How important is it to finish out our year of earth science?

[Pster]

It's been a rough year and it's not getting any easier..... our schedule is erratic and won't calm down for a while.

"IF" I decide to just cut our earth science "official" studies for the year (dd7 is in 2nd, dd6 is k, and then there is dd4) - can I just start chemistry with dd7 next year? Actually it would prob be sometime over the summer.... - just so I can kinda keep with the WTM 4 yr science rotation.

I figure - we can cover science via read alouds, unitedstreaming videos, and nature studies.... and whatever earth sci / astronomy "doesn't" get covered this go around - we'll get to next time...right?

I'm not as worried about our history studies not coinciding - we are in yr 2 and and still completing SOTW 1. Oh well.

How does that sound?

[8FillTheHeart]

It is absolutely NOT worth even worrying about. Drop it. Worry about getting your life under control. Relax, it will be fine. :)

[Trivium Academy]

One Suggestion:
Figure out what you want to cover concept wise and then get picture books for them (at library or buy for a book basket). Once a week have them grab a book from the basket to read aloud and see if they want to explore anything in the book more, go from there.

If you need some book titles, I have some that have been wonderful for us (with dd7). Here's a list of concepts in case it helps:

1. Planet Earth: orbit, Sun/Moon, flat/round Earth
2. Earth's Structure: layers, plates, oceans, continents, etc.
3. Weather, landforms, erosion, etc.
4. Rocks & Minerals
5. Atmosphere: Wind, pressure, clouds, etc.
6. Astronomy: planets, space travel, asteroids/comets, constellations

Second Suggestion:
We use The Geography Book by Caroline Arnold and it was wonderful for earth science, including mapping. It's a short read and easy experiment.

Another book is The Space Book and it's in the same format as The Geography Book, again short read and easy experiment. It takes us 20 minutes for the whole week including the experiment.

I think if you drop it the way you're saying, it'll be fine but I just wanted to offer suggestions. :)

[Michelle T]

Second Suggestion:
We use The Geography Book by Caroline Arnold and it was wonderful for earth science, including mapping. It's a short read and easy experiment.

Another book is The Space Book and it's in the same format as The Geography Book, again short read and easy experiment. It takes us 20 minutes for the whole week including the experiment.

I think if you drop it the way you're saying, it'll be fine but I just wanted to offer suggestions. :)

I found the Geography Book at Amazon, but not The Space Book. Is that the exact title? Who's the author?
Thanks!
Michelle T

[Trivium Academy]

The Space Book, Activities for Experiencing the Universe and the Night Sky by Marc McCutcheon

[Alana in Canada]

You have my permission to drop it.

Really, they'll be fine. At this age, a calmer mom and a less hectic environment is much more important!

And Jessica--thanks for the suggestion for doing the book basket for science. I just may try that.

[Canada_Mom]

Hi Jessica!

Are the titles that you used for science listed on your blog somewhere? I'd be really interested to take a look at some book titles that worked well for you since I'm starting to plan my science curriculum for next year. Thanks!

[Trivium Academy]

Most of them are in my lesson plans but here's an updated list of the best ones I've found:

Rocks in his Head by Carol Otis Hurst
The Pebble in my Pocket: A history of our earth by Meredith Hooper
I can be a geologist by Paul Sipiera
The Best Book of Fossils, Rocks and Minerals by Chris Pellant
What Makes Day and Night by Franklyn Branely

To Space and Back by Sally Ride
Eclipse: Darkness in Daytime by Franklyn Branley
All the Way to Morning by Marc Harshman
This is the Sea that Feeds Us by Robert F. Baldwin
Prince William by Gloria Rand

Shark Lady: The True Adventures of Eugenie Clark by Ann McGovern
Reaching for the Moon by Buzz Aldrin
Rare Treasure (Mary Anning) by Don Brown
Maria's Comet by Deborah Hopkinson
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth by Rochelle Strauss

Eric Sloane's Book of Storms: Hurricanes, Twisters and Squalls
Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather by Eric Sloane
On the Same Day in March: A Tour of the World's Weather by Marilyn Singer
Somewhere in the World Right Now by Stacey Schuett
A Drop Around the World by Barbara McKinney
The Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story by Neil Waldman

