History and Science when you love to plan but don't always have the time...

[Guest]

I really found this last year that our schedule tended to dictate our curriculum. During busy months, I relied on very open and go (Sonlight & IEW) and when our schedule lightened, we gravitated towards more mom planning (Tapestry of Grace) where the planning was much more fluid, I went to the library a lot, more off the cuff projects and reports. I had both, btw, and they covered the same time period so our year wasnt lacking in any way, I just wont have that luxury next year. My nature is that I love the planning and researching. My life is that it isn't always possible. So! I'm looking for recommendations for history and/or science that would be flexible - planned if needed but lending itself to bunny trails. Yes, you could potentially bunny trail anything, but we never did with Sonlight. Since I haven't been able to purchase curriculum yet, I'm just wondering what anyone else has done that loves to plan but doesn't always have the time. But sometimes does. ;) I've been around the block, I know what's out there, but if you have something you love that lends itself to both open and go and planning, humor me and share!

[sunshineslp]

Have you considered my fathers world? It's been very open and go for me. Heart of Dakota? Biblioplan is open and go for history/geography.

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

[MyLittleBears]

We love Biblioplan specifically for the reasons you listed! It lets you pick you spine, stick to it, or not. It schedule your readalouds and other books, audio, and dvd sources but lets you pick and choose as you go.

[Vintage81]

Mystery Science - free trial available right now

[sunshineslp]

We love Biblioplan specifically for the reasons you listed! It lets you pick you spine, stick to it, or not. It schedule your readalouds and other books, audio, and dvd sources but lets you pick and choose as you go.

Glad to hear you like BP:) I'm considering switching to it from MFW. is it at all independent in upper grades? Is it very engaging? My kids like a mix of reading books and worksheets, are there any student sheets per week?

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

What grades? You described me pretty well. We have been doing SOTW, and I always have all of these things I plan to add to it. Sometimes we do all the plans and extra reading, and sometimes we don't. Then we just read the chapter and move on. But the activity guide gives us maps, projects and addl reading lists. It has been very flexible. I also have used a couple other books as spines. I am moving to TOG afterwards, and we will just do the reading during busy times and projects when I have more time, but I am nervous it won't be as flexible.

 

I think the key is finding a good spine you like as the open and go reading, and the rest can be added in as you like.

[MyLittleBears]

Yes it is as independent for the older grades. The companion guide is meant to be read as a family but I can't see why it couldn't be assigned for your orders. You can add coloring pages for the younger ones and what they call cool history pages as well as geography pages for the different levels. I think the best part is the amazingly large books lists, and the fact that the schedule gives you so many resources to choose from, all based on grade/reading level.

[Soror]

Story of my life :) I don't know that I have the cure, unfortunately. I'm doing pre-planned this year with ds (BYL) to hopefully help me through those times when it is way too rough. Dd1 I've planned out a simple study, which I hope to add more to when doing well and trust that it is enough when I'm not.

[Guest]

Have you considered my fathers world? It's been very open and go for me. Heart of Dakota? Biblioplan is open and go for history/geography.

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

 

I have bought and sold MFW so many times. Theoretically, it should fit us. (But I just don't like it!!!) I have all the Biblioplan (newer) guides....

 

We love Biblioplan specifically for the reasons you listed! It lets you pick you spine, stick to it, or not. It schedule your readalouds and other books, audio, and dvd sources but lets you pick and choose as you go.

 

I really don't want to buy their companion. It is super expensive, IMO, and I have every other spine on the planet. Not really, but we have a ton. So, if I wanted to use MOH, does it go through all of MOH? I HAVE all four yearplans, looked through it, and for some reason have a tough time putting it into practice. Since it jumps around the MOH chapters, I wasn't sure if it actually goes through the whole book(s) or if we'd have huge holes if we *just* read from MOH. Does that make sense? I'd like to use a couple of the spines, but if we get in a pinch and have to stick with one, does it sufficiently cover time periods? (The way Biblioplan uses MOH, not MOH itself.) That's what I'm missing. Because yes, I have, and keep going into my library to look at that one....

 

Mystery Science - free trial available right now

 

Well, that would have been fun to find a few years ago! I think I'm looking more for a middle school science, but maybe can incorporate that as a supplement!

 

What grades? You described me pretty well. We have been doing SOTW, and I always have all of these things I plan to add to it. Sometimes we do all the plans and extra reading, and sometimes we don't. Then we just read the chapter and move on. But the activity guide gives us maps, projects and addl reading lists. It has been very flexible. I also have used a couple other books as spines. I am moving to TOG afterwards, and we will just do the reading during busy times and projects when I have more time, but I am nervous it won't be as flexible.

 

I think the key is finding a good spine you like as the open and go reading, and the rest can be added in as you like.

