Wonder Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Okay, so I'll just say it like it is - we don't like science curriculum, at least none that we've tried up until now. The farther along we get in this homeschooling adventure, the more I'm drawn to unschooling / interest led when it comes to science. Okay, and for history somewhat, too. :) But back to science - my oldest will be in 7th grade next year, so I'm just wondering what is enough but thorough at that point? Others who are drawn to interest led for science - what have you done at this point (middle school)? If you have kids separated by 3 grade levels, do you still try to combine them? I think part of the issue, too, is that I've had some chronic health issues. I need something that doesn't take a lot of prep. work on my part. I also don't do well if I have to "do" everything with all three of them. I've gotten bored/tired out myself when science means sitting there reading something to them, setting up an experiment and doing it, and then having them do a narration or something like that. Even If I'm very upbeat and excited about it. I guess it's kind of boring, too, when that's the same kind of thing we do for history (substituting coloring pages and map stuff for the experiments). But, really, it's more than that. It just seems like there's more retention if my kids learn about and pursue stuff they're truly interested in. I've considered BJU DVD science for my 7th grader next year, but it's a bit pricey for us. I guess I like the idea of someone else teaching it. :) But then it really wouldn't go with my idea of more interest led, if that's still "ok" at the 7th grade level. I'm afraid, with interest led, that I'll have to be constantly figuring out the "next step" as everything won't be laid out. So, basically, what "should" science look like at this point? I've wondered about possibly having the girls read some kind of science textbook (but it has to be interesting and with lots of pictures) that covers a lot of areas of science. Maybe it could have some questions they could answer (doubling as reading comprehension). But then, from that, we could see what interests them the most and get library books covering those topics. Should my 7th grader be writing papers? She's more math/sciency/hands on than language oriented. I just feel like we've kind of just been winging it, so what suggestions might any of you have, pretty please? :) So far we've focused on earth/astronomy (but probably more earth), a bit of anatomy, chemistry, and physics. Even though we get library books about animals, etc., I'm thinking it would make sense to focus on life science next year. What we've done this year (3rd and 6th): - A tiny bit of Apologia Chemistry/Physics (not much at all really) - A few weeks of chemistry experiments (with a kit) - Robotics at our co-op (for about 11 weeks each semester - 50 min./once per week) - Some documentaries (they are watching one about dolphins right now as I'm typing this) - Some Bill Nye - An electronics exper. kit - Library books - Some Evan Moor science workbook (not all of it) - Playing outside/nature walks - A chosen topic that they focused on for a couple of weeks - oldest did some microscope study, including the history of the microscope, one younger studied crystals/rocks, the other studied birds - then they each gave a little oral report for the rest of us - my third graders also got a "toy" microscope that they've had fun with from time to time (it actually works pretty well - they were looking at boogers and stuff - ha ha!) Sorry so long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom28kds Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Following because this is me too only different ages, haha. Looking forward to the responses :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saddlemomma Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 We did interest-led science for DD last year (6th) and are almost finished with this year (7th). This year, DD wanted to do medicinal herbs/plants. I told her that to do this, she would also have to study Botany. She was fine with that. Here are the books/texts we've been using: McHenry's Botany in 8 Lessons Quark Chronicles: Botany Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs Herbal Antibiotics Healing Plants of the Bible A Druid's Sacred Tree Medicine (we strictly used the medicinal info and refrained from reading the The Pocket Herbal Wicked Plants Videos/Lectures (all on YouTube) The First Flower What Plants Talk About The Private Life of Plants - Growing Plants Behaving Badly The Private Life of Plants - Traveling The Queen of Trees Fragile Harvest History of Herbalism in America Alternative Medicine - Herbs Herbalism 101 Class Series on YT Herbal Remedies Class Series on YT Accountability: Worksheets from Levels 1&2 of McHenry's Botany PowerPoint presentation of DD's favorite medicinal herbs/plants (This is quite large actually) Additional internet research for each PowerPoint slide Notes taken from the videos/lectures Live Workshops we will all be attending at a local herbalist's (practicing for 47 years) farm this summer to round our our class: Salve Making Tinctures & Oils Simple County Recipes Medicinal Trees Medicinal Foods From this, we have started making our own medicinal lotions and soaps. DD has enjoyed this so much, she wants to look into apprenticing with the herbalist we will be taking classes from through the summer. It has been a very rewarding class for all of us -- DH too! I tried to match up topics between the books/videos/Botany text. It actually worked out quite well. Once we finished the Botany portion, we have continued to watch the Herbalism 101 and Herbal Remedies lecture classes by Spirit of Health on YouTube (Christian organization) and DD continues to build her PowerPoint "book". 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonder Posted March 19, 2016 Author Share Posted March 19, 2016 Thanks for sharing what you've done, Saddlemomma! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerforest Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 I'm a former scientist working in a technology field. Science is so important to us as a family that our progression has been organic. We did a ton of interest-led stuff in K-4 but I'll just start with 5th. In 5th we did a lot of evolution and paleoanthropology, neuroscience, history of ancient science, big history science, etc. I planned a lot of field trips and lectures etc. This year (6th) we have used Bryson, Dr. Art, Michael Pollan, Dawkins, and others I can't remember, and currently we are focusing on climate change and moving towards local environmental science hands-on activities. We have used Great Courses, EdX, and Coursera materials too. We have done a lot of field trips and lectures this year too. Starting now and going into 7th, we bought a new microscope, and we will be pairing it with Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments and Miller & Levine, plus I got some new astronomy books for DH and DD to use with our telescope, and I got Conceptual Chemistry and MEL Science kits... We plan to read Science Matters and more science history next year. I haven't finished fully planning this out, and I am expecting it to take us through 7-8th to complete all this. We love science so we prioritize it. But, I don't like traditional middle school science materials. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 We did interest-led science for DD last year (6th) and are almost finished with this year (7th). This year, DD wanted to do medicinal herbs/plants. I told her that to do this, she would also have to study Botany. She was fine with that. Here are the books/texts we've been using: McHenry's Botany in 8 Lessons Quark Chronicles: Botany Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs Herbal Antibiotics Healing Plants of the Bible A Druid's Sacred Tree Medicine (we strictly used the medicinal info and refrained from reading the The Pocket Herbal Wicked Plants Videos/Lectures (all on YouTube) The First Flower What Plants Talk About The Private Life of Plants - Growing Plants Behaving Badly The Private Life of Plants - Traveling The Queen of Trees Fragile Harvest History of Herbalism in America Alternative Medicine - Herbs Herbalism 101 Class Series on YT Herbal Remedies Class Series on YT Accountability: Worksheets from Levels 1&2 of McHenry's Botany PowerPoint presentation of DD's favorite medicinal herbs/plants (This is quite large actually) Additional internet research for each PowerPoint slide Notes taken from the videos/lectures Live Workshops we will all be attending at a local herbalist's (practicing for 47 years) farm this summer to round our our class: Salve Making Tinctures & Oils Simple County Recipes Medicinal Trees Medicinal Foods From this, we have started making our own medicinal lotions and soaps. DD has enjoyed this so much, she wants to look into apprenticing with the herbalist we will be taking classes from through the summer. It has been a very rewarding class for all of us -- DH too! I tried to match up topics between the books/videos/Botany text. It actually worked out quite well. Once we finished the Botany portion, we have continued to watch the Herbalism 101 and Herbal Remedies lecture classes by Spirit of Health on YouTube (Christian organization) and DD continues to build her PowerPoint "book". This is well laid out, thanks for such a clear explanation of what interest led science looks like as your house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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