staceyobu Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 We've used Jay Wile. I don't love how it introduces essentially something wrong because that is what scientists used to think... One example I remember is students making a solar system with earth in the middle. I feel like with little guys, they walk out thinking that's fact. We are currently using Elemental. I do not like the encyclopedias that the reading is pulled from. The 5th - 8th references are so dry and complicated. It's our second year using it. It's not the worst. Maybe we just continue. I'm just not loving it. I keep thinking there must be better. I've looked at apologia again and again. I used flying creatures with my own kids years ago. Most books don't contain 28 weeks worth of experiments. Maybe I need to supplement with other experiments? Video based is hard because the church internet tends to suck. Heavy evolutionary references will be a no go. I like the kids to get a lot of hands on at co-op. I have 40 minutes of time to fill. If you can find me the magic science program, well, I can be your best well trained mind forum friend forever and ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 Considering God's Creation 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarita Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 Scientific Connections Through Inquiry (scicurriculum.com) I bought it for next year but haven't used it yet, but something you could look at. Also, if you do like one of the online science curriculum/resources it may be possible to talk with them and see if they can give you the video files. Or otherwise help you devise a way you can use it without relying on the internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foofaraw Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 Mystery science lets you open the videos in a separate window in an “offline” option, if your internet is slower than for uninterrupted streaming. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 Mr. Q if you were able to project the text for the kids to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 I did a whole year of co-op using the book Exploratopia and quick read aloud science books (ie: Magic School Bus, etc). https://www.amazon.com/Exploratopia-kid-friendly-experiments-explorations-curious/dp/0316612812/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1OYRJMVCLWX9X&keywords=exploratopia&qid=1646658423&sprefix=exploratopia%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 7 hours ago, staceyobu said: students making a solar system with earth in the middle. I Whoa nellie. Mystery Science is far and away my favorite elementary school science program and if you can find a way -- as mentioned upthread -- to download the videos ahead of time, I would use that. The activities are very well-designed and don't require much prep at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 I have been considering teaching an elementary science class at our co-op and if I had, my first choice would have been Mystery Science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 (edited) 7 hours ago, Ellie said: Considering God's Creation I LOVE Considering God's Creation. My children do too. They will ask for it when it was not on the plan that day. Edited March 7, 2022 by Janeway 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted March 7, 2022 Author Share Posted March 7, 2022 1 hour ago, JennyD said: Whoa nellie. Mystery Science is far and away my favorite elementary school science program and if you can find a way -- as mentioned upthread -- to download the videos ahead of time, I would use that. The activities are very well-designed and don't require much prep at all. How many lessons are in mystery science? Is it something we could only use for one year? Or are there multiple years of lessons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 We've used Ellen McHenry's courses quite successfully in co-op settings; I love that they can "expand" easily for kids who want more at home. Her activities and games have been huge hits, too. Also love Considering God's Creation here - again, fantastic hands-on stuff + readily expand / contract to accommodate different learners. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted March 7, 2022 Author Share Posted March 7, 2022 10 hours ago, Ellie said: Considering God's Creation I've looked at this a couple of times from mentions here. Is it mostly all lapbooking? We have quite a few students who struggle with fine motor skills and tend to get super frustrated with too much crafting. And, we also have an art class where they are forced to do some of that already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 2 hours ago, staceyobu said: I've looked at this a couple of times from mentions here. Is it mostly all lapbooking? We have quite a few students who struggle with fine motor skills and tend to get super frustrated with too much crafting. And, we also have an art class where they are forced to do some of that already. No lapbooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 14 hours ago, staceyobu said: I don't love how it introduces essentially something wrong because that is what scientists used to think... One example I remember is students making a solar system with earth in the middle. I feel like with little guys, they walk out thinking that's fact. I completely agree that this is wildly inappropriate. I actually think that really understanding the history of science is extremely difficult because you have to get inside another culture's worldview to do it properly. It isn't just about "oh, look how much smarter we are today!" It's way more complex than that. I never found an elementary science program I liked, so I don't have any suggestions. I would definitely not use any program that brings religion into it though, because then it becomes something other than science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 4 hours ago, staceyobu said: I've looked at this a couple of times from mentions here. Is it mostly all lapbooking? We have quite a few students who struggle with fine motor skills and tend to get super frustrated with too much crafting. And, we also have an art class where they are forced to do some of that already. I have found it too hard for first graders. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 Apologia is not my favorite, but it is what all of the co-ops my kids were in during elementary school always used. There was no problem doing hands on. It has been awhile since I have looked at it. But maybe they got extra activity ideas from the additional notebooks that go along with them? We even checked out an incubator from the local agriculture extension center and hatched eggs that year for co-op the year we did Flying Creatures. I think we also would watch some videos that we would just google online (before the class and download,) of animals that were mentioned in the chapter they were supposed to have read. We did so much hands on in every class, I know that. But like I said we may have gotten extra activities from the notebooks or maybe even just found some on our own to supplement. It has been awhile. But if you like the Apologia, I would think it is easy enough to find ideas on any basic elementary topic to add to the book's suggested ones if needed. (or pick up any other book of experiments for kids, like a Janice VanCleeve on the topic.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 We love Mystery Science here!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 I agree that Apologia would be easy to use for this. Also, so would Berean Builders and Real Science 4 Kids. Some people just pull experiments from books. I remember a class that used Mudpies and something. But there are tons of books of experiments if you don't need to follow a curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 Also, I love Mystery Science for at home, but if someone were doing Mystery Science at a coop, I would be disappointed. It is just too easy to do at home and the kids would spend a good portion of the class just watching the video. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarita Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 6 hours ago, Janeway said: I remember a class that used Mudpies and something. There's a Mudpies and Magnets for preschoolers and there is a More Mudpies and Magnets. Amazon.com: More Mudpies to Magnets: Science for Young Children: 9780876591505: Williams, Robert A, Rockwell, Robert E, Sweetman, Laurel: Books It's just a book with science experiments. It does have a little blurb to tell you what is going on in the experiment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 5 hours ago, Clarita said: There's a Mudpies and Magnets for preschoolers and there is a More Mudpies and Magnets. Amazon.com: More Mudpies to Magnets: Science for Young Children: 9780876591505: Williams, Robert A, Rockwell, Robert E, Sweetman, Laurel: Books It's just a book with science experiments. It does have a little blurb to tell you what is going on in the experiment. Yes, something like that would be good if only looking for activities and not a curriculum. I have various books of experiments that I might use if that were what was needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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