4littlewomen Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 It seems these are quite different from one another but I keep feeling drawn to them for different reasons. Do you have an opinion in favor of one or another? Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoZeeCo's Mom Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I have never used Real Science, so I can't speak to that. I do use BFSU, though, and we love it! There are lots of book suggestions at the end of every chapter, and that keeps it really little kid friendly. The experiments are awesome, and I rarely have to go to the store to pick anything special up. You can make the lessons as long or as short as you want them, and I love how each lesson builds on the previous one. The best part is, the author gets back to you if you email him with questions. Like within 24 hours! He's incredibly supportive about homeschooling, and he's a really interesting guy who really will go out of his way to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatHomeschoolDad Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 BFSU all the way K-8. Nothing is more complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SereneHome Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I keep hearing so many good things about BFSU, but what really scares me is all the prep work that I would have to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatHomeschoolDad Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I'll grant that it is a lot of prep, to be sure. Definitely not a plug-n-play thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Between those two I'd choose BFSU assuming that you have the time and the inclination to put in in place. One thing RS4K has going for it is ease of use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4littlewomen Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 Thank you for you replies. I think I would like the prep of BFSU but science is definitely not my strength so I am not sure how well it would go. I like how thorough it seems and how it inspires logical thinking. I tend to put a lot of energy into making decisions and BFSU seems to present a lot of opportunity for decision-making. I wonder if it would be better to go with something more laid out because of that. I like the visual appeal and planned nature of Real Science. EKS, is there a curriculum you like more than these? So far, I am leaning toward BFSU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 The first book of BFSU didn't require a ton of prep. Find or make a proposed sequence of lessons (the Yahoo group has some, or you could post on here), then, after teaching a lesson I would skim the one for next time to see if I needed to think ahead about anything. Don't feel like it is an all or nothing commitment, either! You can try, and if it doesn't work out for you, we won't judge you. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoZeeCo's Mom Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I also find that there isn't a ton of prep involved. I will read the chapter we are going to do, order the library books, and gather materials. I don't particularly think of myself as comfortable with teaching science, but your kids (like mine), are relatively young, so you are not exactly teaching the highest level of the chapter. I think we will use this book over and over again through 8th grade, so I feel like my knowledge will be building as there's is, and prep will probably never be an issue because of this...I hope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maplecat Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 We just finished the first book. I stretched it out over two years for first and second grade. We spent a week on each chapter. My younger son tagged along at 3 and 4 by listening to the books and participating in experiments. Prepping each week involved ordering recommended books from the library and reading the chapter myself. It was absolutely not open and go, but it really was not that rough. The only extra materials we bought were a set or rocks and a set of magnets. Neither was absolutely necessary, but my kids enjoyed exploring the a me I feel like they added to their understanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scootiepie Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I also looked at BFSU and like it a lot. The problem I had is not the content - it's great - but I need something that 1) is a bit more user friendly for me and 2) my kids can also look at and read. BFSU feels like it is written strictly for the parent. I am considering RS4K among others. I do like that it is designed for kids to read, without being overwhelming for a young reader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in the UP of MI Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I also looked at BFSU and like it a lot. The problem I had is not the content - it's great - but I need something that 1) is a bit more user friendly for me and 2) my kids can also look at and read. BFSU feels like it is written strictly for the parent. I am considering RS4K among others. I do like that it is designed for kids to read, without being overwhelming for a young reader. :iagree: Think about whether BFSU will fit your teaching style. I also love the content but in the end it just didn't work out here. The before-lesson prep was not a problem, but when it came time to do a lesson it was just too chatty/me start up and lead a discussion based. I don't mind discussing something, say from a book, but just starting up a discussion felt very awkward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 EKS, is there a curriculum you like more than these? I've never found a science program that I like for the younger grades. BFSU is probably the closest thing to what I would prefer (though I've never used it), but realistically, I probably wouldn't have been able to keep up with the prep. We had the most success with K12 science when my younger son was in grades K-2 but it got repetitive and not as good in level 4. Somewhere in there we used RS4K and Ellen McHenry's The Elements. Oh, and very early on we used R.E.A.L. Science, which I thought was to crafty. My son loved The Elements and I highly recommend it. We used Science Explorer when he was in grade 3 (he is accelerated), and that was ok. In grade 4 we used the Science Explorer Environmental Science text coupled with lots of supplemental reading about environmental issues and that was the best year of science we ever had. After that we read through CPO Life Science, which seems solid. All of that is to say, I don't like any of them for one reason or another (with the exception of The Elements, though that is more of a supplemental program). I've thought about writing one myself, but then I get overwhelmed with the thought and don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoo_keeper Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 We use both. DH will read from BFSU and have lengthy discussions with the kids during the day, throwing in some of the activities. Then, periodically at night, I'll read a chapter from RS4K (but no activities or Kogs or anything like that). I agree that it comes down to your teaching style and constraints. I simply don't have time for the commitment that BFSU requires, so something shorter and to the point is more my speed. However, like others have said, I'm still not 100% satisfied with either. DH also uses Hakim's Story of Science for longer discussions and loves that, so there's a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelgirlut Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 If I were to go back to the beginning, this is what I would have done. I would have bought all the REAL Science Odyssey books for level 1 (or you could get the RS4K ones) and then followed the BSFU sequence using the labs and activities from REAL. I love the depth of content in BFSU, but my kids love the hands on activities included in REAL. I also like having the lab sheets that come with REAL rather than making things up like I would have to with BFSU. We're trying to do some of this now, but having already completed RSO Life and Earth & Space, we're kind of all over the place now trying to fill in the threads in BFSU. But I like knowing I've got my bases covered with BFSU yet keeping the fun factor up with other activities. My 2 cents. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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