals, use them in the experiment, and dispose of them when you’re finished. Chemistry is predictable, just as dropping a ball from a height always hits the floor. Every time you add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 cup of vinegar, you get the same reaction. It doesn’t simply stop working one time and explode the next. I’m going to walk you through every step of the way, and leave you to observe the reactions and write down what you notice. At first, it’s going to seem like a lot of disjointed ideas floating around, but after awhile, you’ll start to see patterns in the way chemicals interact with each other. It’s just like anything else that you try for the first time – you’re not very good when you’re new at it. Keep working at Chemistry and eventually it will click into place. And if there’s an experiment you don’t want to do, just skip it (or just watch the video).

If you want your kids to get inspired and excited about learning science from someone who's passionate and experienced, go to: www.SuperchargedScience.com/easy

If you want your kids to learn real hands-on science in civil engineering, aviation, chemistry and more, go here: https://www.superchargedscience.com/s…/single-topic-lessons/ You've got to know where your kids are headed in order to make sure they get there, even if it's as simple as "learning to appreciate the world around you". Supporting your child's interest in science isn't as expensive as you think, especially when you consider how much they will be earning with their science degree!

Tips Getting Started with Homeschooling for both newbies veterans! Here’s a couple of things to keep in mind when you start back up (or to give your year-round homeschool experience a boost of inspiration): TIP #1: Kids love stories! “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” ~Albert Einstein Look for opportunities that you can share the world and your life lessons in the form of stores to help children connect and link up new ideas. It’s better if you can tell the stories (or read them aloud) rather than handing kids a book. TIP #2: Get in nature! Most kids have huge smiles and rosy cheeks within a few minutes of active, outdoor play. And oddly enough, they’re also more calm and centered when they have regular outdoor exploration and creative time. Even if you have a tiny backyard or a park on the corner, get outside and enjoy nature in your own special way. TIP#3: Art! Art! Art! I know this sounds strange coming from a science teacher, but art is just as important! Make sure your kids have enough unstructured moments when they can creatively use their imagination and develop their skills in expression. TIP #4: Childhood is NOT a race! This is a hard one for parents to understand, especially in our technology-driven society where everyone has access to everything all the time. Remember that kids are MORE different on the inside as they appear to be on the outside. What that also means is that you have to be able to identify the specific needs of your children individually and meet them where they are at. TIP #5: Be a Role Model! You can teach your kids how to play by sharing in their world. Show them how you do things so they can model you. They’re paying more attention to your actions than your words, so don’t bother talking nearly as much as DOING. (Babies learn to walk and talk without an instruction manual or formal curriculum lessons, right?) The biggest problem we’re seeing today with kids is that they are hanging around other kids more than ever, with little to no adults around to model how they are to be. In fact, their role models are now coming from social media, the internet, and entertainment like movies and video games. Are the things you are exposing your child to – the things that your child is actively observing – the type of behavior and character you want to them to imitate? TIP #6: Get Your Routine Down! Kids thrive on boundaries and routines. Meal times, bed times, snuggle and reading times, individual one-on-one times – these are so important to your child’s sense of security and well-being. They need to know what they can count on in order to feel safe exploring and discovering their world. TIP #7: Get Help and Take Care of Yourself! I cringed today when someone called me “super mom”. That’s no how I see myself. Sure, I do a lot, but at the end of the day, I’m just a gal that loves her family. I see myself as most of the time giving, serving and helping others, both inside my family and in the community, and I also have regular down-time for taking care of myself so I have more to give and grow. I outsource what I can, ask for help, and streamline the rest (thank goodness for washing machines and dishwashers! How did our pioneering ancestors do it?!) I hope this is helpful! Please add your own helpful tips in the comments below and share this post to help out the “homeschool parent next door”! If you want your kids to learn science from a real scientist, and you want them to be totally engaged and excited about what they are learning, but you don’t feel you have the time or the know-how to teach it, I can help. Go to www.SuperchargedScience.com When you get there, you’ll see a video that shows you the science curriculum that I developed and teach. If you like what you see on that website, just fill in the form below

Did you have a teacher that really had an impact on you? Remember the excitement? Or the thrill you felt when you taught something to someone else and they really got it? First, let me thank you for your commitment to education – a value that is high enough for you that you are either homeschooling your child or considering it. In this video, I am going to share with you the seven keys you need to unlocking your child’s fullest potential. Once you know, you can then focus on solutions. Perhaps you’ll find that you are already on track, and this may reaffirm that you are headed in the right direction. If you found this helpful and you find yourself thinking, “Hey, you know, I want this person to teach my kids science for me, and to create my curriculum lessons for me…” then we can do just that. Go to: http://www.SuperchargedScience.com/easy When you get there, you’ll see a video that shows you the science curriculum that I developed and teach. If you like what you see on that website, just fill in the form below the video and your kids can get started today doing real hands-on science with everyday materials. Thanks for watching!AuroraSupercharged ScienceHomeschool Science Curriculum P.S. By the way, if you know anybody that might find this content useful or helpful, please share it! Thanks so much!!

