PLEASE help if you've used BFSU

[WyoSylvia]

I am trying to plan science and am looking into BFSU. I am researching/shopping right now so I haven't looked at the book itself but I have read the pressforlearning site, the example lesson, the threads here and the amazon read me so I think I have a good idea about the book but I'm just not sure about some things. I'm hoping you all can help me to decide if BFSU is a good fit.

 

Here are some things to note about me:

 

 

• my ds is 6, we're doing 1st next year
  
• I always plan with an eye to the future, in other words, I want continuity from year-to-year so if I started I would probably continue on to his next book when it comes out.
  
• I'm not much for "giving it a try" and then scrapping it to find something else. I would prefer to research more and get it right the first time, sort of compulsive, I know.
  
• I like following the ideas in WTM because they lined up so well with our families educational goals. I've enjoyed all their recommendations plus their writing and ideas have always clicked for me, so I always feel if I don't do their ideas I might be missing out on something truly great. KWIM?
  

 

According to WTM, science should be orderly. Their claim that traditional science jumps around just when child develops interest in the subject is important to me because most of my "issues with education" stem from my dissatisfaction with my own schooling; subjects being taught haphazardly, jumping around so that now I have various facts and stories but lacking any sort of order or those wonderful pegs. I've also really liked that it would correspond to the historical figures being studied in history, although they do write that this isn't as clear with science. Lastly the goal is for child to say "Oh, good. I love biology!" when next it comes around... I want that for my son because I NEVER felt that way about science and now I know how cool it can be.

 

I love the rigor and goals of BFSU but, on the other hand, it has you follow those threads concurrently so here are my questions:

 

 

• How has this worked, do you feel like there was clarity? When you were working through the threads, did his use of the requirements and the lesson being taught act as some sort of organizer (, a replacement for the life science/chemistry etc ... progression? Could you, and more importantly, could your child see and understand the progression or did it feel like it was jumping around?
  
• If you made a plan ahead of time, did it work or did you have to scrap it or edit a lot? If I went this route, for my personality, I would want to plan it out as much as possible. If you can post any schedules that did work that would be a great help as well.
  
• Were his experiments fun/engaging? Were there enough or did you need to supplement?
  
• Would it work to follow his progression, and then stop where appropriate and follow the WTM idea of looking up spine facts, doing a narration followed by supplementary books and maybe more experiments? (I also saw that mom2moon2, in her schedule in another thread even added AS and RS4K.) I'm considering doing this partly because of the reason listed above plus I'm not sure if I see anywhere in BFSU that you actually learn those "fun" facts about various animals, for instance. I'm not looking for a rubber stamp here. I'm wondering if this would be somehow going against what BFSU is trying to accomplish, for instance, taking too much time within the thread so you lose "the thread" of the thread? :tongue_smilie:(Sorry, I couldn't think of another way to phrase it.) Also, is that just too much for this age? Do you think that is a good idea or would you advise against it?
  
• If I did above idea, I'm wondering if it might even extend into fourth grade, is the material fine for that age or just plain too young? (It's listed K-2) My son is inquisitive and loves challenges.
  

 

Thanks for staying to the end. Please feel free to critique any of my ideas. I really need help in fleshing this out.

[~Kirsten~]

Hi, Sylvia! I'll give your questions a shot! :001_smile:

 

First, you need to know that I'm using BFSU for kindergarten, and as of now I do plan to switch to the WTM science cycles next year for 1st. This is all about me, but I really love being able to delve deeply into one subject. I totally understand Dr. Nebel's point about concurrent learning, and more importantly, I definitely want to be able to jump off into areas of interest (so I won't say, "Wait until next year when we do astronomy" if my daughter's interested in the sun, for example). But for my sanity and compulsiveness, I think I'll be happier doing a year of biology. That said, I will be buying Dr. Nebel's sequel when it comes out, because I really love the way he explains things, and I think even as a supplement, the first book is well worth the price. So there's my disclaimer! :tongue_smilie:

 

We have definitely found clarity. It doesn't feel like it jumps around, and following Dr. Nebel's pre-reqs, for me, was a must. That said, it's more of a general building of knowledge and question-asking than a progression in topics. I'm not sure how to explain this! An example: we learned about matter (solids, liquids, gases) in our second lesson and recently returned to matter to discuss its particulate nature. But all along, we've had conversations about things that are solid or liquid, and because it's been long enough for all of that to sink in, the idea that matter is particulate allowed for an "ah-ha!" moment. Does that make a little more sense? That lesson didn't come right after the first, but as we made our way back to the subject, there was deeper understanding. At least, it seems that way.

