CPO Earth Science Question

[Blossom'sGirl]

I ordered the latest edition Earth Science Books used and just got them. I am curious about how much time to schedule for each chapter. I usually only do science 2x per week but we could make them longer sessions.

 

I was also wondering if I should have my children write the answers to all the end chapter assessments or did just discuss some orally? I am not sure how to approach this with both a 5th and 7th grader.

 

I really like the layout of the books and they are definitely more reader friendly than the Prentice Hall books. I got the TM, SB and investigations (although I see they are on the website). Now I am trying to wrap my brain around making it work.

 

I am also curious which lab materials are most useful to buy. I am thinking I could engineer a sand table using a long underbed storage tote with a drain added. This would be a summer project. The geobox is really cool but is it worth it? It seems like it is used for several investigations.

 

Thanks

[Melabella]

:lurk5:

[HSDCY]

:bigear:

 

We are using this next year, it'll be nice to hear from someone who's already done it.

[dancer67]

What is CPO?

[Matryoshka]

Okay, I'm doing Life Science this year, not Earth Science (which we may also do next year, I know that's "backward" in their sequence, but oh well...) but I can share how we've paced it, which has worked very well.

 

We do 2 weeks per chapter. The first week, the kids read the text and answer the section reviews. I also print off many of the "Skill Sheets" available free on the CPO website, which have scientist biographies, extra math activities, all kinds of great stuff.

 

The second week the kids do the Assessment. I do have them answer all the questions on paper. We're doing this with a couple of other families, so they're supposed to turn them in to whoever's teaching. Then we meet biweekly for the labs.

 

I can't answer the questions about the Earth Science lab equipment, as I haven't really looked at what it involves yet (perhaps I should go do that...)

[Blossom'sGirl]

Thanks. I was figuring about 2 weeks per chapter.

 

dancer67 - If you google CPO science you will find it. We are talking about their Middle School Programs. CPO isn't one of our homeschool board acronyms. I'm not even sure what it stands for.

[Matryoshka]

CPO isn't one of our homeschool board acronyms. I'm not even sure what it stands for.

 

Cambridge Physics Outlet. Their first text was Physics - if you look you'll see that their high school level materials are all Physics and Physical Science. The team that wrote the books are mostly MIT and Harvard professors (rather than the anonymous textbook company writers that groupwrite most textbooks in the US) - hence the "Cambridge". My brother has met the founder of the project who wrote the first Physics text.

[navywife]

i didn't see anywhere on this CPO site how/where to order from them as just a homeschooling family (not in bulk)....

 

I wrote to them a few days ago but haven't heard back.

 

HOld my hand and guide me to/through it please. ;)

[Blossom'sGirl]

Cambridge Physics Outlet. My brother has met the founder of the project who wrote the first Physics text.

 

That's just cool. I love that it was really science people who wrote these and not big box textbook companies.

 

navywife - I got the ISBN's from the website and bought the books from Amazon Marketplace. Beware, the labs supplies are expensive if your not into making do with other things. They're several videos on the website showing how to use the equipment which is great.

[HSDCY]

i didn't see anywhere on this CPO site how/where to order from them as just a homeschooling family (not in bulk)....

 

I wrote to them a few days ago but haven't heard back.

 

HOld my hand and guide me to/through it please. ;)

 

I do receive their catalogs, but it's expensive to go through them.

 

I got mine from eBay for $30 new. There are different editions so you need to pay attention to that if you want a specific edition.

[HSDCY]

Okay, I'm doing Life Science this year, not Earth Science (which we may also do next year, I know that's "backward" in their sequence, but oh well...) but I can share how we've paced it, which has worked very well.

 

We do 2 weeks per chapter. The first week, the kids read the text and answer the section reviews. I also print off many of the "Skill Sheets" available free on the CPO website, which have scientist biographies, extra math activities, all kinds of great stuff.

 

The second week the kids do the Assessment. I do have them answer all the questions on paper. We're doing this with a couple of other families, so they're supposed to turn them in to whoever's teaching. Then we meet biweekly for the labs.

 

I can't answer the questions about the Earth Science lab equipment, as I haven't really looked at what it involves yet (perhaps I should go do that...)

Thank you, it's very helpful.

[HockeyMom]

What text do you have? The California "Focus on" Earth Science or CPO's standard text? I'm asking because not all the lab experiments are the same. Some of the resources I have pulled together myself (vs. those that I have purchased) might not be helpful to you.

[Blossom'sGirl]

I have the standard text not the Focus on ones.

[kangato3]

I am also curious which lab materials are most useful to buy. I am thinking I could engineer a sand table using a long underbed storage tote with a drain added. This would be a summer project. The geobox is really cool but is it worth it? It seems like it is used for several investigations.

 

Thanks

 

I found a clear plastic storage bin did quite well with investigations using the geobox. We use a paint tray liner as a scaled down sand tray. Since many labs called for bathymetric maps, I purchased a pad of these directly from CPO (shown in their catalog, but not at the website). I beleive the pad was about 7 or 8 dollars for 50 maps (more than enough for all three of my kids to cycle through this curriculum).

