Text book + Living Books Anyone?

[amandajh]

I have had a request (from my children) to use Abeka text books for Science and History. I have some used 3rd grade texts that we have pulled from on occasion and they are really wanting "their own books like these". We are currently doing MFW ECC and they are not happy with it. I am not either, but had been determined to finish it up anyway. I have been reading from the Abeka 3rd grade science book to try and explain hard concepts from the MFW science and that is why this discussion began in the first place with my children.

I quizzed them on the things they have learned in MFW ECC vs. what they remembered from the Abeka text book and it was a sad, sad result. They remembered details of the Abeka and almost nothing from the MFW!

So what now? I don't know:confused: I may just continue with ECC and add some Abeka text to it for the remainder of this year?

 

My real question is for next year. Do any of you use something like an Abeka text book for history and science, and then pull living books in for the kids to read also?

 

Soconfused.....has become my middle name.

[mytwomonkeys]

we use and LOVE abeka history for 3rd grade. we've not previously used anything from abeka, and honestly i'm a bit shocked at how much my daughter and i love it. it really was just a fluke that i purchased it honestly & my expectations were rather low... i am pleasantly surprised!! we love it! it's written at her reading level, but i actually read it to her, as it's great snuggle time! we discuss the comprehension questions and it's all rather informal. the map & geography book is nice, and she's learning so much. she is retaining everything!! since the student text is just biographies, it is very easy to supplement with additional living books, movies, activities and crafts, etc. we will definitely be using it next year for 4th grade. i can't be sure that i'll continue to love it, but we definitely love 3rd grade history!! for science, i'm thinking about purchasing BJU next year (for my daughter only - my son will use CLP). i read here several times that BJU is very good, so i'm considering that next year in lieu of R&S (which we think is rather dry). hth.

 

ETA - we also own and enjoy "american tales reader" & the accompanying activity guide from rainbow resource. it is wonderful too and seems to complement abeka 3rd & 4th grade history s&s nicely.

 

american tales reader: http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/American+Tales+Reader/042498/1292030682-1302557

 

activity guide: http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/American+Tales+Activity+Guide/042497/1292030682-1302557

Edited December 11, 2010 by mytwomonkeys

[Guest Cindie2dds]

You know, I was talking with a girlfriend of mine tonight and asked her what she was using. She said ABEKA 3rd grade history for her second grader and they are loving it. She was shocked because she had never ordered anything from them before. If your kids learn from it, why not? I have adored certain curricula and expected my dc to as well; surprise, they didn't. You never know what will float their boat, but that's the beauty of homeschooling!

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

For several years I used BJU History and pulled in books from SL or Winterpromise or other books to add to the history. It worked great because BJU history is written so you have a choice of doing it for the full year or half a year. I followed the half year schedule then added in the extra books and activities I wanted to do. We had the best of both types of curriculums, textbooks and literature.

[Liza Q]

Yes! For history for the past two years, my younger kids read from their textbooks - BJU American for 6/7 and Landmark History for US History for 4/5 and SOTW 3&4 for World History for both. I add lit, biographies and other non-fiction. This approach really works well for me - I like an organized spine and I like to choose my own living books.

 

I also add living books for science for my youngest, who is using CKE Biology. My 7th grader is using BJU Life Science and it is so much, she does not want to read anything else.

[Julie in MN]

I quizzed them on the things they have learned in MFW ECC vs. what they remembered from the Abeka text book and it was a sad, sad result. They remembered details of the Abeka and almost nothing from the MFW!

 

Just curious what you're doing of the ECC science, and with what ages. ECC was written for a wide age span, and has materials for different ages, so it will be different than getting 3 different ABeka textbooks, one for each age. But it's also different in that you're doing several different things with the material. Are you doing the projects in Properties Of Ecosystems? Or maybe notebooking what they learn in Living World instead, which is an option? Are you doing the weekly experiment and planting the plants suggested?

 

I know kids don't always remember details, but I'd be surprised if kids would come out of ECC not understanding the different biomes of the world and where they are generally, what different types of animals live in them, and even some details about ocean currents and the difference between a desert & a rainforest, etc. We still have our desert biome on the end table (from 6 years ago!) and remember the rainforest in a bottle well.

