We are using MBTP, which is great except the first few levels is integrated and is honestly NOT enough Science or History for my guys. We supplement Story of the World when he wants extra History (which is most days) but I have yet to find a good Science curriculum. We used a workbook this year and he was "OK" with it. I looked at McRuffy (which looks perfect, 2 days a week, simple) but I'm not sure I can swing the cost. Are there any other options out there? I"m looking for k-3.
I kept doing some digging: I found this website: http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/k-6.html It has 4-6 week "classes" broken down by(Science) subject and grade. My older son looked at it and asked me to save the site, so he could take a "class".
I dunno, martablack. i haven't liked most K-2 sciences I've seen, so I've tended to create my own "little units" out of library books, coloring books, free printouts from the internet, and small books from the teacher store. At gr 3 and up, I like Rod&Staff science and Apologia for high school. I checked out your link and the kits look interesting, but the "other materials" are all sold out, out of stock, check back next week?
It looks like an old defunct site to me. The links all still work and you can print out lessons and student workbooks for free. You can't "sign up" anymore and the donate links don't work either. Most of the kits can be found other places if you need them. My kids love Science! Books only go so far with them. I can't wait until they move into the MBTP with Science units instead of this all in one approach.
We did Sonlight for grades 1 and 2 and I really liked their program but that is also pricey unless you find it used. You could also get some Magic School Bus kits or I have heard Noeo is good too. Check your library and they may have science kits you could check out. I know ours has these great subject kits that you can check out.
We love the Magic School Bus kits! Those look like they would work They have several of the books and watch the series all the time. So it looks like a good fit.
Hit the hands-on learning museums! Check your local library for science videos. There are some GORGEOUS series out there. Some geared to kids, and some that are just so visually stunning that everyone loves watching. Nova, Discover, Secret Lives, etc. There are dozens of books at the library with "Easy Science Experiments for Kids". Keep your eyes open for local events. Conservation centers, natural history museums, zoos, arboretums, nature centers....all offer wonderful interactive science-based events and activities. Watch for science camps during the summer! Write an email to a local college science department, or university science department. Most colleges do something science based for kids. Elle LOVED the bug house at Michigan State University as a kid, and their biological station. University of Michigan has an amazing interactive children's garden, and a shockingly fantastic dinosaur museum. Write an email to a science teacher at a local school and see what activities are available in your community. There are stacks and stacks of science picture books written for kids at the library. Let them pick out a few for you to read to them every week. Many libraries have lending libraries of educational toys. Our library had a fantastic stockpile of science based toys that we could borrow free for a week at a time....binoculars, telescopes, microscopes, you could even borrow a fully functional ant farm..ants included! (they also had TONS of cool math toys, reading toys, really fun stuff) Science should be interactive, exciting and immersive at that age. Spend time outside! Gather and press plants, look at the micro environment under logs, spend time with nets at a creek or lake, start a birding journal, go on a midnight walk and listen to frogs, watch a bat flight. Make a terrarium. Go fishing. Watch garage sales for chemistry sets, and other science toys....electricity lab kits, solar power labs, astronomy charts. Get your kids involved in planting a small garden! Compost paper and table scraps with a worm bin, take your kids with you to the vet's office for Fluffy's next check-up, keep it interesting, engaging, fun.
Check out Apologia Science. It's a very strong program, but might be too advanced for K-2, although they do claim their Elementary series begins with K. We started using it in 4th grade, and now in middle school really love it even more. I recommend buying the Student Notebooking Journal (get the Junior Journal for little ones). They can do worksheets and create activities and art work in the journals, and it makes for a great "scrapbook" of sorts when they are done with the class. My kids really enjoy the notebooking activities.
We've used Apologia all along. It's definitely something that can be done with K-2, but it's a lot more parent-involved that way. Using it for 3-6 means they can read the text, do the notebooking, and do most of the experiments with little or no help. K-2 would require you to do all the reading and explaining, choose which experiments to do, and help with scrapbooking or coloring rather than note taking or report writing. If you get the "Junior" notebooking guides that go with the book, you'll find K-2 activities (coloring, simple notebooking, and at the back, some simple craft/notebooking things). Personally, I preferred to use each Apologia book as a semester course (one lesson per week) rather than a year-long course. That way, we've been able to have an overview at the K-2 level, and a more intense study/review at the 3-6 level. It has really helped with comprehension and understanding a lot.
in the early years, I used the stuff from Learning Pages. http://www.learningpage.com I don't know if they're still free or not. Added stuff from the library. They usually had book suggestions.
Thank you! I made an account and will try to use some I found this today while searching through pinterest: http://www.agirlandagluegun.com/2012/01/science-box.html It is directions to make a science box. I like this because I could gather everything up and then we could either pick a number or just go in order. (I'm not sure this is early elementary but I would be reading and supervising.)
I really love Aurora Lipper's homeschool science curriculum. She is an ex-NASA engineer and really knows her stuff. Plus she uses common, inexpensive materials for all of her experiments and has instructions for the kids to practically do everything by themselves. Just Google Supercharged Science with her name and you should find her site. If you opt-in to get her emails, right now she is offering one of her DVDs for free, minus a 6.95 shipping charge. (FYI, I'm not affiliated with her or her website in any way. Just want to pass on a great resource.) Hope this helps.
