BFSU as threads/units?

[Momof3plus]

Hi all, we're on lesson 7 of the BFSU (K-2) and so far what we've covered we've enjoyed.  However I'm finding the chopping and changing between topics difficult as well as the fact that although we're getting the lessons and demonstrations done, we're not doing any of the mini-books that the author recommends completing and I'd really like for us to have a record of work that we can look back at as a reminder.  My kids are young, so they can't do too much writing so we've made a few posters but thats it.  

 

I can see the reason for studying different topics as they all interlink, but has anyone used BFSU and just done them in order of threads, almost like unit studies? We've just covered the difference between the plant and animal kingdoms and I'd really like to continue on with the plant theme.

 

Also, how can I make it easier to have a record of our work, what could I do that doesn't require too much writing for the kids or massive posters that takes weeks because my kids love to draw :) 

 

TIA

xxx

[Miss Tick]

That book is so flexible! He is all about, "Use it how it works for you!" Many of the "prerequisites" are more like suggestions, anyway. Definitively do what works for you all. You can change things up down the road if the mood strikes.

 

Instead of mini books, we do a notebook page for each lesson. For book 1 I get the paper with the top half blank and lines on the bottom. I title it for the lesson and then write a summary of important topics at the bottom. We read that and reminisce (some of those lessons really stretched over time!), then they draw a picture in the top part. At first I wanted them to narrate what we did, but they could rarely grasp all the key parts of the lesson, particularly if they stretched over more than one session, so I started writing that part myself and then letting them draw whatever they wanted. We put these into a 3 ring binder that continues for all three books.

 

For books 2 and 3 I made up my own worksheets, with lots of pictures! and we complete those as we work through the lesson. By popular request there is still space for a picture. I also inserted review sheets every four or so lessons. Making the worksheets took a lot of time, but it was great lesson prep. Now with my younger I don't have to do any of the prep - but I find myself flailing occasionally since I haven't studied the lesson in 3 or 4 years. (blush)

[Momof3plus]

Thanks SusanC, I love the idea of the note booking page, I could do most of the writing and they could do a picture.  And I could jot down any important things as we're moving along with the lesson.

 

Because I have two children quite close in age, I'll get them both to do a picture and I'll write up a note booking page with their help. I think they'll love doing some kind of drawing go with it and look back on.

 

I think I just needed to hear someone say that its okay to do what feels right for us.  I've been rigidly sticking to the lesson order and it's not right for us at this moment in time.

 

Thank you.

Blessings.

xxxx

[Momof3plus]

I was considering switching to something that has everything all laid out, I was looking at Elemental Science (Classical) or RSO but my heart isn't with either of them.  They look much simpler for me to use, much more open and go, but the depth of BFSU and the way it guides to scientific inquiry rather than just 'do, this, what happens?' labs, is what I love about the programme.  I'm sticking with BFSU for now and praying I can make it work!

xxx                                            

[Jackie]

I organized it into unit studies when we used it. http://everchangingchild.blogspot.com/2015/02/building-foundations-of-scientific_9.html

 

It was much easier for me to conceptualize that way.

[Momof3plus]

Oh wow, Jackie, what an amazing resource! Thank you. I shall definitely be using your setup.

 

Xxx

[Petrichor]

I feel like sometimes, a lesson in B will reference something that would have already been learned in C (sorry, I don't have the book in front of me, so I can't give a real example, though I know we've had this be the case) For example, the first lesson in A talks about how everything is organized. If you had skipped that, and jumped into C or D, you might run into something that assumes prior knowledge about the concept of classification. That said, it's not going to ruin the kid if you skip it, especially if, for instance, they already have a basic understanding of organizing/classifying, or if you can quickly explain it to them. There are a few instances like that throughout the book. 

 

I have issues though, and I wanted to do the lessons in order. What I did is I wrote out the list of lessons, in order, according to the flow chart. I keep the list in the front of my planner, written on one of the unused months, and I cross them out as we complete them. That way I don't have to try to interpret the flow chart every time I lesson plan for the week. 

