pitterpatter Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 We're currently treading water in science. I've been using a public school textbook as our spine and then putting together my own curriculum around that. DD absolutely loves the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out-Science series. I know a lot of the books provide activities in the back (and sometimes the text is written around activities), but I'm wondering whether there is any curriculum, unit studies, etc. that uses the LRFOS series as it's primary text. Right now, it is taking way too much time to research and pull together everything on my own. I need a better springboard. Our local library has a whopping one book in this series, which we've already used, so I have to buy them a little at a time. That makes it difficult to plan very far ahead. Any thoughts? PS - We're secular, but would consider a good Christian resource guide, if everything isn't so interwoven that I can easily extract the activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Have you checked out Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding? I am using both read and find out and rookie science readers as suggested in BFSU and really like it. BFSU is really meaty, secular, and really low prep once you get the hang of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding would probably fit the bill. It recommends a lot of that series for expanding on concepts. I also have a nature study thing based on the Let's Read & Find Out series on my blog, if it would be of any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 http://www.letteroftheweek.com did a few science units based on that series for this age group. You can look there - I think you will find "science" on the left when you scroll down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 No, not yet. I've been judging this book by it's cover for some time now since I haven't been able to look at it IRL. The cover and "Look Inside" on Amazon haven't reeled me in, so... Our local library stinks...maybe I can try to order it, though. Maybe they'll have it at their main library. Thank you for letting me know. :D I will definitely look into it more now. $20+ is just a little too much for me to spring on a book I'm unsure of. NWIM? Have you checked out Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding? I am using both read and find out and rookie science readers as suggested in BFSU and really like it. BFSU is really meaty, secular, and really low prep once you get the hang of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I completely understand. While I think BFSU is well worth the money I know many people struggle to implement it (myself included at times). Is there any reason you don't feel comfortable just using the read and find out series? I think that you could easily do a great k-2 program just reading those books and doing the suggested activities in them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 I just want more. I think want I really want are mini age-appropriate unit studies that use the LRFOS series (and other books). For the life of me, I can't figure out why the publisher doesn't come out with something. I'm thinking a combination of literature (the LRFOS books), experiments/activities, worksheets and/or paper-based activities, etc. that span at least a full week of studies (or two half weeks) with extras so I can pick-and-choose a little. Is this really too much to ask? :tongue_smilie: LOL! I completely understand. While I think BFSU is well worth the money I know many people struggle to implement it (myself included at times). Is there any reason you don't feel comfortable just using the read and find out series? I think that you could easily do a great k-2 program just reading those books and doing the suggested activities in them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I just want more. I think want I really want are mini age-appropriate unit studies that use the LRFOS series (and other books). For the life of me, I can't figure out why the publisher doesn't come out with something. I'm thinking a combination of literature (the LRFOS books), experiments/activities, worksheets and/or paper-based activities, etc. that span at least a full week of studies (or two half weeks) with extras so I can pick-and-choose a little. Is this really too much to ask? :tongue_smilie: LOL! What if you created a format for reading the LRFOS something along the lines of: day 1 read the book and talk informally about the topic? write down any ?'s about the topic your DC has day 2 do an activity from the book (some of them have more than one) day 3 draw a picture about the topic and then tell you about it (you can write it out for DC) day 4 watch a short video about the topic ( there are many Magic school bus videos that would match up) and/or read from other sources about the topic. Use a sentence or two or even a word or two from what dc told you the previous day as copy work. day 5 reread the book and talk with your dc about his/her questions from day 1 if any of those questions remain unanswered help them research the answer. Additionally you could have your dc make a little mini book on the subject. Just an idea I thought I would throw out there, I'm not offended in the least if its not your cup of tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 http://www.homeschoolshare.com/letsreadfindoutscience.php This is indirectly connected. Not that FIAR uses it as the spine to the curriculum, but it does make some nice connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delighted3 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 http://www.homeschoolshare.com/letsreadfindoutscience.php This is indirectly connected. Not that FIAR uses it as the spine to the curriculum, but it does make some nice connections. There are also a lot of topical units at homeschoolshare that you could used with whatever Read and Find Out book you are using. For example, there is a whole page of animal units that could be matched up with the books. I have also used enchantedlearning.com to find worksheets to go with multiple science topics. I feel your pain, I am a "Let's Read and Find Out" book junkie. Over the years, I have bought everyone I have seen and I have quite a collection. The sad part is my kids are getting too old for them. Joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 Thank you. Some kind of videos would be good. That's a source I haven't tapped into yet. Our local public library stinks and our larger public library system isn't very user-friendly. We're still using paper cards for check-out, paper card catalogs and paper requests. I can't even go online and search for titles. :sad: I miss St. Louis so much in this regard. However, my sister is a public school teacher. I'm thinking they may have some Magic School Bus videos she could borrow for me. ;) I'm just looking for more, more, more...a little more detailed, a little more involved in terms of work. We kind of do things similar to your list now. We usually read a book and perform an activity one day, then either re-read the book or use another text the next day and work on some paper-based activities. If I have enough activities and text, we go longer. What if you created a format for reading the LRFOS something along the lines of:day 1 read the book and talk informally about the topic? write down any ?'s about the topic your DC has day 2 do an activity from the book (some of them have more than one) day 3 draw a picture about the topic and then tell you about it (you can write it out for DC) day 4 watch a short video about the topic ( there are many Magic school bus videos that would match up) and/or read from other sources about the topic. Use a sentence or two or even a word or two from what dc told you the previous day as copy work. day 5 reread the book and talk with your dc about his/her questions from day 1 if any of those questions remain unanswered help them research the answer. Additionally you could have your dc make a little mini book on the subject. Just an idea I thought I would throw out there, I'm not offended in the least if its not your cup of tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 We watch magic school bus and other educational videos on youtube. I love the internet! For what its worth I am a library drop out and don't use it at all.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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