Berta Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 We started out using Trail Guide to Learning: Paths of Exploration which is an all inclusive (except math) curriculum. I love it, my daughter not so much. We have decided to ditch it and go back to what we liked and know works for us. The only thing left to figure out is science, which is something I seem to struggle with every year. I am drawing a blank on science for 3rd grade.My daughter is a very independent worker. She prefers to do her work by herself with minimum help/input from me. I also need it to be CHEAP. I'm thinking of just using Netflix and Amazon Prime to watch and discuss shows together. She is taking a science class at the local museum, but that is only once a month.Any and all suggestions are welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 We are using Trail Guides. I had to modify to make it functional and fun for the kids and I really love the idea of weaving history into so many things, but my older still had trouble with some aspects (as in she was miserable) so I am switching her to other things, at least temporarily until we see how it goes. It was suggested to me that we look at You Tube videos like "The Periodic Table of Videos", "Crash Course Chemistry" and something else I can't recall for Science. Once I started looking I found TONS of videos on science stuff. Also, Currclick sometimes has items really cheap, including unit studies and on-line classes, etc. Teachers Pay Teachers and Teacher Vision sometimes have items for free. You have to pay a yearly membership for Teacher Vision, but they sometimes make TONS of curriculum available for download without additional cost and send Daily Newsletters that have interesting information and fun and educational activities. Educents also sometimes has stuff for free. There is Science Odyssey and Real Science 4 Kids, too. Can't remember the cost of those. If I remember correctly, the 2nd one is set up so that the student (if they read independently) can function without a lot of input from a teacher for most things just by using the workbook, but there is a teacher's manual available. I don't know much about the first except it has gotten good reviews. Have you looked at The Happy Scientist through Homeschool Buyer's Co-Op? Sometimes you can get a year's subscription to his lessons and videos for as little as $10. Also through the Co-op are several other science options, sometimes cheap, sometimes not so cheap.... About.com has some interesting science stuff. I signed up for the free newsletter for About.geology and About.chemistry and get interesting things to show the kids and look at further on a regular basis. My daughter and son both have enjoyed Jonathan Bird's Blue World videos. They may still be streaming somewhere. The website has lessons and studies you can print out to go along with the videos. We do those on Fridays for fun. The lessons are for each segment and there are 3 segments per show, so you could do a really short lesson and just watch one segment, or a longer one and watch all three. I finally know what a pelagic shark is. :) There are several notebooking/lapbooking companies that sometimes provide their materials at greatly reduced rates or even free....I just google to check stuff and sometimes get really lucky. Hope that helps some.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Oh, and the blog Highhill Homeschoolers sometimes has great science activities! The HomeSchool Mom Newsletter has stuff, too, In the Hands of a Child is one of the notebooking companies that sometimes provides free or really cheap unit studies or mini-unit studies... KIDS Discover also sometimes has stuff on sale... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Mr. Q's Life Science is free. A lot of it can be done independently by a child who is a fluent reader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berta Posted November 5, 2013 Author Share Posted November 5, 2013 I ordered Ace Paces for Science and Social Studies. I almost didn't because a lot of reviews were negative. I decided to order the first workbooks and they came today. My daughter LOVES them. She is very independent and this seems to be a good fit for her. I also ordered the Bible, but I'm not really liking what I see. I am going to order the rest of the workbooks for Science and Social Studies as well as English. I'm still disappointed that Trail Guide POS didn't work out for us, I really love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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