Science and your Sixth Grader

[theelfqueen]

What are you doing/have you done/are you planning?

How happy are you with that?

 

[SilverMoon]

.

Edited August 18, 2022 by SilverMoon

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

We finished Harcourt Science Grade 6 just before Christmas and started CPO Earth Science last week.  We like both.  DD chose "explorations" to do each week from library books when we were using Harcourt.  Now we are doing as many of the CPO investigations as we can.

[fastweedpuller]

DD is finishing up Exploration Education's Advanced Physical Science curriculum (she's a 6th grader) and she likes it, does it 95% by herself.  But because she's finishing early and there's a fair bit of chemistry in there, we're starting Ellen McHenry's Elements and the American Chemistry Association's free middle school chemistry program once she finishes EE.  So I think Chemistry as a subject could last more than one school year, which I am fine with:  lots of good books and extra things to study with chemistry.  (We read living books to go along with any science program; physics was a bit of a desert, books-wise...)

[deerforest]

I'm a former scientist and firmly believe in fostering scientific understanding at this age. For 6th, we are doing family bookclub and discussions. So far we have read:

 

- Bryson's A Really Short History of Nearly Everything (we should have read the adult one)

- Omnivore's Dilemma - Young Person edition was a good fit

- Magic of Reality - Good fit

 

In progress:

- We Are the Weather Makers: The History of Climate Change

 

Also planned:

- Dr. Art's Guide

- Science Matters

 

I have several others that I'm still previewing and trying to decide. Full disclosure: we are liberal, scientific-minded secular homeschoolers.

 

ETA: We have also done several field trips:

- Puffin research tour (Maine)

- Neil de Grasse Tyson lecture

- Visit to lab of one of primary scientists on Homo naledi

- Lemur lab visit and behavioral lab study

- Visit to regional NOAA office

 

I still have more to plan!

Edited January 13, 2016 by deerforest

[ScoutTN]

I will have my first 6th grader next year. She loves horses, so she will do Winter Promise's Equine Science along with lots of nature study. This will be a light year on science for her since other things will be more challenging.

[julikins]

I'm planning to do a semester of Chemistry in the kitchen with Ellen McHenry's The Elements and Carbon Chemistry. I'll be using Basher's element book, Chemical Chaos, Gray's the Element's book, and some bios of famous chemists, etc. There aren't many labs in this course, so I've wondered what I'd do, either a chemistry in the kitchen book or something like the Thames and Kosmos C1000 kit.

 

The second semester will be physics and I'm still figuring out what I'm going to be using. I want it to be focused on conceptual physics--more hands on, bringing it down to the nuts and bolts of it. I'm still working on what I'm going to use for this. I'm considering Tiner's World of Physics or AIG's Heat and Energy, Inventions and Technology books. Then buying a couple kits that would work well. I also have considered off and on Exploration Education Advanced so that I don't have to do all the running around after resources. I live overseas so it's hard to do that.

 

To tie it all together I've decided to do history this year as the History of Science. I'm not sure if I'll do BF's History of Science or something else, perhaps 100 most famous scientists or something like that along with biographies and a timeline. I want to do handwriting where he will be writing out definitions of the concepts that the scientists discovered or some famous quotes from the scientists. And art this year would be something along the lines of technical drawing.

 

I just want it to be a fun year for him, challenging but in a way that makes him want more. I also really want to pare down all the multiple subjects to connect it all into a more Unit Study style.

[Peaceful Isle]

My sixth grader is doing BJU science right now and learning a lot. It's not my favorite, but it is getting the job done.

[Arcadia]

current 6th grader

- Clover Creek Physics by WTMer MorningGlory using Hewitts Conceptual Physics

- homeschool hands on physics class for fun. The instructor use a mish mash of secular textbooks

- chem and bio still undecided but will be as hands on as possible.

 

ETA:

We used this coursera course for chem last year, borrowing the book from the library

https://www.coursera.org/course/chem99

 

Kids have read through Miller Levine Biology and Campbell Biology but we have not done formal labs.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Arcadia

[TracyP]

Our science up to this point has always been interest led. Last year my 6th grade ended up choosing earth/space science. We used A Really Short History of Nearly Everything and a big book list.

 

Science is my kids favorite subject. I've been very happy with what we've done so far.

[kirstenhill]

We did a general science overview with Dr. Art's guide to Science to start the year, followed by a short astronomy/space exploration study (She read two older books - "How to Build a Rocket" and "How to Live on Mars", as well as reading a number of current articles about space exploration and watching YouTube videos).

 

Right now she is doing a kitchen science study with "Cooking and Science" by Joseph Julicher. We have the secondary level book for grades 7-12. She is an experienced cook so the elementary level was way too easy. This is just a tad over her level - but mostly just the chemical equations. We did Ellen McHeney Elements last year and she had Chemistry at co-op last year as well, so she is pretty well prepared otherwise.

 

After this is done, I think we'll end the year with an Archeology study. I have some resources on a wish list for that but haven't really narrowed anything down. DD asked for this topic a while ago, so if she has lost interest by the time we get to it, we may do something else instead.

