shinyhappypeople Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I'll be teaching the DDs together. Elder DD (will be 8 yo/3rd gr) loves science. Younger DD (will be 6-1/2, 1st gr) couldn't care less about science but is very, very smart and will tag along with whatever elder DD does. I need something easy to implement and not too time-consuming. I'm feeling MAJOR guilt over dropping the ball on science so far this year. It's elder DD's favorite subject and yet it's the one subject we rarely get around to, beyond NatGeo videos and Beakman's World :( :( We're finishing this year by doing TWTM-style science using our human body encyclopedia. So, chica at least gets *something* this year. Anyway, for next year I've narrowed it down to 3 options: TWTM-style science, Sonlight or K12. For the sake of this discussion, price isn't an issue. Please vote based on the perceived merits of each program and how well you think it would fit with our family. I need something EASY to implement and idiot-proof. The problem is that all 3 options look easy to implement and idiot-proof. I don't have a strong science background (ha - I could just say "I went to public schools" and it'd mean the same thing :tongue_smilie:). I'll be learning right along with the girls. It'd be nice to have something that tells you what experiment to do when, how to do it, why it works, etc. However, if someone can suggest a good experiment book to go along with TWTM science, I can do a bit of planning work on my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 We just started this, but RSO. We love it! It is easy to do and fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I agree with the recommendation for Real Science Odyssey. I've done Life, Earth and Space and am currently using Chemistry for my kids. They love it. There is lots, and I mean lots of hands on. The reading is on simple page before you do the experiment so it's easy to add extra books if you want to. The experiments are always fun. Don't let the supply list scare you, almost all of it can be found at walmart or the grocery store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallory Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I need something EASY to implement and idiot-proof. The problem is that all 3 options look easy to implement and idiot-proof. I think WTM is out then. You have to make your own schedule, fine tune the resources and books yourself, and gather supplies. I think the Sonlight Discover and Do DVDs are great. I haven't actually used the schedules or supplies, but I think that would be easier then WTM. I haven't seen K12 at all so I can't compare there. I also like RSO (and there are several weeks of sample lessons available at pandia press). Nancy Larson might be another choice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrieF Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I would recommend NOEO or Elemental Science as both are (somewhat) TWTM style, as far as cycles use of books go. I have used both and we have enjoyed them tremendously. My oldest son (9 yo) is a science lover, too, so that may give you some "confidence" in our opinion. Ha! Ha! SL, while a wonderful company, would not be a good fit for your elder DD since she is a science lover. IMHO. We tried it and it is pretty "light" and the worksheets take some of the joy out of science. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I have only used the SL from the list given so my comments are only for that one. Also I thought of your words...loves science...which translates to me as hands on science. Even though SL is easy to use it is jumpy and the types of experiments don't go with the book you are reading. it is a separate book at the end of the week. For a hands on science and ease of use I would choose RSO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoxanneB Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I chose WTM style because you can careen down a rabbit trail at will. My son is VERY science-minded (9yo). He absolutely eats up anything that I throw at him. Because of the WTM style, I introduced the Periodic Table to him this year and he knows more than a man at church whose major was chemistry. If I had used another curriculum, that particular topic just wouldn't have come up for him in 3rd grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellesmere Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I have only used the SL from the list given so my comments are only for that one. Also I thought of your words...loves science...which translates to me as hands on science. Even though SL is easy to use it is jumpy and the types of experiments don't go with the book you are reading. it is a separate book at the end of the week. For a hands on science and ease of use I would choose RSO. nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 (edited) here's another vote for Nancy Larson Science. We use it here and LOVE it!! If you want to read more on why here is a link to a review I wrote: we just built a skeleton - Page 2 - The Well-Trained Mind Forums (aka Hive Mind) my post is at the very end. Edited April 1, 2011 by NEprairemom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 We love Elemental Science here - my ds does it in addition to his HOD science for fun. