A science that will get done

[mamamindy]

We've followed TWTM recs for science thus far...but we haven't gotten far, I'm sad to say.  Last year we did Outdoor Secrets with the companion from SCM and loved it.  It was great for my kids (their interests AND ages).  I have the recommended resources (from TWTM) for Earth Science/Astronomy rotation, but I need a kick in the pants to get it done.  A plan or something.  And I'd like for it to be affordable, and maybe not many experiments (we'd rather read) or I could get a kit with everything or something.  Maybe.  Thus far we've just picked a topic and picked up library books.  It's okay, but it is infrequent.

[FloridaLisa]

What about CLP nature readers? No experiments, just information.  

 

Have you looked at the Apologia elementary books?  I found those highly readable. You could order a kit with supplies. 

 

Lisa

[Silverwood]

 

We love Elemental Science! Has a scheduled plan, coloring pages, optional lapbook, follows TWTM. It does involve a lot of reading, but my children are enjoying it.

[Mandylubug]

Oddly enough, we found to like R&S way more than Apologia. Easy, small lessons. I add to it with documentaries, kingfisher and hands on activities

[Perogi]

Science in the Beginning is the first science to ever actually get done at our house.

[LindaOz]

Science in the Beginning is the first science to ever actually get done at our house.

Yep. It's getting done here too. :)

[MeghansMom]

Love Elemental Science too!  :hurray:

[KrissiK]

The science that is getting done here is Apologia. I couldn't find anything that worked ever and last year ended up with a bizarre cocktail of Moody Science videos and Bill Nye videos. Finally I got Apologia; we're doing astronomy this year and while we are taking our time, it is getting done. And the kids are learning something.

[madteaparty]

(Can't see ages of your DC on my phone)

Only science (biology) that is getting done here is the Miller Levine iPad editon with a separate book and kits for experiements. I bought the full experiments kit because again, I can't be counted upon to assemble things on time.

[Roadrunner]

I know BFSU is considered hard to implement program, but I don't get why. Today we spent almost an hour on the couch relaxed just throwing out questions and discussing them. It was amazing hour about fungi. Easy, super easy and very insightful. BFSU experiments are also a piece of cake to set up. Tomorrow we will take out our notebooks and write down some of what we discussed. For us it's much easier than any other science curriculum we gave seen so far. The prep? Just reading the chapter in advance.

[aaplank]

Another vote for Science in the Beginning - our first successful science curriculum!

[mamamindy]

Thanks for the suggestions!  I will check this stuff out!

[rimk3]

I know BFSU is considered hard to implement program, but I don't get why. Today we spent almost an hour on the couch relaxed just throwing out questions and discussing them. It was amazing hour about fungi. Easy, super easy and very insightful. BFSU experiments are also a piece of cake to set up. Tomorrow we will take out our notebooks and write down some of what we discussed. For us it's much easier than any other science curriculum we gave seen so far. The prep? Just reading the chapter in advance.

 

I absolutely agree.  We've have discussions in the car, on the couch, outside.  Sometimes we do an activity/experiment, sometimes we don't.  They do a notebook page and I check out a few additional reading reccomendations from the library.   I read the chapter during the weekend.  Then, I introduce the concept by reading a couple books during morning time and allowing discussions to come up organically over the next couple days.  I do have a block of time set aside for science once a week for further discussion, an activity, and notebook page.  I find BFSU stress free.  We also use The Nature Connection for nature study twice a month.

[SilverMoon]

Bite-Size Physics by Science Jim has been painless to implement. I did all of it with DD until she had the hang of keeping her notebook. Now she can run it herself with a follow-up conversation.

[trulycrabby]

Evan Moore Daily Science has short, interesting lessons. I use it as an add-on to whatever subject we are studying. I don't do it day-by-day, but by week. For instance, when we did ecosystems, we did Monday-Friday lessons in one session that took about 30 minutes.

 

Our spine is Supercharged Science, which is web-based and has lots of videos and experiments.

[Guest]

Nancy Larson

 

McRuffy

 

NOEO {skip the experiments}

 

Wing it until later when it matters more

[...................]

Regular science textbooks with chapters are the only thing that has ever worked here. Therefore I say you should try Science in the Beginning.

 

We tried CM - too free form. I never knew what to do

Apologia Young Explorers- ok but too wordy and too time consuming. To me Science should be about 25 minutes per day. It was ok but we literally rushed through the entire last 1/3 of the book in one week in an effort to finish it long after our school year was over.

 

Oddly enough my favorite Science curriculum was the A Closer Look series, a secular public school series used by Calvert. We loved the simple layout, beautiful but non distracting pictures and the information which was mostly age appropriate and interesting. Even the font was the perfect size. Maybe you can find it used.

