when do you start history/science?

[mountains27]

I've sort of done history and science with my kids but honestly it's taken a back seat to math and LA in our 2 year homeschool journey. I'm just wondering when everyone else really starts doing these subjects as a part of the everyday curriculum? Also what have you used?

 

[Porridge]

We started Story of the World Ancients when my DD was 1st grade. DS was 4 at the time but tagged along. For both children, history is a favorite. My son mostly listens to the stories. My daughter is required to answer the review question, give a narration and complete the map exercise.

 

We have woven science in from the time they were young (age 3?).  I highly recommend the Let's Read and Find Out series of books, available at your local library. It's a wonderful, solid intro to a broad range of scientific topics for young children.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I'll be honest here...

 

We went through SOTW 1 when ds was in K.  Then we started SOTW2, but sort of fizzled out.  Now, I plan to take up SOTW AGAIN, starting after Easter.  This time, I want to go through a bit faster, 2 chapters a week, and not do a lot of add-ons or anything else.  We'll just listen, with the goal being the completion of two (audio) books per school year.  At that point, we'd go through SOTW more slowly a second time and I'd add things in for the oldest.  

 

But that's not to say we do NO history.  We just do a lot of as-it-comes-up-in-coversation history.  

 

With science, we went through BFSU in ds's 1-2nd grades.  Now we do mostly as-it-comes-up science, but we are a very science-y family, so it comes up often.  We'll be doing Ellen McHenry's The Elements this spring for ds (3rd) as well because he's interested.  

 

 

[SevenDaisies]

It definitely takes a back seat to reading, math and writing here. I did BFSU with my oldest but it took us four years to get through the first book. I plan to use it as a spine for reading for my two younger children but we have moved predominantly to MP Mammals, Astronomy, Insects, Birds and Trees. They can be done one afternoon a week and they generally get done. My oldest will start daily science next year in 7th grade with physical science.

 

We've used SOTW on CD in the car and have attempted to use CHOW but haven't gotten very far. We started the MP sequence of Classical Studies/Modern Studies starting in 3rd, but those are also one afternoon a week. I think that will increase to 3 times weekly in 7th.

[J&JMom]

Both subjects daily since day one for my then 2nd and 5th graders. I use public school textbooks for both so it was very light until about 5th grade. Social Studies was more about people, holidays, cultures, etc. until Region of US/TX in fourth, US in 5th, World for 6th and World Geo for 7th, plan on US again in 8th with Civics.  Science was/is general throughout with lots of projects, field trips, and labs. Supplement with biographies, historical fiction, projects and field trips were appropriate.

Edited March 3, 2016 by J&JMom

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Both subjects daily since day one for my then 2nd and 5th graders. I use public school textbooks for both so it was very light until about 5th grade. Social Studies was more about people, holidays, cultures, etc. until Region of US/TX in fourth, US in 5th, World for 6th and World Geo for 7th, plan on US again in 8th with Civics.  Science was/is general throughout with lots of projects, field trips, and labs. Supplement with biographies, historical fiction, projects and field trips were appropriate.

 

That's awesome!  Good job, mom!  I need to work on my perseverance... lol.  

[MinivanMom]

We started in 1st grade, but we kept it very light during those elementary years. We covered history on M/W and science on T/Th, and the focus was on making the subjects interesting and fun. We didn't do any written work, but we read a lot of books, did lots of fun-type science projects, kept timelines, vacationed in Williamsburg, took trips to museums and zoos, etc.

 

In 5th grade we started covering history and science in a more serious way: both subjects daily, outlining texts, reading primary sources, conducting experiments, etc. 

[lllll]

nm

Edited March 7, 2016 by _ oq?"

[Seeking Squirrels]

Science - We started in K, but not with a curriculum. I let DD pick the topics and we lap booked and used books from the library and MSB lab kits. So it was informal, but done regularly. 1st grade we started full science using RSO, but still threw in topical studies. We also watch a lot of MSB and Bill Nye and do lab kits and check out books at the library. We usually have a lap book going and that's often a science topic. We do a lot of science, it's DD's favorite by far. 

 

History - For 1st we did social studies (Mostly MBtP), in 2nd we're doing US history (Adventures in America). She's doing Middle ages at her charter co-op day. Next year (3rd) we will be doing HO Early Modern. We've done geography using various resources since K.

 

 

[Peaceful Isle]

We start SOTW history in first grade. Kindergarten is more social studies. We start science in K.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Peacefulisle

[Targhee]

I've sort of done history and science with my kids but honestly it's taken a back seat to math and LA in our 2 year homeschool journey. I'm just wondering when everyone else really starts doing these subjects as a part of the everyday curriculum? Also what have you used?