 

I haven't found a need to scrap my schedule or deviate from it. I initially read through the threads in the order we wanted to do them, jotting down notes about library books to check out ahead of time and the materials we need to do the discussions. I refer back to that whenever we're ready to move on to the next topic.

 

There aren't as many experiments, per se, though there are demonstrations of the concepts in his discussions. It's NOT a sit-and-listen-to-me-read book, but there aren't a whole lot of actual experiments, at least not the way I think of them. However, the demonstrations are fun and easy to implement, and he has supplementary books listed for each chapter. Many of those DO have great experiments. The only thing I'd do differently, starting over today, would be to better plan out actual experiments in advance. I think a book of straight experiments would be very helpful, or if you have a good library, there's probably a library book of experiments on almost every subject. I do think that, now that we've added in more experiments, it's going even better in our house.

 

From there, I would say it would be quite easy to add in a WTM-style spine, doing narrations and such. Actually, I think it could be quite beneficial! It's my understanding that BFSU encourages you to take extra time on certain lessons, and I think that, for instance, doing some of the fun animal learning you mention would fit in well, either with the lesson on biomes or the one on what is a species.

 

Honestly, I'm not sure if you could extend it all the way into 4th grade or not, but I suspect it's quite possible. It's a denser text than it appears (says the woman who was confident it could be smooshed into one year for a quick overview). So if you go deep and broad at the same time, using it as a spine and diving off into areas of interest, that seems like a possibility. Though I'd imagine the sequel will be out well before you get to 4th grade (and that one is slated for 3rd to 5th), so you should be okay whenever you wrap the first one up.

 

Hope that helps! I'll gladly share my schedule with you, if you get to that point and want another one to ponder. Or, if you do a search of my name or BFSU, I believe it's on here somewhere. Feel free to ask if my ramblings didn't make much sense! :D

[Rosie_0801]

But I'll answer my projected thoughts anyway because you only have one answer so far :) Or did when I started typing, anyway.

 

I bought BFSU because I disagree with WTM. I actually don't think science should be orderly. Not by topic. I think it should be methodical, but I see science as the story of the world (not to be confused with Story of the World, which is a story of the people in the world ;) ) When I look outside my window, I see biology, earth sciences, physics and chemistry. I think there is a time for cutting them up into neat packages, but I think that time is much, much later. I agree with Dr Nebel that the sciences are intertwined and it makes more sense for me to guide my kiddies in exploring them that way. I don't care if my kiddies say "I love biology!" I'd rather have them say "I love science!" Even if it is "I love science, well, except for that bit because that bit sucks." ;) The problem with cutting them up is if they decide they hate physics, it's going to be very hard to change their minds! I do agree with WTM that traditional science textbooks jump around too much, but traditional books are just thick and dry texts that shove all the topics in. That is haphazard. I don't consider BFSU haphazard, I consider it integrated. The sciences really do interact, so wrapping them up in separate parcels at an age when kiddies are discovering the world seems wrong to me. I also think threading the topics together makes it easier for us Mums to remember to be on the lookout for "teachable moments" in all the areas. This is important to me, because I don't feel very confident about that. I suppose it will come naturally with practice though :)

 

