3rd grade science frustration.

[hisforhomeschooling]

1st grade we tried to do biology as laid out by WTM and ended up doing Mr. Q life science. More or less. 

 

2nd grade we have been trying to do astronomy and earth science as suggested by WTM, using the order and books laid out here. 

 

https://wateronthefloor.wordpress.com/free-curriculum/earth-scienceastronomy/

 

And it is rarely getting done.

 

Partly this is because we adopted and we were in China and have only been doing a few things in the morning while in survival mode. 

 

I kind of feel committed to going through the WTM cycle once to make sure we hit everything they suggest, which puts us doing chemistry next year for 3rd grade and physics for 4th grade. I was thinking about doing Apologia Chem and Phys over 2 years to give myself more chance for success. But if I couldn't do 1st and 2nd grade from books, will I be able to do Apologia? We are just not getting to experiments. Getting all 4 kids to listen to 2 pages from an encyclopedia isn't working well either. it's so dry. They do like the 1st encyclopedias, but that doesn't seem like enough information for my 7yo. Is it?

 

I want to buy one book that is an engaging spine, that has 1 reading a week, and then I want a short video demonstration of the experiments that we are most likely not going to get to right now. Does this exist for chemistry and physics? Or should I give up on following the WTM science cycle and just get a 3rd grade curriculum next year? I just want it to get done. I feel like I am failing my kids, who love science, and I hate it. If it isn't easy to grab off the shelf and do the next chapter of, it just isn't getting done. Like, Story of the World is getting done because I can just read them a chapter during lunch. They love it, I write their narrations, easy peasy, and they're remembering it. Why can't science be as simple? I don't have the time or money to buy living books for every topic or go to the library every week, so that's not a feasible solution. 

 

Sorry for rambling. Just feeling defeated over this and need some encouragement and advice. Thanks!

[regentrude]

Relax.

This is 3rd grade.

There is no logical basis for the four year science rotation proposed by TWTM. As a scientist, I cannot see any reason why that rotation would make sense. The historical justification is just wrong (the Ancients studied a whole lot of things!), and compartmentalizing science into years of biology, chemistry and physics is detrimental because kids lose sight of the connections.

 

You don't have to adhere to any schedule, and you don't even have to use "curriculum" and textbooks and dry encyclopedias to get a strong science education.

 

In the elementary grades, my goal for science would be to cultivate observation and a questioning mind. Young children relate first to what they observe in their close environment, so I would do lots of nature study. First, they must observe things, so that they can then think about them. I would hike, watch birds, collect plants, play by a creek, go to nature centers and museums and state parks and the zoo. These are things the entire family can do together!

Keep a notebook. Sketch and write.  Answer all the questions they have. Look up answers together if you don;t know. Pick up some library books about topics they are interested in. Watch documentaries.

It is totally OK if they want to learn about birds for two weeks, and then about rocks for a month, and the next month about monkeys, glaciers, and the weather.

The goal is to create a broad knowledge base and to keep curiosity and interest alive. Reading real books on a  topic the child is interested in is so much better than slogging through a scripted curriculum; I would encourage you to make the time to go to the library.

 

You can then do a systematic study of science with textbooks in highschool.

I am a physics professor, so yes, I am passionate about science education. But what is most lacking in curricula is joy and inspiration. Curiosity and thinking are much more important that having covered a fixed amount of topics.

Edited March 23, 2017 by regentrude

[Pegs]

I like regentrude's advice. :)

 

Additionally, if you're looking for a "spine" of sorts, or some structure to your planning, Mystery Science has been a fairly relaxed experience here, and very easy for me to facilitate. I think they still have free trials for a few more months.

Edited March 23, 2017 by Pegs

[Insertcreativenamehere]

We :wub: Mystery Science. 3rd grade is the perfect age for it, but all of my kids LOVE it and love science as a result! We got the yearlong free trial but I'm planning to purchase it next year -- it's not too expensive and is definitely worth the cost. 

 

I do add to it for my older two -- but you wouldn't have to for 3rd grade. 