Every day? High school.

 

Regularly ~3 times a week 5th or 6th grade. We still do interest-led, but it's a combo of their interest, mine, and the science opportunities available (museum exhibits, Lego League, Science Olympiad, etc).

 

This year I am teaching a biology class at co-op for 12-16 year olds, but DS 10 is participating and using RSO Bio 2 as his text. It's a good program - solid, approachable, variety of activities - highly recommend it. Dd13 is using Life on Earth combined with Biology:Concepts and Connections. Life On Earth is good, but I would suggest some additional work in a class or on Khan Academy to make it great.

 

History - besides SOTW starting in 2nd - listening, coloring, map work, some questions - we have struck out with our history attempts

Edited March 4, 2016 by Targhee

[mountains27]

Thank you for the replies. What does RSO stand for? I don't think I've seen it on here before so I'm not familiar with the abbreviation?

 

I was trying to think back to when I started regular science and math in my schooling (public school) and it seems like it was 4-5th grade. I think that is when i will start with my kids. We did pick up Adventures in America for a little while but they just seemed to not be interested and really didn't seem to be getting anything out of it. We also tried a science program but same results. Seems like just an exposure and interest lead approach at this age is a good way to go.

[Targhee]

Thank you for the replies. What does RSO stand for? I don't think I've seen it on here before so I'm not familiar with the abbreviation?.

Real Science Odyssey.

 

Pandiapress.com

[PeacefulChaos]

We started in first grade with both.  About 2-3 days per week.

 

SOTW for History - both of my boys didn't care much about anything in the AG, so we didn't use it much.  I had it, but very seldom did anything from it, which was perfect for all of us.  Pink likes to color and do an occasional activity, but honestly *I* don't care for doing those things much, either, so they don't happen a ton.  I don't feel bad about that, though lol.   :lol:  (Just saying that as a disclaimer - some people always feel like they should 'do more' with their kids, that they don't do 'enough' when it comes to 'fun' activities and such - I don't feel that way.  At all.  Because that's who I am, and those things aren't 'fun' to me, anyway.   :D  And who knows, me saying that may give some encouragement to someone who feels bad but shouldn't.  But I digress.)

So for most of the grammar stage, we read the chapter in history, look at the map, and that's it.  Pretty cut and dry, straightforward, and easy.  There are always books that are related to our history studies, which I read aloud in 1st and part of 2nd grades, and put on reading lists in 3rd and 4th.  So there is some supplemental learning in that way - but either way, I don't worry about it, because they'll do more history in the logic and rhetoric stages.  

 

 

TWTM recommendations for Science - we tried doing some other stuff a few times.  I tried Apologia Astronomy for Cycle 2 and wanted to drive my head through a wall.   :lol:  So we will never do anything other than TWTM science recommendations in the grammar stage again.  It's the perfect fit for us - laid back, fun, and can be done quickly and with minimal effort.  Because, again, I'd rather just do the fun stuff and let them have fun with science when they are that young.  They'll do more of it in the logic and rhetoric stages.

 

And, honestly, one of the BEST decisions I ever made was to put them all on their own cycle.  I currently have a 6th grader, a 4th grader, and a 1st grader, and they are all doing different things and it is SO much easier than trying to do it with all of them together - even just doing the two boys together was horrible.  It's 100% easier to do science or history with each kid when s/he has a break than it is trying to find a time when everyone is done with something at the same time.  The first couple years I tried to do these things with the boys together and it hardly got done, because either one had to wait for the other to get done or one had to stop in the middle of other work.  It was a nightmare.  But then I decided to split them up and it was a BREEZE!!  

Seriously.  Some people say that doing it together is so much easier - my guess is that those people have really scheduled days or just do things differently than we do.  Which is all good, but IF you find yourself wanting to try to do subjects separate even when the masses are saying 'it's so much easier to keep them together!' - DO IT.  Separate them.  

Don't knock it til you've tried it.   :)

 

 

But anyway, in the grammar stage I focus much more on the Language Arts skills and math skills and let history and science be more fun.   :)

 

 

 

Ah!  And we take field trips.  About one per month, and some of them are more cultural (orchestra performances, plays), but a good many of them are related to one of the kids' history/science cycle.  

 

Edited March 4, 2016 by PeacefulChaos

[HomeAgain]

I think it would depend on what you mean by history/science.  We do them this year, and last, but up through K it's discovery & interest based science along with more of a cultural history (learning place in the world and what traditions are) before moving to a merging of the two toward the second half of K where we start with astronomy and the big bang theory and slowly move along the timeline of the earth with dinosaurs & earth science.  In 1st we'll start up with the history cycle and a heavy connection to both life science and physics as we move through Ancients.