 

I had hoped to have DD pursue more science activities at DIY.org, but the reality is when she goes on the site she is mostly drawn to the arts related skills, so it has been hard to convince her to do any of the science skills. :-) (Even though she initially thought that might be a fun idea).

[sbgrace]

I'm using Galore Park So You Really Want to Learn Science. I bought both books, but we are still in book 1. I am using various videos to supplement, as well as print resources when they fit and are convenient. We're using Thames and Kosmos Elements of Science for our experiments because I need ease to get them done. I'm not trying to tie them to the text. 

 

I wanted to cover the Science Matters book in middle school, but I felt that would need a lot of extra research and supplementing to understand and retain at this age. I still think it could be a spine for a good middle school curriculum, but I didn't have the time or energy to pull something together.

[TracyP]

...

I wanted to cover the Science Matters book in middle school, but I felt that would need a lot of extra research and supplementing to understand and retain at this age. I still think it could be a spine for a good middle school curriculum, but I didn't have the time or energy to pull something together.

 

This year in 7th my dd is using Science Matters as a spine. I am more than willing to share my schedule with supplements. It's just a word doc, but if you are interested PM me your email.

 

[SilverMoon]

Not a one of mine had the same thing.

 

#1: elementary Apologia, he's not much for STEM in general, it got the job done I suppose

#2: General Science from Apologia, their 7th grade text, combined with DC#1, it was a slog and I won't use that text again

#3: Adventures in the Sea and Sky from Winter Promise with extra non-fiction reading on the side, two hearty thumbs up (This is a full program that ties science, history, geography, and literature all together.)

#4 will be a sixth grader this fall. She wants life science. She's precocious and loves science. Not a clue where we're going. I've looked at Science Shepherd and Oak Meadow. I'm leaning toward a pile of living books though. Maybe a Guesthollow schedule? She's really enjoyed their chemistry schedule for 5th this year.

 

Did more window shopping. I'm leaning toward Exploring the Way Life Works by Hoagland as the spine for that precocious #4.

[MamaChicken]

We're listening to Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything after having read A Really Short History.  Its a good followup.

 

I also have Dr Art's Guide (we're using his Planet Earth book right now) and Science matters for later this year.  Magic of Reality is awesome, and the app is very worthwhile as well.

 

 

I'm a former scientist and firmly believe in fostering scientific understanding at this age. For 6th, we are doing family bookclub and discussions. So far we have read:

- Bryson's A Really Short History of Nearly Everything (we should have read the adult one)
- Omnivore's Dilemma - Young Person edition was a good fit
- Magic of Reality - Good fit

In progress:
- We Are the Weather Makers: The History of Climate Change

Also planned:
- Dr. Art's Guide
- Science Matters

I have several others that I'm still previewing and trying to decide. Full disclosure: we are liberal, scientific-minded secular homeschoolers.

ETA: We have also done several field trips:
- Puffin research tour (Maine)
- Neil de Grasse Tyson lecture
- Visit to lab of one of primary scientists on Homo naledi
- Lemur lab visit and behavioral lab study
- Visit to regional NOAA office

I still have more to plan!

 

[KSinNS]

Liking Life on Earth by E.O. Wilson, and it's free on iBooks.

[Tess in the Burbs]

My ds did Rainbow Year 1 when in 6th grade and was very happy with it.  Independent.  I added in Tiner's books for more reading and the library when I felt he needed more to do. 

 

My dd did Apologia Astronomy, and a homemade geology study last year that was a great success.  She used the notebook journal and it was a successful year.  She was very independent.  Pulled a variety of things together for geology.  It was a fun year for us both. 

 

 

[SevenDaisies]

Did more window shopping. I'm leaning toward Exploring the Way Life Works by Hoagland as the spine for that precocious #4.

Have you seen this book? I have the original titled 'The Way Life Works' and am considering using it for Life Science in 8th grade. I was wondering how the newer edition compared. It seems the newer edition was geared to be a textbook where the original was not. I wondered if the newer edition had questions in the text as well as what sort of resources were in the teacher's guide.

[SilverMoon]

Have you seen this book? I have the original titled 'The Way Life Works' and am considering using it for Life Science in 8th grade. I was wondering how the newer edition compared. It seems the newer edition was geared to be a textbook where the original was not. I wondered if the newer edition had questions in the text as well as what sort of resources were in the teacher's guide.

Not yet. There are samples on its website, and this old thread discusses the differences.

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/341868-difference-between-the-way-life-works-and-exploring-the-way-life-works/

[Aurelia]

Ellen McHenry - The Elements (chemistry) over a semester with Theodore Gray's The Elements as a supplement

                           Botany in a semester with Quark Chronicles, introduced with a unit study on the first Harry Potter book (the science part is botany ("Herbology") using A Kid's Herb Book and Eyewitness Plant).

[SevenDaisies]

Not yet. There are samples on its website, and this old thread discusses the differences.