This being said, BFSU is a spine, and you are going to want to supplement with books, kits and cool ideas you've pinched of sciencey Mum's blogs. I've been looking at the WTM recs to see how they line up with the BFSU concept chart and fully intend to use some of them, because they are cool and I don't want to miss out! I've also looked at the TOPS science kits to see what might be cool from there. And Amazon, I mean, who can pass up a book called "Geology Rocks!" I'd probably have to buy that even if it had bad reviews, hehehe. Doing this doesn't detract from the BFSU way. Basically, if you are exploring and following a logical sequence (doing the pre-requisite topics before moving to the more advanced) then you are doing it the right way. It doesn't matter how long you dwell on one lesson, if you move on and come back to it, or whatever. Inquiry based science wouldn't be very inquiry based if it was to limit the amount of inquiry and the way one did the inquiring, would it? Now, some people like me think this style is great. Others find the lack of prescribed obligations horribly annoying.

 

You are concerned about the mechanics of jumping threads and planning. I can tell you what I intend to do about that. I have two kiddies, less than two years apart, so I intend to list all the funky sounding resources as end notes on each of the lessons in the book, as I come across them. I will start off my eldest, using some of the resources, ticking them off as we go along. Then, when it is time for my younger to start, we'll go back over, but use different resources. I figure if I do that, it'll cement the ideas that he'll have picked up by half listening when we went over it first, and since we are approaching from a different angle (say a kit instead of a book,) my eldest shouldn't mind the review. I think if I have those resources listed, I won't feel the need to plan down to the last detail, and therefore won't be thrown by "mucking it up."

 

It won't matter if you manage to drag the book out to grade 4.

 

I don't know about doing narrations a la WTM, myself. I think we'll be doing enough of that in our English and History. Obviously, though, you need some kind of summary at the end so you know what conclusions the kids are drawing. I think the best way is to keep a joint journal. Something fairly relaxed anyway. I'm thinking about a basic lab report style, with the same sorts of questions each time, to train them into using the information they have to predict, and to analyse after we've completed. Before we start, talk about what we are going to do and what we think will happen, then after it's done, whether we were right or not and why it turned out that way. I hope to train them to the idea that it's perfectly fine to be wrong, because it's a journey of discovery not an exam. Hopefully when they get older, they can work together on the journal without me.

 

But, as I said, I haven't done any of this yet and time will tell how well it works out. Maybe my kids really will hate science! :ohmy:

 

Rosie

[WyoSylvia]

I do plan to switch to the WTM science cycles next year for 1st. ... for my sanity and compulsiveness

I don't mean to pry but, knowing that I am rather compulsive also, you give me an idea as to why you are switching? Having read so many posts about people being concerned about planning and implementation etc, I just don't want to get it and find out it is really best for people who like to fly by the seat of their pants and not for planners... or some other unforeseen mismatch.

 

it's more of a general building of knowledge and question-asking than a progression in topics. I'm not sure how to explain this!

You explained it well. That's actually the way I perceived it but didn't explain myself properly.

 

There aren't as many experiments, per se, ...and he has supplementary books listed for each chapter. Many of those DO have great experiments. The only thing I'd do differently, starting over today, would be to better plan out actual experiments in advance. I think a book of straight experiments would be very helpful

That's exactly the info I needed to know.

 

From there, I would say it would be quite easy to add in a WTM-style spine, doing narrations and such. Actually, I think it could be quite beneficial! It's my understanding that BFSU encourages you to take extra time on certain lessons, and I think that, for instance, doing some of the fun animal learning you mention would fit in well, either with the lesson on biomes or the one on what is a species.

Good, thank you.

 

Honestly, I'm not sure if you could extend it all the way into 4th grade or not, but I suspect it's quite possible. It's a denser text than it appears (says the woman who was confident it could be smooshed into one year for a quick overview). So if you go deep and broad at the same time, using it as a spine and diving off into areas of interest, that seems like a possibility. Though I'd imagine the sequel will be out well before you get to 4th grade (and that one is slated for 3rd to 5th), so you should be okay whenever you wrap the first one up.

I thought of four years mainly because I figure if I supplement with WTM stuff, and perhaps RS4K and AS that it would be quite possible.

