science recommendations?

[EthiopianFood]

What would you use for science for a profoundly gifted 8-year-old who is very self-motivated? They are currently doing interest-led, but mom wants something a bit more systematic. At the same time, she needs something her dd can do herself, and if she wants to discuss it or ask questions, she can. She has been keeping her own experiment book since she was four, and even at that time could understand things like cell respiration, DNA, etc.

 

Ideas?

[QueenieReighn]

My girls love their apologia books and journals. :-)

[Janasjots]

She sounds pretty advanced. I might look into Answers in Genesis science series since it's written for levels up through 8th grade. We like Apologia but my kids aren't advanced in science. Their young explorers series is written up through 6th grade.

[Donna]

We've enjoyed PLATO which is an online program that is often "on sale" at http://www.homeschoolbuyerscoop.com It is middle school level and just full of information on all the topics it covers. (Covers more detail than my 8th grader in public school covers on each topic.)

 

My dd watches the slightly interactive video portion, takes notes, then does the quizzes and applications. Last year she used the Biology and this year is doing Earth Science. We've enjoyed both.

[2smartones]

I also like Apologia. AiG would be my second choice.

[LittleIzumi]

The Sponge is also gifted in science. She is 6 and finishing up BFSU (LOOOOOOVE it), then will whip through RSO Life and Chemistry before going into BFSU 2, possibly an earth science course, then BFSU 3. I *pink sparkly heart* BFSU for kids who actually want to understand and manipulate science. We have two interest-led days a week, and three days of BFSU a week.

[Iucounu]

RaeAnne, be aware that Apologia, Answers in Genesis, etc. deviate from accepted science in significant ways due to their creationist viewpoint. I haven't personally viewed any materials from Answers in Genesis, but in the Apologia materials the creationism is so prevalent that it'd be hard to skip past or ignore. Thus unless this PG girl's mom wants her daughter to believe in creationism, I'd look elsewhere.

[Crimson Wife]

Ellen McHenry's programs are great at making advanced topics accessible to younger students. Her chemistry programs had things I didn't learn until high school or even college! The Elements is totally neutral. Carbon Chemistry did have a few subtle "intelligent design" references in the edition I have, but I have heard she has since revised the program to take most of those out. I haven't yet seen any of the biology programs so I can't comment on whether those are totally neutral.

[....]

RaeAnne, be aware that Apologia, Answers in Genesis, etc. deviate from accepted science in significant ways due to their creationist viewpoint. I haven't personally viewed any materials from Answers in Genesis, but in the Apologia materials the creationism is so prevalent that it'd be hard to skip past or ignore. Thus unless this PG girl's mom wants her daughter to believe in creationism, I'd look elsewhere.

 

We use Apologia and don't have a YE viewpoint. You have to be OK with discussion/debate with your kids, tho. If you're not looking for that, then definitely avoid it. I actually like the opportunity to argue with my kids or with the textbook. :tongue_smilie:

 

If you're looking for good, secular science...I don't think it's out there. We mostly unschool science (and I know that's not what you're looking for).

[MamaSprout]

BSFU has a third level out. You can see quite a bit of it on Amazon. We are using the 2nd level with dd6, and dd18 wandered by and said, "hey- we did that experiment in High School..."

 

Good stuff, very Socratic. Not open and go. Helps a lot to belong to the yahoo groups. I don't think there is one for the 3rd book yet, though.

 

We also use adaptive curriculum objects or whatever they are called.

 

Ella

[Greenmama2]

Thirding the BFSU suggestion. DD 5 is a complete science nut (has also kept a science journal of her own accord for more than a year now) and it fits wonderfully. It's not open and go and not really something a child would use completely independently though. Despite the fact that it requires some prep work I find it terribly easy to use with a child who loves science. "Lessons" usually take 5 minutes or less, DD's explorations do the rest.

[catz]

 

If you're looking for good, secular science...I don't think it's out there. We mostly unschool science (and I know that's not what you're looking for).

 

:iagree: I've bought a number of "secular" science curriculum and they're usually really light weight and output driven. We use "live" books, science kids, various videos, and field trips to do science until I think my oldest is ready for the output level and time required to get through a science curriculum. We could do it now, but it would make us both crabby. :D We're having fun doing it as is for now. At the moment we're enjoying this book as a read aloud ...

 

http://www.amazon.com/Touch-This-Conceptual-Physics-Everyone/dp/0321051629/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323620239&sr=8-1

[....]

:iagree: I've bought a number of "secular" science curriculum and they're usually really light weight and output driven. We use "live" books, science kids, various videos, and field trips to do science until I think my oldest is ready for the output level and time required to get through a science curriculum. We could do it now, but it would make us both crabby. :D We're having fun doing it as is for now. At the moment we're enjoying this book as a read aloud ...

 

http://www.amazon.com/Touch-This-Conceptual-Physics-Everyone/dp/0321051629/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323620239&sr=8-1

 

 

Wow, I'm actually looking for some physics stuff for this spring! Thanks!

[lewelma]

I would not use a curriculum. I would use the adult section of the library. There are many good "coffee table" books with beautiful pictures and very interesting, inviting, and mature text. There are also teenage books like the Cartoon Guide to Genetics, The Way Life Works, and The Way Things Work, that are a systematic approach to the topics at a higher level than any standard child's book would be. Adult and teenage non-fiction books are so much more fun than children's textbooks.

 

As for systematic, choose a big topic for the year and subdivide it into 3 topics for 3 terms (or whatever). eg, Biology: ecology, cell biology, genetics. or Earth science: astronomy, geology, meteorology, oceanography. Then go find a really good book on each topic. These books can be long, so you don't often need a truck load, just one or two for an entire term.