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/341868-difference-between-the-way-life-works-and-exploring-the-way-life-works/

Thanks! I had seen the samples and they were the same, but that thread answered my question.

[hollyhock]

The two 6th graders I've had have done God's Design science. The oldest did the Physical set, which was great for him (he was really interested in it at the time), and the current one is doing various books of his choosing. So far this year he wanted to do Properties of Atoms and Molecules and now he's doing The World of Plants. I have the whole series so they just pick whatever they are interested in. I also own many of the Wonders of Creation and the Tiner books, which they can also choose from. It's mostly reading, doing summaries of the lessons and a few experiments. Nothing spectacular but it gets the job done and I am leaving serious science for high school.

[My3girls]

Dd1 used ck12 Life Science. Dd2 will use RSO Chemistry next year. Dd3 will do it with her so she'll get RSO Earth Science for 6th which should be out by then.

[In2why]

We are doing Astronomy

 

Real Science 4-kid Astronomy

Reading the Stephen Hawkins series "George and the secret key to the universe" and "Georges Cosmic Treasure hunt" and "George and the Big Bang" each of these books have comprehension and summary sheets as well as vocabulary words.

We also have Jan Van Cleves Constellation experiments for projects but we haven't used it much.

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

My dd is doing Apologia Land Animals and she loves it but that's because she reads it, and just does fun notebook ing assignments - and she does them in her own way with adorable cartoon like drawings with the Animals as sentient beings.

 

I think this is more like art than science ....

 

But it's better than nothing

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

Silver Moon-

 

For Adventures in the Sea and Sky:

1. Would it be enough for a very smart but non academic (aka hates textbooks and studying) 7th grader?

 

2. Are the books and projects interesting enough that I would actually WANT to read them aloud / be involved (aka Sonlight style) ?

[Heidi]

Any Elementary Apologia book with the notebook journal. It's my kids' favorite subject. My dd11 is doing Swimming Creatures and is actually doing one of the experiments right now. She loves it.

 

ETA: and she is reading Tiner's History of Medicine. It's more history than science.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Heidi

[SilverMoon]

Silver Moon-

 

For Adventures in the Sea and Sky:

1. Would it be enough for a very smart but non academic (aka hates textbooks and studying) 7th grader?

 

2. Are the books and projects interesting enough that I would actually WANT to read them aloud / be involved (aka Sonlight style) ?

 

Our review should help you gauge the first question. For the second, I didn't read much aloud for him, but I personally found the content interesting. He's a 7th grader this year and still talks about the various ships, airplanes and spacecraft. He has more details in his head than I think I absorbed my whole life. :)

 

(eta: Man alive is that blog sadly neglected. Off to do some polishing...)

Edited January 17, 2016 by SilverMoon

[mamahammer]

We're on year 2 of Rainbow Science and love it! As things always go, or probably won't be a good fit for my younger two in middle school, but my son is really enjoying.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Mrs Twain]

I love BJU middle school science courses for 6th and 7th grades. We'll do the 8th grade course next year. I use the distance learning online (DLO) with Mrs. Vick teaching on the videos.

 

My husband and I both work in a science field, and we couldn't be more impressed with the depth and quality of these courses. They are challenging and thorough, and Mrs. Vick is an engaging teacher. My daughter is planning to be a researcher when she grows up, and these courses are giving her an excellent foundation for high school.

 

The BJU 6th grade science is a general overview course. Seventh grade is life science, and eighth grade is earth science.

[Loesje22000]

We used BJU Science, grade 6 adapted as semester course, life science during grade 7+ 8.

[sdobis]

My sixth grader is using Guest Hollow Anatomy along with God's Design for Life: The Human Body. I think that's what it's called. This is definitely the way I'm continuing with this child. We also use the workbook that is part of the Lyrical Life Science Anatomy program. She hates the songs, but the workbook is a challenge for her.

[redsquirrel]

CPO Earth and Space Science

[crazyforlatin]

5th grader - Clover Creek physics with fellow hive member as the teacher, as noted by Arcadia

 

We're very happy with the teacher, the book, the extra work that is assigned outside the textbook, the live meeting, and lab work. It's intense but doable class for a younger child with an algebra background. DD is finally learning physics, whereas before we were just doing free reading of whatever science topic that would come up which usually ended up being something related to mammals. It was either chemistry or physics first, but since physics is easier to see everywhere, I thought it would be better to cover this first with chemistry next. 

[Reefgazer]

When DD first came to homeschool in 6th grade, we did my own home brewed biology course.  We then did a semester of Earth Science (ClassiQuest), a very abbreviated Astronomy (ClassiQuest), and some chemistry in 7th.  She is now doing Conceptual Physics with Exploration Education for hands on in 8th.

 

DS is currently in 5th grade.  This year he is doing Real-Science-4-Kids Astronomy (*very* nice program!), and next semester he will do ClassiQuest's Earth Science.  In 6th grade next year, he will do my own home brew of biology, just as his sister did.  Then I'll probably do McHenry's chemistry with him in 7th, and Conceptual Physics in 8th.