specialmama Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 We'll be adopting a girl between the ages of 4 and 8 in the next few months... my dd here is 10... this new child will likely be in emotional turmoil for 6-12 mts, trying to adjust to her new life/parents/siblings/home/and also trying to cope with the trama or the reasons she was removed from her bio family and so on. The first 6-12 mts are SO hard for them. I obviosly do not know her age, learning style, nor her abilities or interests. So I'm stuck on science and NEED HELP! I like Real Science for Kids (Chemistry) but it may not work this upcoming year due to ages, I may have to shelf it for a year. I need to find something that is FUN, the more fun memories you make with a foster/adopted child, the quicker they attach, settle and feel secure. Jeannie Fulbright's Young Explorers is an option too, I have Botany here but it's unlikely I'll be able to use it to the max during a Canadain winter. :tongue_smilie: Not sure how the other books in the series are. Does anyone know of a really FUN and/or cuddle-up type (CM?) science that would just help us learn together as a family unit (ages 4-10) and make fun memories? It may help to know that I'm not that science-y, and if it requires huge prep time, it may not get done. But over and above all of that, it just needs to be fun. Thanks in advance for any insight the Hive can give! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Personally I wouldn't make it a book based science mainly because most kids in turmoil aren't up to grade at school (at least the ones I have had experience with) and are used to being TV babysat or other electronic toy and aren't 'into' books. That may need to be a gradual progression for her or not depending on her age and background. Generally speaking girls like animals, do you have a zoo close by at all? Large park with good wildlife? I'd try to make it something hands on, team building type stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 Thank you, Amber! There is a zoo in my city, but it's not the best. There are some great conservation areas and walking paths with lots of opportunity to study nature. I just emailed Jeannie Fullbright to gain some of her insight and I think I love her LOL... she emailed back quite promptly (within 5 minutes) and suggested Astronomy because it has the simplest language and is good for kids who may not be into books, like you said. :001_smile: She said it is most engaging and fun, and will turn kids on to science. So I think we'll do the Astronomy and throw in lots of nature and animal study too, just to get out of the house and experience things together. A magnifying glass will get quite the mileage, I think! Thanks again, Amber! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strawberry Queen Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I think doing MSB books and videos along with experiments would be fun. Plus the child may have seen them before on tv. It would be fun and easy and with lots of pictures for the youngster to look at. You can buy MSB kits to go along with the books for the fun element. Ooo! I just thought of another idea. You could watch nature videos to stimulate interest in some unusual animals. My girls love the Jeff Corwin one by Disney.You can also do fun experiments along the lines of SL science. They have the Discover and Do videos which you could borrow from a kind friend who hasn't sold them yet.;) I might be cautious about the language level for the Jeannie Fulbright texts. Could you wait to purchase it until you know if your child can handle the reading?But the books are so pretty and they look really fun to do especially when you're probably going to be easy on the narrations which my dds love to hate.:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 I think doing MSB books and videos along with experiments would be fun. Plus the child may have seen them before on tv. It would be fun and easy and with lots of pictures for the youngster to look at. You can buy MSB kits to go along with the books for the fun element. Ooo! I just thought of another idea. You could watch nature videos to stimulate interest in some unusual animals. My girls love the Jeff Corwin one by Disney.You can also do fun experiments along the lines of SL science. They have the Discover and Do videos which you could borrow from a kind friend who hasn't sold them yet.;) I might be cautious about the language level for the Jeannie Fulbright texts. Could you wait to purchase it until you know if your child can handle the reading?But the books are so pretty and they look really fun to do especially when you're probably going to be easy on the narrations which my dds love to hate.:lol: HEY YOU! mwahahaha... gee... now, who can I find that has those videos? hmmm....a kind friend.... I dunno.... ROFL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strawberry Queen Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 just for that I'll go to be early at AHEA:rofl::rofl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 :rofl::rofl: If that's supposed to be us rolling around in bed, I think I'll get another room! I'm not that kind of lady! :smilielol5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strawberry Queen Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Ha! In your dreams girlfriend.:D (totally just kidding-it took me a while to respond cause I couldn't think of a good comeback-the beauty of message boards) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Ah, yes, I had not even thought about astronomy. Great idea! Perhaps you could even make some paper mache planets for art, that could be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I can't think of a curriculum right now for this (though maybe Winter Promise Shoot,Sprout, Buzz and Bite) but I was thinking a combo of fun hands on/observational stuff such as: a butterfly pavilion, ant farm, growing lots of stuff......and hey, you could combine that with watching Magic School Bus videos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Exploration Education (linked in my signature) - fun - includes all supplies - easy to implement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotsofpumpkins Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I know you mentioned not being able to do some things during winter, but in the spring/summer you could get kits from insectlore.com and watch the metamorphosis of butterflies or ladybugs. My children LOVE this. While you are waiting, you can read lots of books about butterflies/ladybugs, do crafts, etc. I agree that Apologia elementary books sound good too. We are getting ready to start Zoology I. A lot of the info will probably be over my children's heads, but I know that they will love all the activities and experiments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mycalling Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 If I were you, I'd just spend many days doing field trips to museums, the zoo, an aquarium, if you have one. When my then-9yo step-daughter came to us we had never known her and she had had a horrible childhood, so it was just like an adoption. I homeschooled her and it was a year of remedial basics and the rest of my time was dealing with emotional, behavioral, and hygiene issues. It was draining and you might be in for an equally draining year where science will definitely be on the back burner. Science is not that important in the grand scheme of things, but getting your family adjusted and getting your new daughter up to speed in life-skills is important. Congrats on your growing family!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 We really enjoyed Living Learning books Level 1. It was cuddly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Chect out R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey (Pandia Press). I'm thinking Chemistry- but that's up to you. It seems to have a good balance of hands-on/content. Another thought is that if she comes to you by summer you may want to have FUN activities using "Creepy Crawlies and The Scientific Method" - It's WTM recommended in addition to the fact that it is true science. This good for all ages. You know, there is a healing process that takes place in the nature setting...especially good for your new family member. Geo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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