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BFSU Volume 2 is DA BOMB

Halcyon

By Halcyon,
in K-8 Curriculum Board

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Mrs Twain

Mrs Twain

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More, please. :bigear:

 

I keep trying to use and like BFSU Volume 1, but I just can't get into a groove with it. I wish, wish, wish the book had some better formatting.

 

Is volume 2 better in this way?

 

For volume 1, just an idea...

 

I recently started underlining in the text everything I needed to say to the kids. It is just a simple thing, but it helps me tremendously to present the information.

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sagira

sagira

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I think, from looking through Book 2 today and having finished Book 1 last year, I prefer Book 2 a bit more. Book 2 is easier to navigate, IMO, more clear directions to teacher/parent, and some science writing guidance too. Excited about picking it up again next year!

 

I walked away feeling the same way - Da Bomb ;)

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Halcyon

Halcyon

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How does it compare to the first one? We just finished the first book and am debating switching to something else.

 

 

We didn't like the first one as much: too much prep work compared to output and learning. The second one is much easier to use, for some reason-maybe because I know each lesson is going to be really packed with learning for ALL of us. Prep time is minimal.

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brendag

brendag

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For volume 1, just an idea...

 

I recently started underlining in the text everything I needed to say to the kids. It is just a simple thing, but it helps me tremendously to present the information.

 

Thanks for this idea! I was never one for writing in books, but I know this will help me next year when we start.

Edited by brendag
No coffee yet. :)
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Tress

Tress

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We didn't like the first one as much: too much prep work compared to output and learning. The second one is much easier to use, for some reason-maybe because I know each lesson is going to be really packed with learning for ALL of us. Prep time is minimal.

 

That's good to hear! I want to quickly finish BFSU1 this year, so we can start with BFSU2 in September.

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momto2Cs

momto2Cs

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We didn't like the first one as much: too much prep work compared to output and learning. The second one is much easier to use, for some reason-maybe because I know each lesson is going to be really packed with learning for ALL of us. Prep time is minimal.

 

I'd really like to give the second volume a try then! I'll look through it this weekend, and figure out what we're missing from volume 1 (which I just cannot get through), and go from there.

 

Do you have a schedule you follow for Book 2?

 

I'm using one from their Yahoo group for Book 1, but I haven't seen one for Book 2.

 

I have a flow chart I made available on my blog if you want to check it out.

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Chrysalis Academy

Chrysalis Academy

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I feel the same way. Can we do volume 2 if we haven't done 1?

 

Absolutely, we are. I did buy the $5 pdf of Vol. 1, and go through and see if there were any things I thought we needed to cover by way of background. There were a few, and a few activities that just looked really fun to do (I also have a 5 yo so we did some of these together). But as long as you make sure the get the definitions & ideas that are assumed in each lesson (which are pretty clear from the content) I think you can definitely do II w/o I.

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mystika1

mystika1

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I've gone back and forth on ordering this. I get scared by some of the negative reviews, but then others love it. What's a girl to do?

I almost didn't buy it because of all of the "it is so hard to plan" reviews. I am so glad I did. It really is not that bad. Even if you don't use the book as intended you could use it as an outline on what needs to be covered in K-3+. For $5.00 you really can't go wrong. I read over what we are supposed to cover then I order a ton of library books to go along. I discuss...read..do an experiment and voila. A lot of the discussions can be applied and discussed at the dinner table with ease..such as solids, liquids, and gases. Pick up your glass of water and discuss that it is a liquid. Point to your plate and ask "what state of matter is our plate?"(solid) Have the child make an icfe cube to show how water(liquid) turns into a solid(ice) and then boil it to produce gas.(water vapor) I love it and plan to use it all the way through.

 

HTH,

 

Penny`

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Halcyon

Halcyon

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I'd really like to give the second volume a try then! I'll look through it this weekend, and figure out what we're missing from volume 1 (which I just cannot get through), and go from there.

 

 

 

I have a flow chart I made available on my blog if you want to check it out.

 

 

That's the one I used!! I am sorry-I forget where I got it!!! It's great. :)

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Halcyon

Halcyon

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I feel the same way. Can we do volume 2 if we haven't done 1?

 

 

Yes, you can. We only did part of Volume 1, but I didn't love it. We did a bunch of other stuff, and returned to volume 2 this year. It has some built-in review, but I can also go back to Volume 1 if we need more review.

