Please help me with science!!

[oliveview]

I am so frustrated with science and am ready to change even though we are in the middle of the year. We have used the Apologia Elementary Astronomy for about half the book. We just can't do that any more. My kids want lots of details and it is boring them to tears. I was thinking of Lyrical Science but I am afraid that is too much with no real experiments just lots of memorization. The boys are very science minded and I would say are above their grade level which is K and 1st.

The boys LOVE science and want LOTS but I need to temper that with other subjects. I see the focus more on math and language but they also want to do some neat science "stuff". What can I do to get us through the rest of the year?

[Karen in CO]

What science topics do you want to cover or do you just want to get it done? That might help us narrow it down for you.

Have you looked at something like the sonlight Discover and Do dvd and science kits? Then if they found a topic they wanted more information about, they could learn to find it in the library. It is a great skill.

[one l michele]

I use it with my 7.5, 6, and 4 year old. Check to see if Rainbow Resources still has it or search for it used. It has hands on, is literature based, you can dig as deep as you'd like, and I purchase the entire package so the boys can pick what unit we'll explore next.

[Trivium Academy]

The Space Book (http://www.amazon.com/Space-Book-Activities-Experiencing-Universe/dp/047116142X) $0.39 at Amazon

and

The Geography Book (http://www.amazon.com/Geography-Book-Activities-Exploring-Enjoying/dp/0471412368/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200778672&sr=1-1) which is earth science & geography all in 1

All you need to finish out your year with engaging, easy experiments and great text to read. The Space Book does have "billions" of years within it but you can easily change that to be whatever you want.

Hope this helps,

[SnowWhite]

What about an Usborne Books Ten Terrific Weeks unit? The Human Body, Sea Life?

[JudoMom]

I did this with my guys last year and they loved it. I couldn't make it through Apologia Astronomy. It was boring! But, RS4K's Chemistry has plenty of experiments, and they use things you either have on hand or can get at Walmart. My boys really, really liked it.

The other science they still talk about is using the My Body book from Teacher Created Resource (or something like that-it's at Rainbow Resource for around $5). You make outlines of your kids' bodies and as you discuss the various organs/parts they color and attach them to their body outline.

[Lori D.]

Sounds like you have great interest in science working in your favor! What worked for my boys to keep alive that love of science and learning about science was to NOT do a formal science program. Instead, up through 6th grade we thoroughly enjoyed lots of books, videos, and experiments. (The boys consistently scored off-the-chart high on nat'l testing in science, BTW.)

The other nice thing about doing science this way, is you fit it in when it works for YOU -- and you don't feel bad if you don't get to science for a week. : ) Just pick a book (and if it has an experiment or two in it, all the better!) and have fun with your young ones!

BEST of luck in finding what works for you and your children, and enjoy your science adventures! Warmest regards, Lori D.


Specific Ideas:

1. Experiments, Hands-On Activities, Kits, Field Trips
- "365 Simple Science Experiments" (by Churchill, et.al.) and the 2 sequels are fabulous resources for quick experiments in all of the science fields -- you could do one a day and talk about it, and you'd have a great year of science!
- kits on magnets, solar paper, making putty or slime, gears, etc. -- pull out a kit maybe once every 6 weeks or so, and let them have fun on their own with it all week once you introduce them to it
- visit a museum, a cave, the zoo, or go on a nature hike, etc. -- these make great breaks from the regular routine of school, and get you out and experiencing the real thing!

2. Library Books (at their level):
- Let's Read and Find Out About Science book series
- Usborne science books
- Magic School Bus
- browse the children's non-fiction section at the library

3. Library Videos
- Magic School Bus series
- Eyewitness series
- Bill Nye the Science Guy series
- Sonlight Curriculums "Do & Discover" series (Usborne book experiments done in front of you)
- Schlessinger Media science video series
- Popular Mechanics for Kids series
- Building Big series by David MacCauley


Also, a whole year is a LOONNGG time at that young age to stick with just one science topic. We used the Well Trained Mind's 4-year break down -- but only as a general guide for science topics within each field. Here are a variety of science topics you might enjoy:

LIFE SCIENCE
- Botany (plants; seeds; gardening; forestry; life cycle; rot/fungus; earthworms; drying flowers; leaf collection...)
- Zoology (animal types: reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds, fish, etc.; life cycles; the zoo; habitats; food chain...)
- Anatomy (human body systems; 5 senses; germs; tooth care; bones...)

