Country Girl Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Just wondering if anyone has ever had their logic stage students do multiple science classes in the same year. In grades 6-8, I was planning on having ds do life, earth/space, and physical. But I've been wondering if it would be possible to do all 3 at once, and spread them out over 3 years. Basically doing 1/3 of each of the courses per year. Has anyone ever done anything like this? How would you schedule it......... break the year up into 3 terms, spend 1 day a week on each discipline, other ideas????? What advantages or disadvantages can you see to trying to do something like this? Do you know of any curricula that is already set up like this? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 That's the way it is done in my European home country. Sciences are phased in, one at a time (bio in 5th, physics in 6th, chem in 7th), and all three are taught concurrently through high school. The students have 2-3 class periods each week in each of the sciences, so they are truly taught simultaneously, not in blocks. The big advantage is that you can cover concepts that span the disciplines, and that students see that science is not compartmentalized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 That's the way it is done in my European home country. Sciences are phased in, one at a time (bio in 5th, physics in 6th, chem in 7th), and all three are taught concurrently through high school. The students have 2-3 class periods each week in each of the sciences, so they are truly taught simultaneously, not in blocks. The big advantage is that you can cover concepts that span the disciplines, and that students see that science is not compartmentalized. I am not aware of any US curriculum that is set up for this, but you can probably work with three texts in parallel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AStableBeginning Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 :bigear: I am planning on doing this this upcoming school year. However, I do not have all my plans laid out yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted May 1, 2012 Author Share Posted May 1, 2012 That's the way it is done in my European home country. Sciences are phased in, one at a time (bio in 5th, physics in 6th, chem in 7th), and all three are taught concurrently through high school. The students have 2-3 class periods each week in each of the sciences, so they are truly taught simultaneously, not in blocks.The big advantage is that you can cover concepts that span the disciplines, and that students see that science is not compartmentalized. I am not aware of any US curriculum that is set up for this, but you can probably work with three texts in parallel. Thanks for chiming in. It was some of your posts that got me thinking about this in the first place. So were the three courses still kept pretty seperate from each other and the connection just made on an individual level as students were able to make them? Or did the teachers somehow try to integrate the three disciplines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted May 1, 2012 Author Share Posted May 1, 2012 :bigear: I am planning on doing this this upcoming school year. However, I do not have all my plans laid out yet. I would love to hear any plans you have so far. Do you have course materials picked out yet? Do you have any idea yet how you will be scheduling the classes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 If I could humbly suggest, I think the *harder* task for a mom with a very advanced, capable dc (which as I recall, yours is) is *upping the level* of the material, not the sequence. I would let what you can find that you can actually *implement* drive how you structure it. Otherwise you're going to be looking for something to fit a paradigm. Have you looked at the Prentice Hall Concepts in Action Physical Science? Someone else mentioned it here as being very rigorous, and indeed it looks that way. Some of the explanations were exceptionally clear (comparing online samples of their text to the BJU physical science I'm getting ready for us to use). For the right student (yours), it would be a really good fit. It hits chem, physics, and earth science, all at a level he could do now. For biology/life science, you might find he'd rather do that a separate year with a regular life science curriculum. Not every kid takes well to concepts being shuffled together. Some people like one thing at a time. Or get a more narrative spine for the biology to let him read alongside. There's one that gets mentioned here frequently, name slips my mind. I checked it out from the library and it was something you could use that way. Check out that PH Concepts in Action physical science. There are extensive samples available online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 So were the three courses still kept pretty seperate from each other and the connection just made on an individual level as students were able to make them? Or did the teachers somehow try to integrate the three disciplines? Yes, they were taught as separate subjects. The main benefit was that each science was studied continuously for 6-8 years, respectively, which is much more beneficial for retention, in-depth understanding, and, ultimately, forming of connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 I wanted to mention the Holt Science and Technology: Integrated Science books for middle school. DS is using the green book for 6th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 The Prentice Hall Science Explorer books are great for that. There are 16 books covering various aspects of earth, bio, and physical/chemical topics. They can be done in any order, though some are better for older kids and some are a good fit for youngers. Very nice prep for high school work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 I have the PH Science Explorer physical science, the Concepts in Action book is definitely a step up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Prentice Hall has a set of middle school books that teach the sciences in an integrated way. Here is a link. They are Called Discoveries in Life, Earth & Physical Science, Investigations in Life, Earth & Physical Science and Adventures in Life, Earth and Physical Science. I think they are based on the Science Explorer series, just already integrated for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 I have the PH Science Explorer physical science, the Concepts in Action book is definitely a step up. :iagree: A big step up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 OhElizabeth~ Thanks for the PH Concepts in Action suggestion. I have all of the Science Explorer books, but have never taken a look at the CiA one. I like the idea of having the Earth Science integrated with the Physical and Chemical because I don't know if I can take an entire year of Earth and Space:o (it's just not my thing). This year he is finishing Saxon 1/2 and LOF Alg., so I think he could handle the math in it. I've also seen that Kolbe has lesson plans and I like that for me. Regentrude~ Studying the disciplines continuously over the 3 years for retention purposes is what I see as being the big