Jump to content

Menu

Does a science program like this exist?


frugalmamatx
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hoping the Hive can find what I cannot. Bombed out yet again on science and it's only day 2. Monarch science is just too preachy for us. I wanted it to work so badly - but it just won't. I love the format - but the content is just meh.

 

Here's what I need:

 

~Open and go {like lifepac / ace paces}

~Secular. Or at the very least religion kept to optional boxes and not on quizzes. 

~Not a ton of experiments / reports / projects

~General science overview NOT focused subject based

~Works for grades 5-7 {DD is 5th/6th, but I"m okay jumping a grade}

~Cost is a factor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not familiar with Monarch format. Any description on it you like?

 

Maybe just a public school textbook?

 

Singapore and real science 4 kids have multisubject per grade (not one subject). But once you get to middle school it's hard to avoid. The problem is the cost, imo. But if you order off rainbow resource the basic RS4K can be $50 or $55 (the level bundles, not the focus on series). I don't think they do a lot of experiments but maybe you feel differently.

 

I bet regular school texts would probably suit, but I don't have a brand to recommend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Check out the Berean Builder series. The author is Christian but a scientist so the material is very good. We are using Science in the Beginning which uses the days of creation as a guide, so the first unit is light then water, etc. He mentions God and the wonders of His creation but its brief and doesn't get in the way of the science and it's not at all preachy. It's more of a science unit study as you move through it. I've used a lot of different science programs and this has been my favorite. It's easy to use and the material makes sense. The lesson usually begins with a well written introduction that sets up a concept followed by the experiment/demonstration that further illustrates the concept. Then a short follow up reading to tie it all together. It's not just an experiment to do an experiment. They've all been easy experiments so far to set up and do so I bet your kids to do them if you wanted them to set it up. It's open and go and affordable.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hoping the Hive can find what I cannot. Bombed out yet again on science and it's only day 2. Monarch science is just too preachy for us. I wanted it to work so badly - but it just won't. I love the format - but the content is just meh.

 

Here's what I need:

 

~Open and go {like lifepac / ace paces}

~Secular. Or at the very least religion kept to optional boxes and not on quizzes.

~Not a ton of experiments / reports / projects

~General science overview NOT focused subject based

~Works for grades 5-7 {DD is 5th/6th, but I"m okay jumping a grade}

~Cost is a factor.

You could look at Science Fusion for grades 6-8. Absolutely secular, major textbook publisher. It's worktexts, with material similar to Holt Science and Technology, but at a simpler level.

 

There are 10 books, iirc, three on life sciences, three on physical science, three on earth science, and one on scientific method. Many of the middle school books I am familiar with move from general science to more subject oriented at middle school,level. There is also a Science Fusion series for elementary. That may be more general.

 

My suggestion would be to order one book, under $20, iirc, from the publisher and see what you think. The program is also available as a unit with worktexr and associated other content, available with an online access key, maybe $50? I tried both and found that the online was a pain, a few good parts and a lot of things I did not use. The package was available through Saxon and HSBC.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not familiar with Monarch format. Any description on it you like?

 

Maybe just a public school textbook?

 

Singapore and real science 4 kids have multisubject per grade (not one subject). But once you get to middle school it's hard to avoid. The problem is the cost, imo. But if you order off rainbow resource the basic RS4K can be $50 or $55 (the level bundles, not the focus on series). I don't think they do a lot of experiments but maybe you feel differently.

 

I bet regular school texts would probably suit, but I don't have a brand to recommend.

For regular texts, I loved the Holt Science an Technology Ds used in middle school. There are several supplementary books available, but not necessary. Text is very well written. If you are willing to use a slightly older edition, very affordable. I usually buy from textbooks.com in the spring. Textbooks can have so many editions, varying by state, for example, and the textbooks website is good at listing them precisely.

 

I tried Singapore Science years ago, just one elementary unit on magnetism. I love Singapore Math, so I was surprized that I did not like Singapore Science. While the material was very well presented, there were lots of books besides texts and teacher guides. I can't remember them all, but a lot. The other problematic area was experiments that were laid out using a lot of standard $$$$ lab equipment. It would have cost a fortune.

 

Maybe someone else has different experiences. I only got the one unit and hardly used it.

Edited by Alessandra
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could do CPO Science (recommended in the WTM), the only thing that doesn't work on your list is that they are based on specific subjects not general science. Because the reading level doesn't change much from grade to grade in these books, you could just do 1/3 of each book each year for middle school level until you're done them. We buy the textbooks secondhand, you don't need to do any experiments at all if you don't want to. The lab sheets are optional extra practice, some cross-curricular. You can add as much as like, or none at all. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are loving Berean Builders. The approach is so different from standard science curriculum and it makes so much more sense to my kids. It follows scientific discovery chronologically. It is Christian. However, it is like SOTW. It points out when the church was against certain discoveries and why. I feel like it is very balanced and not preachy. It presents faith as the society and the scientist at the time saw it playing a role in science. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The OP said not a ton of experiments/projects. Wouldn't that rule out the Wile books from Berean and Mystery Science?

Maybe just a grade 6 public school textbook? Those are more likely to be general science.

Uzzingo is all online. It's topical but if you covered all of the middle school units you'd end up with general. (My STEM geek did the whole middle school thing in a summer once, but that's been a couple years.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spectrum Science coupled with Science Detective

 

I'll also put in a plug for Steps (used to be Connect The Thoughts), which my kids used at younger levels and loved.

 

Have you seen The Thinking Tree journals? There are MANY you could use for science, and some made expressly for science. There's a new minecraft+science journal, for example.

 

Finally, Layers of Learning includes science.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The OP said not a ton of experiments/projects. Wouldn't that rule out the Wile books from Berean and Mystery Science?

 

Maybe just a grade 6 public school textbook? Those are more likely to be general science.

 

Uzzingo is all online. It's topical but if you covered all of the middle school units you'd end up with general. (My STEM geek did the whole middle school thing in a summer once, but that's been a couple years.)

Berean doesn't have experiments, but not super intensive ones like I have had in other programs. These are more of junk you he lying around kind of experiments. I have completely skipped them in some areas without an issue.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...