 

6th & 4th. We have been through SOTW, and will probable continue to supplement with it, especially for my 4th grader. SOTW was such an awesome setup, so versatile - could be used with other popular curricula or on its own. :001_wub:

[sunshineslp]

So Phoenix, are you saying you don't find BP easy to use? Just curious why you aren't using it, as its one I'm considering for my 3rd and 2nd graders next year. Just not sure if it'll be too much though, for their age, and if it's not just simpler to just use sotw and be done with it [emoji2]

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

[Guest]

So Phoenix, are you saying you don't find BP easy to use? Just curious why you aren't using it, as its one I'm considering for my 3rd and 2nd graders next year. Just not sure if it'll be too much though, for their age, and if it's not just simpler to just use sotw and be done with it [emoji2]

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

 

I have always had a hard time wrapping my head around it. I don't know why. I finally physically bought it because I thought that having it in my hands would make it make more sense! I guess where I'm currently confused is that it seems to be so flexible that I'm not sure what is required to make it complete. They didn't use to have their Companion. So, in my mind, you should be able to have a full curriculum without it, right? Then they offer so many "classtime reading" options that focus on different things, so I'm thinking if I don't do them all then I'm not covering my bases. I appreciate the different spine options, but I guess I don't get if you are supposed to choose one spine or if you need to be doing multiple spines. I think I'm a weirdo, though, and probably just making it more difficult than it is. :p Yes, I think SOTW is much simpler. I like SOTW for history reading and then something like All Through The Ages to come up with lists for additonal history & literature readings. LOL. Maybe I should just do that, but now with Mystery of History.

[sunshineslp]

Agh! This is why I consider just doing mfw or hod. It's all there. No hunting around or wondering. Sigh. I haven't heard of all through the ages... Is that a book?

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

[Chelli]

I'm using Beautiful Feet and Quark Chronicles Botany/McHenry Botany in 8 for my 6th grader for history and science.

 

Like you, I love to plan but sometimes I don't have time. Both of these programs give me enough structure that I if I don't have time to add more, then I know the bases are being covered, but if I have time, it's easy to add more without it feeling like too much.

 

I've been really pleased for the first time in a long time with how our content subject studies have gone this year.

[MyLittleBears]

I have bought and sold MFW so many times. Theoretically, it should fit us. (But I just don't like it!!!) I have all the Biblioplan (newer) guides....

 

 

I really don't want to buy their companion. It is super expensive, IMO, and I have every other spine on the planet. Not really, but we have a ton. So, if I wanted to use MOH, does it go through all of MOH? I HAVE all four yearplans, looked through it, and for some reason have a tough time putting it into practice. Since it jumps around the MOH chapters, I wasn't sure if it actually goes through the whole book(s) or if we'd have huge holes if we *just* read from MOH. Does that make sense? I'd like to use a couple of the spines, but if we get in a pinch and have to stick with one, does it sufficiently cover time periods? (The way Biblioplan uses MOH, not MOH itself.) That's what I'm missing. Because yes, I have, and keep going into my library to look at that one....

 

 

Well, that would have been fun to find a few years ago! I think I'm looking more for a middle school science, but maybe can incorporate that as a supplement!

 

 

6th & 4th. We have been through SOTW, and will probable continue to supplement with it, especially for my 4th grader. SOTW was such an awesome setup, so versatile - could be used with other popular curricula or on its own. :001_wub:

 

We did SOTW ancients with the AG  only for year one, SOTW w/Biblioplan and no companion for middle ages and  I'm only considering the companion now that they are older. You don't need the companion at all and in fact I think it's overkill for the younger grades.

 

ETA: no experience with MOH 

Edited April 22, 2016 by MyLittleBears

[sunshineslp]

Would encourage the "we remember" for year 2? That's the new younger companion. I wonder if doing that and sotw is too much. So you liked the BP better than doing sotw by itself with AG?

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

[MyLittleBears]

Would encourage the "we remember" for year 2? That's the new younger companion. I wonder if doing that and sotw is too much. So you liked the BP better than doing sotw by itself with AG?

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

 

I don't have any experience with "we remember". I don't think it was out when we used about 4yrs ago. I did prefer the biblioplan guide alongside SOTW & guide because my boys were a little older and I did not feel confident piecing together church history myself. But this was for Middle Ages. For accidents just SOTW with the AG is plenty if your dc a very young and you don't mind your bible not correlating. You can probably find a free list on line somewhere that has a SOTW chapter correlation with which bible stories to read. I know there are several flouting around.

[rachelpants]

Mystery Science - free trial available right now

I've been looking for a program like this FOR.EV.ER. Thank you soon much! I'll gladly pay the 100 bucks for a year's subscription, LOL. We never do Science because I can't seem to get my act together for it. Thank you so much!

[Vintage81]

I've been looking for a program like this FOR.EV.ER. Thank you soon much! I'll gladly pay the 100 bucks for a year's subscription, LOL. We never do Science because I can't seem to get my act together for it. Thank you so much!

You're welcome! I actually found out about Mystery Sxience through past posts on this forum. After I checked it out, I'm so excited to mention it whenever I can. 😊

[Holly]

I am much the same way.  I think that's why I've found SOTW and Christian Kids Explore Science to be great curriculum choices for us.  We can just stick with book's readings & the AG or included worksheets when times are busy.  We we have more time, I can add in all sorts of extra read alouds, projects, and experiments.   They've been very easy for me to keep up with, yet allow quite a bit of creativity at other times.  I think it's the best of both worlds.  

[MerryAtHope]

Have you tried using the one-page yearly schedule that Sonlight has, instead of the daily one? I found it was much easier to go "off-roading" with the curriculum when I wasn't looking at that daily schedule. I used the daily only if I wanted to see how Sonlight scheduled a certain book. The yearly schedule is a one-page schedule that lists the books by week of introduction--and that seemed much easier for me to be flexible with (add a book in, cross one off if we ran out of time, etc...)