This is a really fun activity on genetics where you get to create your own puppy using DNA. We did it last fall and it was very successful. http://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/traitsrecipe.pdf

We are finding this book really boring and tedious (Elements 1). Anyone have any ideas to make it more fun?

"FYI, the third book does not have quest guides. Rather, there is a teacher's companion (both teacher and student text in one 214 pg pdf) available from NSTA. http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781933531571 It is $10. " Stephanie, According to the NSTA store, one can only buy the teacher's companion if one is a member. Did you find this to be the case? Or it comes free if you buy the book? Or am I missing something? Thanks! Cindy

GEMS guides! Lots of different topics, lots of hands on, experiments connected to real life scenarios. TOPS science; The Corn and Beans unit was fun for the summer. TOPS Lentil Science is fun too!

Again Cynthia Rylant...The Mr.. Putter and Tabby series.

Books by Francis Balkwill are great. Gene Machines, Have a Nice DNA, DNA is here to stay, Amazing Schemes wit your Genes.. Take a look here on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Frances-R.-Balkwill/e/B001HNZ2H0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 My library carries them all, maybe your's does too!

My daughter sometimes does her math while jumping on a rebounder (she's in grade 6!) We also switch rooms a lot, sometimes we do math on the living room floor, sometimes at the kitchen table, sometimes outside with chalk. The possibilities are endless if you have a kid who doesn't want to/can't sit down or keep still.

Based on the 5 themes of geography.

Seems like I am the odd one out here...It's taken us almost 2 years to do each SOTW book. We do a lot of extras and not just what's in the AG. We almost always do some sort of cooking and read myths and tales from the country in question, watch videos, etc... At the end of SOTW 3, we started Canadian history (wow, we're young, that's where "we" fit in naturally!) and with SOTW 4, it's going to take us 3 years, as we alternate Canadian history/geography with the chapters in SOTW. All this to say, that there is no ONE WAY to do SOTW. You find what works for you and your family, and go from there.

MCT GEMS Guides and TOPS Brainpop SOTW + AG

It's like two different "courses." History of science and science. Right now we are studying light and optics along with Aristotle...

I think it's important to start at the beginning with this book; it's not a jump in anywhere type of book. I have a schedule, but I am going verrrry slowly; 1 chapter per week. We do a little bit everyday (about 1/2 hour) and then we do some other science.

I used part of the human body study and tweeked it too fit our needs. The books, links and activities are great!

Intellego unit studies http://www.intellegounitstudies.com/ has a study on astronomy for grades 6-8 and another for grades 3-5. They both look great!

Some of the GEMS guides look great for this topic too!

We really enjoyed RS4K. Combined with some GEMS Guides (for more real life, hands on chemistry) it is great. We never do a full year of any of the sciences. We almost always do some chemistry, some physics and some bievery year. I like the fact that all the RS4K volumes are only only 10 chapters long! :-)

We are only on chapter 3 using the TG and SG and we love it! Discussions, experiments, etc are all great. We divided the SG up and are putting the timeline they suggest directly into it, instead of "hanging" it on a wall. We're making that SG sorta a scrapbook unto itself. We are doing it slowly though, a chapter a week, a bit everyday, as we do other science daily as well.

Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) also has some great units on chemistry. Very hands-on and real life, easy to do and they don't take very long. They'd be excellent to go with RS4K and/or Ellen McHenry's The Elements. We've done all these progrmas in the past and all were very successful.

Bite sized physics (Physics Jim) worked for us. We only did the forces unit and have moved on to using other stuff for other physics topics.

You may want to use these three books by Marilyn Burns http://www.mathsolutions.com/index.cfm?page=wp15&crid=323&contentid=953 (Lessons for Introducing Fractions, Lessons for Extending Fractions and later on Lessons for Multiplying and Dividing Fractions.) I have done the first two with my daughter and she can add fractions in her head without finding a common denominator because she is so familiar with the actual fractions themselves. In the first book, you will be making a fractions kit, essentially what the previous poster suggested. I can't say enough great things about these books for understanding fractions.

The TG of Aristotle Leads the Way has 5 units and each unit has an intro lesson + 7 lessons and then the 8th lesson is a prep for assessments and the 9th lesson is the assessment. Hope that helps. If you need any details, please feel free to ask.

We have the Word Build program from Dynamic Literacy. We are using Elements 1. It is a good program but I'm afraid we find it a little boring after using Caesar's English I and II. The lessons are ALL the same and the first word cubes even have the same mystery numbers!

Can anyone tell me how similar Corn and Beans and Radishes are? We did C&B last summer and may do Radishes this summer. Thanks, Cindy

How about this? It looks great! http://www.wildridge.com/mm_overview.html

MCT Caesar's English I and II.