What are you currently using for Science? What do you like about it and what don't you like? Currently we are using SOS science (my kids don't like it) and going to a hands on science work shop as well as work books. Next year I'd like to do something a little different with my dd who will be in high school. I'm just gathering some ideas. Thanks.
If you want a Christian based curriculum, many like Apologia. Our plans for highschool is to use Prentice Hall or the like, as we want a secular curriculum.
We use Apologia. I love that it supports our world view with great evidence. That it doesn't shy away from the hard topics. I love that it is written for homeschoolers, so it is written to the child. dd completes it independently, and the equipment for experiments is obtainable. I love that it is comprehensive and sequential. I also like that it has a study guide and a test for every module....dd is learning study skills without even realising it! we use the full cd rom version. dd likes that it navigates like internet explorer, so it is a familiar interface. she enjoys the experiments, and likes that there's not a lot of writing involved since she does it on the computer. I also bought the audio cd for ds, who is not as strong with reading, and who is a heavily aural learner. we haven't used it yet though. hth...
Science gives me fits!!! My oldest uses Apologia, and it works best for her. She is doing it independently. We started this year off with "Christian Kids Explore Biology". I did NOT like it at all!!! Everything was just too sketchy for me. It was almost like an outline, and you had to get all the info on your own. We have done "Great Science Adventures", and those work good, but are geared mostly for grades 2-4. They have several different ones, and we got bored after a while. "Considering God's Creation" worked well for us! Lots of intricate cutting and pasting, but overall, I liked it. A great over view, especially since my oldest went to Apologia General Science the next year! We are currently using a secular textbook, "SCIENCE: An Introduction to the Life, Earth, and Physical Sciences" by Glencoe. It's a middle school text, and I'm using it with both my younger kids (grades 3 and 7). It's really working pretty well, though I DO have to "correct" a lot of the evolution as we go along!
We are currently using a school text as a guideline and then lapbooking the info from the book. So far the kids love it.
We use Apologia General Science. I like it for many reasons that Aussie Mum stated. Only my dd12 does not do it independently. We read the modules together and I am her "science experiment assistant". She answers the questions and does the study guide alone. She really likes this curriculum. For my dd5 we just do lots of nature study. However I do plan to also begin her in Exploring Creation With in the coming years.
I didn't necessarily want a Christian based curriculum, since that's what is giving my kids fits with SOS. I may look at what they offer at are Charter school and from there decide if they have something I want to use or choose something separately. Thank you to everyone that gave me opinions on what you use. I appreciate it.
We're using Apologia Zoo 2 for all 3 kids. My oldest also has Real Science 4 Kids Level 1 Physics and Chemistry (don't half of physics...none of Chem thus far). My middle DD has SOS 3rd grade and likes it...DD10 hated SOS 5th grade which is why we got the RS4K. Our son just does Zoo 2. Apologia is plenty on its own but I find we don't always get as much done as I want and the girls can do the others without me. My oldest could do Apologia on her own but prefers to do it with her siblings and Mommy. She's use Apologia Gen Science next year and the younger two will do another in the elementary series...not sure which one yet although we own Zoo 1 and 3...we opted to start with 2 because it's swimming creatures and we live near the ocean at our current duty station (which hardly ever happens for an Army family). We started last year with Considering God's Creation. It was NOT a good fit for us although I know many others who use it successfully. I (and the kids) needed PICTURES and I didn't always have time to get things like that together beforehand....plus it was WAY too much coloring and pasting for my son....who hates that type of thing. Rhonda
Both my kids like the Apologia Zoo 1 so far.... we finished module 1. You can go to their site and download it to see if your kids will go for it (that part is free ) Another thing we like a lot about it - is the yahoogroup for it has a lot of "worksheets" so they get mini "quizzes" to keep them in line and then they work on their notebook which we downloaded as well. It's not perfect - but it works for us right now. We were TRYING to do 2 seperate things - but that didn't work this year. Next year though I believe we will (as I am already planning for next year so we can just continue moving forward and I'm debating doing something different next year)...
Oh yeah, I forgot that we're also doing A Child's Geography Volume 1. It is also very science-y because it's about the Earth itself (core, atmostphere, oceans, etc.) Also, if you opt for Apologia, I'll second the elementary Apologia yahoo group. The author is a member as well and responds faithfully to questions...plus the files section is a treasure trove of goodies.
UGH. I haven't started thinking about science yet. (for next year) This year we are using a 6th grade text from a christian school. (gift) and supplementing with online and interest led stuff. Plus we get Ranger Rick...I use that for science and reading. I assign the game pages and make up fill in the blank worksheets on the articles for the days I am sleeping. If I have both the boys home next year, I am not sure what we will do. Is there anything physics wise for middle school? I like the idea of geology/geography...hmmm. Maybe I will just do interest led. sigh.
we switched to Considering Gods creation Science with Eagle Wings, It is totally hands on stuff.. we plan to go back to SOS cause my kids DO like it. But I will go off to Apologia Biology too in high school, and may go to something else in between for a year, I have the 7thh gr sos already, so plan to start using that as I finish the other.
