cam112198 Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 what would it be? I'm thinking ahead for next year and I am considering (it's just a thought) using either Abeka or BJU for History and/or Science. Still not sure, but if you had to choose between the two for history and/or science which would it be? My dd is in 1st grade this year and will be in 2nd grade next year. It's so hard just to look online at samples and decide. This year we have been SL Core 1 for History and Science, Abeka for Language Arts, and CLE Math. Next year I will probably stick with Abeka for LA and definitely stick with CLE for math. Thanks for any suggestions. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 I've bought a text from Houghton Mifflin called Across the Centuries. I've been looking at it and doing some pre-planning, and I think it'll be a good fit for my son. I'll be adding in lots of other stuff, though, more readings and DVDs and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tami Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 If you want lots of activities and inquiry, I'd definitely go with BJU. You could use BJU 2 with both, and even buy an experiment kit from Home Science Tools. We love BJU science! If you aren't a fan of activities and want "readable" science, than Abeka would be a better choice. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 I used BJU science 6 this year and we loved it. It is very readable, gave great info and plenty of hands on time. It is the first year we've tried it, so I can't speak to the younger grades. It did take quite a bit of teacher time, but we have had a great year with it! Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 I love BJU for science, find it to be very thorough, all the things you want or expect in a curriculum, BUT I wouldn't fiddle with it for 1st or maybe even 2nd. The 3rd gr book is where it starts to get more meaty, and even that didn't thrill my dd's soul. The 4th gr book we're plowing through now is very good. I have the 5th and need to get her into it, because she wants the more sophisticated thought and language, thinks the 4th is babyish. On the other hand, the 4th gr book is easy to implement for us and doesn't take much time (we can do a week's worth in an hour), unlike the 5th gr book that bumps up to 120 lessons and will be a full year course. What I like about the BJU science is that it gives me a starting point, a well-done curriculum that I can work from and add things to to make it my own. I think if you start in the early levels, where it's understandably weeny, you're going to be burnt out and toss before you get to the really good years. I suggest you do some fun things like the Apologia elementary science astronomy book (together with the constellations book by HA Rey of Curious George!), usborne books on things like magnets and light, Fizz Bubble Flash, take nature walks, and just basically pursue your interests. Take a catalog like Home Science Tools or Tobin's Lab and pick 6 subjects for the year. Then go through the catalog and find books and little fun things to bring them alive. Don't start the BJU science till you're ready for the 3rd or 4th grade books. Even the CLP Nature Readers might be fun, though they aren't nearly as fun as doing the hands-on things I listed. We have so many fun memories of doing those kits and things like I listed above. When we did the apologia astronomy, we had a glow-in-the-dark star-gazing chart and would go out at night together. We have field guides for butterflies, birds, flowers, etc. and took lots of nature walks together identifying things. The usborne books were so fun just to read and do the accompanying projects. You're just trying to build their bank of experiences. Then, when you start formal science with the BJU books, it will all come together. The beauty of the WTM science suggestions is that their order seems to fit the order kids really do develop interest in the topics (or at least my dd did). But that doesn't mean you have to be tight on that. You're really waiting for their skills to develop (reading and writing) before you launch into the more meaty BJU books. By the gr 4, they're writing paragraphs and doing all sorts of stuff, so they need to have those skills. You can also bump the BJU up a grade. Like I said, it's what my dd needs conceptually, but we never seem to keep on track for that, especially with the baby now. But even so, she's learning things. It's not so much that she's learning a ton, but she's really LEARNING it, kwim? I wanted her on-track for the BJU science come junior high, which I know seems a long way off to you now but ISN'T when you hit 4th and 5th grade, hehe, so starting in around 3rd/4th gr allows her to start to build those skills (reading a textbook, etc.) and a foundation to be ready. Don't feel bad about considering textbooks! I finally realized on the science that I was recreating on my own stuff that was already done for me, and BETTER, in the BJU science. It's all there, so just use and enjoy. It creates a baseline that you can add to with kits, puzzles, rabbit trails, etc. and just have lots of fun while still having the confidence that you're on-track. For history, I'd go VP or WP, but that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Mine are older (one logic, one nearly