Evan Moor Daily Science

[tld]

I'm reading good things about the Evan Moore Daily Science curriculum. I'm thinking about using it next year for Grade 1.

 

What is the basic daily format that you follow when doing the program?

 

Is it just a workbook? Do you need to get supplemental library books?

 

Are there colored pictures/photographs?

 

Do your kids think it's fun?

[lorisuewho]

I'm using Grade 1 this year. It is just a workbook. It is not in color. I add in library books, but there isn't a list given. It seems like from every angle it would be terribly boring.

 

But

 

My kids love it. They think it is interesting, and they always look forward to it. We don't do it every day and we don't do every page. I like the focus on vocabulary and "the big idea." This is science that gets done for us. And it is easy to find books to go with each topic if that is something you want to add in.

[Lulabelle]

Ditto everything Lori said.

 

It's super light, but it gives me the security of knowing that *something* got done for science that has a paper trail. We watch lots of videos and my do other science as well, but when things get busy and we miss a day or a week or whatever, Daily Science still gets done.

[Satori]

We're Evan Moor Daily Science fans too! The subject just wasn't getting done reliably, but now we do it almost every weekday. I agree with the above ladies, for some reason my daughter loves these workbooks. We follow up with BrainPop videos.

[tld]

What's the daily format of the workbooks?

[lorisuewho]

What's the daily format of the workbooks?

 

Each big idea is broken up into week-long topics. One topic per week. One worksheet per day, with the 5th day being a review day. I think every 5 weeks there is a review of the unit.

 

The worksheet is written at the student's reading level for the most part, very easy to understand sentences. Vocabulary words are in bold on the side of the page. First grade includes fill in the blank sentences, puzzles, diagrams to label, matching activities, and the such.

 

At the beginning of each unit (big idea) there is a teacher page, giving leading questions and more information for the teacher/parent.

[Hunter]

Sample at Google

 

Sample at Evan-Moor

 

There is a monthy "Big Idea". Then there are weekly subtopics that use interesting and common "Questions" to illustrate the more complex "Big Idea". The weekly "Questions" are often humorous.

 

Every 5th week is review and can be skipped or folded into the weekly "Questions", if you are time crunched, or follow monthly block scheduling. The 5th week includes an easy but valuable hands on demonstration or experiment. For example we have all seen the experiment where colored water travels up the carnation flower, but EM daily science uses celery stalks with leaves on them, so you can pick up all the materials while grocery shopping. There a 6 Big ideas per workbook.

 

This is one of the most efficient curricula I have ever seen for any subject. Just because it is so effortless to teach, doesn't mean that big learning isn't taking place.

 

You can supplement or not supplement as you choose. But either way this is a solid resource that has recently been embraced by a lot of us with very different teaching styles. It's very tweakable.

 

I'm using the science in the 1st edition of What Your Grader Needs to Know, because I have them and I'm broke and trying to simplify, BUT EM Daily Science has been the most successful AND easy to teach science I have ever used, and I have taught science all the way from daycare through high school, since the 1980's.

[Hunter]

Oh...and...you can just do the pages as workbook pages, or you can use the book at just a teacher's manual and plan Waldorf style copywork, or any type of notebooking.

 

I prepared Waldorf style copywork page examples for my students to copy.

 

We watched a lot of DVDs and read books from the library. We didn't do as much hands on as I would have liked to, but...things got crazy here, and life happened.

 

And I myself learned quite a bit.

[fairy4tmama]

or you can use the book at just a teacher's manual and plan Waldorf style copywork, or any type of notebooking.

 

I prepared Waldorf style copywork page examples for my students to copy.

 

 

Hunter you are such a wealth of information! Could you tell me a little more about how using the book as a TM and doing copywork worked?:bigear: I really aim for non consumable as I have 3 (soon to be 4) kids and making photo copies just doesn't happen for me.

[pgr]

Is this content accessible through the Evan Moor Teacher's Filebox?

[momtoamiracle]

I like the looks of those samples. Really breaks things down for young children. Even tho we covered some of the subjects last year, there are details in those subjects that we didn't cover.

[Hunter]

Hunter you are such a wealth of information! Could you tell me a little more about how using the book as a TM and doing copywork worked?:bigear: I really aim for non consumable as I have 3 (soon to be 4) kids and making photo copies just doesn't happen for me.

 

The diagrams are easy enough to copy. The simple sentences make great copy work. The vocabulary words are in the margins.

 

If your students struggle with just winging it, you will need to prepare an exact example of what you want them to create. Many students will just be content to make a slightly sloppy journal page of the things you point out on the workbook pages.

