Trez Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 I have two boys at home (grades 5 and 8). I have been using Singapore Science (Ineractive for the older) and MPH 5,6 for the younger. I like the information provided and the various subjects covered by the Singapore texts. My problems are in the lack of experiments/hand-on models to add interest. My younger son has been working through Food Webs, Adaptations, etc and most of the work has involved reading the text and then answering questions in the workbook. He is bored....I believe my oldest would feel the same as the majority of his ime is also spent reading and writing. We are about to start a study on cells with McHenry which I hope will add more interesting hands-on activities. If this is successful, we may incorporate some of her other books (Elements). I have been looking at the models (blood/body) people have posted with longing. History Odyssey looks like it would provide the kind of hands-on material that I like but I have read from other threads that it is too easy for the age of my boys. Has anyone used Singapore as a spine and incorporated the experiment/model building from another curriculum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 We used Singapore science books with an earlier edition, so I don't know as much about the current series... but I have to ask... did you get the practical books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 You could consider a month long project each month, rather than weekly 1 hour experiment. If I remember correctly, Singapore Science includes Bio, earth, chem, and physics each year, so I would do 2 projects (or even just 1) for each topic. Just brainstorming ideas for food webs/ecosystems: Do you have a fish tank or a terrarium? If not, build one and try to make it sustainable. Although not completely enclosed, you could pretend and include oxygen/CO2 in your plan, waste as fertilizer for plants, and obviously food for the animals. Perhaps even something that could breed in the tank and act as food for the frogs (mosquito? fruit flies?) When you are done, take the tank apart and test the Ph of the soil and water. Count the number of beetles or worms or other "food", weigh your frogs. etc. This project could easily take 2 months, and would be a great learning experience. Alternatively, go outside a make a transect in leaf litter. Carefully dig and count everything you find. Research what acts as food for the creatures that you find. Make sure to notice things like fungus and very small plants. Find a different location, perhaps one in the shade, or one that has different soil. Study and count again. Compare and contrast. Make tables and graphs. You could also try to change an environment. Find 4 similar locations. Leave 2 as controls and change the other 2 in the same way. Add fertilizer, add water, add sunlight, change something. Then every week for 6 weeks go and count what is in the transects. How did your change affect your creatures? If your kids love science, go beyond the standard 1 hour experiment. Think out of the box. Your children will love it. Ruth in NZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trez Posted November 5, 2011 Author Share Posted November 5, 2011 Thank you for the suggestions. Yes I do use the activity and the HOTS books. Perhaps it is just a matter of the first subject that we started with not having experiments. I must admit that I am not a very good improvisor when it comes to creating my own. We will be done with ecosystems soon so I may find that it gets better. I was kind of hoping that someone had used another science currciculum alongside Singapore with structured experiments. Do you think that History Odyssey, Elemental Science or RS4K would work alongside Singapore to provide a hands-on component? I don't want to be doing experiments everyday but once a week would be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 For MPH if I were adding something I would add larger-scale projects rather than weekly experiments -- something that got the kid into figuring out how to find out what he wants to know. It's not the traditional way, but Singapore is a good foundation for that kind of work, and it's a great way to run with what you're learning. For Interactive though... we found the practicals were very well designed and the schedule heavy enough that adding much more would have been excessive... I'm surprised to hear that you're finding it mostly reading and writing. We did add a year-long science fair project those two years, which again is a great way to expand on any kind of science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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