Science for 6th/7th and 5th/6th grade boys to share??

[diaperjoys]

What are your favorites for science at these grades?

[TarynB]

Have you looked at Ellen McHenry's The Elements? My DS enjoyed it as an interesting and fun intro to chemistry. We've used all of her materials except Botany - which is next on our plate at the end of 7th grade - and I think they are all meaty enough for middle school, yet light-hearted enough to appeal to elementary too. Scroll down this page and you can download a two chapter sample:  http://store.ellenjmchenry.com/?product=the-elements-digital-download

 

We also used and liked Elemental Science for the Logic Stage. It consists of classical-style lesson plans that use widely available mainstream science encyclopedias (not textbooks). It's flexible and you can use as many of the pieces or as few as you want (vocab, outlining, memory work, tests, hands-on demonstrations, etc.). They also offer supply kits for the demos. Here's a link to the middle school biology:  http://www.elementalscience.com/biology-for-the-logic-stage/  Encyclopedia-based learning isn't for everyone, but my no-fluff, no-nonsense kid liked ES a lot. Check the samples to see if it might work for yours.

 

I think both of these are flexible enough that you could use them with both kids/grades, just possibly adjusting your expectations of each student accordingly.

[hollyhock]

Mine are really enjoying Science in the Beginning. Technically my 12yo is too old for it but he really likes it and is getting a lot out of it. I especially appreciate that the experiments aren't very predictable. My 10yo has never been a science guy and even he is enjoying it, so that says a lot.