 

I have also found that my son doesn't really like to do the same topic for weeks on end. A month is about all he can take on one topic. We were doing science the WTM way (old recommendations, IDK what current recommendations are), and he couldn't take it. He likes to jump around a bit. So that's another reason why I do the lessons more or less in order. I think I even scheduled the lessons so we would switch gears at least every month.  

 

My kid is NOT a fan of anything that requires him to write or work on some project/poster. When we tried a science fair last year, it was literally the only thing we did in terms of school for 5-8 weeks, and it wasn't even that involved of a project. We skip most of the questions and all of the projects at the end of lessons. Right now, science is all oral reading from BFSU, videos, googling when the book tells you to google some picture of something, science encyclopedia, and related books when I remember to look for them in the library (rare, because I had forgotten about the list of books in the BFSU book. I'll have to go check my book again because I still can't picture the list.) We are at the point now though where I just kinda skip reading the intro and conclusion of each section. 

[Hunter]

If you split your school year into 4 terms, and assign a strand to each term, you will find yourself moving through the book always hitting the necessary prerequisites in time. No need for flow charts or planning. Just work from a strand for a term and then move to another strand the next term.

 

Once I figured that out, I had a whole new appreciation for the book. This way the book can function more as a scope and sequence, resource list, and a checklist of topics, than a curriculum.

[Momof3plus]

Thank you for the replies. Hunter, yes that’s a good way to view the book, as a resource book.

 

Xxx

[Hunter]

I went from buying software to override the no-print lock on the BFSU pdf and printing out the whole thing, and spreading it out on the floor next to the flowchart and scribbling all over everything, to just simply breaking it up into a term to a strand. And not trying to do it "right".

 

What was so complicated and only usable when I was in top form, instantly became simple and usable in even chaos. I think I actually smacked myself in the head and called myself a "dummy" when I figured this out.

 

There are SOOOO many equally good ways to homeschool. But ONE simple way is to complete a science rotation every year, instead of in 4 years. And use BFSU as the primary or one resource to do that.

 

For people in chaos and on the move, it can work better to squeeze the 4 year history rotation into each year too. It gives the year some order, but you need much less to cover a topic. And if each year you often have all new resources and opportunities, you are sure to have enough resources to cover a blitz coverage of the entire history for THIS year. Decide how long a term is and when it is over, declare enough is enough, and move onto the next term topics, knowing you will be right back at these topics in about 9 months, and that all is well.

 

If the children want to camp out on Romans for the ancient term, and you have stuff to do that, let them do that, and do the other ancient topics next year.

[Bernard J. Nebel]

Please be aware that there is a no-charge website for supporting BFSU users. It is BFSUcommunity.com 

When you click through to a given lesson, you will find a list of aids for the lesson. Such aids include: key ideas of the lesson that deserve emphasis; direct links to videos alluded to in the lesson, and other such items. The intent is to make presenting BFSU lessons more efficient and less arduous. The site also invites users to post comments, ask questions, add additional material you find useful, or make suggestions.  

[knitgrl]

Hi all, we're on lesson 7 of the BFSU (K-2) and so far what we've covered we've enjoyed.  However I'm finding the chopping and changing between topics difficult as well as the fact that although we're getting the lessons and demonstrations done, we're not doing any of the mini-books that the author recommends completing and I'd really like for us to have a record of work that we can look back at as a reminder.  My kids are young, so they can't do too much writing so we've made a few posters but thats it. 

 

This was an issue for us as well. Dd is writing-resistant, and is not interested in doing a whole lot of it. I also don't think it's reasonable for a K'er to create a mini-book without a lot of hand holding. At any rate, what we have hit on this year is a science notebook (just a plain spiral notebook) with an interactive aspect to it. I try to find free lapbooks or worksheets online, and cut out bits and pieces from them and have dd fill out what needs to be filled out and glue them into her notebook, or make drawings of our demos and observations. Sometimes she is even inspired to write without those prompts.