I need science help!

[hipmomto3]

I have been homeschooling for 5 years (three kids) and have a pretty good handle on things, except the one area where we are lacking is science. I've never been able to find a program I love and it's always just been kind of a hodgepodge.

The last few years we'd just do random unit studies - solar system, plants, whatever - and do a few activities, read a few books. This year I bought 'Christian Kids Explore Biology,' which is just okay. We are Christian but we aren't literal-6000-years-old-earth-humans-coexisted-with-dinosaurs-carbon-dating-is-nonsense type Christians when it comes to science. :) So a Biblical basis (God created the world) is fine, but this textbook goes a bit far sometimes. Also I am homeschooling a kindergartener, first grader, and fourth grader, and I'd like to use the same thing for everyone (of course adding more challenging work for the 4th grader - vocab, worksheets, whatever).

I am looking at getting a microscope and slides but that may have to wait til my summer purchases and go toward next year.

Our library has a small number of Magic School Bus DVDs but often, they will not play because they are old and scratched. The kids don't like them much anyway.

We try watching Bill Nye videos on youtube but most of them are such poor quality we can't stand to watch very long. 

We do gardening big time, so they know all about plants, terminology, composting, worms, pollination, etc. We did a long unit on solar system last year and a long one on dinosaurs the year before. But I feel like it's not nearly enough.

I'd love to hear suggestions of what you use, especially if you are homeschooling multiple ages and using the same thing for everyone. 

Thanks in advance!

[Kerseygeek]

You can order the Bill Nye videos off amazon. You can check out textbooks from Pearson publisher, just google Pearson homeschool.

[motheroffour186]

I go to the library and get books plants make with animals pick a couple books and make animals find a book on trees make a out of tissue paper and vpaper bag maybe something on youtube if they do not have it at the library then your body lay down on a big enough and trace your body write where everthing goes. Talk about bones skin tissue find games to learn i used netflix to find some the movies ask for a homeschool teacher card ask for things in advance they call other librarys. Then the game with operation game for learning body. Find whole bunch of animals and see if they can tell you which animal.
Can got a body part see if they can point to it. Health was washing hands and body brushing teeth.

[lifesadream83]

Have you looked into Apologia Science.  If I were still Christian I would use it.  It was my curriculum in highschool when I was homeschooled.  They make extremely difficult topics understandable.  They have notebooking for younger kids now too and home science tools carries science kits for it.  

We are doing elementary stuff right now.  

K-Child's Play Science

1 & 2 Early Bird Science

3 RSO Earth & Space (adapted by me) Current

4 RSO Life  (Already Purchased and looks great)

5 RSO Chemistry  (Already Purchased and looks great)

[CrimsonRadiance]

We use Alpha Omega's "switched on school house". It has experiments along with study lessons. And I include all three boys (5th grade, 2nd grade and kindergarten) in the experiments.

[Jenn8604]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007I1Q4MM/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1361640770&sr=8-1&pi=SL75
Magic school bus complete series $38.09 all 52 episodes.

http://budgethomeschool.com/favorites.asp?f=/Lesson+Plans/Magic+School+Bus
And budgeted curriculum.

Just an idea.

[skeletor1017]

 I have to disagree with the Pearson textbooks. We find them pretty dry and boring. Pearson relies heavily on their website pearsonsuccessnet.com to make it interesting and that is not accessible to homeschoolers.

We're going to switch from using the pearson textbooks to a charlotte mason approach with lapbooks/notebooks.

Quoting Kerseygeek:

You can order the Bill Nye videos off amazon. You can check out textbooks from Pearson publisher, just google Pearson homeschool.

 

[kimpulliam]

I like apologia. U can tailor it to suit ur needs.we have done unit studies on veterinary medicine, equine anatomy where we make notebooks. Sometimes we just read books that interest us

[Lullababy]

I love apologia. We've done biology, physical science, general science and currently chemistry. We have the zoology books but haven't touched them much. I really have had a tough time using Christian based curricula because there are things I'm unsure of, such as creation time period, etc. We are open with our children regarding our questions but we are firm in our belief in Christ. We are trying to raise critical thinkers. Long story long, lol, we like apologia but as with anything we teach our children we teach many sides, same with history.

[snazzylady1]

Actually, I like the idea of using themes for science.  I think it will keep things interesting and fun for your children.  What you can do if your worried is take a look at the state standards for science and base your science curriculum around those standards.  The state standards are catorgized for each grade level. That way you have the freedom to teach the concepts that they need and have fun in the process.  They do have some science books like Harcourt.  I think that would be good to suppliment with.   Science is always a challenge especially in the early years when there are so many skills in reading and math that have to be mastered. I hope this helps.

Tonya Simmons

smartandsnazzykids.com