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Considering God's Ceation Science for a 6th grader


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I am new to this forum, but I have so many questions that I need some answers to.

 

My son who will be 12 very soon and in 6th grade, has not had much science. We sort of skipped science our first two years of home schooling because he had fallen so far behind on math in private Christian school, that I had to spend a lot of time catching him up. Science is the only subject that we really didn't do a whole lot of until this year. We are using MFW R2R and have just completed week 21. We did a great study of the human body, and are now using Jeannie Fulbright's Exploring Creation with Astronomy. He absolutely loves it! I bought the notebooking guide from Live-n-Learn Press, and he really seems to enjoy it, and has learned quite a bit. The problem I'm having, is that I really think in order to start Apologia General Science in the fall of 2010, I think he needs a broader approach to science covering more subjects, since we skipped science instruction the last two years. I don't want a traditional textbook method, but realize that a textbook approach is going to give him a wider scope of science. I stumbled onto Considering God's Creation by Eagle's Wings Education, and really like the looks of it with the student notebook, and it also covers multiple branches of science. Has anyone used it? Or does anyone have any insight to this?

 

Also, I feel so bad about not getting enough science before, but I was so focused on language and math, that it really just got put on the back burner.

 

Would love to hear any comments.

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I used bits and pieces of it this year with my 6th grader. I really liked the human body you "put together" as you study each system. I may use more of it, in pieces, this next year as we do more of a nature study instead of a formal science curriculum.

 

We skipped the songs and just used the units as they fit into my science plans.

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I bought it for DS for 1st grade and ended up selling it, unused.

I thought the content was geared for younger elementary (though I just looked it up and it says 1st through 7th) but the amount of cutting and writing would be better suited for a much older child.

Personal pet peeve of mine: I hate cluttered pages, heavy ink and small font sizes. I thought the pages were too busy and very difficult to read.

My DS is currently in an outsourced Apologia class and the teacher sends home "homework" with worksheets from CGC and every time it reminds me why I sold it. :tongue_smilie:

If your son has not had a lot of science, the content may be fine. But - at his age - I would run the on-line sample pages past him to see if he is fine with the graphics and font size.

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My 10 year old is currently using it. She is enjoying the program and does it independently. It does require a fair bit of cutting and pasting etc, but she seems fine with that. She is making a science notebook/lapbook of what she is learning and all the paper stuff she makes with it.

 

I think you would probably just want to check that your son would be fine with all the cut and paste activities etc in it, and you possibly might want to add extra reading on each topic - but that wouldn't be hard, just select a few books from the library on the current topic.

 

Also, I personally wouldn't worry about covering certain topics before Apologia General Science. My older two are using this series and I don't think that General Science particularly pre-supposes any particular knowledge or study. I think you could even just read some interesting books about science topics or scientists and be ready for Gen Science.

 

Anyway, hth a little.

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Thank you for your input. My son does enjoy cut and paste, and it's good to know that General Science won't be too much of a stretch with not having covered every science topic.

 

And as for it being grade level, thanks for letting me know that it might be a little young for him.

 

It's so hard to decide on a curriculum when you can't see it in your hands, or don't know anyone who's ever done it.

 

Thank!

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We tried it and it's a program I would recommend (agree about the cut and paste), but it is too teacher-intensive for my tastes.

 

For a 6th grader, I'd say go with the Apologia honestly. (And I even have the CGC I'm going to list for sale soon. LOL) You might run CGC quickly, but I'd bet (without having seen it) that Apologia is much more on-level with a 6th grader than is CGC. Great for upper elem.. but 6th is pushing it. :)

 

jmho

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I have a friend who has used Apologia's General Science, and talking to her about it, she said it was hard. But she also has admitted that they are not big science people. Do you really think I could use General Science for my son? He'll be 12 in May, 6th grade next year, and an avid reader, and seems to enjoy science.

