6th adn 7th grade science HELP!!!!!!!I need advice!

[sadiegirl]

I have read various posts and it seems that science is a subject that many(including myself) put off. I always cover math,grammar,spelling,history,etc but we have no set curriculum when it comes to science.
My questions are many as I am not sure which way to go. We have studied insects,body systems and various science topics thru using Usborned internet-linked encyclopedia. No formal tests or workbooks. I never liked science in school because that's all it was...workbooks and boring! But I think they need some kind of worksheets and tests. I have one that will be going into 7th next year and one going into 6th...what do you say about the following?
RS4kids
Apologia(this is one that seems to be a fav...is it that good as well as easy to teach?)
Glencoe
BJU
Prentice Hall science explorers(I'm scared to try to navigate the site since reading all the complaints about how hard it is to view their site!)

Also, what direction should we go in order to cover the most for these grades. My kids love science and we like experiments as long as supplies are readily available. P
I would appreciate any good and bad comments on these and also should we do Chemistry,Earth, biology...I am lost!! thanks anyone !

[gardenschooler]

I would put them both in Apologia General Science together and have them actually do it together (read it together, quiz each other, experiments, etc.) They'd probably have fun being 'lab partners' together. Apologia also has a CD you can buy that has the book being read aloud.

I'd get some library books for additional experiments and reading, follow rabbit trails, and let them explore each topic as much as they wanted.

I wouldn't worry if we went a little more slowly through the book. I'd allow time for and encourage some other science-related hobbies (such as bird watching, chemistry kits, etc.) I would also definitely plan on keeping them together in Apologia throughout the rest of the courses.

The only other one I can comment on is BJU. They have great science courses, but they're meant to be taught. Most people use tutors, classes, or HomeSat for their upper-level (high school) courses, which is where you'll be soon. Personally, I had a good bit of trouble with their 8th and 9th grades. BJU is also much more expensive, and requires more specialized equipment. If you were going to use BJU, I'd still combine. They have a great Life Science course for 7th, and you could just require more of the 7th grader. For example, your 6th grader could do some of the written work out loud instead.

BJU will require much more of your time and money than Apologia, but they *are* great courses and very thorough. However, I haven't seen any gaps yet in Apologia (we'll be doing Chemistry next year). Apologia won't require much at all from you - not even teaching (I do review the modules and discuss).

We've used a combination of BJU and Apologia. I've done 1st-9th grades of BJU Science, and Physical and Biology of Apologia (and some elementary books). It's been a different combination for each child, and how it combined well with their age levels.

But I am a big believer in combining where possible, and with yours being only a grade apart, I'd definitely combine. That way, if you do need to help or teach, it's only one topic, not two. Talk about science not getting done and feeling pulled in too many different directions! That's how I felt trying to get two or even three different sciences taught in a day.

I like them both, so sometimes we even combine those - but I still try to stay in one subject *area*. But your easiest solution would probably be Apologia General. For the following year, you might want to do BJU Life Science when they're 7th/8th. (I'm only saying this because I thought the Physical Sciences courses - both Apologia and BJU - were pretty boring! I'll take Life or Earth Science over Chemistry and Physics any day!) But it was obvious we really needed to do some Physical Science, so we did it and learned a lot.