Link: TOPScience.
Founded and still run by Ron and Peg Marson, TOPS Learning System presents this site which shows kids and parents how to use the most ordinary stuff to do sophisticated, hands-on science and math. Dozens of free sample lessons that you can use right now are at the TOPScience site. Get a feel for TOPS’ low-tech, cheap-tech, perfect-tech approach to teaching SCIENCE WITH SIMPLE THINGS!
TOPS starts with simple materials, mostly stuff that homeschoolers already have around the house or can easily find, such as aluminum foil, rubber bands, paper clips, food coloring, baking soda, clothespins, thumbtacks, rubbing alcohol, pepper, corks, marbles, etc. – and they use these resources to maximum advantage, encouraging young scientists to improvise their own lab equipment from simple materials whenever practical. And, because toolmaking fosters creativity, increases the students’ sense of ownership, and enhances technological literacy among students, TOPS can make the extraordinary claim (and you can prove it true) that the cheapest science program on the market today is also the best!
Helen Hegener
