Mrs Darcy Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I'm looking for science that I can use with my son. I would need it to be secular, I would not be comfortable with even the slightest reference to ID or creationism. I'm looking for something on a 4th-5th grade level. Can you please let me what is out there that I can use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I am currently using a unti from Singapore sciene. It isn't fantastic, but it does have simple experiments, easily done at home. I'm sure others will have excellent suggstions. Meanwhile, here's a list of options for you to peruse: http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com/science/science-index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Darcy Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 Thank you for that link. I have just looked through it and most of the recommendations are for Christian companies. The few that I found that were not, did not strike me a good curriculums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 That's too bad. It makes sense, however. I just has another thought: have you seen Joy Hakim's series about the History of science? It could function like a spine and you could branch off and learn about specific concepts in detail. It also has a teachers guide and student workbook, too, so would work as a stand alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Real Science 4 Kids has an excellent Chemistry component. It's Biology is lame and its Physics is okay. The author is a chemist, so that obviously is why the reason the Chem portion is so strong. She is an ID proponent, but she does not make any reference to this in the books - I feel the same way you do about the whole thing, and haven't been able to find anything objectionable, at least in the Chem. The Bio is weak anyway - it's not that ID is mentioned, just that it's not very thorough or deep. There are some decent chapters on cell structure and protozoa, but that does not a Bio curriculum make, imho. The Chem is great, though - haven't found anything for elementary kids as good. She uses real scientific terms, but manages to explain it in a way a kid can understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Darcy Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 I've not seen those books. I'll go have a look on Amazon and if they look good I'll see if the library has them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Darcy Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 Real Science 4 Kids has an excellent Chemistry component. It's Biology is lame and its Physics is okay. The author is a chemist, so that obviously is why the reason the Chem portion is so strong. She is an ID proponent, but she does not make any reference to this in the books - I feel the same way you do about the whole thing, and haven't been able to find anything objectionable, at least in the Chem. The Bio is weak anyway - it's not that ID is mentioned, just that it's not very thorough or deep. There are some decent chapters on cell structure and protozoa, but that does not a Bio curriculum make, imho. The Chem is great, though - haven't found anything for elementary kids as good. She uses real scientific terms, but manages to explain it in a way a kid can understand. I had looked into Real Science 4 Kids, but I would have a hard time buying from a person who is an ID proponent. I would not feel comfortable giving my money to her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Check out the National Science Teachers Store, there are many secular titles and curriculums there for whatever topic you'd like. http://www.nsta.org/store/?lid=tnavhp We've used The Geography Book by Caroline Arnold (for earth science, it's for 4th-6th), The Space Book by Marc McCutcheon and we have The Ocean Book-which is a little weak but covers topics well, imo. These are all indicated for 4th-6th. You can also use science encyclopedias and just flesh out the topics you want to study, find experiments and be done. :) Look at National Geographic, Smithsonian, and the Thames Kosmos experiment kits, you can use those as a leading proponent and read more though supplemental and encyclopedia reading. Janice VanCleave's books are good if you want experiment led, they are weak on inquiry though..telling the student the findings. TOPS is secular http://topscience.org/index.html The other option is to use a textbook. I hope you find something! There are many more secular options out there than Christian ones, but what I've found is that they are geared more towards a classroom than for study at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn of ns Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 The other option is to use a textbook. I hope you find something! There are many more secular options out there than Christian ones, but what I've found is that they are geared more towards a classroom than for study at home. I think you're right on that but the funny thing is that once you get into actual homeschooling science then the balance tips and suddenly, it's mostly creationist and ID. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui in mo Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I think Prentice Hall Science " Science Explorers" would fit your bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plimsoll Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 We have used Singapore's My Pal's Are Here (MPH) Science very successfully. You can decide how much of the workbooks to have your son do -- if you do all of the work it can become tedious and detract from the fun. My son has also enjoyed reading science books by Chris Oxlade and by Louise & Richard Spilsbury. We borrowed these from the library. These books are easy reads, are informative, and many of them include experiment ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 The top three secular science sources have already been mentioned: Real Science 4 kids Singapore Science Pandia Press REAL Science There is also a great chemistry program - The Elements Other than that - you can follow the WTM recommendations and use a science encyclopedia and fill out the topics with books from the library. Lego has an education division. Check their website - they produce teacher guides and student workbooks to teach simple machines, basic engineering and simple robotics using legos. K'nex also has some great products for physical science. There is a great book that my dd's cottage school is using called Physics with Toys or something like that which is really good. Hmm, thats all I can think of right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Darcy Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 Thank you all for the suggestions. Looks I'll be spending the afternoon doing some research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Physics with Toys is by terrificscience.com I looked at the Physical Science with Children's Literature but it was a lot of teacher prep and was set up more for a classroom than what I needed. Laura in China has Physics with Toys if you have questions about that particular title, I know she's pleased with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 What about NOEO? It's a Christian company, but I haven't seen any references to ID- can someone please comment if they have? I'm fine with references to God creating things, I do believe that; but we believe in evolution and not in ID, so I might have missed something that would bother you. Other than that, Oak Meadow which uses textbooks, or Singapore is all I can find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I think you're right on that but the funny thing is that once you get into actual homeschooling science then the balance tips and suddenly, it's mostly creationist and ID. Most definitely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 What about NOEO? It's a Christian company, but I haven't seen any references to ID- can someone please comment if they have? I'm fine with references to God creating things, I do believe that; but we believe in evolution and not in ID, so I might have missed something that would bother you. We're using Noeo right now, after spending time with LLB-Chemistry and Singapore's MPH Chemistry, also Apologia Astronomy. We love science here, so I prefer a very solid curriculum with experiments, investigation, exploration and note-taking, descriptions, definitions, field trips. Noeo is definitely a Christian co. as evidenced by their foreword. However, the curriculum is very straight-forward, using a couple Usborne reference books and a number of other "living books," mostly bios, as well as an experiment book. So far, I like what I see and dc really like it. My suggestion for anyone truly concerned about any type of religious influence (and/or giving money to a Christian or religious curriculum co.) would be to create your own. Find a good reference book, several are mentioned here like Usborne or Kingfisher or the Hakim series (we use and enjoy all of these). Then sit down with dc and choose several of the areas to emphasize (physics -- simple machines, electricity, sound, for instance) and really delve into those with lots of resources. The Van Cleave series provides the experiments, your spine gives the history, theory and definitions, you create some experiment sheets for dc to fill in. The internet has loads of options to do on-line or print out. Of course the other option is to find a series that you will be comfortable with regardless of the publisher and choose to avoid/edit where necessary. I found myself doing this with the Apologia in particular. Other than that, perhaps a co-op group. hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajjkt Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 We avoid any science curricula that is ID or creationist because this does not fit our family. We have enjoyed RS4K chemistry, though I take your point about a curriculum written by an ID proponent. We've also enjoyed NOEO. In Australia, the CSIRO publish educational material. If you go onto their website and look at Double Helix or Scientriffic you will find some good things on that. My son has a subscription (as did I when I was little) and reads it thoroughly when it arrives each two-months. It's written in an interesting manner, aimed at kids, engaging, informative and in the format of a magazine. They also have a weekly "science by email" that has articles and activities. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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