 

Hope that helps! I'll gladly share my schedule with you, if you get to that point and want another one to ponder. Or, if you do a search of my name or BFSU, I believe it's on here somewhere. Feel free to ask if my ramblings didn't make much sense! :D

I found your schedule and will be referring to it. If you supplemented with anything that you particularly liked, could you please list it?

 

Thank you so much for your thorough response. I really appreciate it. I'm still cogitating so I'm sure I'll keep referring to your post.

[WyoSylvia]

But I'll answer my projected thoughts anyway because you only have one answer so far :)

You're a peach, thanks.

 

... but I see science as the story of the world (not to be confused with Story of the World, which is a story of the people in the world ;) )

You're obviously a goof-ball as well! :001_smile: My favorite kind of person.

 

When I look outside my window, I see biology, earth sciences, physics and chemistry.

I would love to have the science background/interest to have that vision.

 

I agree with Dr Nebel that the sciences are intertwined and it makes more sense for me to guide my kiddies in exploring them that way.

Gotcha.

 

I don't care if my kiddies say "I love biology!" I'd rather have them say "I love science!" Even if it is "I love science, well, except for that bit because that bit sucks." ;)

Please don't limit me. I thought it all sucked!!!!!!

 

 

The problem with cutting them up is if they decide they hate physics, it's going to be very hard to change their minds!

Excellent point. I never thought of that.

 

 

This being said, BFSU is a spine, and you are going to want to supplement with books, kits and cool ideas you've pinched of sciencey Mum's blogs.

This will be the harder part for me. First I don't read any blogs, just stuff here. Second, I really want to plan it out AND I want to avoid the junk experiments that don't really teach anything which was written about on another thread. (paraphrase)

 

I've been looking at the WTM recs to see how they line up with the BFSU concept chart and fully intend to use some of them, because they are cool and I don't want to miss out! I've also looked at the TOPS science kits to see what might be cool from there.

If you have time, could you list some of your winners?

 

And Amazon, I mean, who can pass up a book called "Geology Rocks!" I'd probably have to buy that even if it had bad reviews, hehehe.

:lol: Did I mention that you're a goof-ball?

 

Doing this doesn't detract from the BFSU way... Inquiry based science wouldn't be very inquiry based if it was to limit the amount of inquiry and the way one did the inquiring, would it?

What can I say to that logic?!!

 

I hope to train them to the idea that it's perfectly fine to be wrong, because it's a journey of discovery not an exam.

Amen.

 

But, as I said, I haven't done any of this yet and time will tell how well it works out. Maybe my kids really will hate science! :ohmy:

You sound like a cool "Mum." You funny little Aussie you.

 

Thank you so much for your ideas. It sounds like you're sold on the book and I sort of am as well... just from a distance, since I don't have it yet.

[stripe]

• Would it work to follow his progression, and then stop where appropriate and follow the WTM idea of looking up spine facts, doing a narration followed by supplementary books and maybe more experiments?

Okay, I also have the book but haven't used. But I just want to point out that there really is no single progression. You've seen the threads, and the ways he suggests that they intertwine (actually I'm not happy with threads C and D; they barely intersect the others -- ???) but the specific order is rather open-ended.

 

I defer to Rosie's analysis because I think she's put it very well, and I agree with her that the "neatness" factor is overrated.

[WyoSylvia]

Okay, I also have the book but haven't used. But I just want to point out that there really is no single progression. You've seen the threads, and the ways he suggests that they intertwine (actually I'm not happy with threads C and D; they barely intersect the others -- ???) but the specific order is rather open-ended.

 

I defer to Rosie's analysis because I think she's put it very well, and I agree with her that the "neatness" factor is overrated.

Could you explain what you mean by the specific order is open-ended? Do you mean that the lessons in those threads could be placed in any order because their not very related or do you mean they don't reach a clear conclusion/point of the thread or something different?

 

If I am an organizer-type personality would you guess that I would hate those threads or are they still good, just maybe different/more difficult? If you have time, please tell me any more about C & D that you think would help me more.

 

Thanks so much for helping me.

