RachelFlores Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Ok, so next year I am joining a once a week classical homeschooling co-op. This is not a co-op that just teaches enrichment, but is supossed to be an integral part of your curriculum. I assume it is like classical conversations (never having experienced CC first hand), but this co-op bases most things on TWM. I really like everything about it except for their science choice. They are using Mr. Q science where all we are doing durring the week is reading the chapter and then they do, or at least start, all experiments on co-op day. Dd loves hands on science, something I want to encourage, and I don't feel that is enough science for our week. She is still really young so I don't want to overwhelm her, but I also know that I work best with a scheduled program. Should I buy another science program to do concurrently, should I just try to add in experiments with the chapters where they fit (even though I'm afraid that wouldn't get done) or should I just stick with the co-op choice? If I buy another science program, do you think it would be too confusing to do a different area? We will be doing Mr. Q earth science. I've been looking at Nancy Larson Science 1 or RSO Life (since we haven't covered that this year). So, what would you do? Just let the co-op be enough or add? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Reading a chapter or related books during the week and then doing an experiment one day a week would be enough for us. I wouldn't add anything else except for nature studies and fun things that they want to do occasionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 One of our co-ops did a lot of science this year (it's a different sort of co-op - just a few families, once a week, we rotate teaching and hosting, and the kids choose the topics). I just let co-op science be co-op science and our "regular" science be our regular science and it was no big deal to have two topics running. But if I were in your shoes and could plan it ahead, I might try to buy a program that runs concurrently (maybe Elemental Science?) or plan ahead my own readings and experiments. If you sat down over the summer, you could plan one book (Let's Read and Find Out, The Magic Schoolbus, etc.) and one experiment based on whatever the Mr. Q topics are and just have them in a chart ready to go as a supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I think it depends on how much language/math work you are planning to do. I found that once I added grammar, language work & reading time was taking over our schedule, so once a week at co-op would definitely be enough science for us in the early years. My preference would be to let co-op be enough and focus any extra time on language or math early on, but that's my bias and you should do whatever works for your family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelFlores Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Thank you everyone for your replies. I really like the other two programs I listed more than Mr. Q, but I think you are right. I should just use Mr. Q and then add AFTER we start if I don't think it is enough and we have time in our day add more science. Thank you for helping me think things through on here. WTM is such an awsome place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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