chelsmm Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 For some reason this year we are so busy! We get to spelling, math, reading, and writing every day. We do read alouds every day. The kids read on their own each day as well. But I haven't even opened our science for this year, and the year is half over! I had planned on Mr Q's earth science. We do informal science- The kids love kitchen science type experiements and activities, and we do talk about the why when we do the activities. They also take a 3 hour once a week class at a local farm/ Audobon park. We read Ranger Rick and Rick Jr each month. We often get library books on various science topics. As for history, we also have hardly covered any of the American history that I had planned. We did up to the American Revolution last year, and it was really great. The kids loved it. Liberty's Kids kept me on track! This year we finished reading SOTW1 and will start 2, but we don't do the activities or maps. The kids don't like them. But they love the stories. I guess I'm just looking for people to tell me that this is ok! The kids really like their down time and use it to play lego, snap circuits, do art, read, play outside. We have daily activities that take us out of the house. And the kids do a sport three evenings a week. So they are so busy. I really don't see how I can add more in. I thought with winter here it would be easier, but it's not! :) Thanks, Chelsea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmingMomma Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 We have minimal away-from-home activities (music lessons once a week, church once a week, 4-H meeting once a month), but we do sometimes end up pushing our science to Saturday or Sunday afternoon because we just don't get everything done during the week. I can tell you with certainty that from what you described, your kids are getting way more science and history than what my kids got when they were in public school! My daughter went to public school through 4th grade, and the only history they did was a two-week unit on pioneers :( Do your kids not like any of the SOTW activities? Do they narrate back to you what you've read to them? If they don't like the coloring pages, maybe they can draw their own picture and narrate a sentence or two to write below the picture. As far as science, I'd say the class they are taking and the library books are plenty of science at that age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purduemeche Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 You don't have much to worry about out. Hit the three R's as priority every day and everything else is secondary. I agree with the comments about SOTW...another option is to buy the audio CD's narrated by Jim Weiss. This is a time-free way (for you) to get them some fun history info. Another option is to combine history and reading...SWB expands on this in great detail and is it's a efficient way to get both subjects in. By the time middle school rolls around it is more important to have these subjects regularly done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpea3829 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Our first year, I attempted to teach both Science and History concurrently. It was too much. Neither got done. So I stagger. We do History during the cold weather months (October through the end of March) and Science during the warmer months. We do SOME schooling over the summer anyways so...it wasn't much to add in science. This made things a lot more relaxed. Also...I did give up quite a lot of the projects...especially in history. Unless it has some kind of learning value (such as making the salt dough maps), I really don't have much extra time for busy projects, kwim? So with SOTW...the kids read the assigned chapter...we discuss it and complete the map that comes with each chapter. I created an ongoing timeline and bought History Through the Ages. We attach timeline pieces as we go. I check out additional literature resources that correspond with chapters we've recently studied, are studying, and will be studying in the next week or two. Perfect. We do more projects and hands on stuff with science...mostly because we have more time in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I gave up trying to do formal history, science, and art. We do the 3 Rs everyday. The boys read SOTW at a chapter a day for their asigned reading then give me an oral narration. They watch Wild Kratts and other science shows, read books, etc.. It really will not matter if the kids do formal "gravy" subjects young. I learned this with my older two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 You're doing fine. Really. We also have a ton of outside commitments and I've had to really reframe my thinking about that this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALB Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Sounds a lot like our last year! We had a new born, were traveling a ton, and gave up a day to co-op each week. We kinda sorta did SOTW 3, kinda sorta did US history by reading a ton of books, and kinda sorta did science using an experiment book. I felt so guilty the whole year! Now I look back and wonder why I worried so much. The basics got covered thoroughly, and we read a lot of books. There is no carved in stone sequence for history and science, at least not in elementary grades. What you're doing sounds fine to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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