sassenach Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 The kids will be 3rd and 4th grade. I'd like something with planned experiments/activities that could be done 3-4 days a week. I would be nice if it had a CM flair with added living books. I would love if it hit a few different areas of science, but it seems like most of what's out there focuses on just one at a time. Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Are you looking for an overall curriculum, or just for science as a subject? For an overall curriculum, I'd do Konos and focus on the science heavy units or WP's Sea and Sky. For just science as a subject, I'd probably choose something from Sonlight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Have you looked at Beautiful Feet's History of Science? http://bfbooks.com/Literature-Packs/History-Of-Science-Packs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Guesthollow has that Little Otter's Science which looks very nice. I haven't used it, though. I'm not that far along. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Have you read this thread?: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263107 Read through it b/c Ruth (lewelma) has some incredible insight into how to "do" science with your kids and said that science is the focus of their homeschool (instead of History or something else). It was inspiring to me. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meggie Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Have you read this thread?: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263107 Read through it b/c Ruth (lewelma) has some incredible insight into how to "do" science with your kids and said that science is the focus of their homeschool (instead of History or something else). It was inspiring to me. :001_smile: Ok, her post #33, just gave me chills. That is amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) We love science in our house and I have successfully raised scientists (or budding scientists). ;) (our oldest ds is a chemical engineer and our rising 11th grader was just accepted into an advanced scholars program at a university where he will be taking a 300 level math course and a 200 level science. He plans on majoring in physics.) Our approach is pretty much counter to most of the posts on this forum. We are not hands-on experiment oriented at all. (yet our rising 11th grader managed to win an honorable mention in a science competition w/close to 10,000 entries. :) ) Until late middle school my kids just read lots and lots of science books on topics that interest them. Whole books, not textbooks. There are wonderful books out there that engage kids' imagination. Books like A View from the Oak or Snowflake Bentley or Scientists in the Field series. This site has a lot of great titles: http://charlottemason.tripod.com/elemsci.html FWIW, I don't focus our school around science. I try to keep our studies balanced not only in subject matter but in hours of academics and play (with academics at your kids' ages being around 4 hrs w/the rest of the day spent playing.) Just thought I'd share since it is an approach that has been successful w/my kids. Edited June 13, 2012 by 8FillTheHeart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Have you looked at Beautiful Feet's History of Science? http://bfbooks.com/Literature-Packs/History-Of-Science-Packs :iagree: I use BF books as part of our history cycle, but it could easily and profitably be used as a year long science focused CM curriculum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 We love science in our house and I have successfully raised scientists (or budding scientists). ;) (our oldest ds is a chemical engineer and our rising 11th grader was just accepted into an advanced scholars program at a university where he will be taking a 300 level math course and a 200 level science. He plans on majoring in physics.) Our approach is pretty much counter to most of the posts on this forum. We are not hands-on experiment oriented at all. (yet our rising 11th grader managed to win an honorable mention in a science competition w/close to 10,000 entries. :) ) Until late middle school my kids just read lots and lots of science books on topics that interest them. Whole books, not textbooks. There are wonderful books out there that engage kids' imagination. Books like A View from the Oak or Snowflake Bentley or Scientists in the Field series. This site has a lot of great titles: http://charlottemason.tripod.com/elemsci.html FWIW, I don't focus our school around science. I try to keep our studies balanced not only is subject matter but in hours of academics and play (with academics at your kids' ages being around 4 hrs w/the rest of the day spent playing.) Just thought I'd share since it is an approach that has been successful w/my kids. Hey 8! Been wondering how you are!! And :iagree: We like experiments, but they are done VERY informally....not really connected to out science reading per se'. But more...."what happens when.......". We also use lots of videos and fun kits....just for fun. I don't necessarily have any scientists....but I do now have a dd w. a BS in Nutrition and Pre -med. and a son who is studying Water Treatment/ Chemistry. ( not as prestigious, but cool none-the-less.) Those kids read lots of science...biographies and whole books.... We no longer center our school time over a particular subject, but try to stay balanced. We do not theme our year or center around history. I do like to have my kids read within the historical period we are studying, but not necessarily historical fiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 You could do a year of Beautiful Feet History of Science for your history and add in Elemental Science and the corresponding Real Science Odyssey for your science. Use the book lists from these curriculums for your readers, add in spelling, language, and mah and you will have a great science filled year. All three curriculums mentioned above are easy to use and quick. Any experiments take normal house hold items, easy to do, but have great impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BugsMama Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Have you looked in to Hakims Story of Science? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 Have you read this thread?: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263107 Read through it b/c Ruth (lewelma) has some incredible insight into how to "do" science with your kids and said that science is the focus of their homeschool (instead of History or something else). It was inspiring to me. :001_smile: Thanks for that! I've been reading her recent posts on the logic board, but I hadn't seen this thread. W.O.W. We love science in our house and I have successfully raised scientists (or budding scientists). ;) (our oldest ds is a chemical engineer and our rising 11th grader was just accepted into an advanced scholars program at a university where he will be taking a 300 level math course and a 200 level science. He plans on majoring in physics.) Our approach is pretty much counter to most of the posts on this forum. We are not hands-on experiment oriented at all. (yet our rising 11th grader managed to win an honorable mention in a science competition w/close to 10,000 entries. :) ) Until late middle school my kids just read lots and lots of science books on topics that interest them. Whole books, not textbooks. There are wonderful books out there that engage kids' imagination. Books like A View from the Oak or Snowflake Bentley or Scientists in the Field series. This site has a lot of great titles: http://charlottemason.tripod.com/elemsci.html FWIW, I don't focus our school around science. I try to keep our studies balanced not only in subject matter but in hours of academics and play (with academics at your kids' ages being around 4 hrs w/the rest of the day spent playing.) Just thought I'd share since it is an approach that has been successful w/my kids. Thank you so much for this. I always appreciate your posts. I'm moving away from a history centric curriculum, and I guess I haven't figured out yet how to do that without filling that hole with something else. Science was a big flop last year and I think my kneejerk is to swing the other direction. Hey 8! Been wondering how you are!! And :iagree: We like experiments, but they are done VERY informally....not really connected to out science reading per se'. But more...."what happens when.......". We also use lots of videos and fun kits....just for fun. I don't necessarily have any scientists....but I do now have a dd w. a BS in Nutrition and Pre -med. and a son who is studying Water Treatment/ Chemistry. ( not as prestigious, but cool none-the-less.) Those kids read lots of science...biographies and whole books.... We no longer center our school time over a particular subject, but try to stay balanced. We do not theme our year or center around history. I do like to have my kids read within the historical period we are studying, but not necessarily historical fiction. Thanks so much. What kits do you like? Are you looking for an overall curriculum, or just for science as a subject? For an overall curriculum, I'd do Konos and focus on the science heavy units or WP's Sea and Sky. For just science as a subject, I'd probably choose something from Sonlight. Subject....I think..... Have you looked at Beautiful Feet's History of Science? http://bfbooks.com/Literature-Packs/History-Of-Science-Packs I looked at that once a long time ago. Will go look again! Guesthollow has that Little Otter's Science which looks very nice. I haven't used it, though. I'm not that far along. :) I love Guesthollow's site, though I've never used any of her plans. Will look You could do a year of Beautiful Feet History of Science for your history and add in Elemental Science and the corresponding Real Science Odyssey for your science. Use the book lists from these curriculums for your readers, add in spelling, language, and mah and you will have a great science filled year. All three curriculums mentioned above are easy to use and quick. Any experiments take normal house hold items, easy to do, but have great impact. Why would you double up on Elemental and RSO? What's the difference between them? Have you looked in to Hakims Story of Science? I have not. Will investigate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) I just found this today: The Everyday Science Sourcebook by Lawrence Lowery http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781936959099&utm_source=enewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BookBeatJune2012 It looks like a great resource. They also have Teaching Science Through Trade Books and Science the ""Write Way. Maybe one of these would work? Edited June 13, 2012 by besroma Added two more titles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Have you looked in to Hakims Story of Science? If you are interested in buying it, don't forget that you are eligible to get a copy at a discount from the publisher. There's a thread about it somewhere.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Why would you double up on Elemental and RSO? What's the difference between them? Elemental is mostly read a bit each day on the topic and narrate a sentence or two which you write down on a notebook page. You can add one of their pre-drawn pics to the narration or draw your own. They also have an experiment you do each week but these are basic experiment type things. The RSO is mostly lab/experiments but these are by far the best I have seen for the age group. They are very engaging and the impact is big. Both are easy to use and quick but each is missing what the other has...so together make a great science program. I have tried many over the 19+ years of homeschooling and these two together have been the best I have seen so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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