BakersDozen Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 After hours here doing searches, reading more posts than I can count, looking at samples online I QUIT! I am in tears trying to decide on a science program! I want to teach my 3 older dc together, I wanted to cover more than one topic (I thought about doing 6 weeks on, a week off, repeat and covering botany, animal classification, human body, etc.). I looked at Rainbow Science's samples and was less than impressed. It seems so...weak, maybe? I know it was just one example from each section so maybe the other lessons got better, but when the first lessons didn't impress me at all I find it hard to have hope in it getting better. I don't think we are ready for Apologia. I also realize that I need to get serious and prepare for high school...I am so stressed!!! Please, someone help me out here. I do not want my dc to do solely independent work. I enjoy doing science yet at the same time my time is stretched a bit thin w/4 (soon to be 5) other dc to teach/take care of, so I need a good balance of independent work and mom-involved work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 How old are your children? Do you want more hands-on or less hands-on, more reading? What topics would you like to get covered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Youngs Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I feel you! I have a 6th grade son that LOVES science and I have bought 6 curriculums over the last 3 yrs trying to find something that he likes and I like to use. No luck, UNTIL, I decided to try Apologia's general science course for 7th grade and up. I bought the cd-rom version. The text, tests, experiment lists and instructions; everything is on one disc. It is amazing! And definitely not too difficult for him. General science is just an overview, anyway. I'm considering letting my 4th grade son use it next year. (for 5th grade) WE do it 3x weekly: reading, vocab and/or experiments. It's his favorite subject this year. (this is our 3rd week) You might give this a try. I originally figured that at age 11, if it took him 2 years to complete, that would be fine. We homeschool so that we don't have to be hold them back or push them forward too soon. Grade level is only a suggestion for the average kid, even in homeschool curriculum. Good luck~ Dawanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Alfred Academy Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I was in the same boat you were a couple months ago. I have two boys (7&5) and they love science, but I couldn't decide on a program. After several agonizing weeks, I finally decided I wasn't going to fret about it anymore. Here is the plan I came up with... We are going to feed our love of nature the next few years. We are going to start (again) Barb's Green Hour Challenges. Then, we are going to read books (lots of "living books"), do simple experiments, create habitats and watch things grow (plants, butterflies, hermit crabs, tadpoles into frogs, ect.), watch interesting videos, and maybe do a lapbook or two about whatever is of interest to us at that time. I am going to let science be more "child lead" at this stage/age. I feel great about this. It'll take a bit of planning, but I like that sort of thing. Anyhow, I am not sure how old your kids are, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. They'll learn no matter what you do as long as you are doing something. Hang in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 What ages? Apologia elementary science is really good for this. Here's a site you can go to for more info. Just click on the cover of the science book you are interested in. The notebooking pages are free online here. You can also get a schedule to do two a year on this site. Just click on the 20-week schedules. Anyway, I don't know if maybe you haven't really looked at Apologia, but, if you haven't here's some stuff to maybe help you out!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Well, this may not be any help to you at all, but we have really enjoyed Rainbow. I'm not a science-mom, but my dd was able to follow it well and learned from it. The only thing I don't care for is its "cutesy" way of sometimes addressing the students, similar to Writing Strands. But the material is very thorough. Dd could easily do the reading on her own. The lessons were short, usually 2 pages with photos. And my younger ds could do Rainbow this year as a 5th grader (I'd have to read to him), but I'm having him wait another year or so, because it would cause a little too much competition between my kids. :) I had dreaded Apologia for years, and Rainbow was a huge relief! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 How old are your children? Do you want more hands-on or less hands-on, more reading? What topics would you like to get covered? The dc I would be teaching are 9, 10 and 11yo. Possibly will include my newly 8yo but on a lesser amount of involvement. I love hands-on yet last year we did so much hands-on (bought science kits and had a blast) and there wasn't any reading. Basically I did what Brittney did - used habitats, did tadpoles/frogs, ladybugs, electricity, etc. And that was great for the elementary level but I feel I need something more for middle school. As far as topics to cover I really don't care except that we've done earth science a lot (although it's always good to do more and have that reinforcement). I want more reading than Rainbow provides and definitely more exercises (again, maybe the lessons/exercises get better but the sample ones were not what I am looking for). I know I could use Rainbow and add to it but I was hoping to find a program that I didn't have to do that with. I just looked again at Prentice Hall and am totally confused by all the different books listed to buy. Plus there is no information at all on their site (that I could find) about the labs - what are they, what materials are needed, etc.). I have been looking forward to middle school science since I first began hsing as I remember my 7th/8th grade science years as the best. I loved the books, loved the labs and want to find what I used (it would be helpful if I could remember exactly what books were used). The only thing I don't care for is its "cutesy" way of sometimes addressing the students, similar to Writing Strands. I've not found any other program that my dc detested like Writing Strands. We tried several times and they just couldn't stand the way the author "talked" to them. That was one thing I noticed right away with Rainbow as well. Sorry to rant and rave but I'm just so frustrated. Science is my last subject to order and I fear it will be the first to be dropped if I don't find something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Have you researched Noeo and REAL Science? You might also look at RS4K, which we have really enjoyed so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paula j Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 In my opinion BJU has a good sturdy science program. I will be doing 8th grade Earth science this year with my 13 yo ds and it looks really good. Since you seem to be wanting something with more than one subject and book have you looked at sonlight. Their core 5 science covers human anatomy, word processing, and survival skills. We really enjoyed science 5. It would also probably work for all your ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Noeo has middle school science now? I wasn't aware of that! I thought it just had the elementary grades covered. I'm going to await what Prof Nebel is going to come up with by the time my kids reach middle school age, but as of yet I had Rainbow Science as my choice for this age range. Thanks for the feedback on those programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Some people don't do formal science of any kind until high school, and it works out just fine. If that is an option for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Have you checked out Exploration Education? That's what we are using this year for a 10yo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallory Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I think part of your problem is feeling like you have to do a middle school curriculum. Your oldest is only 11 only middle school by a streach, and 9 and 10 sure aren't middle school aged. It is also okay to do a simpler science, even if you feel like your 11 yo is 7th grade already. It is better to do something that will get done, then something that won't. easyclassical.com has schedules to combine all ages, and seems a good mix of hands on and reading. Even if you decide not to purchase any of them, there are great books here (as well as with NOEO). R.E.A.L. Science, while a program we really enjoyed, we used both years, is not going to work for an 11 yo (or even a 9 yo IMO). RS4K might work, but each course is only 10 weeks, so getting a whole years worth can be expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 As always I appreciate the input. I took a break for a few hours to regroup and calm down; hopefully I'll be able to tackle scienc tonight. I thought choosing a math program was hard...science has beaten math easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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