[Rosie_0801]

I would love to have the science background/interest to have that vision. Please don't limit me. I thought it all sucked!!!!!!

 

I'd be willing to bet that my science background is as shoddy as yours. However, when I look out the window, I can see vegetation and the occasional animal and person wander past. They are biology. I can see clouds. Earth science (well I think meteorology is an earth science and if it isn't, I can see dirt :lol:) I know close to zilch about chemistry, but I can see my plastic bins. I was never able to wrap my head around physics, but there are cars driving by and I'm quite sure that has some sort of physics involved... So, as cars and rubbish bins are useful things, chemistry and physics can't suck as much as we thought. Earth sciences and biology are most definitely cool because they involve studying funky things like diseases and natural disasters. These are not fun to have, of course, but sooo cool to study. And they are real. An underwater volcano causes a tsunami which kills thousands of people in South East Asia? That is real. That is survivors crying on telly and donating money at your local bank to help repair the damage. Gestational diabetes, from experience, sucks incredibly. It is very interesting though. And it is real. Not the kind of real I care to experience again, but the boost in insulin requirement at roughly 28 weeks was not theoretical for me because at 27 weeks, I suddenly couldn't eat grains any more and still keep my blood sugar levels under control without insulin. Sucky, but real.

 

 

First I don't read any blogs, just stuff here. Second, I really want to plan it out AND I want to avoid the junk experiments that don't really teach anything which was written about on another thread. (paraphrase)

Junk experiments annoy the heck out of me too. I don't read blogs either, but I've seen people on here post about particularly good sciencey blog entries, read experiments from the BFSU yahoo group and of course we have all the funky things recommended on here. The thing with junk experiments, is that while they are definitely junky without context, they can be quite illustrative with the context of the lesson you've just provided. I can't really list my "winners" because I haven't used any yet and haven't had the opportunity to sit down and do the detailed planning like you are describing as yet. If you want the scary list of ponderings and stuff I've collected so far, pm me your email address and I'll send it. It's full of lots of crappola designed to be seen by nobody but myself, so consider yourself warned.

 

 

Thank you so much for your ideas. It sounds like you're sold on the book and I sort of am as well... just from a distance, since I don't have it yet.

Sounds like you believe in the theory of inquiry based science but haven't quite internalized and become comfortable with it yet. How are you with history? That's the chronology of what people were doing, plus the laws, manners, clothing, food, systems of organisation etc. Science is just the laws, manners, clothing, food, systems of organisation etc of everyone and everything else that isn't a person. That's how I think of it anyway. Like history, there is far too much to ever learn all of it, so we should stop worrying about that, hit the parts we think are important and try to be methodical about what we actually do.

 

Rosie

Edited December 10, 2009 by Rosie_0801

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I have BFSU and have used it a little. We've been quite busy this school year and I've been exhausted as I'm having a baby next month. That being said, I am also a planner and planned out lessons to use this school year. What worked best for me was to read through an experiment book and pick experiments and other hands-on activities to go along with each lesson in BFSU. We also check books out of the library. So for each topic we have a pile of books and a box full of activities to explore. We are also building a notebook of information we have learned. Sometimes we'll do narrations of the books or activities, other times we'll make a chart or draw pictures. Somtimes I'll take a photo of the activities that we do. One thing that would have helped me implement this would have been if I had taken the time to gather all supplies over the summer and put them in a box, ready to use. At least the hard-to-find items.

 

I think you could easily stretch the lessons out for four years if that is what you wanted to do. This is, of course, if you add extra resources and activities to flesh it out. Next school year I plan to focus on just a few lessons. We will be doing a geography/biome study. I think it includes 3 or 4 lessons. We might cover a few of the other threads as time and interest allows, but these 3 or 4 lessons will be the focus of the year.

 

Fell free to ask more specific questions about how we do things. :)

[~Kirsten~]

Could you explain what you mean by the specific order is open-ended? Do you mean that the lessons in those threads could be placed in any order because their not very related or do you mean they don't reach a clear conclusion/point of the thread or something different?