there), but next year the older one is doing an academic co-op for most of his work, and the younger one is doing textbooks for history and science. We're going to do some read-alouds and Beautiful Feet's Geography program together. My younger one is going to use Christian Light's history (their geography text with Light Units) and science (their science text with Light Units). The year after that, I'm leaning towards BJUP's History 7 and CLE science (level undecided). The lower levels of BJUP History are all American history. In the past I've done BJUP Science 3-5 with both children, and we loved it. It's a very meaty program, but it is mom-intensive. This year I wanted to do a full human body study, so we're using Sonlight Science 5. I'd give it a "B" with BJUP getting an "A." HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam112198 Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 HTH! How do you think CLE compares to Abeka or BJU for Science and History? I love CLE Math! I guess that could be an option! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 It's hard to generalize because the levels are very different. Grade 1 and 2 are in Sunrise format, which as you may know, is better in many ways than their original materials in terms of layout and overall content. Grades 3 and 4 are in the original format, which is reading with rote, fill-in-the-blank type work with no textbook (just Light Units). The content is good, but has less critical thinking and is not as attractive compared to the Sunrise books or BJUP (which is outstanding IMHO). They're more independent than BJUP of course. Grade 5 has an attractive textbook with Light Units to go with the reading in the original format. That's what my younger one is going to do. There's less critical thinking than I'd like, but it's decent science, and I chose it over A Beka because of the Light Units. Grade 6 and up are in the original format with the reading in the Light Units. I want to look at them in person before I pick a level. Unfortunately there are not samples on the CLE Yahoo Group at this point. From what I remember, CLE is focusing on expanding their math and upper social studies right now and not science, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 I meant to address both and forgot-- CLE history (actually social studies) is in Sunrise format for Grades 1-4, with a textbook for grades 3 and 4. It's "traditional" social studies for those grades, with their history really starting in grade 5. My younger one is going to do their geography study, which is the grade 4 program. From grade 5 and up, it's "history." The grade 6 program is in Sunrise format, but covers Latin American history (not a priority for me). The grade 5 program is in the old format, and covers North American history from a Mennonite viewpoint (not my viewpoint). The grade 7 program covers world history and is also in the old format and also follows a more Mennonite viewpoint than I'm in agreement with. I believe that the grade 7 program is being revised. So after doing the grade 4 program for 5th grade, I'm probably going to have her do BJUP's History 7 for 6th grade. All subject to change of course! Probably more than you want to know, but I figure that I'd give you the whole story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela&4boys Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 (edited) Bob Jones, A Beka, and Christian Liberty Press titles. I prefer CLP because they are Christ-centered, affordable, have nice photos and illustrations, get excellent reviews (most of the time) and have simplified TM's. Of course what they don't publish themselves, they offer BJUP or A Beka in place of. The prices are very reasonable at both their own site and CBD.com (Cbd also has reviews.) Edit: Sorry, I should read posts carefully. I don't necessarily like textbooks for lower grammar, but from about 3rd or 4th up the language is not as choppy and over-simplified. However, the CLP Nature Readers are wonderful for 1st`and 2nd and my boys have enjoyed them a lot. Edited February 16, 2009 by angela&4boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tami Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 I used BJU science 6 this year and we loved it. It is very readable, gave great info and plenty of hands on time. It is the first year we've tried it, so I can't speak to the younger grades. It did take quite a bit of teacher time, but we have had a great year with it! Debbie Just to clarify, when I say "readable" I mean that the curriculum is more independent for the student. You can just hand it to them, and they can read it and answer the questions. It is the opposite of mom-intensive, or activity-based. Abeka has the entire program right in the student book. Imo, Abeka does not have the "wow" factor that BJU has. I think BJU is fantastic, but some of us will not be able to devote the teaching time it requires. Without the Teacher's Manual, BJU is half a curriculum; activities, discussion, and labs are really integral. BJU is more teacher-intensive, but so worth it if one can swing it by combining grade levels, block scheduling, or otherwise carving out some time. That said, the best curriculum is the one that gets done. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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