[kristi26]

We love Apologia here.  The kids sit together and one reads out loud while the others look at pictures and listen.  It's the Science that gets done here. :) We've gone through Astronomy (last year) and are going through Ocean Animals right now.

[EmilyGF]

I think this topic shows that "what gets done" is really different for different people!

 

Last summer, I wrote down what I liked about all my favorite programs (RightStart, Writing with Ease, Story of the World) and what I disliked about some programs that I had stuck with but hadn't really liked (First Language Lessons, Writing Road to Reading), and what had caused total failure with others (BFSU, Miquon). I was able to see real patterns emerge.

 

For me:
1) It needs to be open and go.

2) It cannot be dependent on leaving the house. (Nature study doesn't work with us as a planned discipline.)

3) I need to see enough of a plan/design to know that it is worthwhile.

4) I need to have few decisions or I'll be constantly second-guessing myself and planning/replanning.

5) The information needs to be sufficiently deep.

 

With these limitations, I could understand why I couldn't commit to a science program at this age. You need to figure out what makes you tick and whether anything recommended would actually work for you.

[Laura W.]

For those ages, I loved Real Science 4 Kids.  They have both geology and astronomy texts now, along with labs.  Each book is designed to take 10-12 weeks, but a lot of people stretch it out over a semester.  I used the chemistry book - and found what was covered at the elementary level to be impressive.

 

It's great advice to consider what will work for you as the teacher - and to realize it may change over time.  Some people thrive on having set lesson plans, knowing what to do each day.  Others need a little more flexibility.  With my older elementary children, I do science only twice a week.  Some programs are set up that way, but I feel constrained by the 36-week, box-checking programs. 

 

Also, even though you already recognize you prefer reading for most of your science, do include some hands-on activities and experiments.  For me, kits have been the way to go - the everything-is-included kind of kits.  When I had a lot of little ones running around I didn't have time to go shopping for all the odds and ends.  Now its a different story.  The reason I love kits now is that we live overseas, in a very rural area.  Our local market doesn't necessarily boast a lot of those "common, household items".  A few of them might be available in grocery stores, but those are a 12-hour drive away.  Walmart?  :smilielol5: Not going to happen.  It's 8 hours away by plane once I get to the area where grocery stores are.

 

Blessings to you as you continue on your homeschooling journey,

 

Laura

[laughing lioness]

Apologia eled has Mp3- painless and good info. Also, the Tiner series- fantasic all the way around! 

 

[mathnmusic]

Evan Moore Daily Science has short, interesting lessons.

This has been our constant science book through it all - when everyone's feeling fine, during busy times, sickness, new baby, whatever.  What I like about it: it's entirely independent, the kids like doing it, they learn a good deal (I have them read the teacher pages as well as the student workbook pages), daily bite-sized chunks all laid out, requires nothing from me, it always gets done & painlessly. 

[jens2sons]

We love the Apologia Young Explorer Astronomy so far.  I think it is a good science for those that are in to the CM philosophy and Classical.  It's easy to get done and only takes 1-2 days a week to work on.  I do not think Apologia is too wordy.  It's a book that speaks to the reader instead of being text-booky.  

 

[mamamindy]

I think this topic shows that "what gets done" is really different for different people!

 

Last summer, I wrote down what I liked about all my favorite programs (RightStart, Writing with Ease, Story of the World) and what I disliked about some programs that I had stuck with but hadn't really liked (First Language Lessons, Writing Road to Reading), and what had caused total failure with others (BFSU, Miquon). I was able to see real patterns emerge.

 

For me:

1) It needs to be open and go.

2) It cannot be dependent on leaving the house. (Nature study doesn't work with us as a planned discipline.)

3) I need to see enough of a plan/design to know that it is worthwhile.

4) I need to have few decisions or I'll be constantly second-guessing myself and planning/replanning.

5) The information needs to be sufficiently deep.

 

With these limitations, I could understand why I couldn't commit to a science program at this age. You need to figure out what makes you tick and whether anything recommended would actually work for you.

This is such a great idea.  I've done a lot of this - in my head - and it would be good to write it all down and put it side-by-side to see the patterns.  I think I share your needs-to-be list, maybe just in a different order.  #4 is HUGE for me.  I am sick and tired of second-guessing and RE-planning.  Thank you for sharing.

[Chelli]

Apologia eled has Mp3- painless and good info. Also, the Tiner series- fantasic all the way around!

 

Regarding the bolded:

 

We have The History of Medicine and I love it! The girls love me reading it to them and we discuss the questions at the end of each chapter. Right now we're just using it to read for fun, but I would love to use it as a science curriculum. I know that Memoria Press has guides that goes with each book, but from what I understand they are mostly questions (those are already at the end of each chapter so we don't need more of those!). Do you know of anything that adds in hands on things such as experiments, etc.?