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I vote for BFSU. I took apart my book, stapled individual lessons tohether, refiled the lessons in the order we are using them, and now I just read through the lesson before science time. We discuss the lesson for about 20 min and that's it. If I'm ambitious, I add books and something hands on, but that's not often. Instead, we "catch" science everywhere and apply that to what we have covered in BFSU. Just yesterday I was noting how deep yet accessible the lessons are. We are big into CM nature style science, so maybe that helps BFSU click for us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parias1126 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I am in the same exact situation with children the same age. I had tried RSO and it was definitely not idiot proof. Someone did post (I think Satori) that you can buy the kit now for it from Home Science Tools. My children loved the experiment part of RSO, but they didn't like filling in the graphs and such with their conclusions. It took the fun out of it for then and made it seem more like work. I didn't like gathering materials. When it came time to buy beans, I went to 3 different local grocery stores to fins the right ones and having to buy a whole bag of different beans I wouldn't use after that was just frustrating to me. I have been looking at Nancy Larson Science. It looks wonderful, but it's costly. I had started another thread recently asking about Science and it was suggested. I think also Noeo was suggested which I haven't yet looked at. Elemental Science looks wonderful, but so far the don't have a kit I can purchase along with it for the level I need. If you have the money for it, I would say Nancy Larson. It looks like a lot of fun! If you do a search, you will find mostly rave reviews from fellow TWM'ers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 We did Sonlight Science 2 this year with a 6 and 8 year old. Worked great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dulcimeramy Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I vote for BFSU. I took apart my book, stapled individual lessons tohether, refiled the lessons in the order we are using them, and now I just read through the lesson before science time. We discuss the lesson for about 20 min and that's it. If I'm ambitious, I add books and something hands on, but that's not often. Instead, we "catch" science everywhere and apply that to what we have covered in BFSU. Just yesterday I was noting how deep yet accessible the lessons are. We are big into CM nature style science, so maybe that helps BFSU click for us? You took apart your BFSU and made it more user-friendly? Would you please explain exactly how you did that, and could you type slowly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Tara~ Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Another plug for Elemental Science. It's TWTM style with the footwork done for you. :) My 9yr old loved it this year (physics)and I'm planning on another round (Earth/space) with my 7 yr old and 5 yr old tagging along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Tara~ Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 .... and could you type slowly? This totally cracked me up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 This totally cracked me up! Me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy to monkeys Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I voted other.;) I think u should look at Elemental science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Researcher Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Another plug for Elemental Science. It's TWTM style with the footwork done for you. :) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMOm Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I could have written your post! I thoroughly researched Science & agonized over it for months. I scoured every science I could find at the Greenville Convention & finally settled on Nancy Larson Science. It arrived by the end of the week & so we've done 3 lessons so far. I have to say... NL Science is SO EASY to use! It's scripted. Everything you need is in the kit. We can do a lesson in about 20 minutes. The kids are loving it. It's the most painless science we've tried yet & I think we are going to be very happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
---- Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 (edited) We used RSO Life for last year and the beginning of this year. It was fairly easy and we liked it okay, but by the time we were half way through, the dc and I were quite bored with it. We are currently working our way through Nancy Larson Science level 1. This is a program that is completely "idiot proof". I held off buying it for awhile because I was concerned about the price. After I shopped around and added all the supplies up separately, it came to a total of @$210 without the TM and all the photo cards. So, dh and I decided that $225 for the whole kit really is quite a deal. We plan on continuing with the next level. Hope you find what works for you. Edited April 3, 2011 by amana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 we've used k12 science in the past and it is VERY easy and rigorous. I am debating going back to it this year. Most is online, they send you everything you need, and it's mostly independent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4littleones Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I have used Sonlight science K with a 1st and 2nd grader. We loved the internet links and did the workbook orally, as a review. It was a nice overview of science and we are now ready to bite a chunkier piece of science. We are doing Apologia Elementary Swimming Creatures and once that is done, we will do Elemental science, Chemistry, in accordance to the WTM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hericane Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I am in the same exact situation with children the same age. I had tried RSO and it was definitely not idiot proof. Someone did post (I think Satori) that you can buy the kit now for it from Home Science Tools. My children loved the experiment part of RSO, but they didn't like filling in the graphs and such with their conclusions. It took the fun out of it for then and made it seem more like work. I didn't like gathering materials. When it came time to buy beans, I went to 3 different local grocery stores to fins the right ones and having to buy a whole bag of different beans