Science Help - Fourth Grade

[kagmypts]

I have just hit an impasse, and I am not sure where to go with science for my fourth grade son.  We just finished Nancy Larson Science 3, and I need something for the last 10 weeks of our school year.

 

While I have not loved Nancy Larson, it gets done on a regular basis.  My son seems to enjoy it well-enough, and I do love that everything comes in the box.  I originally flinched at the price, but having everything arrive in the box ensures that it gets done.  The worksheets and tests help me know exactly what my son is retaining.

I tired NOEO in the past, and it just didn't work for us.  I loved the idea of using Usborne as a spine, but when we got into it, it felt extremely disjointed.  The kids also lost interest very quickly.

Having said that, I could continue on with Nancy Larson, but we will end up finishing NL 4 around Christmas.  Since NL 5 won't be ready before then, I will be looking for a new science curriculum in the middle of next year.  That prospect doesn't excite me.

I also thought about using Critical Thinking's Science Detective for the next several weeks.  I plan to supplement with videos.  While the science content isn't fabulous, I do think that my son would benefit from that kind of analysis.

 

Any suggestions or advice?  I am open to other suggestions as well (and would love to find a curriculum that could grow with us as we hit the middle school years).  I need to decide quickly because my son's science research project is concluding on Friday.

[Sherry in OH]

Engineering is Elementary

http://www.eie.org

 

Adventures in Chemistry

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/k-8.html

 

Ask your son what science topic(s) most interest him.  Have him use library resources to learn about those topics.

 

For next year, consider one of Ellen McHenry's units.

[kagmypts]

Engineering is Elementary

http://www.eie.org

 

Adventures in Chemistry

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/k-8.html

 

Ask your son what science topic(s) most interest him.  Have him use library resources to learn about those topics.

 

For next year, consider one of Ellen McHenry's units.

 

Thank you.  We actually have McHenry's cell and botany units.  I had forgotten about those.

[My4arrows]

Maybe consider reading Quark Chronicles?