So, prescription you’ve got the perfect science experiment planned. It goes right along with your text. It looks easy, cure fun and not too gross. The kids dive right in enjoying each step of the process. They are following the directions to a “T” and you are all anticipating the results.
Then, buy cialis it happens.
Or, maybe, nothing happens.
The perfect experiment doesn’t yield perfect results.
This is the moment that many homeschool parents fear. It’s not the fear of the experimental procedure. It’s the fear of “what do I do if the experiment doesn’t turn out like it does in the book”! Sound familiar? Afraid of not having the answer to unexpected results? Afraid of failure? Never fear! This is what science is all about!
Using Failure To Fuel Success
You’ve probably heard the accounts of Thomas Edison and his attempts at creating the first light bulb. It has been said that Edison failed as many as 10,000 times before he finally got it right. He didn’t let the fear of failure drive him to abandon his experiments. His failures helped him succeed.
Alright, you may not be a Thomas Edison, but you can certainly learn from him. Just do what he did. He learned from his mistakes. After your failed experiment, have your kids figure out want went wrong. Did you follow the directions correctly? Did you use the correct materials? Are your supplies and equipment in good working order? If you find problems in any of these areas, fix them and try again.
If you methods and materials aren’t the problem, discuss what changes you could make and hypothesize about the new results. Conduct the experiment with the changes you decided to make. Note the results. Where they what you expected? Why or why not? You might need to do some additional research outside your science textbook or the chapter you are on – and that is fine. In fact, that is awesome!
Making Discoveries
You could spend all day tweaking experiments and researching. That is often more fun and more educational than the original experiment. It’s in these failures and tweaks that scientific discoveries are made. It’s in these processes that scientists are made.
Are you letting a fear of failure stop you from attempting science experiments or another area of homeschool?
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Marci is a homeschooling, science loving mama that can be found blogging at Overcoming Busy and The Homeschool Scientist.
We have had a few failed experiments. Even after trying multiple times trying to get it right. Tweaking and changing, it still doesn’t turn out like the plan. I look at it as time well spent with the kids, with lots of laughs and a real life lesson in not letting frustrations get the best of you!
You are right! It can be a lesson in patience and resolve, but that’s ok. As long as you are all learning!
I love the idea of having your kids help figure out what went wrong. Lots of learning can happen from that! Thanks, Marci!
Developing those problem solving skills are so important! You can foster them so many ways.