 

If I am an organizer-type personality would you guess that I would hate those threads or are they still good, just maybe different/more difficult? If you have time, please tell me any more about C & D that you think would help me more.

 

Thanks so much for helping me.

I'll give this one a try. It's not like you do thread A lesson 1, then B1, then C1, and finally D1, then back to A2. So it's open-ended. You do A/B1, then you have a few options as where to go next (A2, or B2, or C1, etc). Sometimes you'll move from thread A into a different thread, and sometimes it will just make more sense to continue in A for a few lessons. This is the part that makes people really crazy sometimes. It did me! :D But really, it's nice because you can derail if you were so inclined. You can save things about plants sprouting until springtime.

 

Now, I think sometimes it's almost as forced to move into different threads as it is to separate out the different areas of science. But don't tell Dr. Nebel I said so! :lol:

 

I'm going with biology next year because...well, I love biology. I really like the way SWB has it divided, with animals, then the human body, and finally plants. I planned this year of BFSU deliberately to avoid much of the biology-type lessons, and I'll be sure to add some of that in next year. If I find that we're getting bored, we may return to BFSU. Really, it is a great resource to have no matter what. But with what you want, it will be a far cry from open-and-go. I believe the program could almost be open-and-go, but not if you want to supplement with experiments and such, and I think it's a much better program that way. Now, I really don't think fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pantsers would much like this program. You do have to schedule and organize, especially upfront.

 

I'll try to get back with a few books that have been big hits around here. If I forget, feel free to PM me. :001_smile:

[Rosie_0801]

Could you explain what you mean by the specific order is open-ended? Do you mean that the lessons in those threads could be placed in any order because their not very related or do you mean they don't reach a clear conclusion/point of the thread or something different?

 

There's a flow chart which shows topics in relation to sensible progressions. Some lessons are pre-requisites to others, so you need to do them first. Some lessons need to be taught side by side with others, so you would want to do a bit of each until they are done, or perhaps do one, then the other, then come back to the first just to emphasise the connection. Each lesson reaches a conclusion but I don't really think the book or the threads do. They are a bit more like meandering along a path that has so much further to go, which of course it does, because this is only the K-2 book. That's just what it seems like from reading. Maybe it feels different when you are actually working through it.

 

 

If I am an organizer-type personality would you guess that I would hate those threads or are they still good, just maybe different/more difficult?

I am also an organiser type, and the threads are ok with me. I think it depends whether you can find a plan which you feel happy with. Some organising types need everything down to the last detail written out definitively. Others, like me, are ok with the flexibility as long as we have all our resources pre-prepared to be pulled out when we want them. Along with kits and other stuff to buy, I also intend to write a list for each lesson of suitable books available at our library, along with the call number so I can easily check if they are available, and have some alternatives if they aren't. It'll also let me know if there is nothing good on topic in the library so I know to buy something.

 

Rosie

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Ok I am reading way too much about curriculum;) I am intrigued:) What is BFSU and do you have any links?

[Rosie_0801]

Ok I am reading way too much about curriculum;) I am intrigued:) What is BFSU and do you have any links?

 

 

Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding, and you can plug it right into Amazon.

 

:)

Rosie

[WyoSylvia]

...You do A/B1, then you have a few options as where to go next (A2, or B2, or C1, etc). Sometimes you'll move from thread A into a different thread, and sometimes it will just make more sense to continue in A for a few lessons.

Got it. I've not seen it explained this way before but I guess I should have realized that.

 

Now, I think sometimes it's almost as forced to move into different threads as it is to separate out the different areas of science. But don't tell Dr. Nebel I said so! :lol:

Does this mean I have something that I can hold over your head? :rolleyes:

 

I'm going with biology next year because...well, I love biology... If I find that we're getting bored, we may return to BFSU.

Thanks for explaining this. Your first post made me a wee bit fearful that BFSU wasn't so great.

 

I'll try to get back with a few books that have been big hits around here. If I forget, feel free to PM me. :001_smile:

I'll keep my eyes open for your post. I appreciate all the time you've spent answering my questions.