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My DD is doing Beautiful Feet History of Science and loves it! It covers science from Archimedes to Einstein and many in between. There are 67 lessons and she will complete it in 18 weeks working concurrently with Rainbow Science. If your son completes 1 lesson per day he could do it over the summer and have a solid understanding of the hows and whys of science before starting Apologia Gen Sci next year.

 

Also, it seems like most people I know do Apologia Gen Sci in 7th and Physical Sci in 8th, so you could have the luxury of 1 more year before starting Gen Sci.

 

Pros about BF History of Science:

DD loves the reading.

There are a number of fun experiments. She is currently studying Pasteur and growing bacteria in Agar.

She is learning a lot and covering material most science programs don't include about the history of how science developed.

 

Rainbow Science is pricey, but it would be easy to complete both years in 1 year doing 2 lessons - 1 lab - 2 lessons - 1 lab. It would take about 4 days per week working 1 hour per day. He would have a good introduction to Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Applications (Earth/Space). The labs are outstanding (A+), though I wish the reading was meatier. If you use Rainbow be sure to use the quizzes available online to ensure retention. Or use Rainbow instead of Apologia and do it over 2 years as is intended.

 

Hope this helps,

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I am new to this forum, but I have so many questions that I need some answers to.

 

My son who will be 12 very soon and in 6th grade, has not had much science. We sort of skipped science our first two years of home schooling because he had fallen so far behind on math in private Christian school, that I had to spend a lot of time catching him up. Science is the only subject that we really didn't do a whole lot of until this year. We are using MFW R2R and have just completed week 21. We did a great study of the human body, and are now using Jeannie Fulbright's Exploring Creation with Astronomy. He absolutely loves it! I bought the notebooking guide from Live-n-Learn Press, and he really seems to enjoy it, and has learned quite a bit. The problem I'm having, is that I really think in order to start Apologia General Science in the fall of 2010, I think he needs a broader approach to science covering more subjects, since we skipped science instruction the last two years. I don't want a traditional textbook method, but realize that a textbook approach is going to give him a wider scope of science. I stumbled onto Considering God's Creation by Eagle's Wings Education, and really like the looks of it with the student notebook, and it also covers multiple branches of science. Has anyone used it? Or does anyone have any insight to this?

 

Also, I feel so bad about not getting enough science before, but I was so focused on language and math, that it really just got put on the back burner.

 

Would love to hear any comments.

 

Well. No answer to what to use, just something to say about summer and science.

This is the easiest thing in the world to cover when all around you is spring and summer. The naked trees are blooming pink and white around here and spring is alive with birds. A good nature guide helps - but there's always the internet. Peterson field guides to anything and The Audobon Society books for your region of the country (or specific state in the union) are wonderful, they cover your local topography, trees, stars, birds, plants, bugs, snakes,everything.

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/peterson/petersonhome.cfm

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw_0_17?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=national+audobon+society+field+guide&sprefix=national+audobon+&x=0&y=0

 

 

If you take a library trip pick up a Magic School Bus, Nova, or National Geographic video on anything. Eyewitness books are easy to spot in the library. I've been getting into their History books as my SOTW Ancients supplement. I think they have books with more science based subject as well.

 

Science is my thing. I love it. The best thing we ever studied was a chicken. My neighbor (practically a midwife) had a dd who began drawing a human uterus. Then a cat uterus (at the time we HAD a pregnant cat), then a rabbit's uterus (they had 2 bunnies) and since they also had a chicken that had us all wondering what a chicken looks like inside. Rabbits are cool - they don't have an ovulation cycle. They ovulate after mating. The act of mating stimulates ovulation. I understood the significance of the old saying about mating like when rabbits. And cats and rabbits have a tubular uteri so they can hold their babies on down the long sides of their bellies. It's so cool.

 

Anyway - back to the chickens - so we all wondered if cats and rabbits are so different than humans, what must a chicken look like?! That my dear friends is incredible and I have so much respect for those dirty little birds. Did you know that a chicken's "uterus" spins the yolk/eggwhite for 19 to 20 hours while the shell is put on? How cool is that?

