This is our first year, and although we've had a few bumps in the road things are going quite smoothly. I have to admit though, I totally slack on the Science and social studies/history/geo...I think it's the curriculum we have (BJU 2 for both). It just seems either too boring to me- or too much "stuff" I need to gather. Am I just too much of a slacker here? We cover math, english, reading, bible EVERYDAY, but the others when we "get around to it". I have looked around and like the looks of Noeo-but don't really want to spend the $$ right before Christmas... My husband is teaching the girls the states and capitals, but otherwise that's about it. We are going to do a lapbook next week for T'giving as well... Am I doing enough?? :?
Sounds like you are off to a great start. It is hard to get into a rhythm that enables you to get to everything, especially when you are just starting off. I have several friends that do unit studies for science on topics they enjoy and read about people/events in history and add them to a timeline. A less formal system like that might be a good way to start.
So...they're 2nd grade??? YES...you're doing FINE Social Studies/History/Geo in those grades tend to be more "Community Helpers", "Your Neighborhood", USA, maybe Mexico and Canada information. Just get books. Or they could watch some fun videos on those things. No need to be a book. Sounds like you're doing fine to me!
We did Noeo with my first 2 kids. We all enjoyed it very much so I reccommend getting that once you have money to do so.
Oh and P.S. I think you are doing fine for 2nd grade, too. For the subjects you feel are lacking, I would suggest reading picture books about science and social studies. You can also have them watch DVDs. You really don't have to have a complete curriculum for such subjects in the early years. You can get some Rookie Readers and Aliki books on any science subject. Do a craft project (you found online), maybe have them copy a paragraph or a few sentences in their journal from the book, watch a Magic School Bus DVD or other. Make it fun! Science is one of those things that you go over every year and the same subjects are covered just with a little more depth each time. (Hope this makes sense...I have a headache!!)
we don't cover SS or science every single day either. We hit on it once or twice a week but the kids watch alot of PBS or History Detectives so they are getting some background. My dd loves American Girl movies and we read some of the Dear America journals. Most of the curriculums for these subjects are designed to only be used twice a week or so anyway. You're doing fine.
I really have liked all the NOEO books that were part of their Chem 2 program. If you like scedules and specific instructions you will probably like their manual. It's not to overwhelming. It just gives a schedule and then ideas to put in your notebook. One day it might tell you to define a few words, another day draw an atom. Honestly if you just read the books you could easily come up with the assignments without the manual and since it doesn't have worksheets then doing those assignments wouldn't even take a lot of prep. Personally, I could have just bought the books without the manual but I have a hard time using any curriculum so someone who likes to do exactly what the schedule tells them might think differently. Oh and the schedule is only four days a week. Would be happy to answer any more specific questions. My daughter really enjoyed "How to think like a scientist" last year and she would have been second grade. Really though all you need is a few books here and there. The kids like reading about animals in Ranger Rick and we might look them up on a map. It's easy to talk about states of matter when you are heating water when you are cooking or why there is condensation on the windows. That's the neat thing about science, you can't get away from it. History stories of interesting people and places or ones close to home can teach lots of history and it really catches their attention. Honestly I have never been able to fit all subjects in a single day.
I am just this year, (my dd is 5th grade) diving into science and History. I wish I would have started a year or two sooner, but I think she would have forgotten most of it anyway. We just read some good books relating to American History in previous years. I suggest doing Considering God's Creation for science. I love it. Most EVERYTHING is included and the notebooking projects all have their own templates/worksheets. We are also doing Mystery of History and we think it is fabulous!
I find most science books really boring. Science, and physics in particular, is the most fascinating subject under the sun, but you'd never believe it by reading textbooks. They focus on the mundane and pointless math problems, maybe because it's easier to write and grade questions with an obvious yes/no answer. Instead, science should be a wild adventure, going out there and finding things that we don't understand. Why is the sky darker outside a rainbow than inside it? How come instant mash potato changes from liquid to solid form in less than a second? What's special about a Segway that stops you from falling off? Why is the sky bluer after several days with no rain? Why do some stars appear slightly colored and not just white? Why do batteries seem to last for such a little time? What's behind some of the clever puzzle/toys you can buy? For children your age, why not make a point of looking each day for something that's interesting or fascinating and spend time with them understanding the science behind it? By doing that, you'll instill a lifelong fascination with the world around us. While I wouldn't go so far as to suggest burning your current science books, I would certainly de-emphasize them. And as they get older, the Apologia books are more conversational in style and hence easier to read - as long as you don't mind occasional passages of ideology or opinion interrupting the real science.
