Could I combine all kids for Apologia Zoology 3?

[jkl]

My kids will be 7th grade, 4th grade, 2/3rd grade, and pre-k.  I am trying to streamline.  Would it be possible to combine kids for Apologia Land Animals?  I'm thinking of getting the journals for my 7 and 9 year olds, but I'm not sure how to beef it up for my 12 year old.  Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Momto6inIN]

I haven't used that curriculum, but I can say that I have tried to combine ages 6th and 4th and K and it was a disaster. The oldest was bored and the youngest was in over their head and started to hate science (who had always loved it before). I really really do understand the desire to combine, but IME it doesn't work well with that big of an age gap. You could probably easily combine the 2 middle kids, but I'd get something beefier for the 7th grader. My kids did well with Apologia General Science in 7th grade and were able to do it almost completely independently.

[jkl]

Hmmm.  Thanks for the reply.  That's what I was afraid of.  I planned everything out with my oldest doing his own science and history (he really wants to do Sonlight history and that takes a chunk of Mom-time), but to fit in everything including a little time with my 4 year old and a big chunk of intensive instruction with my struggling learner, the day just comes out soooo long!!

[BetterthanIdeserve]

I heard Dr. Jay Wile, author of Apologia's General and Physical Science, speak at a conference this year. He said 1-2 days of science in 6th grade and under is enough if kids are exploring and delighting in science. It really helped take some pressure off my decision to be light on my 3rd grader this year. He'll be reading the Astronomy book but I'm going to skip most of the experiments for his grade, and instead have him observe the experiments that his older siblings are doing (Apologia's Physical Science for my 8th grader and Master Books' Applied Engineering for my advanced 5th grader). I had planned to do WTM science recommendations that matched up with topics that his big sister and brother are covering this year, but he really wanted to do Astronomy and I happened to have the Notebooking Journal and textbook, so that's less prep work for me.

If I was in your shoes, I would combine the younger two and put the 7th grader in General Science or choose something similar from Master Books (which I think has a lot less experiments). When I look at my state's requirements for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics in high school, I think that Apologia's General and Physical Science line up really well for 7th and 8th grade. But I've heard one mama absolutely raving about Master Books science and how it was a life saver for her.

I probably would have done just a Master Books science for my 8th grader, but she REALLY wanted to do Apologia's Physical Science and Master Books Applied Engineering this year - she's expressed an interest in going into engineering. I looked into the Applied Engineering and the reading is less than 10 minutes a day if you don't do the digging deeper research. I'm also having her skip the workskheets for Applied Engineering (but my 5th grader is doing them). There aren't any applied learning activities until the 2nd semester. I'm hoping it will work for her and my 5th grader to do those together. I may end up cutting some from Physical Science to make it work, but if we have to drop one it will be Applied Engineering. 

My kids have always taken science classes using Apologia curriculum at our homeschool enrichment center, but this is the first year we are not taking any outside classes. We do Tapestry of Grace, so my kids are used to being somewhat combined as we cover history. I had really hoped it would work to combine science, but I decided this year isn't a good one to do that. My initial thought was to do science centered around my 8th grader, but I'm afraid my 5th grader will think he knows it all when he gets to 8th grade (and to be fair, he's advanced and might remember quite a bit, but it would be more like he would think he knew it all and not realize how much he had forgotten). And it's too much for my 3rd grader.  I think he'll get plenty of exploring and delighting in science by watching his big sister and brother's experiments.

 

[Jess4879]

We did land animals with a 7th, 5th and 2nd grader with the journals.  It went really well.  We didn't add in anything for the 7th grader, but science has never been a huge interest of hers.  The following year we used a school text and she loved that and has asked to continue.  She's an odd duck. HAHA  So...I guess it really depends on your child.  My oldest is a huge animal lover, so the Apologia text was right up her ally. 

[homemommy83]

I would allow your oldest to do it independently-  she may even be interested in teaching it to the younger group.  By her reading it visually as she reads it aloud and leading the discussions she would retain more.  You could do prek readalouds/ worksheets in another room and be pulling double duty.  

If you do this I would have a weekly meeting about goals and make sure she has all of the materials to do the fun activies. Also, I would do any volatile experiments with them.?

This is just my opinion- but I like letting children interested in teaching-teach.  My oldest daughter who is turning 13 helps teach Sunday School and loves jumping in to tutor the littles with their worksheets when I am working with someone else.  

 

I was the same way- in high school I set up class at 7 in the morning and had a full class of math students asking me problems until 8.  

Brenda