Anyone else mainly reading for science this year?

[Forget-Me-Not]

I'm HS a K'er and a 2nd grader. I bought Elemental Science Biology, and I like it, but we just never seem to get to the worksheets. We read about the animals and do the experiments. It just seems like my kids are over worksheets by the time we get to science.

 

They seem to be retaining what we're reading, but I'm worried that I'm not doing enough. . .

[Kirch]

We're pretty much just reading and narrating (and drawing) as described in WTM. If they can tell you back what you've read, IMO that's fine for those ages. Even getting TO science is an accomplishment! I'd encourage you to let it be a chance for exploration and fun discoveries rather than worry too much about pencil and paper evaluations. My boys remember what they learn through exploration and discovery activities MUCH better anyway!

[Hedgehog]

We've got a really busy term - a complicated house move at the end of it - so we're just reading Science and History. We might do some narrations/copywork/dictation but it'll be under the English umbrella for now if we do.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Phew! Okay, so I'm not the only one :D I think we're going to fast-track it through the animals section and go to the human body soon too. My son is getting bored with animals and habitats, since he got some of that last year in PS 1st grade.

[MaMa2005]

We are reading and 'acting out' scenes from The Human Body. It is the comedy in our day and DS seems to be retaining what we are learning.

[Poke Salad Annie]

We are reading through a few science spines with some notebooking and writing. I am also adding in a vintage science experiment book aimed at 4th through 6th grades which has nice explanations behind the results.

[~Kirsten~]

Yeah, don't worry! Sounds to me like you're doing more that "just reading" anyway. :D Honestly, I do the writing/filling-out-of-worksheets for my daughter anyway (we use Elemental Science, too). I think the meat of the program is the reading, so you're all set!

 

Also, for the record, I think it'd be easy to jet on through animals at a double-clip at least, especially if since your son covered it last year. Or even (gasp!) skip to just his favorite animals. We did plants first, and I thought it was quite meaty and interesting, plus I think you could draw that out a bit longer than 6 weeks if you wanted (more experiments, taking more time with the reading, supplementing with extra book), just in case you're worried about filling the year if you skip ahead.

 

Enjoy!

[mama25angels]

yes, we're just reading and narrating, not even doing experiments yet.

[siloam]

I'm HS a K'er and a 2nd grader. I bought Elemental Science Biology, and I like it, but we just never seem to get to the worksheets. We read about the animals and do the experiments. It just seems like my kids are over worksheets by the time we get to science.

 

They seem to be retaining what we're reading, but I'm worried that I'm not doing enough. . .

 

That is enough. I never got to experiments for years becuase I had way to many "helping" hands and nothing ever worked right. Some one accidentally helped it go wrong.

 

Now my oldest just does it on her own. :D

 

Heather

[Carol in Cal.]

Worksheets are not nearly as effective as discussion and narration.

 

Do you have the Magic School Bus books? I suggest getting the whole set and reading them over and over to your children. Great general information about a very wide variety of subjects. Perfect for 2nd grade.

 

Also, join a science or natural history museum and go for a LONG TIME when you visit. Make sure the kids know it really, really well, so that to find new things to learn they MUST dig deep. After you've done that to death, go back and tell them they MUST learn 10 new things. It's amazing how much they can do with one of those places, faced with such an assignment. It only works, though, if it's a place that is thoroughly familiar to start with.

[Hedgehog]

I never got to experiments for years becuase I had way to many "helping" hands and nothing ever worked right. Some one accidentally helped it go wrong.

 

:lol: this is SO our experience!

[Forget-Me-Not]

Ha ha, yes, experiments usually consist of me holding the two year old on my hip while reminding my older two, "Don't touch that yet!" and rapidly gathering remaining items because I wasn't disciplined enough to read the experiment thoroughly and collect everything we'd need :D

 

Do you have the Magic School Bus books?

 

Also, join a science or natural history museum and go for a LONG TIME when you visit. Make sure the kids know it really, really well, so that to find new things to learn they MUST dig deep. After you've done that to death, go back and tell them they MUST learn 10 new things. It's amazing how much they can do with one of those places, faced with such an assignment. It only works, though, if it's a place that is thoroughly familiar to start with.

 

Oh yes, I think we have every MSB book known to mankind :) Some of them are so well loved they really need to be replaced. And we do have a science/natural history/exploration park type thing here that we have a membership for and we go frequently.

 

Okay, I'm not feeling like such a slacker now! :D

[Poke Salad Annie]

Also, join a science or natural history museum and go for a LONG TIME when you visit. Make sure the kids know it really, really well, so that to find new things to learn they MUST dig deep. After you've done that to death, go back and tell them they MUST learn 10 new things. It's amazing how much they can do with one of those places, faced with such an assignment. It only works, though, if it's a place that is thoroughly familiar to start with.

 

Great advice, and what a wonderful way to make use of a museum membership.