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jeri

jeri

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I currently am using Vol 1 with two 6th graders and a 4th grader. We started and stopped numerous times due to moves and adoptions. this time I'm commited to getting through it, and we are about 1/3 of the way thruogh since just before Christmas. I'm really loving this, partly because my kids *are* older! I'm having them keep a notebook in which they are writing science principles and I am astounded by their recall! I teach a lessson and always try to have a video (pbs/nova/youtube) and a demo (they call them experiments). Sometimes I get a more advanced demo out of science experiement books (of which I have a lot!). It's been a lot of fun for all of us and it's really neat when I find a science article in the paper on on the news and we can discuss it. I am so looking forward to finishing this by the end lf Feb, then on to Vol 2. For example, we had just finished the chapter on earth and magnetism when we had the super sun flare last week. That was a great real life topic!

 

You definitely have to get in the groove. I read through the chapter, highlighting all the points I want to get across. I get the demo stuff together, look for a video and then get started. I try to keep it open for discussion as per Dr. Nebel.

 

Just my ideas.

 

jeri

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Hunter

Hunter

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I need to pull out my pdf again. I really wish there was a printable pdf. I would be fine with the lousy formatting, if I could print it out on one sided 8x11 and have large margins to write notes in. And if necessary textmap it.

 

I had thought about buying the book, scanning the whole thing and printing it out, but got lazy. That would probably be less work and expense than the mess I'm dealing with Mr. Q. These 2 men need some lessons in formatting. Sigh!

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Hunter

Hunter

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I was reading some of the book 1 pdf tonight. I didn't like chapter 2 so much :-( It reminds me of a friend, who is a retired college professor and science is her religion, and she is always trying to proselytize people, to the point it feels like an attack.

 

So I don't know if I'm just overly sensitive and reading more into his writing than is there, because of my friend, but...I felt uncomfortable reading chapter 2. I felt like he was pushy about mind body connection, global warming, spirituality and actually doing what he was preaching against. It felt...invasive.

 

Christianity is my culture, not my belief, so I could care less whether creation is true or not. I just think much of chapter 2 is unnecessary.

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LittleIzumi

LittleIzumi

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I was reading some of the book 1 pdf tonight. I didn't like chapter 2 so much :-( It reminds me of a friend, who is a retired college professor and science is her religion, and she is always trying to proselytize people, to the point it feels like an attack.

 

So I don't know if I'm just overly sensitive and reading more into his writing than is there, because of my friend, but...I felt uncomfortable reading chapter 2. I felt like he was pushy about mind body connection, global warming, spirituality and actually doing what he was preaching against. It felt...invasive.

 

Christianity is my culture, not my belief, so I could care less whether creation is true or not. I just think much of chapter 2 is unnecessary.

 

:grouphug::grouphug: I'm quite religious and tend to get overly anxious about things, but only one sentence in chapter 2 gave me pause at all. I'm sorry a lot of it bothered you, though. That stinks. :grouphug::grouphug:

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Mrs Twain

Mrs Twain

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I was reading some of the book 1 pdf tonight. I didn't like chapter 2 so much :-( It reminds me of a friend, who is a retired college professor and science is her religion, and she is always trying to proselytize people, to the point it feels like an attack.

 

So I don't know if I'm just overly sensitive and reading more into his writing than is there, because of my friend, but...I felt uncomfortable reading chapter 2. I felt like he was pushy about mind body connection, global warming, spirituality and actually doing what he was preaching against. It felt...invasive.

 

Christianity is my culture, not my belief, so I could care less whether creation is true or not. I just think much of chapter 2 is unnecessary.

 

A nice thing about BFSU is that you can present the lesson the way you like. It is not scripted. You can choose to leave out something or present it the way you think is true since you are leading the discussion with your kids. That has only happened once in BFSU that I can remember, and I think it was in the chapter you mentioned.

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Hunter

Hunter

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I've been devouring BFSU the past couple days. I'm willing to overlook chapter 2.

 

I find it very interesting that the author is a former CC environmental science professor and textbook author, and wrote the curriculum partly in response to having unprepared students in his classes.

 

I've been talking for awhile now about preparing students for CC non lab science classes, and how that is different from the typical "high school" science default scope and sequences.

 

The author confirmed for me that his k-8 would prepare students for his ES course (but no guarantee for another teacher's).

 

Nebel has my full attention now. I'm about halfway through book 1 and hope to read all three books over the next couple weeks.

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jenangelcat

jenangelcat

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We've just finished Volume 1 and will be doing Volume 2 in the fall. Pdf's load really slowly on my e-reader so I converted it to epub with the free program Calibre.

 

I'm a little surprised by the jump in content quality. It's much more intense than the previous volume. Looking forward to starting it but first I have to find a microscope!

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sagira

sagira

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I'm a little surprised by the jump in content quality. It's much more intense than the previous volume. Looking forward to starting it but first I have to find a microscope!

