Okay ... I have two children ... 6 year old and an 8 year old ... my 8 year old's reading skills are being worked on but since August I have been homeschooling and much to my dismay, they have not had a lot of exposure to Science or History because I have been trying to get a feel for doing this ... so I thought about getting these Lifepac Science Grade 2 for both of them to use ... good? or is there something else that you would recommend??? Also, I would like to do History... do you do History and Science together?? Like on the same day or do you do a whole unit of Science and then do a whole unit of History or..... do you do like Mon. Wed. Fri. Science and Tues. Thurs. History???
I am not a huge fan of lifepacs for core subjects. I found them to be a read and spit it back program but that does work for some kids. We use Sonlight for our history and reading. I have also used Sonlight and Apologia for science. We do both history and science every day.
Yes, I do science and history together. I like Mystery of History. For science, you could try one of the "Great Science Adventures". I've got the World of Tools and Technology, and I think one on hearing....? Anyway, they work good with primary kids. I also have used Considering God's Creation. That's great across grades, too, but I think it would work better if your kids were a little older. I used it when mine were 4, 7, and 9. There's a lot of really tedious cutting involved with it!!! Great Science Adventures is more fun!
Fun is a must in History and Science!!! I am def. going to check that out..... My son is very hard to get focused which is why we use TimeforLearning for Math and Language arts because it's like playing a game I am going to look into that for sure!! Thank you so much!:love:
We have never found a good science program that wasn't boring, so we don't use them other than just for an interesting chapter here and there. However, we have read many library books, spent tons of hours outside observing nature, done lots of experiments like growing crystals and exploding volcanoes, built things with various materials like toothpicks and candy dots, hatched caterpillars, worked on individual lapbooks, and many other things. My kids love science!
Lapbooks are a great idea! I might do that now until I can get something else for me to follow <3 thanks so much .... We are doing that butterfly habitat right now and I think we might do a lapbook on them! I also youtubed some butterfly fact videos today and that worked out nicely.... Okay, I am glad to see that what I am doing is good... I feel like it is not enough but that is only because I am still in "public school" mentaility... I am working on that!! I have a crystal growing kit! Good idea !!! you ladies are very helpful!
I think me and the kids are going to start one on the Butterflies we are doing now and their life cycle .... I think that I am going to seriously look into Great Science Adventures ... my kids are def. hands on
Okay so I just ordered Great Science Adventures, World of Space I'm very excited !!! Thanks for all the help!! .... Now, I am on the hunt for History
Then you need to see if your library has a copy of the Family Butterfly Book. It's really very good! http://butterflywebsite.com/familybutterflybook/index.cfm
Have you heard of R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey and History Odyssey (aka RSO and HO)? You can try before you buy with a nice big sample (you can buy at Rainbow Resource). Another science idea is Mr. Q...the free Life Science one.
I have owned pretty much everything out there that is pretty much secular. I like REAL Science Odyssey and also History Odyssey that Batman's Wife mentioned. I have owned both for a long time, I don't like the 4 year history cycle... though I tried to like it... but HO is great if you are ok doing that. (I prefer to make my own up doing 2 years of American history and 2 years of World and bouncing back and forth). I also was trying to avoid the single strain of science each year which RSO is, but I have finally given in because in order to have what I want (life, earth, physical and chemistry all in one year), I would have to write that all myself too, and I can't seem to get into it as much as I can history so science doesn't seem to get done for us. My kids liked our dive into RSO, so I guess it can't be all bad Other things to look at are Intellego Unit Studies they have history and science.
I am def. going to put this in my notes so that I can ref. the next time I buy ... hopefully it will be soon ... I would like to stock up on good materials to keep on hand <3 You ladies are the best!!!! I have not heard of most of this stuff...
I am going to look into those for History because like you are with Science, I am with History ... i can't seem to get into it so my kids had one lesson all year Just when the inauguration happened cause I found it a once in a 4 year opportunity ...
You asked if I give tests, for elementary the only thing I really test is Math and the occasional spelling test. All the other subjects I do not test in, I have no need for them and I would prefer at this age that she learns the subjects and enjoys it instead of being stressed out about tests. Tests I will worry about in high school (slow introduction in middle school)
Okay cool cause my kids seem to stress out over the tests that come with their activities so today I just used them as an extra exercise that I did with them and wow, they knew the information and didn't stress about it cause I told them not to worry, it wasn't a test test Thanks for the tip
My boys are 6 and 9. Over the past 3 years we've used Apologia and books from Master Books for science along with the Handbook of Nature Study. For history we've mostly used living books and some documentaries. (great suggestion lists here) but we're now diving into the Mystery of history Volume 1. As far as testing, we don't test, my kids have to narrate back to me and we discuss things. Doing this I feel no need for tests...