 

I did this approach for my ds(now 11) until this year, when we switched to university non-majors text books. This approach prepared him well for the higher level material.

 

Ruth in NZ

[Lasthenia]

McGrawHill, Pearson, MacMillan-Mh, and Eyewitness are always good resources.

[Lasthenia]

*Additional* I had experience with Calvert's homeschool curriculum (2nd grade and 7th grade) and it's pretty impressive. One advantage is they have a partnership with Brainpop, which the kids love.

[WarriorMama]

I would not use a curriculum. I would use the adult section of the library. There are many good "coffee table" books with beautiful pictures and very interesting, inviting, and mature text. There are also teenage books like the Cartoon Guide to Genetics, The Way Life Works, and The Way Things Work, that are a systematic approach to the topics at a higher level than any standard child's book would be. Adult and teenage non-fiction books are so much more fun than children's textbooks.

 

As for systematic, choose a big topic for the year and subdivide it into 3 topics for 3 terms (or whatever). eg, Biology: ecology, cell biology, genetics. or Earth science: astronomy, geology, meteorology, oceanography. Then go find a really good book on each topic. These books can be long, so you don't often need a truck load, just one or two for an entire term.

 

I did this approach for my ds(now 11) until this year, when we switched to university non-majors text books. This approach prepared him well for the higher level material.

 

Ruth in NZ

 

Do you by any chance have specific titles to recommend for any of these topics? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[jenbrdsly]

This might be too easy, but it's free! Have you looked at Farrahwilliam's Science Without a Net plans? We've been doing the Forces and Motion unit and it has been great.

[quark]

What would you use for science for a profoundly gifted 8-year-old who is very self-motivated? They are currently doing interest-led, but mom wants something a bit more systematic. At the same time, she needs something her dd can do herself, and if she wants to discuss it or ask questions, she can. She has been keeping her own experiment book since she was four, and even at that time could understand things like cell respiration, DNA, etc.

 

Ideas?

 

From experience, I would not recommend any curriculum. I have only been disappointed with any science curriculum purchases made. I too suggest using living, well-written books, and to not limit her to age-level material. Nothing beats discussions in my humble opinion. Our "read, discuss, research, discuss some more" method has been successful in catering to my son's thirst for science.

 

Purchase the following kits for deeper explorations if she's interested, with appropriate parental supervision.

Physical Science and Chemistry.

An appropriate microscope and slides, dissection kits etc for life sciences. We like HomeScienceTools.

 

Exceptions to age level books that we loved were Basher and the Williamson Kids Can series. And oh, we also loved this cells, DNA/ genetics series.

 

David Macaulay writes very good books. The Way We Work and The New Way Things Work are excellent. Late elementary to middle school level.

 

Robert Wolke's What Einstein Told series. Middle school level.

 

She might enjoy Stannard's Uncle Albert series as well. And the Hawking's George series. My son didn't enjoy the last two but I've heard of other kids liking them. Late elementary.

 

Paul Fleisher's Secrets of the Universe is a little dry but very good content-wise. There are 5 books in the series. Late elementary to middle school level.

 

There are many wonderful science documentaries too. We've learned so much from watching them and researching the concepts on our own and discussing our research afterwards. David Attenborough's Life of series, Neil de Grasse Tyson's astrophysics shows, the Universe and the Elegant Universe, these are all some of our all-time favorites.

 

Once she's ready for more, the Teaching Company has wonderful titles that her mom should be able to find at her local library. HHMI's biology and medicine-themed holiday lectures DVDs are free and also shipped free of charge to your home.

 

Sorry if this is all known info or repetitive.

[jennynd]

depends on if she is hand on type or reading type. I am a hands on type person and I am engineer. I like project and more dynamic approach.

for biology

I mix Mr. Q, RSO (WAAAYYYY to lean to my taste) also RS4K and brianpop. We read and watch vedio and do project

For physics, someone here suggested exporation education

http://www.explorationeducation.com/

 

This is very much to my taste and I will mix that with Mr Q next year.

 

He did chemistry last year with RS4K. Not impressed. I think I will do another run with Mr Q and mix with something else which I don't know yet

[Halcyon]

I would not use a curriculum. I would use the adult section of the library. There are many good "coffee table" books with beautiful pictures and very interesting, inviting, and mature text. There are also teenage books like the Cartoon Guide to Genetics, The Way Life Works, and The Way Things Work, that are a systematic approach to the topics at a higher level than any standard child's book would be. Adult and teenage non-fiction books are so much more fun than children's textbooks.

 

As for systematic, choose a big topic for the year and subdivide it into 3 topics for 3 terms (or whatever). eg, Biology: ecology, cell biology, genetics. or Earth science: astronomy, geology, meteorology, oceanography. Then go find a really good book on each topic. These books can be long, so you don't often need a truck load, just one or two for an entire term.

 

I did this approach for my ds(now 11) until this year, when we switched to university non-majors text books. This approach prepared him well for the higher level material.

 

Ruth in NZ

 

 

This would work very well here.

[yellowperch]

I'm a lewelma acolyte, but my kids are former ps kids so reading science doesn't feel like doing science the way they are used to. We do a few kits and use these books

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_8_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=daily+science+grade+6&sprefix=daily+science ,

 

along with all the living books, and great coffee table, encyclopedias, texts, etc.

It's more like science soup than I would have planned, but they are in elementary school. Also, BSFU is terrific but I have not been able in really hot a groove with it.

 

If I could have anticipated how much my children like these Evan Moor workbooks, I would have coordinated some of the reading and kits with the books. But as it is they are fine--reading like crazy, asking lots of questions, and giving themselves "As" for doing their workbooks. We really don't have any great ideas for an-indepth investigation, yet. But we're working on it!