 

Louise

[kangato3]

We average about 2 weeks per chapter. The teacher's manual indicates when to work in the investigations; they're usually scheduled in before the related section reading. So we usually start the week with an investigation, then reading/note-taking and section reviews. I also add in biographies and some of the skill sheets available at the website. We do the chapter connection, and if feasible, the chapter activity. (I found that the Physical Science book has more readily doable chapter activities than the Earth Science). I have my kids write out the answers to the chapter assessment.

 

Louise

[HockeyMom]

Michelle,

 

I've got CPO's California resources. With respect to scheduling, I’m probably not the best person to give you advice on this. You know what they say about best laid plans. Well, my science schedule, after being reworked a number of times, has been burned in the woodstove and we’re now winging it! :blink:

 

 

I'm going to suggest that you take some time to review your teacher’s manual, the student text, CPO’s website, and the investigations workbook in detail. There’s a ton of stuff you can do with this course and I wish I had scrutinized all the materials more closely before setting down a schedule.

1. There are 32 lab investigations. Do you want to do them all? We are.
   
2. Will you require formal lab write-ups for each and every investigation? I do, however occasionally my son can complete just the investigation record sheets.
   
3. There are teaching demonstrations and additional hands-on activities in the teacher’s manual. Do you want to do those too? I do many of these, but we set up the teacher demos as student labs with and without proper lab write-ups.
   
4. In the student text there are chapter activities and projects – more hands on, if you want it! We do some of these assignments, but I avoid any that seem like busy work.
   
5. There are supplementary worksheet activities to reinforce lab skills, graphing, SI units, math applications, etc. Will you incorporate these in your plans? Initially I wasn’t going to, but some of the worksheets have been useful and can be done orally. These supporting worksheets might be helpful if your grade 5 son needs a little extra practice.
   
6. Literature selections are indicated in the teacher’s manual. Are you planning to fill out your study of earth science with these recommendations or other books of your own choosing or internet links? This will take up some time.
   
7. Reading from the student text shouldn’t be onerous, but how will you handle the unit/chapter questions? Do you want to use them for written work, quizzes, or tests? I do most of these questions orally, but sometimes I’ll pick out a few for quiz questions which require written responses. Will your kids take notes after reading? Will you have your students keep vocabulary cards or complete diagrams in their science notebooks?
   

Once you get a feel for what you want out of this program, you’ll have an easier time coming up with a workable schedule. My California Earth Science teacher’s manual sets out a total of 190, 45 minute class periods to tackle the course. We do science every second school day and it’s been a challenge to do all that we want to do from CPO and include some extras as well. I’ve decided to extend out Earth Science into next year. There’s a fair amount of physical science in the CPO text, so I’m O.K. with taking longer.

 

Good luck with your planning, Michelle. I hope you're more successful than I with respect to scheduling ;).

 

I don't think CPO's specialized equipment is necessary. We've rigged up our own stream table and labs using the geobox are doable so long as you can find a suitable, clear plastic box with a lid. For topographical mapping, clay can be used for a landform and graduations can be marked on the outside of the box with a grease pen. You might have to get a little more creative when you're looking at the "Convection in the Atmosphere" lab. Holes in the plastic box shouldn't be too difficult and clear plastic cups could be fastened and then sealed for chimneys.

 

If you're not crazy about constructing your own lab equipment and CPO is cost prohibitive, you can check out the offerings from other science suppliers. I think I've seen less expensive student grade stream tables, convection chambers, topographical mapping kits, etc., etc., in catalogues from Home Science Tools, Delta Education, or Nasco. All these vendors have webisites.

[Blossom'sGirl]

Thanks for the very detailed response Michelle. I was looking at the science a few weeks ago and then got distracted by trying to figure out history for next year. BTW, I see your from B.C. it looks beautiful on TV. Hopefully someday we will make it there.

 

I am thinking my science planning will be more big picture rather than individual lessons which never work for me either. When I get the chance I will comb through the TM next and figure out would would be most beneficial for my crowd. As far as the section reviews, I think I may have to do a mix of discussing and writing but I know I need to go through that beforehand.

 

I have to laugh because just as I was typing this and looking at the student book, my 6 and 4yo's came over and asked a ton of questions about the pictures in the books. We just covered the water cycle, geysers, plate tectonics, tornadoes, and the earth's insides in about 10 minutes. Now my 4yo is running around chanting "You can't get to the inner core." I think they will be easily engaged in science next year.

[navywife]

moving this to a different thread.

[dancer67]

My daughter saw samples of this yesterday, and she is literally drooling over this Science program. She loves, loves Earth Science.

 

I have to admit, I am a little nervous about teaching it. I am a "science" person, but I am more into the Anatomy/Physiology/Physical Sciences then Earth.

 

I placed my order through Amazon yesterday for the regular Earth Science books, and they have already been shipped. Can't wait to get them.