How do you do science your if you follow the WTM?

[bttrflyvld]

I've read over the section about science in the WTM and it just seems too simple.  (I'm working on figuring out 1st grade plans)

 

Is it simply read 1-2 pages from DK first animal encyclopedia and have child narrate for animals?

Same for Human body.

For plants do an experiment page? 

For all three just add books from the library and just read.

 

And that's it? 

 

How do YOU do science if you try to follow the WTM? 

 

I'd like a simple science year for 1st grade, but I also like to follow a curriculum or something laid out for me.  I'm torn on what to do next year.

[CrunchyGirl]

While I think it can work, I'm uncomfortable with separating science out into disciplines at this age. Science is truly an integrated topic but let's face it, that makes it harder to teach. We are making BFSU work for us at this point.

[Hunter]

I've better understood TWTM science after reading the Public School Methods series and Special Method series by Charles McMurry.

 

Sometimes science is more than science. Sometimes it's preparing a student to have the background to understand future literature.

 

Special Method in Natural Science.

http://books.google.com/books?id=_RU0AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=special+method+mcmurry&hl=en&sa=X&ei=N0WIUoLnMNTC4APKi4D4Cw&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=special%20method%20mcmurry&f=false

 

Public School Methods Volume 1 and 2

http://books.google.com/books?id=CYoYUOy6KGoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:iWtt9JSiG4cC&hl=en&sa=X&ei=h0aIUp6WLcvIsASyqoCwAw&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=M2tbJqTAKN0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:iWtt9JSiG4cC&hl=en&sa=X&ei=h0aIUp6WLcvIsASyqoCwAw&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

[My3girls]

We use BFSU as a guide for what to teach in what order. Then we do it TWTM way with Usborne Encyclopedia of Science and library books. I, also, throw in BrainPop, documentaries, nature walks, and the occasional experiment where applicable. It seems to work so far.

[TarynB]

OP, you might want to look at the Classic Series by Elemental Science. It is an open and go program based on children's encyclopedias, with labs built in to the schedule, and it follows WTM ideas. I didn't use the elementary level since my son was older when we started homeschooling, but we really liked the intermediate (middle school) level, which we started using in late 4th grade. 

 

I second the previous advice about adding in science videos like Magic School Bus and doing simple science kits for hands-on. The Young Scientists and Science Wiz make some good kits (check the reviews, some are better than others) that you can find on sites like Amazon. Science in elementary school does not have to be complicated.

[Crimson Wife]

I really like Mr. Q science and the biology one is available to download FREE. With my oldest child I just used library books for the first two years of the cycle plus experiments from Janice Van Cleave's "_____ for Every Kid" series and that was okay. But I really do like Mr. Q as "spine" so that is what my DS is using.

[Angie in VA]

Linking a thread: Science: what should be the goals for elementary students?

[LivingUnderGrace]

We are thoroughly enjoying the Apologia elementary science books, by Jeannie Fulbright. Currently we are doing: Zoology 2, Swimming Creatures, up next we will do Astronomy, and then next late spring, Botany.  

[redsquirrel]

With my second son we did our first year of science as laid out in TWTM. It was a busy year and I needed something like that. You know what? He loved it. He loved the books, I had him make drawings, he just really liked it. I should add that he tagged along on all the science stuff his then 5th grade brother did as well. So, he got to see dissections etc. We also raised butterflies and triops  and ladybugs and a praying manits and caught a tadpole in a local pond and then released the frog. We had an ant farm. We planted seeds in one of those 'root view' things. I have a book that has all kinds of plant projects from things you can grow from not seeds, like pineapple and potato and carrots and other stuff like that. We did a bunch of those. His brother did the 'Radish' TOPS science unit and ds2 had his own radish plants to sketch and graph. 

 

But, on the weeks that big brother wasn't doing something that interested him, or when it was the dead of winter so we weren't raising butterflies or radish plants, TWTM provided me with a solid framework. He loved reading the animal encyclopedia and then reading more books on the subject. He loved making pictures and narrating them. It was a great year for a first grader.

[Doodle]

I really like Mr. Q science and the biology one is available to download FREE. With my oldest child I just used library books for the first two years of the cycle plus experiments from Janice Van Cleave's "_____ for Every Kid" series and that was okay. But I really do like Mr. Q as "spine" so that is what my DS is using.

 

We like Mr Q too. :thumbup1:  Doodle started with Life Science in 1st grade. We have since completed both his Earth and Physical Science books. This year we are working through his Chemistry. I am eagerly awaiting Mr Q's annual sale so that I can purchase the rest of his curriculum.

 

[Tess in the Burbs]

I wanted to follow WTM for everything early on and I found Easy Classical had a schedule doing just that.  We used it for 1st and then 2nd grades and we really enjoyed it.  

 

http://www.easyclassical.com/Animals_Humanbody_Plants_science_curriculum.html

 

http://www.easyclassical.com/Geology_Weather_Astronomy_Curriculum.html

 

She was great about sending updates...I got some mailed to in printed form, and others emailed to me to be printed out.  It laid out the schedule following WTM and the experiments were on target for grade level.  We did go to the library weekly to get supplemental books.  My kids really enjoyed science this way. 

 

We switched for 3rd grade simply b/c she hadn't finished the other levels.  But if you want something laid out, this is it.