Planning Ahead Science

[MrsBanjoClown]

We are doing BFSU 1 right now with a K'er and a 2nd grader. We have only done the first 3 weeks, but we are loving it. I want to wait on BFSU 2 until they are 3rd and 5th grades, since that is the recommended age span for it. So, I have two years to fill after this year. I'm planning on asking the boys after this year what topics they would like to study in depth, but I am interested to find out if anyone thinks there are areas that we should focus on in those two years. Are there any areas that might be lighter than others that we could focus on during these two in-between years? Or would you consider BFSU to give equal attention to all areas? I've also thought of doing semester-long studies in each of the 4 areas (biology, earth/space, chemistry, physics). Thanks for any guidance you can give me as I try to plan a general course of study for the next few years. FWIW, my boys are very into science, and so are we.

[MrsBanjoClown]

*bump*

[aprilleigh]

You should be spreading each volume over three years - many of the topics will take more than one week to complete, and several are ongoing. At a minimum it should take two years, certainly not one.

[kirstenhill]

Are there any areas that might be lighter than others that we could focus on during these two in-between years? Or would you consider BFSU to give equal attention to all areas? I've also thought of doing semester-long studies in each of the 4 areas (biology, earth/space, chemistry, physics). Thanks for any guidance you can give me as I try to plan a general course of study for the next few years. FWIW, my boys are very into science, and so are we.

 

 

You know, I think BFSU is lighter in some aspects of the natural/biological sciences. While nature observation/observing local plants and and animals, etc is mentioned as an ongoing activity, some people do this as a primary cornerstone of their science studies, so I could see supplementing BFSU with nature study resources.

 

Some curricula might spend a whole semester on, say, studying mammals (or other types of animals/fish/birds, etc) or a whole year studying the human body. BFSU just doesn't go into as much depth on those topics so that could be another direction to pursue.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

There is plenty in BFSU for 2-3 years- just go in deeper on subjects that interest you. I have stretched JUST the biology thread out to a full year for this year, and even with that, I feel like we are really condensing it. This is my schedule for BFSU biology over one year, but it's still a rough draft...

 

This is just to give you an idea. For exmaple, we'll spend several weeks on invertebrates, and several weeks on vertebrates, rather than just the one or two lessons given in BFSU. We'll eperate food chains and adaptations and do them over at least two weeks rather than one lesson.

 

I think most threads could be expanded this way. The earth science thread has no real "weather" segment, ie, nothing on the water cycle, nothing on clouds or cloud formation, etc. Biomes is listed as one lesson- why not do a biome a week and do amore in-depth study linking it to weather food webs, animal and plant adaptations...

[BugsMama]

Monica- That is AWESOME. I just printed it, and I think we'll be adapting it and using it. Thank you SO much!

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Thanks! I actually need to update the google doc because I've refined it a lot... I'll repost the link on this thread after I've done that.

[BugsMama]

Thanks Monica!!!