benefit. I could see this be a big boost going into the high school sciences. Heathermomster~ Thanks for mentioning the Hold Integrated books, I'll take a look at them. loesje22000~ Thanks for mentioning the Galore Park books. I briefly looked at them for the younger grades a few years ago, but haven't looked at the logic level ones. Momto2Ns~ Thanks for mentioning the integrated PH books. I have the full series of books, so I could just re-organize to match the way these integrated books are organized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Just wondering if anyone has ever had their logic stage students do multiple science classes in the same year. In grades 6-8, I was planning on having ds do life, earth/space, and physical. But I've been wondering if it would be possible to do all 3 at once, and spread them out over 3 years. Basically doing 1/3 of each of the courses per year. Has anyone ever done anything like this? How would you schedule it......... break the year up into 3 terms, spend 1 day a week on each discipline, other ideas????? What advantages or disadvantages can you see to trying to do something like this? Do you know of any curricula that is already set up like this? Thanks! My mind has been going very much in the same direction as yours. I see the benefits of retention and discipline cross-over. Additionally, my ds is ready for higher level science materials, but he will not be able to do them at a one-year pace. So I'm planning to do multiple science courses with higher level books, but slowly over several years. My tentative plan for next year (7th grade)-- 1 year study of human biology and health (life science) begin Hewitt's Conceptual Physics Earth Science on weekends The human body and physics will be our academic focus. The earth science will be more casual, though we will have a text to guide us. Dh has a geology background, so we will do it as a family on the weekends. I hope to spend a couple of hours on it several weekends a month over the next several years. We already enjoy sky-watching and hiking and visiting geological features as a family, so I think this study will be fun for all of us. The next year (again, tentatively) we will continue with the Conceptual Physics and perhaps begin a high-school level biology text along with the weekend earth science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 In Alberta in High school you take Bio, Chem and physics each year as separate classes (well theoretically since I never took physics). From Elementary - grade 10 every science year was more like a general science with a little bit of this and little bit of that. Grade 11 you take individual classes, and again in grade 12. Usually students take one in one term and 2 in another each year. When it comes to my kids I plan on starting them on concurrent science studies next year. They will be working through apologia physical science next year, and then will do apologia anatomy & physiology, followed by botany. So essentially life sciences along with physical. THis is with the plan in mind that the next year they will do apologia high school biology along with Ellen McHenry's chemistry programs. Which should have them ready for high school chem etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deee Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Australia uses integrated science classes until year 10. In years 11&12 you can choose 2 sciences from physics, chemistry and biology (4 units of credit), or do a simpler general science course for 2 units. In fact, I'm not sure I realised that science had streams until around year 9, when it dawned on me that my teacher had a degree in biology, and that was why he was never very enthusiastic about physics (I was never very enthusiastic about physics either, and went on to get a degree in biochem and genetics). We've followed a US Waldorf curriculum so far, so we did botany last year, zoology the year before. This year we're doing life science and some physics. Next year (year 7) I want to integrate more. Its the way I was taught, its less artificial, and my son does better with review. So next year will be physics, chemistry, astronomy, and biology, and liberal doses of the marvels of scientific method. I'm still wondering how I'll actually do this - maybe I'll even look at a school text book (but only a quick look:lol:). I'm planning to continue with BFSU and Ellen McHenry's units. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) Sorry, double post Edited May 10, 2012 by Country Girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 Cosmos~ Thanks for chiming in and letting me know your plans. I really like the idea of doing the sciences together, but I'm having a hard time getting over the "traditional" way of doing science that I was exposed to. Swellmomma and Deee~ Thanks for letting me know how science is done in places other than the US. As I just mentioned, it is hard to break out of the mold and do things different. But it helps when I know other people have done it differently with success. I'm still very much on the fence about science for this next year, but everyone's feedback really gives me lots to think about. I was hoping to lighten my teaching load by outsourcing science, but I don't see that happening if I do end up trying to integrate our science studies more.:tongue_smilie: Right now some of the programs on my radar are: Exploration Education Derek Owens Physical Science Concepts in Action Conceptual Physics Friendly Chemistry Ellen McHenry's Chemistry programs BJU Life Science BJU Physical Science Some of these already integrate the Physics and Chemistry and some would keep these separate. I can't decide which I like better......... integrated Chem and Physics and BJU Life spread over grades 6 and 7 and then the opportunity to do a dedicated Physics in 8th so he could be set up to do AP Physics in HS. Or to do BJU Life, Conceptual Physics, and one of the dedicated Chemistry programs spread throughout grades 6-8. If anyone has any thoughts on any of these specific programs or how to schedule them concurrently, I'd love to hear them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I wouldn't spread the BJU Life Science over 2 years. Just do it to the degree you can in one and move on. Solve the next year after that. Life changes so much in-between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 I wouldn't spread the BJU Life Science over 2 years. Just do it to the degree you can in one and move on. Solve the next year after that. Life changes so much in-between. It's 4am here, and I've been up for several hours with a sick kid so I'm not thinking straight.......so can you explain a bit more why you don't suggest spreading it out? My thoughts were to spread it out so we would have a bit of the life science exposure each year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Sorry, I thought you meant only the Life Science text spread over two years. That I wouldn't do, because it's too long and just not necessary. (If the student is ready, he can just do it straight.) But if you're meaning spread over two years because you're picking units and alternating with other stuff, that makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.