We've been struggling with science all year. We use R&S. It's not so much the "necessary" material ie. english reading math spelling we kind of slacked off in that area (ok really i slacked off, with the nursling and homeschooling 3 kids plus chasing the toddler I call it quits after the basics are done ) Anyways on to my question I dug up some old lifepacs I had brought and never opened. I gave her one and she's hooked. She will do an entire booklet in a day and take the test the next day. Our school policy dictates that getting 100 on a test means a day off so we have had a day off every third day for the last two weeks!!!:lol: So I know lifepacs are generally speaking easier than other curriculum so I don't know whether she's getting enough of a challenge and I should move her to something harder but she will be done with last two books this week. I am happy to see her enjoying school so much and she's getting a good boost to her self esteem especially when her brothers congratulate her the entire next day for it being a Vikki holiday :lol: Do I buy the next grade of lifepacs or go back to R&S or find something entirely different?
It's working for her! So what if it's not a "challenge"! The question is, is she learning? Was she really learning with R&S? Your instincts tell you to go with what she's enjoyig, and that it's also good for her self-esteem. Listen to yourself!
It may be that it is not much of a challenge because it is her learning style. Maybe too easy, but if she is learning, keep on, maybe you could just order the next grade up? If a book were difficult or she had trouble, I would think it was not her learning style. Sounds like life pac is her learning style and that can make it seem easy to her.
SEriously -- if it is working for her, dont worry, it may seem easy and fun right now it does not always be that way, My dc's all took turns having the finish a whole book in a day routine, it lasted a few books and became tiring. Plus the other classes were not getting done, Ds really had fun one day went and sat up on his tree house and came in to ask if he could do the whole book, that was I think grade 3. What level isyoru dd in?
She's in 3rd too! Maybe it's the grade!! LOL Funny though if she struggling I worry and if she's breezing through I worry. Guess there's no pleasing me!!!
Un, what R&S book was she using, and what level lifepacs has she zoomed through? Just really curious! Why was the R&S book such a struggle? or conversely, why are the lifepacs so easy? Had you used R&S before this current book?
They are all the same level (3rd grade) but in general R&S has no color and very few pictures. I love R&S reading, english, spelling, and even math (although they do horizons too) Their art and music is also a good fit for her. But science and social studies was just blah. Few pictures with lots of reading and by the end of the school day she just wasn't interested KWIM? Lifepacs are very colorful with lots of pictures and even have a cute girl mouse named after her that helps her along with tips and questions. I think it's just more captivating. The R&S came with a box of materials (boric acid yikes!! and other stuff) that we have to prepare and do together. With the lifepacs she can pretty much do everything herself with little help from me (where's the food coloring mom?......) Which reminds me I must do something about social studies / history. Suggestions?
Isn't it funny? We get caught in the trap that schooling has to be hard or our children aren't learning or it isn't enough. I know I fall into this trap more than I like to admit. I believe that everyday your daughter eagerly opens her lifepac science, she is challenging herself to learn more, but she enjoys this challenge. While challenges can be difficult, I do not believe they always have to be miserable to accomplish. If your daughter is learning and she enjoys it, then allow her to continue with something that draws her in.
lol, yeah, but the History in that grade is actually interesting too, so they loved doing it, isnt that the one that they ride across the states ?
OH reading further I see that you are doing the science too! That is cool, we really liked the easy to do and so interesting science experiments with the grade school levels too! There is one on enzimes even that you go to grocery store and buy stuff I never knew was there, you get to make cheese! ...
The R&S came with a box of materials Now I'm confused... came with? Home science tools doesn't even have kits for R&S (I just looked).
Sorry my mistake!!! (can you tell we haven't done it in a looooong time? we were just starting unit 2 and each unit has only has 6-7 lessons) R&S only comes with TM, textbook and workbook. They do ask for weird stuff in some activities like mercury in one of the lessons. We skipped alot of them. Think it was my son's sonlight that came with the kit for science or maybe it was the microscope dd got for xmas I should really stay away from posting on 2 hrs of sleep ! Anyways i hope i didn't confuse you too much They do have sample pages on their site for you to check out
That's okay, Un! I totally understand. I was just curious as to what you didn't like about it. We were given a third grade R&S science and have been using it this year. I liked it so much that when I had the opportunity earlier in the year to buy more, I bought all of them from there through the tenth grade! (I don't have any workbooks, though, just test booklets.) Mostly we haven't done a lot of the activities they suggest, but since we haven't finished the book (and won't finish this year), I'm planning to get materials to do more of the activities next year. We won't be handling any mercury, though!
I wonder the same thing: Am I pushing too hard? Or, am I being to easy? Are we doing enough? Or, are we doing too much busy work that means nothing? Is he going to know what he needs? If he isn't done until 4:00, what took so long (or was it just him)? If he is done at noon, what did we forget, or did he just skim through it? It is mind boggling all the thoughts. I thought when I started out that it would be real easy to just have him do all his work at home.
cabsmom I think we just have to come to a point in which we realise that as long as they are learning each day, something new, the struggles are worth it, the easy days are a break for all of us! I try to remind myself that an occasional easy day is one of the joys of home schooling!