What IS a homeschool curriculum REALLY? Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as you work through your homeschool curriculum with your child. Watch the video for more details! If you found this helpful and you find yourself thinking, “Hey, you know, I want this person to teach my kids science for me, and to create my curriculum lessons for me…” then we can do just that. Go to www.SuperchargedScience.com When you get there, you’ll see a video that shows you the science curriculum that I developed and teach. If you like what you see on that website, just fill in the form below the video and your kids can get started today doing real hands-on science with everyday materials. Thanks for watching! Aurora Supercharged Science Homeschool Science Curriculum P.S. By the way, if you know anybody that might find this content useful or helpful, please share it! Thanks so much!! P.P.S. You can connect with me on: Facebook: https://facebook.com/superchargedsci YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/auroram42 Podcast: https://podcast.superchargedscience.com/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/auroralipper/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/aurora_lipper

Do you know who your child views as a role model? Most folks don't give a second thought to who their child is picking up information from, whether it's a teacher, a textbook, or a babysitter. It's our job as parents to understand both perspectives and guide your child. If you found this helpful and you find yourself thinking, “Hey, you know, I want this person to teach my kids science for me, and to create my curriculum and lessons…” then we can do just that. Go to www.SuperchargedScience.com When you get there, you’ll see a video that shows you the science curriculum that I developed and teach. If you like what you see on that website, just fill in the form below the video and your kids can get started today doing real hands-on science with everyday materials. Thanks for watching!AuroraSupercharged ScienceHomeschool Science Curriculum P.S. By the way, if you know anybody that might find this content useful or helpful, please share it! Thanks so much!! P.P.S. You can connect with me on:Facebook: https://facebook.com/superchargedsciYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/auroram42Podcast: https://podcast.superchargedscience.com/Instagram: http://instagram.com/auroralipper/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aurora_lipper

Ever notice how your kids have pocketfuls of rocks, especially when you do the laundry? Here's how you can do simple lessons in geology using the treasures your kids pick up and find. If you found this helpful and you find yourself thinking, “Hey, you know, I want this person to teach my kids science for me, and to create my curriculum and lessons…” then we can do just that. Go to www.SuperchargedScience.com When you get there, you’ll see a video that shows you the science curriculum that I developed and teach. If you like what you see on that website, just fill in the form below the video and your kids can get started today doing real hands-on science with everyday materials. Thanks for watching!AuroraSupercharged ScienceHomeschool Science Curriculum P.S. By the way, if you know anybody that might find this content useful or helpful, please share it! Thanks so much!! P.P.S. You can connect with me on:Facebook: https://facebook.com/superchargedsciYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/auroram42Podcast: https://podcast.superchargedscience.com/Instagram: http://instagram.com/auroralipper/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aurora_lipper

Have you noticed that some curriculum seems to really work with your child and others don't? The secret is in finding one that is in alignment with your child's values - what they feel is most important in the world. This doesn't mean giving them free reign to do whatever they want, but rather gives you guidance about what style of learning program works best for them to really "get it". This podcast will outline the important things to keep in mind when picking a curriculum from your child's perspective. If you found this helpful and you find yourself thinking, “Hey, you know, I want this person to teach my kids science for me, and to create my curriculum and lessons…” then we can do just that. Go to www.SuperchargedScience.com When you get there, you’ll see a video that shows you the science curriculum that I developed and teach. If you like what you see on that website, just fill in the form below the video and your kids can get started today doing real hands-on science with everyday materials. Thanks for watching!AuroraSupercharged ScienceHomeschool Science Curriculum P.S. By the way, if you know anybody that might find this content useful or helpful, please share it! Thanks so much!! P.P.S. You can connect with me on:Facebook: https://facebook.com/superchargedsciYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/auroram42Podcast: https://podcast.superchargedscience.com/Instagram: http://instagram.com/auroralipper/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aurora_lipper

After putting together this presentation, it is so clear what makes some kids successful when it and why others really struggle. If you found this helpful and you find yourself thinking, “Hey, you know, I want this person to help me homeschool my kids... I can do just that. Go to www.SuperchargedScience.com If you found this helpful and you find yourself thinking, “Hey, you know, I want this person to teach my kids science for me, and to create my curriculum and lessons…” then we can do just that. Go to www.SuperchargedScience.com When you get there, you’ll see a video that shows you the science curriculum that I developed and teach. If you like what you see on that website, just fill in the form below the video and your kids can get started today doing real hands-on science with everyday materials. Thanks for watching!AuroraSupercharged ScienceHomeschool Science Curriculum P.S. By the way, if you know anybody that might find this content useful or helpful, please share it! Thanks so much!! P.P.S. You can connect with me on:Facebook: https://facebook.com/superchargedsciYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/auroram42Podcast: https://podcast.superchargedscience.com/Instagram: http://instagram.com/auroralipper/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aurora_lipper

Most people have a blank stare when I ask them what their educational goals are for their child. It's not that they don't have them, it's that they haven't formally figured out where they are headed, so the chances of reaching those goals in their head are small. You'll first want to set your educational goals/intentions for your kids. This will help you figure out how you'll spend your time when you homeschool and also help you figure out the best homeschool program for your family. The goals we usually hear about for kids are something along the lines of "I want my kids to love learning" or "I want my kids to be interested in science' or "I want to expose my kids to different science areas". Depending on how you answer this first question, you can pick the homeschool program that will best fit your kids and your goals. In this video, we'll outline three simple steps - results, purpose, and actions. Let's go! If you found this helpful and you find yourself thinking, “Hey, you know, I want this person to teach my kids science for me, and to create my curriculum lessons for me…” then we can do just that. Go to www.SuperchargedScience.com When you get there, you’ll see a video that shows you the science curriculum that I developed and teach. If you like what you see on that website, just fill in the form below the video and your kids can get started today doing real hands-on science with everyday materials. Thanks for watching! Aurora Supercharged Science Homeschool Science Curriculum P.S. By the way, if you know anybody that might find this content useful or helpful, please share it! Thanks so much!! P.P.S. You can connect with me on: Facebook: https://facebook.com/superchargedsci YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/auroram42 Podcast: https://podcast.superchargedscience.com/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/auroralipper/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/aurora_lipper

How to teach science to your homeschool kids the easy way! Go here to learn more: www.SuperchargedScience.com/easy