How a Simple Question Ignited a Day of Discovery + Electricity Exploration

Sometimes the best homeschool lessons don’t come from a carefully planned curriculum—they come from curiosity.  

Last week, my daughter and I were working through a math lesson on dividing whole numbers by fractions. A video we watched explained the concept using real-world examples, including how it applies to making a DIY lava lamp. 

She lit up and immediately said, “Can we make it for science?!”

That one spark of interest turned into an entire STEM project.   We explored chemical reactions with baking soda and vinegar, tested a hypothesis by heating the vinegar, incorporated art by sketching our observations, and even used technology by recording and editing our experiment videos.  

A simple math concept had transformed into a rich, cross-disciplinary exploration. The secret ingredient? Being flexible enough to let curiosity lead the way.

💡 Try this today: The next time your child asks, “Can we try this?”—say yes. Let them lead a mini-exploration and see where it takes you. Learning often happens when we least expect it.  

You voted, we listened! Thanks to everyone who participated in last week's poll. Electricity was the clear winner, and I'm excited to deliver on your choice.

This week, we're channeling our energy into exploring electricity! ⚡️ Prepare for engaging real-world connections to power generation that will illuminate the fundamentals of currents, conductivity, and energy transformation.

🎥 WATCH & THINK

📺 Watch Time: ~17 min | 🔗 Watch the Playlist

• 🔌 What is Electricity? (9 min)

• 🏭 Power Stations & The National Grid (4 min)

• 🪫 How Does a Battery Work? (4 min)

📄 Critical Thinking Worksheet → Download Here

✔ Includes: Would You Rather, One-Minute Debates & a Bonus Challenge!

✍️ WRITING CHALLENGE

This week, we're lighting up our minds with the spark of electricity! From tiny static zaps to powerful energy grids, electricity powers our world—and our imaginations.

Choose a writing prompt that energizes your child’s creativity and dive into the fascinating world of electricity through stories, science, and "what-if" adventures.

📥 Download Materials:

Elementary Prompts – Journey through power lines as a spark, discover magical machines, or reflect on life without your favorite device. Includes both storytelling and science-based prompts to spark curiosity!

Middle School Prompts – Imagine gaining electric superpowers, explore renewable energy, or problem-solve during a blackout. These prompts blend creativity, critical thinking, and real-world relevance.

High School Prompts – Tackle big ideas with persuasive writing and analytical essays. Topics include the future of electricity, renewable vs. nonrenewable sources, and designing your own inventions. Great for developing research and argumentation skills!

Parent Evaluation Guide – A simple rubric to assess creativity, research, and writing skills across all grade levels.

💡 Tip: Let your learner pick a prompt that excites them most—and don’t be afraid to follow their curiosity off the grid. Some of the best learning happens when kids are fully charged with ideas.

💎 RESOURCE ROUND-UP

🔎 Resource Highlight: Check out PBS Learning Media’s Electricity Collection, which offers interactive simulations, videos, and hands-on experiments to help kids understand circuits, conductors, and how electricity powers our world. 

🛠️ Life Skills Spotlight: Teach your child how to safely replace a lightbulb or check battery connections in household devices. For older kids, introduce the basics of your home’s circuit breaker panel and discuss electrical safety. 

⚡ Fun Fact: The electricity used to power your home moves at nearly the speed of light! But electrons inside the wires move surprisingly slow—only a few millimeters per second. 

💭 Real-World Connection: Take a walk around your home and identify all the things that rely on electricity. Could your family go a day without using it? How would your routine change? 

👋 UNTIL NEXT TIME

"Electricity is really just organized lightning." – George Carlin

As we wrap up this week’s journey into the world of electricity, remember: learning happens not only through textbooks but through sparks of curiosity and wonder. Whether your homeschooler is imagining life without power, designing a futuristic energy device, or explaining how electricity flows through a circuit, they are exploring the invisible forces that shape our everyday lives.

Encourage them to keep asking questions, making connections, and looking for the energy in everything—from thunderstorms to light switches. After all, every great idea starts with a spark. ⚡