Trying to wrap my brain around the Nebel Science books

[Aludlam]

I'm trying to understand how to "use" these books (BFSU,etc). I see that in the first one that it is 41 lesson plans for K-2. Is it really K-2, or could an older child use it? Also, do you use supplemental reading materials? Are these assigned in the book, or are they of your own choosing? Could you jump into the next level (I forget the name), without ever having done the first level? Is this a complete curriculum? I'm totally confused and rambling. I am a scientist, and have never found a curriculum that meshed well with us. If anyone uses this, could you please, please tell me what/how??

[cmarango]

Hi Angela,

 

I am sure that a few others will jump in here as well so this is mainly a bump for you.

 

BFSU does give supplemental reading suggestions at the end of each topic, but you can surely add your own as well. I'm not sure how much science you have done with your dc, but I am assuming you have done quite a bit since you said that you are a scientist. With that in mind I would browse the table of contents of the first book to see if there is anything that you have not covered. If you have covered the concepts, then I would go to the next book.

 

I am using BFSU as a K program, but I see that I have already introduced probably half the topics that are covered already (eg. Most animal and plant topics, many of the earth sciences). However, I do plan on moving on to a more TWTM bio study after that. I just think that our first time through bio may end up looking more like an UG bio sequence since we are such a science family.

 

So far, I love BFSU's ideas and I believe that this is the way that science is meant to be taught.

 

Now, hopefully some one who has extensively used it will give you their opinion since I am only in the planning phase and do not plan on implementing it until next Jan.

[Tracy]

Is it really K-2, or could an older child use it?

 

Yes, an older child could definitely use, but at a faster pace.

 

Could you jump into the next level (I forget the name), without ever having done the first level?

 

The author recommends going through the first level, even with an older child, because the second level builds off the first level. Once again, though, you would go through it much more quickly.

 

Also, do you use supplemental reading materials? Are these assigned in the book, or are they of your own choosing?

 

There is recommended supplemental reading listed at the end of each lesson, which I have used at times. It is absolutely unnecessary for the lesson--purely supplemental and optional. I often cannot find the books at the library (and I have a very good ILL system). So I have looked for other books with inconsistent success.

 

Is this a complete curriculum? I'm totally confused and rambling.

 

Yes, it is a complete science curriculum, with lesson plans grouped in the following areas of science--nature of matter, life science, physical science, and earth and space science.

 

I am a scientist, and have never found a curriculum that meshed well with us. If anyone uses this, could you please, please tell me what/how??

 

FWIW, my dh is a physics teacher, and he is very impressed with BFSU. He says there is material in there that he teaches his high school students.

 

In terms of using BFSU, the lesson plans are intended to be used in a spiral fashion, repeatedly cycling through the four threads and building upon what has previously been taught.

 

Do you have the book(s)? Can you be more specific concerning what you need help with?

[Ariston]

I've been using it this year with my 6 year old and love it. It focuses on critical thinking and observation. Other science books that I looked at either dogmatically teach 'facts,' or focus on a lot of experiments which, in my opinion, aren't very effective for teaching (though they are lots of fun.)

 

I would definitely recommend going through all the lessons, even if you've already covered the topics before. I find the book has an eye opening approach even to common subject matter.

[Rosie_0801]

Some on the yahoo group have used it with 12 year olds successfully, but, as others have said, moved through it faster than they would with a little tacker.

 

Rosie