Ready made Science curriculum

[TCB]

I was at the used curriculum store yesterday and, yet again, was looking at some of the elementary science curriculums. I really want to find something to use with dd9 that is all put together. But I just can't get over the silly, busywork stuff they all contain. So far we have done our own thing using books, encyclopedias etc. Why is it so impossible to find this sort of thing already put together? The best 'made by someone else' resource we've used so far is the Creek Edge press Task Cards, but those aren't completely all done for you. Why do so many curriculum writers think we should have our kids doing lame, time wasting things. Sorry, this is a bit of a rant, but the whole time wasting thing is why we took our dds out of PS. I like putting things together myself, but I also have to work outside the home and would love something already done for me.

[silver]

You can always skip the time wasting activities.

 

I haven't looked at too many science curriculum options. We use BFSU, and I really like it. The activities really do seem to enhance the lesson rather than just being there for the sake of an activity.

[TCB]

You can always skip the time wasting activities.

 

I haven't looked at too many science curriculum options. We use BFSU, and I really like it. The activities really do seem to enhance the lesson rather than just being there for the sake of an activity.

 

 

I agree about BFSU, I think the activities it uses are really good. I was thinking about the more 'all put together' programs. You can skip them, but, with some programs, you would skip huge portions of it.

[Farrar]

I think it's because science is hard to teach. You have to get messy doing it. When you're really doing it, it's unpredictable.

 

ETA: By the way, this is my general thoughts on science curricula.

[Ecclecticmum]

I use BFSU informally right now (the ideas, but not the lessons). We use Konos (original volumes), science experiment books, happy scientist, and are currently making our way through Let's Read and Find out Science. This is in addition to Atlas' projects she does in her own time.

 

I'm "planning" on using continuing with this next year (I might begin some of the lessons, I don't agree with how early they begin certain methods though, so I am on the fence with this). I gave up on Science programs, I'm quite picky with both Science and Art. I still haven't found a curriculum in either that I love (I mostly use Kohls books right now for art). I'm thinking of doing a foray into RS4K in Summer (I'm unsure about this, I like the look of the text they use, but I have a feeling the experiments and info will let the kids down)

 

Science programs are either boring (reallly boring.....really REALLY boring, dry textbookish, and filled with as much scientific vocabulary to stuff into your childs head, busywork that does that, and long drawn out speeches with randomly assigned schedules) Science is FASCINATING, science is fun (although not as fun as Bill Nye seems to be having, his show gives me a headache, its like watching a man consume 20 cups of coffee then trying to induce seizures with the special effects)

 

I'm looking into the possibility of using exploration education as a fun extra at some point (although I have heard things about the experiments in that going south), and maybe E-Science Diamond Package or something for the later years. Honestly, I have no idea. Most science programs annoy me incredibly in one way or another. I have a waldorf method of science (observation & discovery in early years, no critical thinking that removes the child from one-ness), but with more of a modern mum fun "let's blow things up & draw pictures of birds, collect nests, ride an elephant, and build a rocketship" view, rofl. Which doesn't seem to be available anywhere.....imagine that. So we just do it, without a curriculum.

 

But if you have any ideas, I'm all ears. I'm going to need to eventually choose a thorough curriculum that doesn't bore to tears, is rigorous (in case my kids want to become scientists), is secular-friendly, and a lot of fun, and makes kids want to understand and do science.

 

I've also looked into Ellen McHenry, she might be an option for you? I have looked at her stuff though, so I'm not sure about the busywork, people on here tend to rave about it (I'm just waiting for my kids to get older, lol).

[8filltheheart]

Science programs are either boring ......(snip......or)........Science is FASCINATING, science is fun (snip) (I might have altered your meaning by my snip.....I snipped it this way b/c this is going to be part of my point in that some programs promote science as science is "magical" "exploding things" or "entertainment.")

 

Most science programs annoy me incredibly in one way or another. (snip)

But if you have any ideas, I'm all ears. I'm going to need to eventually choose a thorough curriculum that doesn't bore to tears, is rigorous (in case my kids want to become scientists), is secular-friendly, ...........and makes kids want to understand and do science.

 

The above is precisely why I have ended up rejecting all science programs until they are doing high school worthy credit work. My kids read whole books on science topics and are immersed deeply into topics instead of skipping across the surface via textbooks, or wanting to poke their eyes out in bordeom, or looking to science as their entertainment for the day.

 

FWIW, you do not need to find the bolded prior to high school. (not even sure you need to for high school if you are capable of pulling together the appropriate resources for a solid credit.....I am not. For high school, we do use traditional high school or college secular textbooks.) But, forgoing a preplanned science curriculum or textbooks for reading large varieties of trade books w/lots of time for contemplation will not inhibit their becoming scientists. (So far one of our children is a chemical engineer and another planning on pursuing theoretical physics (he is only a rising sr, but will graduate high school with 11 science credits......4 of them 200-300 university physics credits) With both of them, 8th grade was their first time using a formal science program. My rising 12th grader has obviously taken multiple science credits each yr of high school b/c he is passionate about science. ;) No formal curriculum probably encouraged his love vs. harming it! :)

 

As a completely non-scientific analysis.....I think allowing our kids lots of time for exploring/building/constructing/playing and hours upon hours of playing strategy games that encourage critical thinking/mental strategies has been as key to their success in science as anything they learned in science in elementary/middle school (plus being rock solid in math).

