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.
mfwrocks wrote:
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