Edited March 23, 2017 by insertcreativenamehere

[Kiara.I]

If you're not liking the WTM recommendations, toss them. The Division of sciences the way they recommend is artificial, so if it works, great, and if it doesn't, no loss.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Vintage81]

Another vote for Mystery Science. My 1st and 3rd grade DDs LOVE it and ask to do science all the time! It's open and go, and it can be tailored to different grade levels.

[hisforhomeschooling]

Relax.

This is 3rd grade.

There is no logical basis for the four year science rotation proposed by TWTM. As a scientist, I cannot see any reason why that rotation would make sense. The historical justification is just wrong (the Ancients studied a whole lot of things!), and compartmentalizing science into years of biology, chemistry and physics is detrimental because kids lose sight of the connections.

 

You don't have to adhere to any schedule, and you don't even have to use "curriculum" and textbooks and dry encyclopedias to get a strong science education.

 

In the elementary grades, my goal for science would be to cultivate observation and a questioning mind. Young children relate first to what they observe in their close environment, so I would do lots of nature study. First, they must observe things, so that they can then think about them. I would hike, watch birds, collect plants, play by a creek, go to nature centers and museums and state parks and the zoo. These are things the entire family can do together!

Keep a notebook. Sketch and write.  Answer all the questions they have. Look up answers together if you don;t know. Pick up some library books about topics they are interested in. Watch documentaries.

It is totally OK if they want to learn about birds for two weeks, and then about rocks for a month, and the next month about monkeys, glaciers, and the weather.

The goal is to create a broad knowledge base and to keep curiosity and interest alive. Reading real books on a  topic the child is interested in is so much better than slogging through a scripted curriculum; I would encourage you to make the time to go to the library.

 

You can then do a systematic study of science with textbooks in highschool.

I am a physics professor, so yes, I am passionate about science education. But what is most lacking in curricula is joy and inspiration. Curiosity and thinking are much more important that having covered a fixed amount of topics.

 

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response and for sharing your background. It is really hard to go anywhere or do anything with our newly adopted daughter right now, hence my library aversion. We do have many science books that we can draw from, though, if I do an interest-led approach. I am really Type A, and so is my husband, so we both like boxes to check off and a schedule to follow. But he read your response, too, and we are thinking about trying a more relaxed approach. Any suggestions for how to get from Type A to interest-led? 

 

I like regentrude's advice. :)

 

Additionally, if you're looking for a "spine" of sorts, or some structure to your planning, Mystery Science has been a fairly relaxed experience here, and very easy for me to facilitate. I think they still have free trials for a few more months.

 

We :wub: Mystery Science. 3rd grade is the perfect age for it, but all of my kids LOVE it and love science as a result! We got the yearlong free trial but I'm planning to purchase it next year -- it's not too expensive and is definitely worth the cost. 

 

I do add to it for my older two -- but you wouldn't have to for 3rd grade. 

 

Signed up for the free trial :) Thanks!

 

If you're not liking the WTM recommendations, toss them. The Division of sciences the way they recommend is artificial, so if it works, great, and if it doesn't, no loss.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

I have been struggling with this for 2 years. It is hard to just let it go, but I don't think this way is working. We own one of the Apologia books and a BJU book, and I don't love the way either of them do science at this age either. I don't know that I can totally wing science, so I am trying to figure out how to go from where we are, which is not thrilling, to a more joy-filled (but still somewhat organized) place of learning science.

 

Another vote for Mystery Science. My 1st and 3rd grade DDs LOVE it and ask to do science all the time! It's open and go, and it can be tailored to different grade levels.

 

We are going to try it out! Thanks!

[Mrs Twain]

Mystery Science checks all your boxes. Just sign up for it and all your frustration will melt away...

[regentrude]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response and for sharing your background. It is really hard to go anywhere or do anything with our newly adopted daughter right now, hence my library aversion. We do have many science books that we can draw from, though, if I do an interest-led approach. I am really Type A, and so is my husband, so we both like boxes to check off and a schedule to follow. But he read your response, too, and we are thinking about trying a more relaxed approach. Any suggestions for how to get from Type A to interest-led? 

 

If you knew me IRL, you'd know that I am as type A as it gets! :) 

Seriously, I am a perfectionist planner, teach classes with 600 students that run on a tight schedule and organize a team of 8 faculty.

