s/o - Why is everyone unsatisfied with science?

[Rosie_0801]

The whole world is science! I think the reason people have a hard time with science is that you can't stuff the whole world into twelve books, one for each year. It doesn't fit!

 

Rosie

[cmarango]

I'll give you an example that happened to me recently. I am currently using NOEO Bio 1. It came with a weather kit. In the kit are various typical experiments/activities to explore concepts about weather. There were materials to make a barometer. I followed the steps exactly and it did not work. I was supposed to plunge a test tube filled with water that contained a small foam ball into a container filled with water. Supposedly I was to hold my thumb over the top of the test tube and get it into the container quickly. The problem was that the container it came with was too small. I could not fit my thumb onto the test tube and plunge it into the container (both would not fit). And on top of that the foam ball just stuck to the side of the test tube (rather than floating on top of the fact I spent $150 for NOEO with the hope it would make my life easier).

 

In my mind that is not science. First, you should know all about air pressure and how a working barometer measures it. Then, if your child asks if they can make their own barometer you go about deciding how to do it. Will only a certain type of liquid work, how much liquid does it need, how do you get an actual reading, etc. Those would be the types of questions to answer and that should take more than one day. It seems that pre-made curriculums are going about science (experiments) backwards and that would be super frustrating.

[lailasmum]

We are using RSO Earth and space and I must admit we are all bored. The Life one was fine but definitely left me with the feeling we hadn't covered all that much after completing the whole thing.

 

I love science and and am currently having my enthusiasm sapped and my dd is plain not interested in the experiments. She is interested in looking at minerals and feeling touching them but I don't think she is gaining a lot from the rest of it. I am thinking about taking an alternative route. We have BFSU and did a few topics from that but switched because I thought it need to be more on paper, kind of more planned out with pages for her to fill in and errrrr just more. I was wrong.

 

We have had experiments not work. The recent crystal growing one didn't work I guess its too humid.

 

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[FairProspects]

It boils down to lack of confidence, lack of a science background, and lack of interest. I find I can do a pretty good job when I work really hard to put stuff together, but having the energy and time to do it is another story. If it were the only subject I had to concentrate on that would be one thing, but it isn't. I suspect this is what happens to elementary public school teachers as well. If they don't have a scripted plan and/or aren't particularly sciency then probably not much science gets done or it doesn't get done well. Growing up we didn't have a science book until middle school. Some years I had teachers who did no science. I do want to do better than that and I think I have. I just wish there was more out there to help me.

 

:iagree:This is how I feel exactly. Or more out there that doesn't cost a fortune. ;)

[kalanamak]

My "problem" with science is that my son is ready for harder material, but not for quantification or a lot of writing. I'd like a MCT-like supplement where we sit and read about topics, so he can absorb more without us having to skip over the part that you really do need to be 12 to do.

[kalanamak]

We are using RSO Earth and space and I must admit we are all bored. The Life one was fine but definitely left me with the feeling we hadn't covered all that much after completing the whole thing.

 

 

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NB: the Chem one is the best of all.

[LittleIzumi]

NB: the Chem one is the best of all.

 

The Chem one LOOKS fabulous. I have Life & Chem waiting for us once we finish BFSU & I'm excited.

[tammyw]

We didn't like RSO Earth either.

 

Did you like the RSO Life? We are finishing up RSO Chemistry and I was thinking about getting Life for my 5YO (and 8YO would do with us also) but I've heard some people not as thrilled with it.

[HollyBee]

I find that science is relatively easy on elementary level: there are plenty of books about nature, you can go on nature walks, do nature study. You can do lots of hands-on stuff with younger kids. they are usually still excited about science.

Science is also not too bad at high school level because there are many resources available, and lots of really good college textbooks to use (the high school texts tend to be bad).

 

Science is very difficult in the middle grades. They kids have outgrown the elementary books and activities, yet are often not ready for a truly rigorous approach using real textbooks or for good non-fiction books for an older audience. I found that there were very few living books to use for that age group, and the textbooks intended for middle and Jr high ages are horrible. We solved this problem by DD skipping "middle" stuff and doing Campbell bio in 7th grade, college physics in 8th. But DS is not mature enough for this; we are struggling to cobble together a program that uses manageable portions of the few good high school texts we can find, living books for adults which are readable by a 7th grader (which limits the selection), documentaries. Basically no formal approach, just odds and ends to keep the interest. That is what I find hardest.

 

You have put into words exactly my thoughts! I have been struggling with my 5th & 7th graders, who are very bright, though not gifted, and who are both "old" for their grades (September birthdays, so they both missed the cutoff for their previous private school). I am so glad that it's not just me with these issues!

 

I bought Classiquest Logic stage Biology, but we just can't get into it. (I also bought the experiment/lab package from Home Science tools. Urgh. I need to DO something with this stuff.) Doing the bulk of the readings from the encyclopedias is just...so...dry.

 

I'm listening to and learning from these science threads.