 

But I do think it depends on exposing them in a variety of ways, from living books to hands-on to the POE text, if you decide to do that (we didn't use POE until 8th grade because it wasn't included in 1st edition; it was added because folks wanted more, I think).

 

I mean, I'm sure your idea will be fine, too. But just curious,

Julie

Edited December 11, 2010 by Julie in MN
spell out POE

[amandajh]

Just curious what you're doing of the ECC science, and with what ages. ECC was written for a wide age span, and has materials for different ages, so it will be different than getting 3 different ABeka textbooks, one for each age. But it's also different in that you're doing several different things with the material. Are you doing the projects in Properties Of Ecosystems? Or maybe notebooking what they learn in Living World instead, which is an option? Are you doing the weekly experiment and planting the plants suggested?

 

I know kids don't always remember details, but I'd be surprised if kids would come out of ECC not understanding the different biomes of the world and where they are generally, what different types of animals live in them, and even some details about ocean currents and the difference between a desert & a rainforest, etc. We still have our desert biome on the end table (from 6 years ago!) and remember the rainforest in a bottle well.

 

But I do think it depends on exposing them in a variety of ways, from living books to hands-on to the POE text, if you decide to do that (we didn't use POE until 8th grade because it wasn't included in 1st edition; it was added because folks wanted more, I think).

 

I mean, I'm sure your idea will be fine, too. But just curious,

Julie

 

Well, my kids are ages 8 and 10. We have made many notebook pages from the LW Encyclopedia, done several activities, and tried to read and simplify POE. However, a large majority of the "experiments" were things we were already doing or have recently done. Before the Brazil weeks my kids had started their own "gardens" in their bug catching containers in the school room. That was just an idea that they had one afternoon.

We have had nature notebooks for about 2 years now, so the tree activities were not new. As I looked ahead in the TM last night, I saw only 2 or 3 activities that were listed that we have not done before. So, the fact that POE is so far above their heads and we have already done most of the science activities makes for a bad combination.

I also have VERY picky eaters so the food suggestions were a bust too. Oh, AND they think the music is too "babyish" on the Children of the World CD since they were used to Beethoven and Mozart last year.We have studied numerous artists in the past couple of years, so the Impressionists part of the France unit was not new either.

I have to blame myself for choosing to use this and not going with my gut feeling at the beginning of the year. I had planned to use Abeka, but backed out at the last minute thinking that the more planned curriculum would serve us better. :)

My children do so much outside of "school time" that what we really need is just a spring board text for science and history.They want some new facts that they can learn and then go with.... They are very creative and learn so much on their own by using their imaginations and books. They paint, carve soap, make "crafts", write books, collect feathers, make cards, plant seeds, catch critters, knit, sew, play guitar and violin, put on "shows" with their stuffed animals, mark off areas in the yard for fossil digs, play chess, draw like crazy,etc. all on their own.

 

I am sure that ECC is a good program for some, but it is just not for us. I plan on finishing up ECC in the next 4 or 5 weeks and then read from the Abeka 3rd grade history text to both children. We will begin a wall timeline and do some notebooking. They will use the Abeka science texts for grades 3 and 4 on their own, and I will add library books for extras for both history and science. They will continue all of their own experimenting, music, art, and activities too. This will better suit our family's style :)

[Julie in MN]

As I looked ahead in the TM last night, I saw only 2 or 3 activities that were listed that we have not done before.

Yes, my son complains about that a lot, having done so many things in MFW. However, he has had to accept the fact that science is often repeating the same things but understanding them in a new way or a deeper level (such as organizing things in terms of biomes in ECC). I've recently read a link to a Robinson article on these boards, where he suggested just waiting for science until high school, when kids could really get what was going on, instead of getting it a bit simplified in the younger years & repeating, but not sure if that's best, either. Right now ds is in high school and I'm experimenting with ways to make science fresh.

 

 

Oh, AND they think the music is too "babyish" on the Children of the World CD since they were used to Beethoven and Mozart last year.

It makes me so sad when I hear this. Even as an adult, I enjoy hearing the traditional children's songs from around the world, introduced by the native speaking children. I mean, it's wonderful when children are advancing, but I hate to hear them say something is babyish. I think I'll go re-read Winnie the Pooh now :)