Cindy in MO Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Recently I've been rethinking science for my 5th gr ds. We used to do TWTM style which I loved but it was a lot of work. We switched to Bob Jones HomeSat 3 or 4 years ago because of the adoption of a baby. We are on a chapter about thermal energy and just finished a chapter on matter. He is understanding the concepts but I keep thinking, " Is this important for him to know right now when there are much more interesting science topics?" The HomeSat is a little boring at times and we skip some of it. Thankfully later chapters are more interesting, but I really don't like textbook science. I pulled out the recommended WTM books again, and a Reader's Digest series I have, but I hate changing midstream. I would love to do more hands-on, but it's so time consuming. I just wish I had the time to do it justice because I love science. Forgot to mention that I have to do this with ds because he reads way below grade level at this point, so I can't turn him loose at all, and there's a high maintenance 3 yr old who needs a lot of attention. Just sharing my frustrations, Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristineinKS Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Cindy, have you ever considered taking more of a unit study approach to science? For 5th grade, you really don't need anything too formal yet. For example, you could pick a topic to study each month & go the book basket route - collect a bunch of books from the library (I'm thinking picture books - there are so many wonderful & engrossing picture books for science studies which are easy enough to read, yet still pack in plenty of material), perhaps check out a video or two & plan a few related experiments or kits & your son would still learn plenty (you could require some narration as well). This is essentially what we're doing right now, mainly because we started school so unexpectedly & I haven't had time to plan much else! Living books & hands-on exploration make science so much more fun anyway. You can check out the Serendipity blog for some ideas (science books are on the right, if you scroll down a bit). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inashoe Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Could you read through the Apologia science books with him - the ones by Jenny Fulbright ? If you haven't done them, then they score high for interesting content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Cindy, I've been using the BJU science for a couple years now, but I FINALLY realized something that made me happier with it: It needs more hands-on stuff added. So I went through our BJU4, looking at all the topics, then went through the Home Science Tools catalog with a fine-tooth comb, looking for stuff I could add to make it more fun. In the electricity unit, obviously it needs snap circuits added. In anatomy chapters, I got some of the really great 3D puzzles from Timberdoodle and a human skeleton (not too $$) from HST. I go extra mirrors and lenses and things to play around. They have such a great framework, but it's still not as pizzazy as a homeschooler expects or dreams of, kwim? I recently bought the BJU5 tm so I can start going through it to do the same thing. HST has some cool kits on rocks, all sorts of things, so it should be good. I've also been thinking about tossing the student activity book entirely. I don't know, I'm sort of torn there. It has a lot of value, but it also distracts from the forward motion and joy of the things. In that sense, I think there's some flexibility, given the age and that it's NOT junior high yet. I think in your shoes, what I'd do is something similar to what GVA did, reading aloud the text and discussing it together. My dd is a stronger reader, so I don't do that. But in your shoes, it might help tremendously. So toss the dvd, and read the text aloud together and discuss. See if that doesn't help. Then he could go back and watch the dvd just to see the demonstration or project done. Then hand him some fun kits or hands-on things and call it good. Rather than putting your time into the science writing in the student guide, I'd skip it and work on remediating his reading skills (SWR, whatever you have planned). That way you're doing a fuzz less science time, still doing it, still learning and having fun, but putting more time in the things where he really needs it (reading/phonics/spelling). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Recently I've been rethinking science for my 5th gr ds. We used to do TWTM style which I loved but it was a lot of work. We switched to Bob Jones HomeSat 3 or 4 years ago because of the adoption of a baby. We are on a chapter about thermal energy and just finished a chapter on matter. He is understanding the concepts but I keep thinking, " Is this important for him to know right now when there are much more interesting science topics?" The HomeSat is a little boring at times and we skip some of it. Thankfully later chapters are more interesting, but I really don't like textbook science. I pulled out the recommended WTM books again, and a Reader's Digest series I have, but I hate changing midstream. I would love to do more hands-on, but it's so time consuming. I just wish I had the time to do it justice because I love science. Forgot to mention that I have to do this with ds because he reads way below grade level at this point, so I can't turn him loose at all, and there's a high maintenance 3 yr old who needs a lot of attention. Just sharing my frustrations, Cindy Well, if you are being drawn toward WTM style science, I'd recommend listening to SWB's CD called Science in the Classical Curriculum, from Peace Hill Press, to give yourself a boost of courage and enthusiasm! In listening to it, I felt like someone was sitting down and telling me everything that was not being said in WTM - filling in some gaps. It gave me a better understanding of the whole WTM grammar to rhetoric stage science. And it made it seem doable. I currently have a 5th grader, and we are working through the Reader's Digest biology WTM recommendations. I TRY to do an experiment every week, but it doesn't always happen. But ds has freedom within my designated areas of study from these books, to choose topics to read and write about, and he enjoys that. The CD also talks more about the scientific method and how to compare science writings, and I am reading about the scientific method in the Creepy Crawlies book mentioned in WTM, and am finally getting an understanding of what the scientific method is and how to use it with ds. This stuff is always a learning curve for me, but once I "get it," I'm able to make our study more time efficient, so there is room to branch out, or just cover what I consider the absolute necessities (a quick experiment, a writeup while thinking through with the scientific method, and further reading and outlining/narrating) It's the experiment part I have the biggest struggle with because it takes time to figure out what to do, where the materials are, etc.. We haven't done anything stupendously outstanding, but I'm content that we are slowly learning how to "think scientifically." And we'll take the next 3.5 years to learn this process together. And dd8 watches what we do, and sometimes I'll write up a grammar stage version of an experiment report with her, since she just watched the experiment. I'm acquiring a bigger interest in science now after all these years, thanks to learning how to think this way because of the WTM methods. hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
