I looked at a light unit for 3rd grade science. It looked really boring and basic. Maybe the higher grades are different? But for us I just needed to flip through my friends and know it wasn't going to work for us.

This really is the age that learning to write starts. And balancing all that is needed for writing comes together. I taught 4th and 5th graders for years before becoming a mother. It just takes time and practice and good models. Pick one area to focus on. We use dictation to really help us focus on one area. I use Dictation Day by Day (free on the public domain) and then we work on spelling, topic sentence, punctuation, etc. We look over the sentences together and talk about what we see. We go over words that will be new for spelling, pointing out rules. Then I say the sentences while ds writes them. Some sentences make a great paragraph over a few days.

Ooh that looks fun!

We keep a log in a notebook of words and phrases my ds finds fun. Through his reading, read aloud, conversations with adults there are a lot of words that get added. Often he will use these in conversations long before they show up in writing. So I try to encourage him in his oral narrations to use more variety in language. We also play games (Rory story cubes, Mad libs) these involve oral story telling and are great ways for ds to try out more language.

We have no access to a library in English. We live overseas. So I am limited to what I can get. 😭 I wish I had a library. It would save soooo much money.

I don't really want a workbook. More something we can do hands on, but not like a lot of the elementary experiments out there. But I don't think we will be tackling real problems scientists tackle. More along the lines of science things kids can learn through trial and error, or hands on learning. Most of the stuff I see out there for this age group is more demonstration based rather than hands on discovery. Maybe I am not explaining it well. I don't know exactly what I am looking for. I know better what I don't want when I see it.

Thanks Lori you are always so full of resources! Yes, I do plan to keep reading. We did all the Let's Read and Find Out. He is now past that level with science reading. We have The Way We Work and How Things Work Now, that he is slowly reading through. Any other good books to have on hand?

I feel like I remember a youtube video years ago that showed a classroom learning science through problem solving. I may be remembering wrong. But I think the whole class was working on electricity and had to work together to problem solve. Anyone know what I am thinking of?

Yes, maybe that is what I am thinking of. I hate using pinterest too many links never lead anywhere 🤣 Is there a book of challenges listed?

Thanks- these look good. I really don't want a workbook. But I could use it without requiring filling it out.

Science has been a difficult subject to get around to in our school. 4 years of homeschooling and still have struggled to figure out science. We have done a lot of reading and nature focused things so far. I don't know if anything like this is out there or really what I am looking for. But I would love to have a book with problems for the student to work though. Not easy elementary experiments. Like some kind of "problem" to try several ways to figure out. I can't remember anything I really learned in elementary science that I wouldn't have easily learned through life. We tried Rod and Staff textbook, and although I did like it, I realized a textbook just was too boring for this age. My goal is for ds to have opportunity to think through problems and solutions through trial and error. I feel like that is a better use of his brain during these elementary years. I also find it important to learn about nature through observation during these years too. We spend a lot of time on hikes and looking at nature to accomplish this. So does anyone know of anything out there like this? Any resources to help me better think through the role of science in elementary? What are your goals?

Christian Light sounds like what you are wanting. It isn't a very challenging curriculum, but it does a good job of variety in problems each day.

Is the babysitter able to help in teaching or just able to facilitate? For my son a check list is needed for him to do stuff on his own. He can only handle day by day not a week's worth. Then he needs a reward to work towards. I let him pick what he really wants. We do it by the month. My situation is totally different I have had months where moving and work required too much from me to school as well. For three months I had back up that was able to teach and that made it so much easier. So if the babysitter can teach as well maybe have some games for math? Or a book for her to read and them to narrate? Right start math has a game book that covers a lot of skills and concepts.

Any resources? What would you do with your child differently than you did? I suspect this is my ds who is 8 yo.

Keep it silent when in public No farting on a person, in a face (can you tell I have a boy?) Those are about it. It is just natural in our home.

Thanks everyone! Sounds like a lot wear PJs more than once. I am not the odd ball out.

Yes, I have read that and used it as a toothpaste one time to try it. But the taste got me.

My friend has a house of 10 people! And they all wear clean PJs each night. I have a house of 3 and we wash ours once a week. I just don't feel like adding that much to my laundry pile each day.

I wear jeans about 4 times before washing unless they get dirty.

For my ds he will pick up a book and read if it is something interesting to him or if there is nothing else but chores to do. I have noticed if there are a lot of other options for things to do, especially technology, he won't pick up a book. Also, even with being able to read very well at a high level, my ds really needs a lot of books to choose from of all lengths and reading levels. Sometimes his brain wants an easier read, sometimes he wants a challenge.

Talking with a friend the other day about how often PJs are worn before washing. I just want to see if I am crazy for wearing PJs again without washing.

HWOT is great. We used that to learn how to print. They have a youtube channel that shows the wet dry try method. We used that with the chalkboard.

A half hour to an hour daily. But sometimes I really have to "sell" him on a book I think he would love. If he finds something he really loves he can read for 3 hours a day.

For us, we started with a modern language as we live overseas. However, this would be my priority even if we lived a different life. It has opened so many doors, and provided so many good ways to use ds' brain. Some things to consider: cartoons, books, people (if picking a language used close to you), internet all are available in modern languages. Dedicate all tv or some be done in a modern language, and half the battle is won 😂 not really, but you know. This year for 3rd we have started Latin using Getting Started the Latin. For my son a lot of this has been easy being that he already knows several languages. He has made connection to English words. The book has been easy for me to follow and learn along with him. I plan to do Greek in two years as well. If you know Greek, even if rusty, it would be a good place to start as you will be a few steps ahead. But I think the benefits of a modern language are enormous, and ancient languages can wait and be easier after the rewards of a modern one.

A lot of people can read upside down if the print is large enough. When in university for my education major we had a test of reading upside down, out of hundreds only 1 person needed to work on that skill. Many teachers need this skill to work with young ones learning to read.