Apologia Elementary users: 1 book per year or 1 book per semester?

[profmom]

I'm wondering how most of you use the Apologia Elementary science books. Do you feel that 1 book a year is enough, or do you use 1 book per semester (2 books per year)? If you only use 1 book per year, is this your only science for the year?

[Pongo]

I love the in-depth year long study but in reality it does not work well for testing. We have spent 1 year on Apologia books, and we have completed, Botany, Astronomy, Zoology 1, Zoology 2 .

 

I must admit I add in a grade level text for a reader throughout the year only because they tend to cover more subjects at a topical level which works better for testing. We test with the IOWA ITBS yearly and so far my oldest 2 have tested above the 90% with what we do. I normally pick up a used science reader at grade level, BJU or Abeka is what I have used, this way they get the in-depth study of Apologia and a general overview.

 

If you don't plan on testing than I personally would not worry about adding to Apologia. They ALL start covering science at a deeper level in 7th-8th anyways.

[elegantlion]

I voted other. We used Astronomy this year with the intent of it being a one semester course. We turned it into an entire year program.

 

I have read of many others using two books per year. Their only rec was that it is easier to do Botany in the spring versus fall or winter.

[TrixieB]

We use one book per year, but it's not our only science. We are just finishing up MFW ECC (including its science component), and we're somewhere over halfway through Zoology 1. I'm going to pick up the pace on Zoo 1 to finish it by mid-summer, if not before.

 

Next year we'll do MFW CTG and Zoo 2. We'll probably get started on Zoo 2 this summer, work on it occasionally from Sept-May, and finish it up around July. At least that's the plan. If my dc develop a strong interest, we may cover it much more quickly.

[Alenee]

We just finished Apologia Astronomy and I liked that we didn't have to do science every day. I spread it out from October to April and that was a really good fit for us since we have a pretty intense schedule with our other subjects.

[nutmeg]

For the past few years, we have done 1 Apologia book and 1 'other' book.

 

For example:

Apologia Astronomy

RS4k Chemistry

 

Apologia Botany

CKE Biology

 

Next year I'm planning Apologia Zoo 2 and CKE Earth and Space. We don't do all of the projects; mostly just read and discuss. We read daily, and fit in projects as desired.

[Jenny in Atl]

We did Botany over the summer last year. I was very easy to complete in the 12 weeks and still felt in-depth.

 

hth's

[Aunty Social]

because we used apologia for the first time this year, and we took an entire year to do astronomy. In retrospect, we could have easily done astromony the first half of the year, and gone on to another book the second half. That's what I plan on doing next year.

[summer]

You could do one per semester, but why bother? Kids need time to soak in and love the subject..or you will kill the joy of it and they might never love science and always dread it.

[Lizzie in Ma]

We do one a year and are lapbooking it but it is not our only science, we do CLE as well and living books too. This year we are reading through the Among the Meadow People and others in the series.

[Christine]

I'm voting other.

 

Technically, my only child that has used it thus far did two a year. However, I'm still not sure how I will work it with my younger two kids. . .

[Gamom3]

Ok please don't hate us!!!!!

I just couldn't stay on one subject for that long and the kids got really bored with it and asked to do something else.