Science - Description, topics covered?

[TurnOurHearts]

it really does round things out nicely

Does the science for Adventures tie into the rest of the curriculum?

This past May, at the NCHE convention, I ran into Marie Hazell (joy of JOYS!). When I told her we were just finishing ADV, she turned and said, "Oh, good! So what did you think of the science?"

(*gasps* Did Marie Hazell just ask me for my opinion?!)

I told her how much we enjoyed it, how it all tied in together, and she said (as best as I can remember),

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. When we first put ADV together, it didn't have that particular science in it, and it just didn't feel like a complete MFW program. Once we added the resources you've been using, it finally had that MFW feel."

I couldn't agree more with Marie. As someone who's done it, I can say, it really does round things out nicely. It's not overdone, or everyday, but it gets the point across so well.

[Omma]

I have been wanting to do apologia botany for 2 yrs now. Can I do a different science, or is it very integrated?...

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:26 pm
I think that the science in Adventures is very integrated with the names/qualities of Jesus. We are currently studying the human body as we study that Jesus is the head of the body which is the church. I wouldn't want to miss this connection. We happen to have the Usborne book, What's Inside You. This book goes very well with MFW's science lesson here, so we are using it. There are a couple of weeks when the science lesson is on plants, to go along with Jesus is the vine.

Do you have Adventures already? I'd get it early and look through it. One option is to just take a longer amount of time or a pause at the point in Adventures where the science study is on plants, so that you can take a month or so to devote to botany, if you want.

I am not familiar with the whole scope of MFW science, so you might want to also find out when MFW plans on devoting more time to the subject of botany. I know MFW uses apologia for later years....

I'm sure others with more MFW experience will chime in here soon. I tend to like to do extra planning/combining, as it's in my blood. BTW, I love the books that MFW chooses for book basket time in Adventures. Be sure to check those out!! :)

Brenda

[Jenn in NC]

We are currently studying the human body as we study that Jesus is the head of the body which is the church. I wouldn't want to miss this connection.

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:25 pm
I have to agree with this -- the unit study connections are so well thought out. I wonder if you could add in more science for your dc without totally skipping the science in ADV? Or do the botany book over a summer or two (in a non-schoolish way of course)?

It has been said before but bears repeating -- not every component of every program will fit every family all of the time. But I do think the science in the ADV program is really worth checking out... I liked Omma's thoughts about getting the TM early so you can look through it and get a better feel for where the year will take you.

Just my .02 :)

[Poohbee]

I am curious what topics are covered in Adventures Science?

If you look at the PDF Sample Lesson on the Adventures page, there is a copy of the Table of Contents from the TM. It tells you what topics are covered for Bible, U.S. History & Geography, & Science. Here's the link: http://www.mfwbooks.com/pdf/advsample.pdf

I have found the sample pages and lessons on the MFW site to be very useful in helping me to understand what will be covered each year. On the main page for each year, you can click on View PDF Sample Lesson.

[shawnswife]

Hi, Kathy. I used SL K Science a few years back and I just thought I'd let you know that the Discover and Do DVD Vol 1 covers all the experiments in the usborne books in Adv. I plan on using it when I don't feel like getting the experiments ready! :)

[Lucy]

Hi Kathy,

When you look at the contents notice too what is being covered in bible. The name of Jesus being studied that week often goes with the science concept to make the abstract idea become more concrete through the science lesson. I love this part of Adventures and only wish that my kids had been younger when they developed this year.

Lucy

[cbollin]

Dd is a science junkie, she just can not get enough of the topic.
I am wondering if I will have to supplement Adventures Science with something else to satisfy her appetite.

You might. Just do it in ways that don't overwhelm the day or get out of control.

One of the books in ADV science is an usborne internet linked book and you might be able to use some of those links.

-crystal

[Editor's Note: More conversation on this topic here http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2083 ]

[LA in Baltimore]

One thing in defense of the science portion ...the year before last I used a very thorough science textbook with the children. We read the chapters and completed the summaries. We took the tests. And they remembered nothing!!

This year we just followed the science suggestions...We did it all (no skipping!) and they wrote about what they did. Every evening they were able to tell Dad all about what we learned in science that day. It might seem simple, but they really do learn. I think the older they are the more terminology, etc., they can associate with the experiments we complete.

[schoolmom2]

We're going to finish MFW 1st very soon and moving on to Adventures-- which I'm so excited about. However, I'm wondering if I'm going to like the science in Adventures and would really appreciate an explanation of what to expect. I'm wondering if we should try Apologia's Astronomy program (it gets such great reviews)? My experiments don't always work, and I'm just not so good at explaining science. Hmmmmm...