 

This is the reason I have waited to introduce BFSU 2 to ds. We've completed Volume I and are doing MPH 3/4 in the meantime. We will be moving to Vol. 2 starting in the fall, with just the MPH 3/4 text and activity books.

Edited by sagira
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Halcyon

Halcyon

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It's much more intense than the previous volume. Looking forward to starting it but first I have to find a microscope!

:iagree::iagree: This is probably why _I_ find it more engaging :D My son finds it....challenging...LOL.

 

If anyone is interested I am in the very, very initial stages of making worksheets for Level 2. I am making them for Level 1 also. Only one lesson done so far, but it might help others whoo haven't taken the plunge see what sort of content Nebel expects the child to know in Level 2. I hope to complete 1-2 worksheets a week in each program, so perhaps they'll be useful for someone who is pacing it as we are :)

 

Level 1 worksheet (only one lesson done so far)

Level 2 worksheet (same thing)

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sagira

sagira

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If anyone is interested I am in the very, very initial stages of making worksheets for Level 2. I am making them for Level 1 also. Only one lesson done so far, but it might help others whoo haven't taken the plunge see what sort of content Nebel expects the child to know in Level 2. I hope to complete 1-2 worksheets a week in each program, so perhaps they'll be useful for someone who is pacing it as we are :)

 

Level 1 worksheet (only one lesson done so far)

Level 2 worksheet (same thing)

 

Wow, Halcyon! I didn't think I needed these until I saw them :tongue_smilie: :lol: Great work. I am definitely interested, as I'm starting Vol 1 slowly with dd K this fall, and Vol 2 starting with my oldest. Will be a good review for ds 4th as well.

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Halcyon

Halcyon

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Wow, Halcyon! I didn't think I needed these until I saw them :tongue_smilie: :lol: Great work. I am definitely interested, as I'm starting Vol 1 slowly with dd K this fall, and Vol 2 starting with my oldest. Will be a good review for ds 4th as well.

 

Glad they might be helpful. I will be chugging along with them, preparing them "in advance" for my kids as they work through the texts. I felt like _I_ needed something more concrete to demonstrate their learning, kwim? And they will serve as good review later on (I'll pick a few questions for review every few weeks and do a "review test").

 

I'll keep updating them, usually over each weekend.

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huntchaos

huntchaos

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:iagree::iagree: This is probably why _I_ find it more engaging :D My son finds it....challenging...LOL.

 

If anyone is interested I am in the very, very initial stages of making worksheets for Level 2. I am making them for Level 1 also. Only one lesson done so far, but it might help others whoo haven't taken the plunge see what sort of content Nebel expects the child to know in Level 2. I hope to complete 1-2 worksheets a week in each program, so perhaps they'll be useful for someone who is pacing it as we are :)

 

Level 1 worksheet (only one lesson done so far)

Level 2 worksheet (same thing)

 

Oh thank you for doing this - I know we will use them. We are halfway through bfsu 1 and plan on using 2 next year. We love it! :)

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sagira

sagira

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Glad they might be helpful. I will be chugging along with them, preparing them "in advance" for my kids as they work through the texts. I felt like _I_ needed something more concrete to demonstrate their learning, kwim? And they will serve as good review later on (I'll pick a few questions for review every few weeks and do a "review test").

 

I'll keep updating them, usually over each weekend.

 

Thanks! I had ds make those mini books Dr. Nebel recommends. Ds really didn't enjoy drawing and writing at that time, so it was always a chore for him to do it. I know dd will enjoy making these, and ds doesn't mind as much, as he's much older. I could use these as a review. I feel like I need to quiz a little, and this makes it so much easier.

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  • 2 months later...
Halcyon

Halcyon

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Wanted to give a bit of an update on this as we've been using it for a while now. Still really enjoying it, but ds wants more experiments which arent as frequent in the section we are in (cells), s we have been adding in some experiments and more hands-on projects. I do feel he is learning a great deal of fundamental science, and i am creating worksheets as we go for him to complete after each section (a few of you have asked me to share these, and i will as soon as I make a bit more headway. I am about one fourth of the way through the book, so hopefully by summer's end i will have at least half done; i will share then. Also, making them for BFSU volume 1 and will share those too.)

 

I plan on combining this with CPO Life Science next year, so we are paying special attention to the life sciences section so as to be well-prepared. We also got a great microscope and it has been a real asset to our studies; being able to see different cell types, structures, etc. (and not just on google images, which i had thought was "just fine") has been exciting.

 

I do pre-read each week, but as i have put the documents (pdfs) on Notability on my ipad i can take them with me wherever i go, so whenever I have some time, i sit down and oPen it up, taking notes right in Notability, highlighting interesting things. Makes life a lot easier, as i would never be lugging around the giant paper version everywhere!

Edited by Halcyon
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