The Man Who Named the Clouds by Julie Hannah
The Cloud Book by Tomie De Paola
The Storm Book by Charlotte Zolotow
Fossils Tell of Long Ago by Aliki
Dave's Down-to-Earth Rock Shop by Stuart Murphy
Probing Volcanoes by Laurie Lindop
Dear Katie, the volcano is a girl by Jean Craighead George
The Tsunami Quilt: Grandfather's Story by Anthony D. Fredericks

Surtsey: The Newest Place on Earth by Kathryn Lasky
Earthquakes: Earth's Mightiest Moments by David Harrison
Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean by Arthur Dorros
Monsoon by Uma Krishnaswami
River Friendly, River Wild by Jane Kurtz
When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant

Avalanche Annie: A Not so Tall Tale by Lisa Wheeler
Mountain Dance by Thomas Locker
Water Dance by Thomas Locker
The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow
The Burgess Seashore Book for Children by Thornton Burgess
I can be an oceanographer by Paul Sipiera
Diving to a Deep Sea Volcano by K. Mallory
Exploring the Dark Deep Sea by Gail Gibbons

The Deep Blue Sea by Jakki Wood
The Bottom of the Sea by Augusta Goldin
On the Coral Reefs by Sneed Collard
Coral Reef by Don Silver
The Hidden WOrld of Caves by Ronal Kerbo
What's Underground by Susan Mayes

Life in a Bucket of Soil by Alvin Silverstein
A Desert Scrapbook by Virginia Frierson
Watching Desert Wildlife by Jim Arnosky
Desert Trip by Barbara Steiner
America's Prairies by Marianne Wallace
Grasslands by Debra Seely

A Walk in the Rainforest by Kristin Pratt
Rainforest Adventre by Susan Ring
At Home in the Rainforest by Diane Willow
Lulie the Iceberg by Hisako Takamado
Ann and Liv Cross Antarctica by Zoe Ryan

Wetlands by Charles Rotter
The LIving Earth by E. Schmid
Endangered Planet by David Burnie
Why Does Litter Cause Problems by Isaac Asimov
Fossil Fuels by Ian Graham

A Child's Introduction to the Night Sky by Driscoll
Spinning Worlds by Michael Carroll


these titles do not include the fabulous books by Seymour Simon, leveled readers by various companies, and most of them are not non-fiction based, the only ones that are non-fiction are b/c we enjoyed a certain title. Magic School Bus and other popular titles are not included either.

[Sue G in PA]

drop our Human Body study and lapbook for now. Baby comes in 6 wks (if not sooner!) and the dc are bored w/ it. My oldest will study it in depth next year w/ Apologia General and my ds9 hates the cut/paste of the lapbook. Starting next week, I'm just going to do Nature studies until after the baby. Then, my plan is to start a unit on Plants/insects/birds to coincide w/the Spring. Drop it, don't stress. Your dc will be fine and will cover it another time!

[Michelle in GA]

At that age, I wouldn't worry a bit about dropping it. I don't demand finished textbooks until highschool. :)

[Lenora in MD]

I would definitely say drop it. Just get books at the library and read them together. Maybe make a simple list of topics for the rest of the year, and just get books from one topic each time you go to the library. When you are ready, cross that topic off the list and go on to next one. No pressure. They are too young to worry about it!

[StephanieZ]

So OK, So SO So OK! Your oldest is 7! Drop it. Pick it back up when/if you want to or go to another science area if you prefer.

I am WAY into science and a WAY type A mom. And even I say, it's SO ok to drop it! ;)

I really truly believe that until at least age 10/12 science is totally a "tasting" experience. There's no obligatory material in there, IMHO. It's just about encouraging an interest in how the world works. Exactly what you cover or skip is irrelevant at this point IMHO.

[Jennefer@SSA]

Drop it and don't think another thing about it! I love Jessica's book basket idea and do it if it will bring you peace and not stress. Otherwise just pick back up next year or whenever life settles down!

Blessings