[WyoSylvia]

...Some lessons need to be taught side by side with others, so you would want to do a bit of each until they are done, or perhaps do one, then the other, then come back to the first just to emphasise the connection.

I'll remember that.

 

Some organising types need everything down to the last detail written out definitively.

I'm probably this type of person mainly because I've figured out that too many options makes me get the deer-in-the-headlights look and it takes me too long to plan when I have to make choices. I've learned this year to just sit down, make all the decisions ahead of time and then, my prep for each week is just gathering materials and pre-reading types of things. Much less stress for me.

How are you with history? ...hit the parts we think are important and try to be methodical about what we actually do.

I agree there is too much to ever learn about it all. My degree is in history and, this is embarrassingly sappy but, book stores used to make me all bummed because I knew that, even in little tiny shops, there were far too many books; awesome stories about history etc, that I just would never have time to really dig into it all. That said, I do think there is sort of a baseline knowledge about science that can be accomplished and I think that is what I liked about Nebel's book and his goals.

 

In your previous post, you mentioned all the things around you that you notice. That's where the difference lies. I'm too much in my own head or something to actually look. Oftentimes, I need either an assignment or someone else to alert me to things otherwise I'm always thinking about other things and too busy to notice. I've enjoyed the Outdoor Hour challenges because of this and I'm hoping that will continue with BFSU because it does seem to be so much about learning from what is actually around you.

[Satori]

We started using BFSU this year for my then 4 year old. If it helps any, I made a Google Spreadsheet of all the lessons in order that we plan to do.

 

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AlHHF7m2_5oTdFhQVTE5YzNrSmhUYXN2UENTbHVXTVE&hl=en

[Jen500]

We started using BFSU this year for my then 4 year old. If it helps any, I made a Google Spreadsheet of all the lessons in order that we plan to do.

 

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AlHHF7m2_5oTdFhQVTE5YzNrSmhUYXN2UENTbHVXTVE&hl=en

 

Angela (or anyone else :)), how is BFSU with 4/5 yr olds? My son is just 5, and I'm planning on using BFSU with him, but I'm not sure when age-wise to start. He's interested in science and gets a lot through his older brothers, but I want to make the most of the book.

[Satori]

I think it's perfect for 4/5 to start. It is for Kindergarten through 2nd grade if I recall. The next book will be coming out this spring for the next grades.

 

We're only on lesson 6, but if you want to peek at some photos of what we've done (for those of you who read blogs, hehe):

http://satorismiles.com/tag/bfsu/

 

I have my schedule ahead of time, so I get a few library books related to the next 2 topics. We have science experiment books on hand and I try to pick out a few related experiments. Last fall, when my daughter was 4, she loved doing science and the experiments. I don't think anything was over her head, and even I've been learning things. :)

[Jen500]

I think it's perfect for 4/5 to start. It is for Kindergarten through 2nd grade if I recall. The next book will be coming out this spring for the next grades.

 

We're only on lesson 6, but if you want to peek at some photos of what we've done (for those of you who read blogs, hehe):

http://satorismiles.com/tag/bfsu/

 

I have my schedule ahead of time, so I get a few library books related to the next 2 topics. We have science experiment books on hand and I try to pick out a few related experiments. Last fall, when my daughter was 4, she loved doing science and the experiments. I don't think anything was over her head, and even I've been learning things. :)

 

Thanks Angela...your blog makes it look fun!! I like your daughter's drawing of gas. :lol:

[WyoSylvia]

We're only on lesson 6, but if you want to peek at some photos of what we've done (for those of you who read blogs, hehe):

http://satorismiles.com/tag/bfsu/ :)

Thanks for posting this. I really liked how, when you set up your experiments, they looked very "sciency." I don't know if that makes any sense, but the cups and trays made it look properly investigatory!

 

Oh no, does this mean I'm a blog reader!???

 

I also nabbed your spreadsheet, thanks. If I decide that this is the route I'm going to take then I'll be using all the plans people have been sharing to make my own. I'm seriously NOT into re-inventing the wheel.