Great Science Adventures or Considering God's Creation?

[mystika1]

Hi,

I am looking for a activity style science that has the same feel as the history pockets books. My daughter likes history pockets and learns well with it so I started looking for the same style curriculum in science. Anyone can give me an opinion for use with a 1st grader with the possiblity of using it again later?

 

Thanks,

 

Penny

[karensk]

...then Great Science Adventures might work, too.

 

You'll probably have to help her with some of the cutting and assembling; a lot of paper-handling tasks are required, compared to most curricula. But the little booklets and flap-things and other paper creations are pretty neat. For us, it was hard to find the time to do it all (the space/astronomy book). So, I really liked it but needed something simpler. I also thought the experiments & hands-on activities were quite good compared to most other curricula I'd seen for astronomy at this level.

 

If you go with Great Science Adventures, you'll probably want to add in a bunch of library books on space, since there aren't any color photographs in the text.

 

HTH!

[EmeraldGirl]

Have you considered Lapbooks? They are available from Knowledge Box Central to accompany the elementary Apologia science books. Free samples are available on line for a complete unit for each book.

[EmeraldGirl]

Forgot to mention we enjoy Considering God's Creation also and it makes a very nice Notebooking project when complete, similar to the History Pockets.

[MelissaMom]

:bigear: I was just starting to look into Great Science Adventures myself...although I'm also considering God's Design for H & E doing lots of lapbooks. But GSA is much cheaper...and I have lots of books on my shelf and have a good library.

 

Is is my understanding that it's hard to 'copy' these pages right? I've read here and there that they have to be duplexed and line up to work correctly? Anyone have experience with this? That would be BAD for me to have to mess with that:confused:

[Thea]

:bigear: I was just starting to look into Great Science Adventures myself...although I'm also considering God's Design for H & E doing lots of lapbooks. But GSA is much cheaper...and I have lots of books on my shelf and have a good library.

 

Is is my understanding that it's hard to 'copy' these pages right? I've read here and there that they have to be duplexed and line up to work correctly? Anyone have experience with this? That would be BAD for me to have to mess with that:confused:

 

I'm using GSA's Earth's Landforms and Surface features with my 10 yo. Once you get used to the copying, it's not difficult. I use mine here at home without any problem.

 

She really enjoys the hands on aspect and the lapbook you create is pretty cool. The information is pretty basic, but you could easily add to the program.

 

Here are a couple of pics.

 

 

[Lori D.]

For science with a 1st grader, enjoy kits, experiments, and hands-on! Science really is best learned through seeing, touching, doing. The following 2 books are terrific with tons of 5 minute experiments that really do only require a few things that you really do have around the house:

 

365 Simple Science Experiments with Everyday Materials = http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Science-Experiments-Everyday-Materials/dp/1884822673/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268720329&sr=8-1

 

365 More Simple Science Experiments with Everyday Materials ] = http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Science-Experiments-Everyday-Materials/dp/1579120350/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268720329&sr=8-2

 

If you really want some paper projects to go along with your hands-on, how about making a lapbook or booklets using the reproducibles from Dinah Zike's Big Book of Science Projects?

 

 

At least for us, our short review of Great Science Adventures: Too much about cutting and folding paper and not enough information and exeriments. More of a resource list than a program. Best for grade 3-5 students who love cutting/folding paper. Below are some past threads with more reviews that may give you a more complete picture of the series. BEST of luck, whatever you go with! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

Thoughts on Great Science Adventures?

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72137&highlight=great+science+adventures

 

Great Science Adventures -- Opinions?

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31691&highlight=Great+science+adventures

 

Opinions on Great Science Adventures by Dinah Zike

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23749&highlight=Great+science+adventures

Edited March 16, 2010 by Lori D.
correction

[Osaubi]

I used GSA Space in a co-op setting. I had the binding cut off, and had them copied at Office Depot. I told them what I wanted and they might have a hard time lining up the front and back of the books. It took them less than 5 min to figure it out, and they only charged me .05 cents per side.

 

I used the graphics section to make simple worksheets for the kids to fill out. It was much easier and faster than trying to have them cut and paste things.

 

I liked the structure of the program, the little books were engaging to my kids, and it was easy to supplement.

 

I found some of the chapters experiments were too simple or overly complicated. I substituted with Janice VanCleave books for some of the projects. I also used Brain Pop videos to help cement the concepts.

 

The review class was wonderful! I was amazed at how much they retained, even knowing specific Astronomers and what they were known for. To me that makes all the cutting and pasting worth it.

 

I am buying up the other copies when I see the used ones for sale.

[Osaubi]

I used GSA Space in a co-op setting. I had the binding cut off, and had them copied at Office Depot. I told them what I wanted and they might have a hard time lining up the front and back of the books. It took them less than 5 min to figure it out, and they only charged me .05 cents per side.

 

I used the graphics section to make simple worksheets for the kids to fill out. It was much easier and faster than trying to have them cut and paste things.

 

I liked the structure of the program, the little books were engaging to my kids, and it was easy to supplement.

 

I found some of the chapters experiments were too simple or overly complicated. I substituted with Janice VanCleave books for some of the projects. I also used Brain Pop videos to help cement the concepts.

 

The review class was wonderful! I was amazed at how much they retained, even knowing specific Astronomers and what they were known for. To me that makes all the cutting and pasting worth it.

 

I am buying up the other copies when I see the used ones for sale.