[Mom in High Heels]

We use Elemental Science and it is the first science we've both enjoyed. Each week there is vocab, reading, an experiment and a sketch (we skip many of those). It's also not expensive IMO.

[TCB]

I think that I probably need to just accept that I need to carry on putting things together, and be 'messy', and get over the search for an "already put together" program. I'll have to have one more look at Elemental though.

 

It does confirm my thoughts on the matter to hear others say the same. It's encouraging to know that they can still be successful at high school if you start with text books etc when they get there, and follow interests until then.

 

The Bill Nye on too much caffeine made me laugh. But that is exactly what it's like. I think we're doing ok how we are and I know I'm searching for the impossible when I look around. I just need to get a grip and realize it all over again.

 

When I hear people describing science as I think it should be, it is almost always when they are using good books and putting things together themselves.

[BatmansWife]

I was at the used curriculum store yesterday and, yet again, was looking at some of the elementary science curriculums. I really want to find something to use with dd9 that is all put together. But I just can't get over the silly, busywork stuff they all contain. So far we have done our own thing using books, encyclopedias etc. Why is it so impossible to find this sort of thing already put together? The best 'made by someone else' resource we've used so far is the Creek Edge press Task Cards, but those aren't completely all done for you. Why do so many curriculum writers think we should have our kids doing lame, time wasting things. Sorry, this is a bit of a rant, but the whole time wasting thing is why we took our dds out of PS. I like putting things together myself, but I also have to work outside the home and would love something already done for me.

 

 

Curious...what have you used up until now that you feel was busywork or you needing to put it all together yourself?

 

If you mean that you are looking for science that includes everything....I have two suggestions. Science Excursion. It comes with tons of stuff (well, not so much the K). Another one, that we will be using for the first time in a few months, is NOEO science....lots of different books and pieces...but seems to be all put together for us.

[CatholicMom]

Have you considered Sonlight science? It's all planned/scheduled and you can pick and choose which experiments you want to do. I know that Sonlight says in the catalog that their curriculum does not revolve around hands-on projects, so if they do them (which they do for science) they are worthwhile and not busywork. They also use a variety of "living books" for science. I'm not sure if the various books is what you meant you were looking for... It comes with a science supplies kit, too, so it doesn't get more put together than that.

 

Just a thought.

[TCB]

I haven't actually used lots of different programs, I've never gotten further than looking into them and being really turned off by the fill in the blank busywork type things. I guess it's not really fair complaining because I haven't used them. The usual routine goes like this: I think I need to have something planned out for me, I hopefully look around - on line and at store, I see all the above mentioned things in the samples I look at and yet again can't face the thought of them - I decide I just have to do it myself with good books, some experiment books and making up my own assignments.

 

The trouble is I periodically cycle through this process - each time hoping for a different result - the definition of insanity!

 

I haven't looked at Sonlight science at all and will have to check it out.

[Farrar]

Oh, I so agree with the idea that some science curricula introduce science as all explosions and frantic excitement. Ugh. Science can feel magical the same way any subject that sparks your interest can, but there's nothing magical about it necessarily.

 

I also think the idea of putting "rigor" in the same sentence as "elementary science" is laughable. I think you can give science more time in elementary school - and that might be a fine and good thing to do. You can also choose to try and expose elementary students to topics in science in a more systematic way so they don't just get seeds, caterpillars, dinosaurs and volcanoes. But anything that would be termed "rigor" to me would really be language arts - more reading, more writing about science - it couldn't even be much math at this stage.

 

We give a good amount of time and I spend some effort planning science, but I think it's an extra. I do it because I enjoy it and the kids enjoy it. If any of us stopped enjoying it, I'd pare it down and we'd do something else. I haven't seen a science program that I would want to use. NOEO actually sounds the closest, because it would be nice to have a list of books and experiments already done so I didn't have to start from scratch, but I wouldn't personally use a Christian curriculum for science. And I think BFSU has some nice things about it. But it's not set up in a way that I personally love. Regardless, I think it's fine to just watch movies, read books, and take opportunities as they arise, like that paper airplane contest at your co-op or that ant farm Aunt Sylvia gave your kid for his birthday or that field trip to the science museum.

 

I feel like I see this for elementary history a lot more than for science, but I think one of the... I don't want to say worst, because it's not necessarily harmful, but one of the most wasteful things we can do is overthink it. Perspective matters, resources matter, and so forth... But some people really overthink and overevaluate content subjects for elementary school. They talk about it as if they've got college students.