For those using Prentice Hall science books

[Elinor Everywhere]

Do you make up lessons plans prior to each book, or do you wing it? I can see that I'd need to make sure I have supplies on hand to do the activities/experiments, but it does seem to lend itself to the "open and go" philosophy.

But I doubt I can leave it at that (:rolleyes:), so any planners out there using PH?

[EKS]

We winged it (wung it?). It worked fine! And I am a planner normally.

[Jenny in Atl]

Winged it... very easy to do with PHE!

[AngieW in Texas]

I just look through the experiments to make sure that I order anything that needs to be ordered for experiments that I want to do. Aside from that, my only planning is on Sunday evening when I make out the schedule for the week. And the only planning I do then is making out the schedule.

[LisaNY]

I handle it the same way AngieW in Texas handles it.

This series has been the biggest hit for science around here. Science is finally getting done consistently! :001_smile:

[MIch elle]

we have the used Calvert School manuals (grade 7 & 8) that plans out PH science with tests but my dh just opens the books and alternates reading outloud with ds. Dh is a chemist so I know he can handle "winging it."

[Elinor Everywhere]

Good, I'm kind of glad I can just open and go.

My next question is this: how many books can I reasonably do in a year? I just bought a set of 15 books (used) and ideally I'd like to do them all in grades 6-8. Impossible or doable?

[MIch elle]

Good, I'm kind of glad I can just open and go.

My next question is this: how many books can I reasonably do in a year? I just bought a set of 15 books (used) and ideally I'd like to do them all in grades 6-8. Impossible or doable?

Sound & Light; (check PH (http://www.phschool.com/atschool/science_explorer/Sound/Student_Area/SE_O_S_BK_index.html)for online quizzes; click on chapter then self-test on left), Motions, Forces & Energy with Calvert's book Elementary Physical Science for gr. 7, then 3 books for grade 8 - Astronomy, Inside Earth and Earth's Changing Surface.

For grades 4-6 we use the same textbooks Calvert School uses McGraw Hill Nat'l Geo.

[AngieW in Texas]

We did just two books in 5th grade, but that was with a co-op that met 1x/week going on.

We did three books in 6th grade, but that was with two co-ops going (and both were science, so we didn't do science those days - we lost 20 days for one co-op and 18 days for the other).

We have finished 3 books so far this year in 7th grade and my dd is in the last chapter of her 4th. We still have co-op going on, but it's just 2x/month.

I can see my dd making it through one more book this summer and then 5 books next year for 8th grade, so she should finish all of them.

[EKS]

It depends on how you do it and how much time you want to devote to science. If you just read then it is doable. If you do the questions and experiments, probably 9-12 books over three years would be more realistic. You could choose to do some books more thoroughly than others to squeeze in the rest. Of course, if you school year round then 15 would probably be quite doable. We did three the year we did them and it was a good pace for us. If we devoted more time to science and my son was a faster worker we could have done a fourth.

[Karen in TN]

Well I'm a compulsive planner, but there's not a whole lot to prepare for here. I did go through the entire year's worth of labs and activities before the year started and made a list of all the things I'd need to order from Home Science Tools so I could get it all on one order. Cheaper that way, and was one less thing for me to worry about as the year went on.

[Elinor Everywhere]

Well I'm a compulsive planner, but there's not a whole lot to prepare for here. I did go through the entire year's worth of labs and activities before the year started and made a list of all the things I'd need to order from Home Science Tools so I could get it all on one order. Cheaper that way, and was one less thing for me to worry about as the year went on.

I'm a no-fun mom who hates experiments, so naturally I'm saddled with a science-loving dd who wants to be a doctor. Figures! I know myself well enough to realize that if I don't have items on hand, I won't do experiments/projects. I think I will order all the things I'd need also. Thanks for the tip!

[Elinor Everywhere]

Okay, I can see that I can get through *most* of them, which is what I was worried about. And Michelle, thanks so much for the website link; that's really helpful.

I'm excited about using PH after all the good things I've read here!

[Jen in DE]

We have just been winging it. The only thing I check ahead is anything I need for experiment day.