 

:lurk5:

[2_girls_mommy]

Perhaps the people who say they're dissatisfied have more passion for other academic disciplines?

 

I am another who puts together my own science via WTM suggestions. But the above speaks the closest to my situation. I have passion for literature, words, art, history. I love learning Latin with them. I mean, a new language at my age? It is a big endeavor. It takes a lot of my brain power. I still love learning anything with my girls, so science gets done to my satisfaction. But it is definitely not my passion.

[2_girls_mommy]

Oh yeah, and its expensive! I just went to look at that ClassiQuest that a PP mentioned. It looks like what I need for Logic Stage for next year. But the list of kits and encyclopedias needed makes me sad. Not because I don't want them... just the cost for one subject compared to what we have spent in years past for a few books.

[mommymilkies]

I haven't seen it.

 

We are using it now. It's way too easy for my 9 & 10 year olds. It is fun and well laid out, though. Just too easy. I agree-I want something with more story and more depth but less writing. I hear CPO is good, but I have not had a chance to really go through it yet.

[tammyw]

We are using it now. It's way too easy for my 9 & 10 year olds. It is fun and well laid out, though. Just too easy. I agree-I want something with more story and more depth but less writing. I hear CPO is good, but I have not had a chance to really go through it yet.

 

I'd be wanting it for my 5 YO but he isn't reading yet and not strong in writing skills, so that's probably why I was wondering if it'd be appropriate for him.

[plain jane]

Did you like the RSO Life? We are finishing up RSO Chemistry and I was thinking about getting Life for my 5YO (and 8YO would do with us also) but I've heard some people not as thrilled with it.

 

We were a little underwhelmed by it. I had used Chem previously and loved Chem so I expected to love Life as well since it's set up the same way.

 

Some of it was very very good (and my 6yo had a lot of fun) but like a PP said, by the end of the year it left me feeling like we didn't cover all that much.

 

I supplemented heavily with living books and I think it turned out fine for my 6yo. I wouldn't use it for kids any older as I think it would not be enough.

[plain jane]

I'd be wanting it for my 5 YO but he isn't reading yet and not strong in writing skills, so that's probably why I was wondering if it'd be appropriate for him.

 

I think he would do fine. There was a fair bit of writing but most of it was in relation to the experiments. There were a lot of experiments and my dd really enjoyed them all.

[TC5]

This thread is very helpful in giving me ideas for ways I can change our science curriculum to be sure we are learning and enjoying. I feel like I now have permission to skip experiments that are too complicated or don't seem valuable. We'll still do as many experiments as we can because they're fun, but I'm not going to stop doing science because I forgot to buy or couldn't find the supplies -- and I'll try not to feel guilty about it! I've also had too many experiments do nothing, or worse, do the opposite of what they should.

 

We actually did well with Elemental Science Chemistry for the Grammar Stage last year, and most of the experiments worked. But they weren't very exciting. My oldest son had been looking forward to chemistry for a long time because mixing chemicals is so exciting, he thought. Not with safe household ingredients. Baking soda and vinegar are the most explosive things we used, and that wasn't in the program but was just for fun. He didn't enjoy chemistry. But... my second son liked it well enough to request Elemental Science for physics this year. We haven't started yet, but I think the projects will interest my oldest son even if the weekly experiments don't. The projects offer a chance for creativity and trial and error, which my older son thrives on. My second son, though, will enjoy the planned experiments more because he isn't so confident in his own creativity. Either way, the success of all of this relies on me to get the materials. This is one of the hardest things for me to organize in our homeschool. Second only to having enough time to schedule all of my children's needs. That's my frustration with science -- I need an inexpensive kit with all of the common household materials (like 2-liter bottles and six-pack plastic rings -- we don't drink soda so I have to ask someone for these. Or deli trays -- do grocery stores really give these away for free like I once heard? Enough for 4 kids to have a few each?).

 

Also, it is true that science is one of my least-favorite subjects. I do understand it and did well with it in high school, but I've never enjoyed it much. I am actually enjoying it a lot more now with my children.

 

I will look into some of these other ideas. Thanks to all!

[RootAnn]

The experiments in BFSU 1 are difficult to mess up. There was one experiment with rubber bands of different sizes and diameters. We plucked them and observed various qualities of the sound (recording the observations in our science notebooks), and learned principles including that sound comes from vibrations.

 

This sounds like one that came in the Delta Nutshell kit we used last year. Somehow, we came up with results that were the opposite of what they should have been. So, um, yeah, we can mess that one up at our house!

 

I want something that flows and doesn't take a lot of prep time on my part, and that's not a lot of money:)

 

:iagree: Our main problem is that most of the ones we have tried (God's Design for Chemistry, Apologia Astronomy (esp. near the end), etc.) have been *yawn* BORING. Boring to read, boring to teach, just snoooozers!

 

My kids like experiments. We did an entire year of physics using kits/ experiments. It was ok, but not great. I hope to find something that works someday. So far, ... nada.