 

But I said all of that to say this: If you had told me that my dd's kindergarden science would be reproduction I would have looked at you funny. But that's what was going on around us. In fact, we had a deal with the neighbor's mom that when our cat went into labor (even 3 in the morning) we had permission to get their dd. It really turned into the biology lesson of a lifetime. At it all started with a little kid drawing a rabbit's uterus.

 

We have yet to do a formal science. I am going to start that this summer. I am looking at Real Science 4 Kids because they have chemistry, biology, physics. So - we'll start with their biology and get some "formal" science in. But we are in 5th grade! And this is our very first formal "get a textbook" approach.

 

If I were starting with a younger kid I would definitely look at Pandia Press.

 

You said you felt bad about his lack of science - I wonder if you have given him exposure - surely he has played with frogs and bugs, climbed a tree, picked a flower, had a rock collection, watched a spider, played with roley poley (rolly polly...rollie polie? - I have no idea how to spell that....). Kids are naturally inquisitive, I am sure you have researched something. That is science. We do heavy science in the summer.

Edited by Karen sn
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My DD is doing Beautiful Feet History of Science and loves it! It covers science from Archimedes to Einstein and many in between. There are 67 lessons and she will complete it in 18 weeks working concurrently with Rainbow Science. If your son completes 1 lesson per day he could do it over the summer and have a solid understanding of the hows and whys of science before starting Apologia Gen Sci next year.

 

Also, it seems like most people I know do Apologia Gen Sci in 7th and Physical Sci in 8th, so you could have the luxury of 1 more year before starting Gen Sci.

 

Pros about BF History of Science:

DD loves the reading.

There are a number of fun experiments. She is currently studying Pasteur and growing bacteria in Agar.

She is learning a lot and covering material most science programs don't include about the history of how science developed.

 

Rainbow Science is pricey, but it would be easy to complete both years in 1 year doing 2 lessons - 1 lab - 2 lessons - 1 lab. It would take about 4 days per week working 1 hour per day. He would have a good introduction to Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Applications (Earth/Space). The labs are outstanding (A+), though I wish the reading was meatier. If you use Rainbow be sure to use the quizzes available online to ensure retention. Or use Rainbow instead of Apologia and do it over 2 years as is intended.

 

Hope this helps,

Thank you!

I like what you have described. Especially the Beautiful Feet.

Off to google this!

 

ETA: Wow! This is awesome. I wish I could find this on a secular level!

There are some things we could still do and tone down.

But - any Christians on this board - you will like this.

We're talking science, history...everything. Beautiful.

http://www.bfbooks.com/s.nl/sc.1/.f

Edited by Karen sn
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Their chemistry looks very organized and I am impressed by the homeschool dad of 5 part of it all. Let me ask you - the 2 year Rainbow Science, it seems very God based in the description. Is this so? I'm pretty secular so I am wondering if it's possible for me to use this or if I should skip it.

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I know of a few secular families who use Rainbow Science with no problem. Angie W on the forum is secular, she uses their chemistry and highly recommends it. Rainbow Science points to a Creator maybe 4-5 times in the text. There is no mention of Christ or Christianity specifically. The labs make up the bulk of the work and if I remember correctly are totally secular.

 

Beautiful Feet History of Science can also be easily adapted. It would be a matter of skipping the Bible verses which only occur in 6 of 67 lessons.

 

For a completely secular history of science I highly recommend Great Scientists in Action. Add a book to read about each scientist and Voila! It wouldn't be as in depth as Beautiful Feet, but you'd have an easy to implement history of science course with experiments:

 

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=104361&netp_id=372119&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

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Up until recently, dd12 was using CGC and she quite enjoyed it :) ...we've gone off it for now as her younger brother started homeschooling with us and we made a big jump to a different multi-age, multi-grade, multi-subject curriculum that we could use together (KONOS) that was much more 'hands on' - projects and skits and songs and experiments and so forth...

 

She did like it though - she's the artsy sort, always got construction paper and glitter glue on the go, so she had fun with the cut/paste things... decorating them all up and everything along the way. ;)

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