Challenging science

[CrystalAnne]

I have a 10 year old who reads profusely and I'm looking for advice on where to go next with science.  He's extremely interested in all topics of science, but when I try to do a curriculum, it either moves too slow, doesn't go in depth enough, or he reads all of encyclopedias in one sitting and doesn't want to read or go over the topics again.  We've tried Bookshark and Elemental Science and both flopped.  For example, one of them used an Usborne Science encyclopedia and Mysteries and Marvels of Nature.  He liked both books, but quite literally read them in their entirety the first week. Do I just need to keep buying or checking out the living books that go along with those courses and let him keep reading those?  Or should I try for middle school textbook?  I saw a BJU middle school textbook on Space and Earth science and it seemed a lot more meaty than any I've seen so far.  But I don't want to spend a ton more on science that flops and frankly we'd like to avoid science with religion sprinkled in.  (The BJU had that, but less so than others.)  This kid needs a challenge.   And he has yet to explore much Chemistry or Human Anatomy.  Unit studies?  Ideas?

[HomeAgain]

My ds is doing the Supercharged Science dvds with some of his friends.  They really go in a lot deeper than most others.  The only grade level sciences he has liked before this was Mystery Science and Building Foundations.

Your ds might enjoy on his own the Quark Chronicles.  It's story science, but very well done.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Have you looked at Ellen McHenry's Mapping the Body with Art? There's a full progression from cells/biochem through to tissues and organs. They are video lessons with printable pages to do the drawings. We've found them to be a decent depth of content and good value for money.

[Clpretzel]

We also liked Ellen McHenry.  She speaks to kids without dumbing the material down.  

[8filltheheart]

My kids just read through science books. Around age 10, a few of the books they have read are the Scientists in the Field series, A View from an Oak, Jean Craighead George's 13 Moon series and Pocketbook Guide to Outdoors based on My Side of the Mountain, Bortz's Library of the the Subatomic Particles, etc.

Depending on their interests, they might go to the library and pick out books on meteorology, geology, oceanography, physics, etc.  They read through stacks of whole books across a spectrum of topics. Nary a textbook in sight. ? We don't use science textbooks until high school equivalent science. 

[lewelma]

I'm with 8, my kids read science books.  At age 10, my older boy read The Way Things Work and Scientific American cover to cover.  My younger boy, at that age, read coffee tables books (big pictures, great writing, and full coverage of the topic) on weather, astronomy, and geography.

We also did science fair projects which allowed them to dig deep into questions that interested them.  I have written about them in depth on the board and can track down the links if you want them.

Ruth in NZ

[visitor]

On 18 juli 2018 at 10:19 PM, lewelma said:

I'm with 8, my kids read science books.  At age 10, my older boy read The Way Things Work and Scientific American cover to cover.  My younger boy, at that age, read coffee tables books (big pictures, great writing, and full coverage of the topic) on weather, astronomy, and geography.

We also did science fair projects which allowed them to dig deep into questions that interested them.  I have written about them in depth on the board and can track down the links if you want them.

Ruth in NZ

Ruth you would make me very happy if you could put your links here. I already did  search ,but couldn't find your master treads anymore since the forum changed 

[Jackie]

My daughter isn’t likely to be challenged by much in the way of science curriculum, so I’ve given up using it. I have found that she is more challenged by applying the science knowledge. Lego Education kits were an interesting application of physics, as was building a large catapult with friends. A simple chemistry kit was made more interesting by having her try to predict what would happen and explain why before she read the booklet that went along, applying knowledge she already had. 

[SoCal_Bear]

My son has been happy and challenged with the higher level science courses over at Athena's Academy. He did the chemistry series at 8, physics at 9. He has also enjoyed the Berean Science series by Dr. Jay Wile as well. We are doing Science Shepherd's Life Science course this year with some middle schoolers at our co-op instead of the Middle School Bio couse at Athena's because it is way too early in the morning. We are enrolled in the Astronomy and Earth Science courses this year at Athena's. We are planning to do the High School Bio one next year at Athena's.

Clover Creek Physics was spoken highly of by Arcadia whose sons did that around age 10 as well. Some families of AL's I know IRL have spoken highly of Next Level Homeschool classes if you do the level that is higher than your age band. I know that Wilson Hill Academy will allow younger students to take their middle and high school courses, but there is they would be expected to produce the same output as their classmates. Great Courses are also a pretty good source for a lot of interesting courses. 

He has enjoyed Quick Study Labs' Edison Project classes as well.

[regentrude]

On 7/18/2018 at 4:53 AM, 8FillTheHeart said:

My kids just read through science books. Around age 10, a few of the books they have read are the Scientists in the Field series, A View from an Oak, Jean Craighead George's 13 Moon series and Pocketbook Guide to Outdoors based on My Side of the Mountain, Bortz's Library of the the Subatomic Particles, etc.

Depending on their interests, they might go to the library and pick out books on meteorology, geology, oceanography, physics, etc.  They read through stacks of whole books across a spectrum of topics. Nary a textbook in sight. ? We don't use science textbooks until high school equivalent science. 

Same here. I found middle school science textbooks uninspiring (to say it kindly).

We used copious amounts of library books, documentaries, and field trips - until they were old enough for high school science, for which decent college textbooks are available and suitable.

My goal for younger grades is creating a broad knowledge base on which to build a systematic study in high school, and, most importantly, keeping interest and curiosity alive, something middle school textbooks are great at destroying.