I have to be honest that [at first] I was not completely thrilled with the Adventures science, but it was my first year homeschooling, and I think I was still in "public school" mode. I have learned to relax a little since then. =)

When we studied birds, I added a lapbook on birds. Same for the human body and plants studies. My kids liked the experiments from the Usborne books, and I always read the threads on this board for each experiment before I tried it. They all turned out fine. Probably wouldn't have if I hadn't had all these wonderful people to tell me their mistakes and advice!

As for explaining science, I think this helps me keep things in perspective: science is simply making sense of the world around us. If you discuss with your children after each experiment or reading, "How does this help us understand how God created the world to work," then I think they will begin to see that God created a wonderful world of order.

If I had a word of advice, it would be: stick with the lesson plans and books, adding a little here and there if you feel it is too light. Don't make the mistake I did, and buy a whole bunch of stuff to add, then get stressed out because you can't fit it all in, and sad because you wasted money! =)

[IdahoGrown]

Thanks for sharing your ideas schoolmom! We are getting ready to start Adventures in July and I've been wondering about the science too.

Your post gave me an idea!! My ds loves cutting and pasting. And I have Considering God's Creation science on hand already. So I may just add in units from that to go along with what we are reading about.

[cbollin]

Given the age of your oldest, I'd hold off from doing Apologia Astronomy (it's schedules in RTR too). I think for the stage of learning your child is in, the Astronomy book will give you too much to teach them and not necessarily help as explaining science. I say that as the wife of a phd chemist who over taught our oldest with science too early and had to adjust.

Don't worry if some experiments don't work exactly as you think it should.
Try it again
Ask on the message board for tips
Try it a little different.
Ask your child: we expected this to happen, but that happened. Do you have ideas why?

This is something my husband wrote in the last year on this forum.

Elementary science instruction and materials should not be expected to convey laser-precise scientific detail. The principal objectives of elementary-level science should be to teach students to be curious about the world around them, to train them to observe, and to provide an introduction to the scientific method. Teaching facts about the constitution and behavior of the physical world is secondary (but by no means negligible).

So, in other words, you aren't messing up with science nor are you a failure.

Take Chances
Make Mistakes.

so, what is the science like in ADV? The science is related to the Bible study in the names of Jesus. So we study science we are seeing how it relates to who God is.

It will be less reading (because they are 2nd graders) and more hands on stuff. You can add more from the internet links in one of the books.
You can add book basket readings
there are cool videos out there to enjoy science.

I don't think you're a failure if some of the experiments aren't perfect. Get your child involved as much as possible in setting it up, and asking basic questions "what do you think will happen" did it happen? why?

take a picture. have them clean it up, after they try it again.

and even if you switch to another science program, still do those things at this age.
but if you do ADV science, just be encouraged to ask out loud for tips.

Postby cbollin » Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:58 am
one fun video resource out there for emerging science geeks
The Science Jim Show! (use a search engine of your choice to find it)
My dh watched it as said "ok.. he's a science geek. he'd be cool to hang out with at the lab. looks like us and sounds like us"

-crystal

[Wendy B.]

We loved it!

Science was usually only scheduled for 2 days a week. So if you have an especially science loving kid then you have a few days each week to add in a little more.

[1974girl]

Usborne book pages are too busy for me. So I started making them take turns reading paragraphs to keep them focused on it and let it sink in. If I was reading...they were doing their own thing on the other page. The only reason I haven't [tried Apologia] so far (I am in ECC now) is because I like the way it all goes together unit-wise.

But....saying that.....my 3rd grader scored the highest in science than anything on her standardized tests. So obviously, it still works....

[jhagberg]

I am thrilled with the science in Adventures, and my son LOVES it! His favorite book is Science With Air and he begs to do it even when it isn't scheduled. I sit with him, read aloud the assigned pages, tell him about the experiment we're going to try, talk about what is supposed to happen, and then say, "Well, let's see if it will work for us!" Most of the time, it DOES work, and then we exclaim with delight!

When it doesn't work, I don't worry about it. Science is the study of the world through observation and experiment. We experiment (try it) and observe (see what happens). No matter how it turns out, it's science!

We were watching TV and the question was asked, "What do yeast eat?" and my son answered, "Sugar!" The grownup on the TV didn't know the correct answer, so my son said, "Well, if he had done My Father's World when he was in second grade, he would have known the answer."