EARTH SCIENCE
- Geology (rock types; rock collection; volcanoes; earthquakes; glaciers; erosion...)
- Meteorology (weather: heat (sun), moisture (water cycle), air (wind); make a weather station; types of weather: hurricane, snow, rain, water cycle, rainbow...)
- Geography (features of earth: mountains, rivers, oceans, etc; biomes (climate zones) of earth: desert, arctic, jungle/rain forest, tundra/plains...)

CHEMISTRY
- atoms and molecules
- states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and changing from one state to another
- pH, acid/base (test various foods/household cleaners with "red cabbage indicator)
- mixtures, solutions (make putty; kitchen chemistry; mix water and oil; mix baking soda and vinegar; etc.)
- water (floating, sinking, cohesion, etc.)

PHYSICS
- simple machines (gears, pulleys, levers, wheels, screws, etc.)
- magnetism
- electricity
- forces (gravity, friction, etc.)
- rockets
- flight. airplanes


FUN 6-12 WEEK UNITS:
- Astronomy
- Marine Biology
- Oceanography
- Explorers
- Famous Scientists
- Horses
- specific topic of interest to your child

[mcconnellboys]

I'd use Reader's Digest How the Universe Works. You don't really get science "experiments", too much, with an astronomy study - what you get are more like "projects", but there are some that are very interesting. Janice Van Cleave should also have out some experiment books that you can get from your library and use to study astronomy from a more hands-on perspective.

And I'd read every Seymour Simon book on the stars and planets that I could find. Also H.A. Rey's books on astronomy (he wrote Curious George, too)..... Rey's books will help you start to look at the stars and understand what you're seeing.

I'd get a good telescope and do a lot of night viewing. I'd subscribe to NASA's website on space news and also to SpaceWeather.com. I think the second of these just sent me a notice that the moon and Mars will have another close encounter tonight.

You might also bring in a study of weather in association with all this.....and they can do a TON of stuff with that.....

Regena

[oliveview]

Thank you everyone. I think I am going to go get one of those easy experiment books and then just do some kits for the rest of the year. We have struggled so with this program that I am happy to be done with it and move on to something different. I am also going to look at RR at getting some kits. In the last couple of weeks we have made rock candy, finished an ant farm, and started a worm farm. They really love that kind of stuff and I think they are so young...by that I mean, they spend what I think is a lot of time in the books so science being "fun" at this point is important.

Again, thank you everyone for the great advice!!

[Tami]

I would not change your curriculum. Instead, use your book as a resource when needed. Buy the 'Sky Science' kit by the Adventures in Science ($10 at Rainbow) or one of the Astronomy related kits from Science in a Nutshell at Delta Science ($36).

Run, run, run out and buy a kit! Use your book as needed for questions that come up as your kids complete the activities and experiments in the kits.

Blessings!

[Tami]

Thank you everyone. I think I am going to go get one of those easy experiment books and then just do some kits for the rest of the year. We have struggled so with this program that I am happy to be done with it and move on to something different. I am also going to look at RR at getting some kits. In the last couple of weeks we have made rock candy, finished an ant farm, and started a worm farm. They really love that kind of stuff and I think they are so young...by that I mean, they spend what I think is a lot of time in the books so science being "fun" at this point is important.

Again, thank you everyone for the great advice!!


I should've read the thread before I posted. I agree - kits are the ticket!

[JEJE]

Thank you for this thread! I have been looking for science experiment ideas. I also have children that get bored covering one topic for a whole year. These suggestions sound *perfect* for us!

[hsmom4]

My kids want lots of details and it is boring them to tears.

I don't see how they could get any more detail than Apologia Astronomy, it's very detailed. It sounds like you mean, they need less detail and more hands on and more experiments. For certain, get some experiment books and get more hands on with those little guys. Your kids look tiny - they may not be ready to learn science in-depth, but just need to have fun with experiments.

Try Apologia when they are older. As homeschoolers, we often try to push things too early. They have a lot of years to learn science. Just have fun!