It is our first month, DS is in 4th grade and we do not do any of science or SS yet. (We are unwinding from private school intence schedule.) To my believe 2nd grade is way too soon to introduce to both of those subjects. Regarding my own experience - I decided to do daily math, reading and grammar exept Wednesdays when we will skip all of those and do History and Science only. Science project I decided to do by units, choosing one theme and follow next 6-8 weeks. We will start with rocks, minerals and fossils; we will do reading on the subject from the books we have, watch the videos, will go for the rocks hunt and start collection; we will do discussion, do art, and finally finish the block with a simple presentation to anyone who would listen, well dad and grandma at least - and move to another science theme, DS wats to do the Solar System and the planets next. That will bring at least two field trips to the planetarium and our local observatory. We will hold on to this project to the next 6-8 weeks etc. I put a great though of how to do science and finally came up with this simple plan that is not intence but solid enogh to absorb the information and get an idea. In the mean time we do little fun science experiments regardlessly of a topic, from a Book I have (400+ simple S. experiments); on daily bases; in fact SD is doing one of them right now while I am checking out this site haha. I wish you all the luck, and as folks here on this board suggest - relax, you have ton of time ahead
I am using R.E.A.L science Odyssey (Earth and Planets) with my 5 yr old. We try to get to it twice a week. The lessons are very parent friendly and my daughter loves it. There is a lesson and an experiment that we do each week. A lot of the supplies I already had on hand, what I dont have on hand I was able to find at the local dollar store. You also might like Science in a Bag. I have not used it but I know of a mom that does. It took a day or two to prep for the entire year, and is also very parent friendly and child engaging.
get some good library books about animals, the weather, etc. and historical figures, holidays, etc. and you will be fine.
Check out books from the library for science, especially Magic School Bus books, and books by Seymour Simon, Gail Gibbons, and Melvin Berger. Have you read the American Girl books with them yet? After that there are nonfiction books for each of the American Girls and a craft book for each of the girls too.
Nancy Larson Science I completely know where you are at, I was there, too. Don't know if I'm the only one, but here's the problem I had with creating my own science. Not enough time! I mean, really! Does a Homeschooling mom need to be a Super Hero 24/7 for every all time? I got library books, we went to walks, looked at changes, did experiments, made a gooey, fun mess in the kitchen. But what did they learn? AND did it go together with anything else? Not Really. Or at least I couldn't see it. And if I can't see the connection, how do I expect my 3 DC to "get it"? THEN I found Nancy Larson Science at an exhibit. This I get. It's all done for me. Nancy Larson understands what moms and dads need. She wrote the program, had families field-test it, listened to what they wanted, and made it SO parent teacher friendly that it will always work. AND it's great science, the DC really learn science. It's all included and needs (basically) no prep time. (There's that time thing again. This "time" it works for me.) Nancy Larson Science helps my DC learn reading skills, works for their different learning needs, has lots of activities, and they love it! Nancy Larson is a great teacher and knows how to write lessons to help both moms and DC learn. She wrote the Primary Saxon Math, so you may know her name. If you don't know her science program, give it a look. It's kind to moms with too much to do and too little time.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who doesn't do a formal science/social studies curriculum on a regular basis at this age (my oldest two are 2nd grade and K). It was sort of stressing me out, to be honest, as most days it's all I can do to get my 8yo to finish his core subjects. We alternate days doing math and language arts, and alternate days doing typing or handwriting and French. Science and social studies/history/geography always seem to be subjects that we just fit in when/wherever we can manage and rarely seem to be a priority right now. Right now we're doing a provincial studies lapbook.
Funny observation: we have just started american history last week. I am asking DS9 - what do you remember about Abraham Lincoln from your school (he went to private school for 3 years). He literally scratched his head and said: a-a, m-m-m, well...I know he looked tall but, he was not tall in real life; his tall hat made him tall. I said: o.k. what else? He said: he killed himself by accident. I: I don't think so, but o.k., anything else? Nope - said my son, who is a bright personality and a very smart child. The observation is about: if a child is not interested or ready to recieve a certain information, no matter what we do - he won't get it; he won't hold it in his head and he won't remember it. Elementary school used to call ELEMENTARY for a good reason, right?:lol::lol:
