coffeefreak Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 What do you think of it? If nothing else, are the books worth it? I'm looking at 1850-Mod, but you can answer about any of the years. I'm all :bigear: Thanks! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCoppock Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 This is our second year using MFW for science and I would say it is OK. It is very hit and miss. Last year we used Rome to Reformation and the Anatomy selection was HORRIBLE!! They used The Body Book by Scholastics as one of the main books. If we had to cut an paste one more thing I was going to scream. My son hated it and we ended up never finishing it. Another book used was Usborne First Encyclopedia of the Human Body. This one seemed really geared to a much younger child than my son who was 9 at the time. The best pick in they in my opinion was Janice VanCleave's The Human Body for Every Kid. We actually really enjoyed this book and did almost all of the experiments. We used this for vocabulary and made science note books to add to our study. The second part of the year uses Apologia Astronomy which we skipped for a later time. The Exploration to 1850 book starts out with Animal study which has been very enjoyable for us. It uses God's Design for Science: The Animal Kingdom which is very simplistic. We actually really like this book which remains informative without all the extras. The other book, The World of Animals, is written from a world view. It is an amazing book with lots of pictures and facts. We usually add in a lot of Zoo time and our own activities to fill in gaps. The second part of the year will be Botany using Apologia Science. I have flipped through the book and can already see this will be a good fit for our family. I already asked the owner of the nursery next door if he would give us a tour and we know a farmer who will allow us to come and watch them plow, plant, and harvest the crops. I think all of this along with our membership to the botanical garden will make for a great study. I have looked at what would be offered next year if we decide to stick to MFW and honestly I am not impressed. I have noticed that we are using less and less of MFW recommendations and I think we are ready for a change. I purchased RS4K almost 2 years ago and never got to it and think we might use that next year combined with ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Loud traffic woke me up early.. and I've used a lot of MFW programs... so I'll type... My family really likes the science. My dh holds a PHD in chemistry and works as a research scientist in a research hospital. We're fine with the MFW science. Their program helps us meet our goals. One of my dh's goals in our homeschool elementary sequence is "The principal objectives of elementary-level science should be to teach students to be curious about the world around them, to train them to observe, and to provide an introduction to the scientific method. " so.... ECC: it's a year of learning biomes/habitats and other science related to geography. some hands on stuff. But given the topic,you aren't going to be blowing up the kitchen all the time. I liked the notebooking approach in 1st edition ECC. 2nd edition uses Properties of Ecosystems. CTG: I know I'm the odd ball on this. We like the science this year in CTG. Why? because it covers a wealth of general science topics and also introduces more about scientific method. My now 5th grader is able to add in fun library books on topics, and enjoy hands on projects for it. I like that it does overwhelm the day especially knowing that she'll get it all again 7th grade in a jr. high course. I feel like an odd ball: my kids really liked the RTR science and body book. They did the cutting and when it was done we had a neat skeleton to hang up. We enjoyed the Astronomy book a lot! That was the year that the rich grandparents got us a telescope and we ended up seeing the rings of Saturn from our front yard. wow! EX1850: taxonomy. I liked that it was again -- on elementary level. You read a little bit, do a quick project to cement the facts, a little quiz or notebooking project. I can remember veteran homeschoolers around me constantly saying "that's all they need." So one of the "classical bent" co-ops that year used the science from that program. 2nd semester was Botany. I have mixed reviews about that Apologia book -- some parts I liked, others I just preferred going outside with a digital camera and doing nature journaling and visiting greenhouses. Glad we did it -- glad it was only a semester with that book instead of a whole year. We really enjoyed the longer term project in that semester when we ended up growing a bean plant that started in a bag in a dark closet, transferred to a mason jar. We nicknamed the plant Charlotte Mason. It grew, we had leaves, flower and even a bean pod. All from indoors in the winter on the kitchen window sill. Sadly CharlotteMason (our plant) ended too soon, when our cat ate it. so, I guess we had our share of science "cat"astrophe. ;) and the program you asked about: 1850MOD: It's been 2 years since we did that program. I remember my kids really liked the experiments that year. I remember one of those experiments didn't work well (it involved something with an onion soaking.) But that year at the co-op academic fair it was fun for us to find about 5 of our favorite experiments to set back up at the fair and let others enjoy it. I can remember planning for the academic fair and thinking "man, the science seemed light this year?" but then -- as we went through each week, it was unbelievable all we did. I said we had fun picking up 5 favorites to display -- but it was way more than 5 favorites that we could have done. We enjoyed the links to the Usborne site to read a little bit more and have even more experiments. The World of Science: that fit our style nicely. 200 plus pages in an encyclopedia format. My then 3rd grader could read/listen to the first paragraph on the 2 page spread, enjoy the pictures and captions. My then 6th grade could enjoy the full 2 page spread. Definitely for upper elementary age for general science topics. Lots of time to encourage independent learning on the topics too (I like that!) I like that they get more library books on a topic or want to watch a video about the topic. I like letting them make notebooks and take pictures as we go along. My oldest transitioned to Apologia jr. high in 7th grade. She enjoys that series now. My next kid -- still loves science. She enjoys nature walks and visiting zoos and botanical gardens. She likes "blowing up the kitchen" too. We've enjoyed it. Are the books worth it? 1850MOD, the World of Science is upper elementary book. color pictures, text for the age. Some times it might seem to go over the heads of younger ones --- but we took MFW's advice in the manual and just read the opening paragraph and had the younger one do the experiments and library books and