 

I still haven't replaced my printer, and not having one has been the best thing that ever happened to my teaching skills. It has really stretched me.

[Halcyon]

Hunter, we are doing a hodge podge of science for my younger, including lots of living books, Creek Edge Life Science Task Cards and BFSU. He really likes science. Do you think the books are right on target for the grades, or might one bump up a grade for a science-y kid? This might be a fun addition!

 

ETA: Looking at the table of contents, I decided on Grade 3 as we have covered much of Grade 2. I can always go back if need be. My son LOVES a wide variety of resources so this will be a good addition ;)

Edited November 11, 2012 by Halcyon

[HootyTooty]

Is this content accessible through the Evan Moor Teacher's Filebox?

Yes, but it is separated into units. I have the entire thing for Gr 1 saved in my filebox.

[Hunter]

I'm not in a big rush to skip books in this curriculum. Look at the big ideas more than the weekly topics. The weekly topics are used as EXAMPLES. Yes, we often flesh out the weekly topics because they are interesting and often our libraries have a ton of resources right there in the shelves to grab. The Big Ideas are the meat though.

 

The Big Ideas in 1st grade are topics that are covered in most middle school textbooks. If money isn't a problem, doing a Big Idea a week, isn't a waste of time, I promise you. And don't be surprised if you get hooked on grade 1 and start planning to use it more slowly.

 

Last night I was reading through Grade 1 What Your Grader Needs to Know (1st edition) and remembering the same topics taught in EMDS, and EMDS was like arrows through the bullseye. For example at first I wasn't impressed with plants just teaching roots, stem, leaves. But that lesson, simplified and stripped down showed me for the 1st time what I had failed to fully understand in all my more advanced botany studies. NtK covered the same topic, but somehow failed to hit the bullseye.

 

I have the NtK books and I'm broke, but I think I'm going to try and budget in the EMDS books, when I can. They are the most efficient coverage of science I have ever seen. I read Science Matters back, well, before the 1st edition of LCC was written (I was the one who told the author about the book). Ever since then I have been on the hunt for a systematic coverage of the basics. I've only used Grade 1 and skimmed every sample I can find, and sat on the floor at B&N and read the books, but I am just so impressed with this series.

 

Ladies just please remember that just because something is easy, doesn't mean it isn't important and useful and interesting.

 

If money isn't an issue I recommend starting the series with Grade 1 and doing a big idea a week, even for much older children. Use it like a picture book. If money is tighter and you think you want to do the whole series, start on grade level and see if you can talk your library into buying the series and then when they come in quickly cover the lower books. The Big Ideas do build on each other though. This series reminds me of BFSU in workbook form.

[Halcyon]

I'm not in a big rush to skip books in this curriculum. Look at the big ideas more than the weekly topics. The weekly topics are used as EXAMPLES. Yes, we often flesh out the weekly topics because they are interesting and often our libraries have a ton of resources right there in the shelves to grab. The Big Ideas are the meat though.

 

The Big Ideas in 1st grade are topics that are covered in most middle school textbooks. If money isn't a problem, doing a Big Idea a week, isn't a waste of time, I promise you. And don't be surprised if you get hooked on grade 1 and start planning to use it more slowly.

 

Last night I was reading through Grade 1 What Your Grader Needs to Know (1st edition) and remembering the same topics taught in EMDS, and EMDS was like arrows through the bullseye. For example at first I wasn't impressed with plants just teaching roots, stem, leaves. But that lesson, simplified and stripped down showed me for the 1st time what I had failed to fully understand in all my more advanced botany studies. NtK covered the same topic, but somehow failed to hit the bullseye.

 

I have the NtK books and I'm broke, but I think I'm going to try and budget in the EMDS books, when I can. They are the most efficient coverage of science I have ever seen. I read Science Matters back, well, before the 1st edition of LCC was written (I was the one who told the author about the book). Ever since then I have been on the hunt for a systematic coverage of the basics. I've only used Grade 1 and skimmed every sample I can find, and sat on the floor at B&N and read the books, but I am just so impressed with this series.

 

Ladies just please remember that just because something is easy, doesn't mean it isn't important and useful and interesting.

 

If money isn't an issue I recommend starting the series with Grade 1 and doing a big idea a week, even for much older children. Use it like a picture book. If money is tighter and you think you want to do the whole series, start on grade level and see if you can talk your library into buying the series and then when they come in quickly cover the lower books. The Big Ideas do build on each other though. This series reminds me of BFSU in workbook form.

