plain jane Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 I could really use some advice in trying to figure out what to study. I decided to do my Biology last year (4th) instead of 5th so that I could combine my two oldest kids into the same topics (thought physics would not be interesting to my 1st grader). That means that we are covering physics in 5th grade. I'm trying to beef up the work and am combining three programs: Elemental Science is our spine, we then do all the work from Exploration Education following the topics in ES, and I also use the books from the NOEO program to have dd write narrations from. She's still finding it fairly easy but I'm combining 3 decent programs and so it's good enough for me. :) Thing is, my plan has been to use Rainbow Science for gr 7 and 8. Don't ask me why :glare: but I just now realized that Rainbow is physics/chem for 7th followed by bio in 8th. This means that after this full year of physics, my oldest is going to get it again the year after next. I will be doing astronomy and earth science next year but I don't know if dd will want to get back into physics so soon. Have I totally ruined things by doing physics in 5th? How do I make it so we can use Rainbow Science and not bore dd with so much physics? I really want to use the Rainbow Science program. My second choice would be Apologia General Science but I'm a lot less enthused by that. Any thoughts or suggestions on how I can work this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Could you just flip the RScience? Do 8th first, then 7th? I doubt there's a ton of difference in difficulty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 You still have 6th grade in between to do something completely different, right? A year is a nice break, imho, and will seem longer to an 11/12 year old than it does to us :) Or, as Chris in VA said, just flip the two years of Rainbow. We are doing physics this year with EE. If we decide to go with Rainbow next year (8th for us) we will focus on the life science part and chemistry part. (The other thing I'm considering for us for next year is HOD's next guide which will cover chemistry). Happy Planning :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted November 27, 2011 Author Share Posted November 27, 2011 Could you just flip the RScience? Do 8th first, then 7th? I doubt there's a ton of difference in difficulty. You still have 6th grade in between to do something completely different, right? A year is a nice break, imho, and will seem longer to an 11/12 year old than it does to us :) Or, as Chris in VA said, just flip the two years of Rainbow. We are doing physics this year with EE. If we decide to go with Rainbow next year (8th for us) we will focus on the life science part and chemistry part. (The other thing I'm considering for us for next year is HOD's next guide which will cover chemistry). Happy Planning :) I had thought of this but I read on the Rainbow Science thread that is a few threads down that the second year builds on the knowledge acquired in the first year. :001_unsure: Lynn, perhaps you are on to something. You're right, I can probably move quicker through any physics material that is repetitive and focus more on the chemistry aspect of the program (and perhaps add something else in ?) or move onto Y2. It's hard for me to make a decision about the program without having seen it. I did want to ask because I was considering dropping physics this year since she will be getting it so soon, but since she's never had formal physics before, I'm not sure that's such a great idea either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 No advice, but we did Bio in 4th so we could do Physics in 5th, too. We're also using NOEO & finding it too easy so far. And I'd sort-of planned Rainbow Science for the next year/year after, but I hadn't got as far as noticing the problems you've described. So...:bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 I think you'll be fine. I'm assuming the physics will be from a different perspective and you can always beef it up or let her expand the parts she is interested in as necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Have I totally ruined things by doing physics in 5th? How do I make it so we can use Rainbow Science and not bore dd with so much physics? ... I really want to use the Rainbow Science program... Any thoughts or suggestions on how I can work this? Not ruined things at all! Agreeing with other posters; this is really not going to be a problem. At the 4th/5th grade level, physics is much more hands-on and general, while at the middle school level and especially at the high school level, physics goes deeper and comes much more from the perspective of studying the foundational principles (the WHY of physics) and the mathematics and equations of physics. Your DD may really LIKE physics, making it all a non-issue. And even if she doesn't, the physics portion of Rainbow Science is only 1 semester (18 weeks) long. Sounds like this is your plan: grade 4 = biology grade 5 = physics grade 6 = astronomy/earth science grade 7 = Rainbow (1/2 physics; 1/2 chemistry) grade 8 = Rainbow (3/4 biology; 1/4 meteorology and scientific method) You might also want to be looking ahead to high school; using Rainbow causes some people stress on the other end -- doing the 2nd year of Rainbow in grade 8 (biology), and then doing biology again the following year (grade 9). Again, it's not too big of a deal -- for example, enjoy a non-traditional science topic following Rainbow in grade 8 (Robotics; Earth Science; Astronomy; Marine Biology; etc.). Here are the 2 most typical high school science progressions -- but don't feel you MUST go with one of them; follow your student's interests! As long as you are doing LABS as part of your high school science, and unless you are in a state that REQUIRES homeschoolers to do specific science topics in high school, you can be creative! grade 9 = physical science grade 10 = biology grade 11 = chemistry grade 12 = physics OR grade 9 = biology grade 10 = chemistry grade 11 = physics grade 12 = advanced science OPTIONS: 1. Go with your original plan. There's a full year between the two different physics, and the Rainbow physics is only for 1 semester; not that big a deal. 2. Do Rainbow Science at the accelerated rate (do both years of it in one grade) in grade 8, which gives you grade 7 to do some other science topic. Not only does that put 2 full years between the two exposures to physics, the Rainbow physics will only last 9 weeks. 3. Do Rainbow Science at the accelerated rate (do both years of it in one grade) in grade 9, as your first year of high school science: "Physical Science" (1 semester/0.5 credit) and "Intro into Biology" (1 semester/ 0.5 credit). 4. Do Rainbow Science in grades 7 and 8; in grade 7, skip the physics portion, and use additional resources to extend the chemistry portion for the whole year, and do the second year of Rainbow as written in grade 8. BEST of luck, whatever you decide! Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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