I wouldn't use after that was just frustrating to me. I have been looking at Nancy Larson Science. It looks wonderful, but it's costly. I had started another thread recently asking about Science and it was suggested. I think also Noeo was suggested which I haven't yet looked at. Elemental Science looks wonderful, but so far the don't have a kit I can purchase along with it for the level I need. If you have the money for it, I would say Nancy Larson. It looks like a lot of fun! If you do a search, you will find mostly rave reviews from fellow TWM'ers. What I've found with Nancy Larson Science is that it saves me A LOT of time and money ($3.79/gal) looking for "stuff" needed to do experiments. Which, I'll be honest, didn't really happen with other programs. Best intentions never happened. Nancy Larson Science has everything included so we actually DO science. Also the programs can be re-sold to other families, and I can recoup my money. Be kind to the Earth and your Piggy Bank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdarling Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 Science Excusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EgoElfWife Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I voted other. Apologia by Jeannie Fulbright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoNative Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Noeo Science is our favorite hands-on, user friendly science curriculum. We just completed Chemistry I (for grades 1-3), and the boys loved it. The teachers guide is very user friendly, it uses "living books", not just textbooks and it follows a classical/Charlotte Mason approach to teaching. There are some required materials you will need to gather, but nothing out of the ordinary. That said, our second favorite is Apologia. We will be using that next year due to the cost of Noeo - it's an awesome curriculum, but also a bit pricey. Apologia is very well written, has great pictures, lots of information and we can do notebooks or lapbooks with them quite easily.... ;) Melody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We love Noeo. It fits with the WTM, is easy to implement, is high interest (the books and experiments are fun!) and is both easy for a non-scientist and satisfying for the scientist-- a hard bill to fill! We are loving the chem programs right now. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy2BaMom Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Another plug for Elemental Science here. My son, 8, really enjoys it. We 'do' more science via the Horrible Science book series, (he has the Big Box of 20 books) and he LOVES those. We're about to get more of the series. He has learned so much from them, and I feel better knowing that he is getting more science than 'just' the WTM focus for that particular year. We also watch Bill Nye. But I'm sticking with Elemental Science for our choice. I have to say, though, that pre-ES, the TWTM way was NOT working for us AT ALL. I just couldn't pull it together...it was so amorphous, so I love ES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iona Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 :bigear: You took apart your BFSU and made it more user-friendly? Would you please explain exactly how you did that, and could you type slowly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda (Australia) Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Another vote for Noeo - very simple to use, and everything is provided. It's flexible, but the teacher's manual is laid out with 'Week 1, Day 1, read pp. 34-42', so I know exactly what to do each day. But as I say, it's flexible enough that you can change things around, move along faster or slower, as you so desire. We've also used, and loved, 'God's Design for Science', from Answers in Genesis, as well as Apologia. All are excellent, easy-to-use programmes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in STL Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 If I had it to do over again I would use RSO. I always liked the look of it, but all the years were not out when I started. I did WTM science for the most part and felt it was mostly successful, but it is a lot to plan, schedule, find books for, etc. I did NOEO Physics I one year and thought it was ok, but we didn't love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillysmom216 Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I voted other. We are using R.E.A.L Science 4 Kids and Elemental Science for our chemistry this year. I have a friend with a PhD in chemistry and he did the curriculum hunt for me. I also have Ellen Johnston McHenry’s introductory chemistry course on order and then he will merge it all for a 36 week study. We do cover science every day because my dd8 loves it. My plan is experiments 3 days a week and supplemental reading the other 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gracyomalley Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We've used SL science, and love the books, but the experiments either didn't get done or seemed silly (not matching with what you are reading sometimes, etc.... WTM method didn't work at all for us. Loved R.E.A.L. science for this age group - did life and earth in past, have chemistry, haven't gotten it together yet....experiments do require some prep, but only once a week and really good for household work....uses the scientific method too, which I liked. I thought K12 looked rigorous but BORING...but that's just me, and I was looking at the middle school stuff.... We are loving PLATO science for the 5th grade level and up - but it does need seperate experiments... Erin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) You took apart your BFSU and made it more user-friendly? Would you please explain exactly how you did that, and could you type slowly? :lol: I didn't see this before. Sorry for the very delayed response. Yes, I made BFSU