Open and go science for fourth grade -- is there such a thing?

[smg0918]

I'm still struggling to decide on a science curriculum for my fourth graders. I need help with organization so a teacher's guide (and very little planning ahead) is very important to me. And while I don't mind doing experiments, if we end up with a curriculum that is almost all "hands on" we will end up forgoing science more often than not.

 

Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

ETA: Secular preferred.

[Donna T.]

Noeo is very "open and go".

 

My fourth grader is studying Chemistry this year. He is using Noeo's Chemistry 2. I do practically no prep other than 1) copy the pages from the TM that I want him to do for his notebook assignment for that day and 2) skim the supply list and the experiment assignments. That only takes a few minutes. The TM includes a master supply list and a supply list on each week's schedule for the things you will need that week. Some of the supplies come from the Young Scientists Club Kits that are scheduled in the curriculum or are very simple things you probably have around the house. Things like food coloring, a felt pen, baking soda, wax paper, or a cola.

 

I love the simple TM. It organizes the materials in a four day schedule and includes an assignment for each day based on what the child read or did that day. There are a variety of notebook pages to choose from for the completion of those assigments. The child is generally either describing or illustrating what he has read or done, recording observations, copying definitions, or completing a model It schedules atleast two experiments a week. I'd say the hands-on aspect applies to about 50% of the assignments in the schedulate. My son has really enjoyed looking up the internet links. The TM schedules them as optional just as it does some of the experiments. All that but it's a thin spiral bound text.

 

The TM includes some references to creation and to God in the teacher's secton but it is minimal and none appear on the child's assignment pages. The materials scheduled are secular. Well, I haven't opened a Young Scientist Club kit yet, so I can't be sure about those. The books scheduled are secular. They are also full of good information and engaging. My son is really enjoying the course.

[smg0918]

Thanks for the info. Noeo is what I'm leaning toward at this point. How did you decide to start with Chemistry? There are aspects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics that I think my kids would enjoy, so it's difficult to choose where to start. Does it make a difference, or are all three completely separate and distinct (i.e., don't build upon one another)?

[Shasta Mom]

RS4K is open and go - we've enjoyed the chemistry so far this year. The experiments are relevant, and they work(!), and my ds 9 yo has learned a lot.

[Susan A.]

I was looking for the same thing this year. We are using Janice Van Cleave's "Science around the Year" book. My dd reads the experiment and background info, looks up any words in bold print, does the experiment and writes it up. She does almost all of it independently and it has been a great experience for her.

[Cornerstone Classical]

Noeo is very "open and go".

 

My fourth grader is studying Chemistry this year. He is using Noeo's Chemistry 2. I do practically no prep other than 1) copy the pages from the TM that I want him to do for his notebook assignment for that day and 2) skim the supply list and the experiment assignments. That only takes a few minutes. The TM includes a master supply list and a supply list on each week's schedule for the things you will need that week. Some of the supplies come from the Young Scientists Club Kits that are scheduled in the curriculum or are very simple things you probably have around the house. Things like food coloring, a felt pen, baking soda, wax paper, or a cola.

 

I love the simple TM. It organizes the materials in a four day schedule and includes an assignment for each day based on what the child read or did that day. There are a variety of notebook pages to choose from for the completion of those assigments. The child is generally either describing or illustrating what he has read or done, recording observations, copying definitions, or completing a model It schedules atleast two experiments a week. I'd say the hands-on aspect applies to about 50% of the assignments in the schedulate. My son has really enjoyed looking up the internet links. The TM schedules them as optional just as it does some of the experiments. All that but it's a thin spiral bound text.

 

The TM includes some references to creation and to God in the teacher's secton but it is minimal and none appear on the child's assignment pages. The materials scheduled are secular. Well, I haven't opened a Young Scientist Club kit yet, so I can't be sure about those. The books scheduled are secular. They are also full of good information and engaging. My son is really enjoying the course.

:iagree::iagree:

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[Donna T.]

Thanks for the info. Noeo is what I'm leaning toward at this point. How did you decide to start with Chemistry? There are aspects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics that I think my kids would enjoy, so it's difficult to choose where to start. Does it make a difference, or are all three completely separate and distinct (i.e., don't build upon one another)?

 

You can choose whichever course you want without having had gone through the other ones. My oldest son is advanced in science and the books that Noeo schedules are the kinds that he reads on his own anyways. He has been studying biology since before K and has a good exposure to the various branches of science. I choose Chemistry Level 2 because that's what he was interested in at this time. We had been Hodge-Podging a Chemistry Study for him since early last summer. He had already read everything that our public library has to offer and various titles that we had purchased for him, plus he has had several different chemistry kits that he has worked through. He has memorized almost all of the Periodic Table. So, I was sure he could skip Level 1 of Noeo.

 

He is handling the material very well. He will probably do Physics Level 2 next year.

 

Noeo suggests you choose the level based on their reading abilities and you can choose the topic based on interest.

[smg0918]

Thanks to all who have responded. I really appreciate the help. I am fairly certain I am going to go with Noeo Biology II. In looking at the books they list for the program, I think I can get some of the books cheaper on Amazon. Will it matter if I use a different edition of a book than what Noeo sells on its website? I want to save money if I can but want to make sure my kids have exactly what they'll need for the program.

 

Thanks again!

[PollyOR]

I've always been so excited about science, but I was always putting it off because it takes preparation. I finally decided to just read the books (Rod & Staff). That was better than nothing! R&S has plenty of activities, but kids seem to be okay with just reading for now. Maybe one of these days I'll actually do some activities ;)

 

Good luck!

[nmoira]

 

I've always been so excited about science, but I was always putting it off because it takes preparation. I finally decided to just read the books (Rod & Staff).

We were in the same boat until I found Singapore My Pals Are Here Science, a Gr. 3-6 program. DD loves it and asks for Science even before History now; I appreciate its integrated approach. There is an Activity Book, but we skip the activities which take too much preparation because, IMHO, there's nothing you can miss in K-6 Science that won't be covered again. However, I was able to borrow a microscope for the Cells unit and we had a blast.