VorLady Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I love science... theoretically. We're a very STEM family. But I just can't get lessons done and haven't been able to since she was little. "Crafty" hands on science is not going to happen. We did half of Nancy Larson year 1 last year. Daughter loved it, I burned out. We do RightStart/Beast Academy for math, Logic of English Essentials for English, read SOTW and other books for history, and are going to be adding in Writing and Rhetoric soon. I also work from home 40 hours a week and I'm (finally, after years of trying) pregnant which is its own stress. Science is one thing too many, especially if it's Mom heavy. Daughter is reading very, very well. She had a bad tendency to skip big words but I call her on that. I want something sciencey that engages her mind and teaches her about the world around her, since she's incredibly inquisitive. She loves to sit and read big Usbourne and similar books but she does really well with a spine that ties things together. Is there something out there that will be a self-directed, reading-based, not stupid science for us? Surely? Christian family, personally creationist but in general prefer secular science books. Oh and on a similar note if anyone has an amazing intro sex ed kind of book to recommend, I'm getting all the questions now about babies. She's too old for a lot of the cute little "where does my baby sister come from" books but a bit too young for more detailed work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Can you just have her read library books according to her interest? In third grade we start using the Apologia. I read aloud with my older kids but my youngest prefers to read herself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Read science books from the library on whatever topics she likes. We are using REAL Science Odyssey Life this year for second because I am not a science person, and this means that science gets done. He and I both like it, plus corresponding library books, and it's getting done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhm Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Mystery Science 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VorLady Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 Library is a fantastic answer except that we live in rural Nevada and I have more books than my library does.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiara.I Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 We like Science in the Beginning. It has demonstrations every lesson, but if you can bring yourself to get the materials and set them up... Or is that the part that holds you back? For sex ed/babies, we've used "It's Not the Stork." There are two further books in the series that we haven't looked at yet, "It's So Amazing", which I have heard recommended. Later there's "It's Perfectly Normal" but I suspect that we won't use that. It bears pre-reading by the parent, as there are topics covered which some families may not want covered. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Ditto Mystery Science! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Triple Mystery science. I tried the whole get a library book and write a sentence or two about the subject in the book. It lasted 6 weeks. It was just not getting done because of just lack of time on my part to get her to narrate to me. We are running out of time every day. Mystery Science can be done on her own at this point for the most part and I don't have to use brain cells for it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Let her read books you have. Let her explore the outdoors. If you want, buy a fun science kit or two. It's okay if you don't do formal science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Mystery science!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I'll add a vote for just reading living books that interest her. You could make her responsible for getting *something* learned for science everyday from the pile of books you provide. Discuss it with her afterward and just keep asking open ended questions. If you really want actual curricula maybe look at Mr. Q. The complete life science level is free to try out. There are projects and activities but they're all in the parent guide; you can just print the ones you think she can run herself and slip them into her student book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadowlark Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Mystery Science for that age would be great. We're enjoying it a whole lot. We used NL too last year and quickly burnt out to the point that I seriously dreaded it. I also think that if a lot of homeschoolers give feedback that their $100+ price is just too expensive, they will lower the price for next year. I'm basing this off a conversation I had with the company a few weeks ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennay Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Sonlight Science uses a lot of Usborne books and also has a DVD with all the "experiments". For age 6, I'd look at Science B. It has a nice variety of topics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cake and Pi Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Consider me a 7th vote for Mystery Science. It gets done and the kids LOVE it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Tharp Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 (edited) We loved the Let's Read and Find Out series. Read book, do optional simple experiment at the end if you like. Easy-peasy, and it got done. Guest Hollow science might also be worth checking out. So far we love their Jr. Anatomy course.--first year we've ever truly enjoyed science and it is getting done! ETA: Shoot. Just read the comment about your library system. Guest Hollow is lit. based, but we have a wonderful library system where I live. You would likely wind up buying most of the books yourself. Edited September 22, 2016 by Mrs. Tharp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 If you want something more hands off: Evan Moor Daily Science. One topic a week, add to it, discuss it if you want. I did that last year for my 3rd grader and she got a lot from it. You can do it online ($10/year), just call their 1-800 # to set up an account for you. Or you can order the book or ebook (and print the pages you need at home). I made a pinterest board to pin ideas along with it and would usually order a reading book to assign along side it. Done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 Singapore science Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 Mr Q life science or Evan Moor Daily Science ala hunters idea here and here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaxy Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 Looks like Mystery Science is still handing out free memberships for currently released content. Give it a shot! No harm, right? You're doing some parent-intensive curriculum, plus you're pregnant ... this is a busy season and a format like Mystery Science can help you a ton. An alternative is to scrap it for now entirely. Focus on some simple nature study (I am loving Exploring Nature with Children as a guide). Let that be enough for this season, perhaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cake and Pi Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Oh yeah, Evan-Moor Daily Science is surprisingly good. One of my boys is doing their 1st grade science and absolutely loves it. It's quick and workbook based. I'm not sure about the higher grades, but the TM was completely unnecessary for 1st grade. Everything important is written right on the student pages, which can be completed independently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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