ChristusG Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I got over eager and purchased Real Science 4 Kids to do with my girls this year. I bought the physics and chemistry. After thinking about it, in all reality, I'm not sure that we'll actually get to all of those experiments. And since the curriculum centers around these things, I have a feeling that it's going to be one of those subjects that pushed to the end of the day, and then we just don't get to it at all. I'm wondering if I should go a different route. My girls love worksheets and coloring. They like me reading to them. We've done quite a bit of life science type things for the past two years....nothing too formal, but I bought Evan Moor books and we went through those. Plus things like life cycles, plants, etc. Can anyone recommend anything that's less experiment based, but still fun for a 7 and 4 year old? Science is my 7 year old's favorite subject so I'd like to to remain that way. I don't mind *some* experiments, but just not completely centered around them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 You could try Singapore's My Pals Are Here Science. It doesn't have a load of experiments, but is interesting. The books themselves are pretty cheap. IMO, the teacher's manual is unnecessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Nancy Larson Science has more worksheets and discussion and vocab, and less experiments. Core Knowledge lessons, available here have experiments, but also a LOT of discussion and vocabulray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsiew Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 If you want to go the route of narration and/or lapbooks try Elemental Science. There is an experiment each week, but the curriculum is not dependent on it. It's easy enough to add extra reading to as well. Of my older two one prefers notebook pages and the other prefers lapbooking... nice for both! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 We loved Noeo science. The experiments are gravy. The books (and the way they are scheduled) are awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Nancy Larson Science has more worksheets and discussion and vocab, and less experiments. . :iagree:...NL has worksheets, has the children coloring pictures of things they are learning, the vocab is great...each unit the children learn the scientific name for the area of study and it also calls the kids the scientific name for the person who studies this area (botinist for example). It has great discussions and some expereiments, but not a lot. But what is nice is that everything you need is included in the kit you buy...no running around at the last minute looking for x, y or z. There is VERY little teacher prep work (if any), but the kids get lots of information. I honestly can't say enough good things about this program...and I have tried about 4 others that I can't be this positive. NL has worked the best by far for our family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbean05 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 We use McGraw Hill science and just buy a used textbook. You can find workbooks on the McGraw Hill purchasing website or you can just make your own pretty easily. My kids love it and really learn a lot from the books. And unlike any of my public school years, we actually finish the science book each year! :) I also get books from the library that go along with whatever the chapter in the science book is, so the McGraw Hill book is almost like a spine. There are science experiments, but it isn't the main focus of the curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I got out of a LOT of experiments by using SL Science last year. They had the lovely Discover & Do DVDs and whenever I didn't feel like doing an experiment, I told them to just watch Justin. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 You could try what we do.......simply read whole books on topics. You can utilize your library and do science for free. We don't do experiments and my kids are not lacking at all. If anything, I would say that they are very strong in science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jg_puppy Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 You could try what we do.......simply read whole books on topics. You can utilize your library and do science for free. We don't do experiments and my kids are not lacking at all. If anything, I would say that they are very strong in science. I like this idea. Do you require anything other than reading whole books? Narrations? (written or oral) Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I like this idea. Do you require anything other than reading whole books? Narrations? (written or oral) Janet My kids write 1 paper/week/every week during the school yr. In the lower grades, I alternate those papers between science and history, so I pick topics from the books they are reading about every other week. In middle school, I start to include literary topics so their writing from science is about every 3 weeks. My dh always asks them for interesting things they learned during the day. It is amazing to me how excited they get about this. All day long the sort of compete with each other as to who will be able to tell him the most interesting tidbits. They will run up to me and give me a "preview." It makes for great family dinners. (have you ever read Cheaper by the Dozen? My dh hasn't, so this is something he just sort of developed on his own. My kids love it and it has added a lot of value to our days.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llindseymomoffour Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 We are using Science Weekly. These are great, to the point. Experiments start with grades 4 and up, but would be once a week. The lower grades don't require it. And then you could watch experiments online. Maybe try http://www.hookedonscience.org. HTH:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 Thanks everyone....I'm going to look into everything mentioned here and then decide what to do. I think we'll definitely drop RS4K though. I just know we won't get to experiments this year, especially with a new baby in the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 If you have any questions about Nancy Larson Science please feel free to ask...good luck with whatever you decide to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 You could try Singapore's My Pals Are Here Science. It doesn't have a load of experiments, but is interesting. I agree with this. However, I like to have the TM handy as it fleshes out things, has higher level concepts, links, etc. But perhaps it's not absolutely, unequivocally necessary. IMO the Homework and HOTS are essential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 McGraw Hill's Complete Book of Science 1/2: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Science-Grades-1-2/dp/1561895016 This will include a variety of areas of science and does include some short readings, workbook pages, coloring, and some activities. If you want more reading on animals, then they also have The Complete Book of Animals, which is more reading and less activities: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Animals/dp/156189544X/ref=pd_sim_b_3 If you would like more reading on astronomy topics, they have The Complete Book of Our Solar, which also includes more activity pages: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Our-Solar-System/dp/1577686055/ref=pd_sim_b_2 They do not have anything that's specifically physical science related, other than this.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.