Science Geek

I've always been a science geek. My favorite projects in elementary school were my report on Mars, the life-sized skeleton I drew inside an outline of myself on butcher paper, and my science project on cancer (my brother was undergoing cancer treatments during that time). I actually can't really remember any other specific projects I did in elementary school, except for the infamous Mission project (all my siblings will relate).
I'm still a science geek. On Monday I had a conversation with our cleaning lady's son (he works with her) about string theory after he heard me answer Brigham's question about what was the smallest piece of anything that there can be. (I said it was an unimaginably tiny oscillating loop of energy-- is that about right?). (Also, have I ever said how much I love our cleaning lady? She is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. Her 19-20 year old son is her business partner at the moment. I don't feel right relating her life stories on my blog, but she really is a fascinating person. And really nice. And a really good cleaner. Anyway.)
So I love teaching my boys science. It's my favorite subject to teach them.
We did chemistry lessons from Sept-Dec., and we've been working our way through physics from January until now. We've gone through mechanics, sound, light, and we're now doing electricity, with magnetism following that. Over the summer we'll do a unit on Astronomy and weather, and next fall we'll start with biology.
I get so excited thinking about the projects we can do!
My science lessons go like this:
1. Introduce the topic.
2. Read from a selection of several science books I have.
3. Talk about the experiment or project we will do, and how it relates to what we've learned.
4. Do the experiment/project!
5. Write a lab report.
My boys don't particularly like doing the lab report, but I think it's a really important step in helping them connect all the information they've learned and then be able to synthesize a coherent summary of it all. Plus they're learning the scientific method!
At this point I write the report (with their input) on a white board, and they copy it or type it, and then draw diagrams or whatever else is necessary.

Yesterday we had a lesson on batteries and how they work (it was cool to show them how physics and chemistry are just different branches of the same science), and made a lemon battery. The boys were thrilled when it worked. You can see the needle showing a voltage if you look close.
My kids had a great time doing this project and it was very easy. I didn't have to buy any materials at all (I also used to be a home-repair geek and so I had 22-gauge electrical wire and a voltmeter in my garage) .
If you want to do this with your kids, here are some simple instructions. I like the instructions on that site, but this one gives a better chemical explanation.