notebooking. -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 We are using Elemental Science and RS4K together for chemistry. It is a great combo. :) I have looked at what would be offered next year if we decide to stick to MFW and honestly I am not impressed. I have noticed that we are using less and less of MFW recommendations and I think we are ready for a change. I purchased RS4K almost 2 years ago and never got to it and think we might use that next year combined with ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenni Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 We've used MFW K, 1st, ADV, and ECC. Honestly in 1st and ADV we didn't use much of the science. Using ECC this year and we strongly dislike Properties of Ecosystems. My oldest child is 8. My children love learning, are very curious, love being read to, and have an excellent vocabulary. We regularly dig into encyclopedias when questions come up and we read, read, read (gotta love MFW's book basket lists!) I say that all that to say these children are not couch potatoes who don't get talked to or exposed to things. Maybe it is the topic, maybe it is the author's way, whatever it is, we do not like the book. The kids do like the Usborne book, but I am not hot on that. I have no question that the science offered in MFW programs is enough. I'm just not sure their choice of materials is right for this family. I looked ahead at what is offered w/ CTG. Looked at samples online and checked out Genesis for Kids from the library. I really feel it will be a miss for us, so I started looking elsewhere for science. However, I have a dear friend who has used all the programs through CTG and she loved Genesis for Kids! so it all depends on who you are and what you want. I didn't like that we are not taking the time to do nature walks. It is scheduled in MFW, but we're too busy filling the bucket with facts from Properties of Ecosystems and A Trip Around the World to take the time to light a fire with nature walks. So, I have come to realize that nature study is what I want more of for my children at this young stage and nature study they will have! So evaluate and know what you want for your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted February 16, 2010 Author Share Posted February 16, 2010 That's helpful. Thanks guys! With my oldest, we've done everything except Chemistry and Physics. I'm going to ponder what you've said before I make my final decision. If we did MFW science, I would probably combine it with RS4K. I have the chemistry books and I could pick up the Physics books at Convention. If, after this, we went on to do any of the other MFW years, we wouldn't use their science because it wouldn't match up with what we're doing. It's totally a fluke that it is doable this year. Thanks! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted February 16, 2010 Author Share Posted February 16, 2010 We are using Elemental Science and RS4K together for chemistry. It is a great combo. :) BTW, did you see you're almost to 10000 posts?!?! We should make a thread just for you so we can watch you roll over!:lol: That's Awesome! :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Oh no! Don't count my posts! :001_unsure::leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCoppock Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 This looks nice and seems like it will be easy to combine. I had never heard of it before. Thanks! We are using Elemental Science and RS4K together for chemistry. It is a great combo. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted February 17, 2010 Author Share Posted February 17, 2010 Oh no! Don't count my posts! :001_unsure::leaving: OH NO!!!! I JINXED YOU!!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 We love MFW and we do use the science. Their science is our least favorite part of the curriculum. This is our 3rd year and we wind up feeling the same each year. We've done 90% of it up to about 2 weeks ago and I just quit bothering for a couple of weeks. We're picking back up because it "needs" to be done. Overall, I'm okay with it not being fantastic because I like the other stuff and at least it's scheduled in there. We do better with 1-6th science than we did before starting MFW because it is scheduled. I'm not a science person...I'm a get-science-out-of-the-way person!! ;) That didn't sound very encouraging, did it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 I have no question that the science offered in MFW programs is enough. I'm just not sure their choice of materials is right for this family. I looked ahead at what is offered w/ CTG. Looked at samples online and checked out Genesis for Kids from the library. I really feel it will be a miss for us, so I started looking elsewhere for science. However, I have a dear friend who has used all the programs through CTG and she loved Genesis for Kids! so it all depends on who you are and what you want. GFK is what we're using this year. We're not crazy about it. My oldest child that is still in the 5year cycle will be in 7th next year, so he'll move on to Apologia (which we do love), and I am thinking I may do more nature walks, etc. with the younger 2 who will be 1st grade and 4yo K. I think they'd get a lot out of the nature walks, moreso than science. We'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 We are using RTR this year and I didn't care for the science. I bought the 6th grade CLE Light Units that correspond to the topics being covered (Anatomy and Astronomy) and my daughter is using those instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 This looks nice and seems like it will be easy to combine. I had never heard of it before. Thanks!Your welcome. We are really loving the chemistry. I have heard that ES uses Janice VanCleave books in the other levels, so I am not sure what we will do as we don't like Janice VanCleave books. I love the ES student pages that I have seen in the other levels though, and it is my favorite feature of chemistry. I'd hate to give those up. I am looking at Ring of Fire DVD's to combine with WP Sea and Sky after we are done with this... I know TMI, no one asked, but that's why I have so many post, don't you know?:tongue_smilie::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandKsmama Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 This is our 5th year using MFW - and we've always done the science as scheduled in the TM. Some we LOVED (so funny how different things "fit" different families - we absolutely adored the RTR science year. My kids still talk about making that body LOL), some we have not really liked at all. But, overall, my kids have a solid knowledge of a breadth of science topics, and they absolutely love science. My 8th grader is doing General Science this year (and she is so NOT a science girl), and was well prepared by her previous 4 years of MFW science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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