[beaglemamma2008]

I must be in the minority here, but we're really loving Adventures science this year! I am *NOT* a science minded person at all, though, so maybe that's why I feel like even *I* am learning a ton using the science as scheduled!

We do the science as it is written in the TM. However, dd is definitely science minded (I would venture to say most kids are; they just have such a natural curiosity about them), so we occasionally add to what's already there. But, honestly, I think we're only adding to it for the second time. We're currently doing a three-week unit on Anatomy (scheduled in Adventures to go along with Jesus as the Head of the Body), and we happen to have a Magic School Bus Human Body science kit dd got for a birthday present or Christmas present somewhere along the way.

I have heard excellent things about Apologia and have read the Astronomy book, but like Crystal said, that book is scheduled in another year.

One thing I like to remember is that science will kind of start all over again in 7th and 8th grades with General Science and Physical Science. So any "gaps" that I may leave during these elementary years or anything that I don't explain thoroughly enough will be covered at that time. But in the meantime, my kids are learning to love science, and honestly ... HONESTLY ... mama is, too!

I have blogged all of our Adventures weeks so far, and you're more than welcome to stop by and see what the science in Adventures looks like. Maybe that will give you a better idea of whether you'd be comfortable sticking with it or whether you'd rather choose something else. Or if my blog isn't your cup of tea, you can go to Lainie's MFW Blogroll here ...
http://www.mishmashmaggie.com/2010/07/2 ... groll.html
... and look at others.

HTH!

[Renee413]

You ladies have been so helpful! First off, I didn't realize that Apologia Astronomy is used in RtR. And from the Adventures Blogs (thanks for sharing them!) it looks like science will be fun, fun, fun. I'm not going to stress about science.. we'll do our best. And with my husband being a chemist, he can always help me if need be.

Thanks so much!!

[beastgal]

We have really enjoyed the science in Adventures. My ds is very into science and has been very happy with all of the experiments. He usually gets lots of science stuff for Christmas and birthday so we have just done some of those during some of the weeks. As far as the Usborne book goes, it is busy but we usually just read through it all and then break it down and do any experiments after we have read it all. Also you will notice the quicklinks website for the Usborne book. My son loves computer time and he has really enjoyed going to the different links and learning more.

Best wishes! We are loving Adventures and I can't believe we only have 8 weeks left!

[gratitude]

I have a little help in this area that I thought I would share.

The Discover & Do DVD for Kindergarten Science for Sonlight, sold under individual items for K science, is a super help! We happened to have SL as our first curriculum, and we own this DVD from it. It demonstrates each experiment for the Usborne books of Plants, Kitchen (ADV), & Air (ADV). My kids like watching it even when they aren't doing science. When I did the books the first time I would watch the experiment on the DVD with the children and then when we went to do it I had the visual in my head. It made following the book easy, since I had already seen the experiment completed.

I did enjoy the science this week for week 4 of ADV with the Astronomy. I have been debating if we are going to re-do the Usborne books or not, since I just did them last school year. Crystal is correct the Astronomy book from Apologia seems a little beyond them, we will see.

[G'smom]

I am just starting Adventures, and as I am looking through the lesson book, often it seems to be missing Science. My children love Science and Experiments.
Did you feel there was enough or did you supplement with library books/other projects?
Maybe once we get going it will be enough, it just doesn't feel like it right now.

I could not agree more with what I quoted from Crystal.

Adventures is written for when oldest child in the family is in 2nd grade or maybe 3rd grade tops.

Science is general is taught about 2 times per week from package books, plus on Friday's in the Nature Walk. That is by design. It is not missing. It is not scheduled every day by design. It keeps it fun.

If you want to add more than that -- buy some kits, or take field trips.

My ds is using Adventures this year in 3rd grade and he's an older 3rd grader, and he's loving the science and so am I. I will not be adding anything except maybe some science kits or books from the book basket.

[Ohmomjacquie]

Hi everyone. Does Adventures have student Q & A sheets for science?

Nope. The first science sheet I've seen is coming up this week for week 20 and a seed growing observation. There is a short description in the tm about writing things down for the experiments like what you did, what happened and what youlearned from it. That's usually what we do when we do the experiments but other than that there isn't any question answer your thing for the readings. Hope that helps some!

[4Truth]

Science at this level is more about getting their hands into it and observing with their senses than paper documentation. You'll see a lot more of that in future years. Have fun!

[Helent]

Thank you, Jacquie and Donna. I understand. Sometimes we homeschool moms expect too much! Meaning that we expect too much from our little learners, things that aren't necessary.

I appreciate the reminder!

~ Helen