 

 

Thanks for your insight, Hunter!!! I may just get Grade 2 :)

[GalmiBorn]

I know this is off topic just a bit but has anyone looked at Science Essentials? I think it used to be called The Complete Book of Science grades 3-4. They come in two grade combo books. It looks like it is a worktext. I really need something for my dd grade 4 to do on her own. Any thoughts? Its only $10 instead of $30, which is a plus for me.

[EmmaNadine]

Is there a K edition of the Evan Moor Daily Science, or does it start with first grade?

[Perogi]

In the way that this builds then would it be problematic to jump in with a 4th grader at 4th grade level? I looked through the second grade book and thought my writing phobic 2nd grader wouldn't do it (and I can't add another thing...) but I like the idea of adding it for my 4th grader alongside Apologia Astronomy for some diversity.

[Wabi Sabi]

Science is the one thing that just doesn't get done here either, which is really a shame since it's what my ds loves most. Just can't decide on whether it's worth paying $30 for the PDF so that I can re-use it with my younger child in a couple of years or just get the the $20 consumable workbook on Amazon. I'm always a little dismayed when the electronic versions of books are more expensive than the print versions!

[Hunter]

I know this is off topic just a bit but has anyone looked at Science Essentials? I think it used to be called The Complete Book of Science grades 3-4. They come in two grade combo books. It looks like it is a worktext. I really need something for my dd grade 4 to do on her own. Any thoughts? Its only $10 instead of $30, which is a plus for me.

 

I haven't see the workbook in awhile, but spend what you have--no more and no less. I don't regret not purchasing what I really wanted to if I couldn't afford it. But if I was just being frugal, I often regret it and spend more in the long run.

 

Is there a K edition of the Evan Moor Daily Science, or does it start with first grade?

 

There are 6 books, Grade 1 through Grade 6+.

 

In the way that this builds then would it be problematic to jump in with a 4th grader at 4th grade level? I looked through the second grade book and thought my writing phobic 2nd grader wouldn't do it (and I can't add another thing...) but I like the idea of adding it for my 4th grader alongside Apologia Astronomy for some diversity.

 

I personally wouldn't try to do two organized studies for a content subject. I'll sometimes juggle multiple curricula for a 3R subject, but not a content subject.

 

Last night I was looking again at my budget and what I have, and I took EMDS off my immediate wishlist, because it is a content subject. Yes EMDS is better than NtK. EMDS hits the bullseye and NtK merely hits the target. But I need to save my funds for making sure the 3Rs hit the bullseye. It's okay to merely hit the target for content subjects.

[Karen in CO]

We're using the Grade 2 books and have been incorporating field trips for each of the big ideas. We're going to the wolf rescue center for one and up to the top of Pike's Peak for the topic of "How big is the sky?" My dd loves this. She loves that she can read the assignments herself and loves the little assignments that require her to "talk it over." We can typically line up a Magic School bus or other video along with the weekly lesson, and I have always been able to find a book we already have to add in more when we need it. It is a simple, daily, get it done science that is great for a foundation and leaves room for more when you have time.

[Clear Creek]

Science is the one thing that just doesn't get done here either, which is really a shame since it's what my ds loves most. Just can't decide on whether it's worth paying $30 for the PDF so that I can re-use it with my younger child in a couple of years or just get the the $20 consumable workbook on Amazon. I'm always a little dismayed when the electronic versions of books are more expensive than the print versions!

All you need is the student workbook, which is only $7.99. That is all that I bought for my 3rd and 5th graders this year. The student workbook doesn't have the answers, but it is complete and has all that you need.

[Wabi Sabi]

All you need is the student workbook, which is only $7.99. That is all that I bought for my 3rd and 5th graders this year. The student workbook doesn't have the answers, but it is complete and has all that you need.

 

Ah, thank you! That is perfect. :D

 

ETA: Shoot, it's a hard copy, isn't it? They don't have it as a PDF, do they? Or am I just looking in the wrong place?

Edited November 12, 2012 by Wabi Sabi

[nov05mama]

We're Evan Moor Daily Science fans too! The subject just wasn't getting done reliably, but now we do it almost every weekday. I agree with the above ladies, for some reason my daughter loves these workbooks. We follow up with BrainPop videos.

 

:iagree: This exactly! I worried that we weren't getting enough science in and the Daily Science has been a HUGE help in that regard. I think b/c they are such short little lessons, DS really doesn't mind that it's "just" worksheets. We follow up with a BrainPop video or Discovery Education video whenever possible, but I am very happy with the choice to add Daily Science in!