more user-friendly. My vision was to have a quick reference for each lesson so I could gather materials needed and reserve library books in advance without scanning through the actual lessons. I also wanted to be able to take each discreet lesson out of the book so it was more managable to read and teach from. I didn't want to lug around the huge BFSU manual. It did take some work, but I love it now. Here's what I did: *I took the book to Kinkos where I had the binding cut off and the pages 3-hole punched. *This is the time consuming part - Since the pages are double sided, some lessons ended on the front of a page and a new lesson started on the other page. I used my trusty HP All-In-One printer to copy the side with the new lesson. So, if lesson A-3 ended on one side and A-4 started on the other side, I made a copy of side A-4. *I then stapled each lesson together. The new first page of lesson A-4 was stapled with the rest of the A-4 double sided pages. *I rearranged the lessons in the order we are planning to cover them and filed them in that order in a binder. So, A-1, A-2, B-5, A-4, C-1, etc (that's a made-up list). *After refiling the lessons, I made a word document listing activities, vocabulary, materials needed, and supplementary resources for each lesson. I refer to this list when prepping to make sure I have everything I need on hand (rather than read through the lesson and take notes during the school year). *Now I am working our way through the binder. I don't have to think at all or do any real prep work. I do read through the lesson before presenting it (usually). Was that slow enough? It's late, and I'm not sure that I'm making sense. Edited June 13, 2011 by 2squared Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenjenn Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) I'm going to say something shocking, and keep in mind I am very science-minded and I am married to a physicist/engineer. We <3 science. But - shocking - we don't do science formally with our 6 and 8 yr old children. We believe formal science education at the lower elementary levels is at best extracurricular fun and at worst gives a child a skewed perception of what science actually is. We believe the time is best spent mastering math skills and absorbing science somewhat through osmosis by reading non-fiction of interest, browsing through science reference books at leisure, watching science shows with mom & dad, asking and exploring questions about how and why things work the way they do, nature hikes, gardening, cooking, etc, and so on. I do have my children enrolled in homeschool science classes at a local children's science center. Here they get regular experience being in a group and gaining exposure to the concept of experiments and the scientific process. Next year I will also enroll my older child in a homeschool lego robotics league as an extracurricular to expose her to the process of problem solving and engineering. Now, maybe you can shoot holes in my approach because it only works as we are the kind of family that is constantly scientifically inquisitive. We would watch science documentaries for leisure regardless of the presence of children, ask questions, watch meteor showers, and even toy with experiments (bottle rockets, dry ice, etc) and explain how things work with or without a curriculum. But, that is our opinion of how science is best absorbed by young children - play, curiosity, and exploration. By simply observing the world with a critical eye, questions are answered about how things work and that achieves the goal of science education for young kids. The exception is having children memorized scientific classifications and terms, but really those are lessons in vocabulary, not science, and should be understood as such. Now, I think sometime in older elementary/middle school (6th-8th grade? Basically at the point the child is starting to learn real algebra) this starts to change. At that point you can begin to frame science, at least in a very simple ways, in mathematical terms, and then develop a real understanding of what science is as a true academic subject. Edited June 13, 2011 by zenjenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verity Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Another vote for Noeo science. I've struggled to integrate science into our regular year and after trying RS4K, Apologia, online free textbooks and casual approach (watching videos, having various science encyclopedias available) this is the first time that I feel like we actually got something done and learned about things that are hard to observe (we did Chemistry II with my 3rd and 6th grader!). I bought this set and a Physics II set used here on the board, just went to the website and ordered the kits needed for the experiments. I feel like it was easy for me to implement as a teacher, not too much writing but still good exposure and overall I liked the books we used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 I'm going to say something shocking, and keep in mind I am very science-minded and I am married to a physicist/engineer. We <3 science. But - shocking - we don't do science formally with our 6 and 8 yr old children. We believe formal science education at the lower elementary levels is at best extracurricular fun and at worst gives a child a skewed perception of what science actually is. I wrote the OP a few months ago, but I'm starting to come around to your way of thinking. We ended up picking Magic School Bus science kits as our curricula for next year. The only things I really want them to learn at this point is that science is accessible and fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 I almost forgot: We're also getting a set of Snap Circuits! I think DH is going to enjoy "teaching science" to them this year :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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