home4fun Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Supercharged Science..http://www.superchargedscience.com/ They have great sets to buy and might help extend what you have or take a FUN detour! Blessings. Angie (home4fun) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn of ns Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 There are also the Thames & Kosmos sets and ScienceWiz by Penny Normon. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tullyfamily Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Does anyone know if I could download Susan's talk about science in MP3 format? I'd rather pay for something & not have to wait. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Does anyone know if I could download Susan's talk about science in MP3 format? I'd rather pay for something & not have to wait. ;) I think there was talk of this awhile back, but I don't know if they have this available yet. Check with Peace Hill Press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Forgot to mention that I have to do this with ds because he reads way below grade level at this point, so I can't turn him loose at all, and there's a high maintenance 3 yr old who needs a lot of attention. Just sharing my frustrations, Cindy I have a fairly high maintenance 3 year old myself, hopefully time will cure that problem for both of us! For the reading, I'd have him work through my online remedial phonics lessons and then Webster's Speller's Syllabary and then jump to 2+ syllable words. That should get him at or above grade level. Here's the Webster's thread. (My phonics lessons are linked below.) http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70153 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in MO Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 I've been using the BJU science for a couple years now, but I FINALLY realized something that made me happier with it: It needs more hands-on stuff added. I totally agree. We added a mineral kit. I just need to do more of that. WE do skip some of the dvd watching. I read and talk about it, so what's the point of listening to the other teacher talk about it too. I'm a little disappointed with the dvds. It would be better with more video clips or animation or pictures, but that would be too expensive to produce. I may be ditching the whole thing and just doing some kits I have. I've bought and used many science things over the years, just can't seem to find a method that I want to stick with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in MO Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Could you read through the Apologia science books with him - the ones by Jenny Fulbright ?If you haven't done them, then they score high for interesting content. We got through most of Zoology 1 last year, but I'm always thinking something else might be better. Too many choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in MO Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Cindy, have you ever considered taking more of a unit study approach to science? For 5th grade, you really don't need anything too formal yet. For example, you could pick a topic to study each month & go the book basket route - collect a bunch of books from the library (I'm thinking picture books - there are so many wonderful & engrossing picture books for science studies which are easy enough to read, yet still pack in plenty of material), perhaps check out a video or two & plan a few related experiments or kits & your son would still learn plenty (you could require some narration as well). This is essentially what we're doing right now, mainly because we started school so unexpectedly & I haven't had time to plan much else! Living books & hands-on exploration make science so much more fun anyway. You can check out the Serendipity blog for some ideas (science books are on the right, if you scroll down a bit). That is really how I like doing science: some books, some videos, some kits. That's how I used to try to do it. Maybe I'm reluctant to get back to it because I make it too complicated. Thanks for the reminder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in MO Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 I currently have a 5th grader, and we are working through the Reader's Digest biology WTM recommendations. I TRY to do an experiment every week, but it doesn't always happen. It's the experiment part I have the biggest struggle with because it takes time to figure out what to do, where the materials are, etc.. We haven't done anything stupendously outstanding, but I'm content that we are slowly learning how to "think scientifically." hth I have the Reader's Digest nature and earth books. I always thought they looked intriguing, but many of the activities looked too involved. There were too many things to build. I know I can adjust, but I just couldn't get past that. Jean in Wisc. used to talk about these on the old board and shared her schedules. I don't know why I can't commit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in MO Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 I have a fairly high maintenance 3 year old myself, hopefully time will cure that problem for both of us! For the reading, I'd have him work through my online remedial phonics lessons and then Webster's Speller's Syllabary and then jump to 2+ syllable words. That should get him at or above grade level. We did use your lessons for awhile as a supplement. Thank you for offering these. They are very helpful. WE are now working our way through Barton level 5. Ds is showing great improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in MO Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Supercharged Science..http://www.superchargedscience.com/ They have great sets to buy and might help extend what you have or take a FUN detour! Blessings. Angie (home4fun) This looks really cool. Have you tried it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcjlkplus3 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Keep in mind that my oldest is a 7yo 2nd grader. I love TWTM, but I had a very hard time doing science that way. My compromise is that I find a science curriculum that has lots of reading and experiments and is all laid out for me, but that still follows the general guidelines (biology, earth science and astronomy this year, chemistry next year, physics after that and then repeat). For this year I chose R.E.A.L. Science Earth and Space, next year we will be doing Noeo science - probably also that for physics. I will say that there are a lot more options doing it this way for older students than for younger ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in MO Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 There are also the Thames & Kosmos sets and ScienceWiz by Penny Normon. I These look great. I'm convinced. Which kits have you tried? We're ditching the textbooks for elementary and middle school science and going back to fun science. Thanks, Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katrina Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I have a love/hate relationship with Science also. I just purchased a couple of TOPS books to see if it would put the fun back into science. I might purchase SWB's CD as Colleen in NS suggested to try to put a classical spin on it. The more and more I tried to use just a textbook (even with their experiements with it) the more I just find something lacking about it, at least what my ideal homeschool science projects CAN be like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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