 

I like schedules and plans - but I also have goals that are not compatible with schedules and plans. I am an accidental homeschooler and began homeschooling when my kids did not really learn enough in school and were unhappy about being bored. So, my goal was to give them the freedom to learn according to their interests and abilities, to be able to explore the topics they wanted, to finally be able to learn as much as they wanted. It was important to me to rekindle the joy of learning that had greatly suffered in ps where they were bored out of their minds and subjected to schedules and plans and boxes to check that were the school's agenda, but stifled their learning.

I found great joy in observing my kids running with a topic, voluntarily spending time researching and reading, liking their schoolwork.

 

As a science teacher, I see how much damage a lackluster rigid science education can do. It kills curiosity, the students think science is about memorizing definitions and equations. There is a time and place for a systematic study with textbooks, and I believe that time is in high school and college. Most definitely not in elementary school! That is the time to explore the world and apply the new reading and writing skills to interesting topics. 

I would encourage you to think about what you envision for your children's education, what kind of attitudes you would like to instill.

Perhaps you may be worried: what if I don't do enough? What if they are not prepared for high school and college? If they can read, write, and develop solid math skills, have critical thinking skills and remain curious, they will be prepared to succeed in systematic studies in high school. Until then, keep the spark alive and keep them curious about the world. 

My DD is a physics major; my DS is considering physics as a 2nd major. Our relaxed approach to science did not cause any problems.

[hisforhomeschooling]

If you knew me IRL, you'd know that I am as type A as it gets! :)

Seriously, I am a perfectionist planner, teach classes with 600 students that run on a tight schedule and organize a team of 8 faculty.

 

I like schedules and plans - but I also have goals that are not compatible with schedules and plans. I am an accidental homeschooler and began homeschooling when my kids did not really learn enough in school and were unhappy about being bored. So, my goal was to give them the freedom to learn according to their interests and abilities, to be able to explore the topics they wanted, to finally be able to learn as much as they wanted. It was important to me to rekindle the joy of learning that had greatly suffered in ps where they were bored out of their minds and subjected to schedules and plans and boxes to check that were the school's agenda, but stifled their learning.

I found great joy in observing my kids running with a topic, voluntarily spending time researching and reading, liking their schoolwork.

 

As a science teacher, I see how much damage a lackluster rigid science education can do. It kills curiosity, the students think science is about memorizing definitions and equations. There is a time and place for a systematic study with textbooks, and I believe that time is in high school and college. Most definitely not in elementary school! That is the time to explore the world and apply the new reading and writing skills to interesting topics. 

I would encourage you to think about what you envision for your children's education, what kind of attitudes you would like to instill.

Perhaps you may be worried: what if I don't do enough? What if they are not prepared for high school and college? If they can read, write, and develop solid math skills, have critical thinking skills and remain curious, they will be prepared to succeed in systematic studies in high school. Until then, keep the spark alive and keep them curious about the world. 

My DD is a physics major; my DS is considering physics as a 2nd major. Our relaxed approach to science did not cause any problems.

 

Thank you for the encouragement and reassurance. 

 

I mean, my kids are little. All I have been doing for science is trying desperately to keep their attention for an encyclopedia page and narration. No definitions or equations, lol. And they aren't complaining, they just also aren't asking for science or enjoying it. At least with Mr. Q, they asked for science. They are loving history because they love being read to. I was so excited to do astronomy with them this year and have been so disappointed with the fact that we are all just getting through it. I think we will use Mystery Science for the rest of this year while it is free, and read whatever science books off their shelves they pick out. I think the older two would love that. Then I think maybe next year we will do one of the nature study guides from Simply Charlotte Mason for some guidance for me. I feel a lot better after all the suggestions and after kind of thinking through this out loud with you. Thank you <3 

[Oakblossoms]

Get some kits. Try Rainbow Resource or Home Training Tools. If you get The Home Training Tools Catalog, the kids can look and tell you what they like. I would leave it out at breakfast and see what happens. I've enjoyed reading the Apologia books. But, we never do experiments with them. Start a nature table. My kids love that microscope wand you attach to the tv.