Science - 1850MOD science for 3rd grader?

[erin.kate]

Hi! I will have a 7th grader and 3rd grader in the fall. The 7th grader will be doing apologia for science. My question is, is the science for 1850-mod appropriate for a 3rd grader by herself ( w/o an older sibling ) or should I look at other science options for her? Thanks!

You might consider making nature study have more umph, rather than an additional "science" program ... so you can enrich the science in EXP. Meaning, since your 3rd grader will be learning about taxonomy and their local area/state for notebooking, etc ... you could extend the learning so much with little effort, but with really delightful results. We live in Southern Maine, right on the rocky seashore. I would include living books on our area and spend more time using the science in EXP to drive the nature study. When we watch the lobster traps come in from the boats, journal the process and learn about how lobsters are classified. What else falls into the same classification? What is classification? Why do scientists classify creatures? Read about the sea in something like The Storybook of Science and find books on crustaceans, if so inclined. Head to the library to find a few picture books on your nature experiences.

I am one who really needs to practice what I preach, but I am learning for sure , MFW is written so well and each piece has a purpose. I've realized this year that it would have been so much better to trust the Hazells and use their tried-and-true choices, and then when my child needed more or something varied, then maybe use those same materials as a springboard for more in depth study, rather than by adding something completely separate. I've also discovered it is best to try the program as written and see where it leads with my children. I tend to be such a planner, to a fault, and I lose sight of the beauty of what is in front of me by thinking of how things might be down the road.

Anyway ... that was long winded. All that to say, really, that for 3rd grade, more in depth or related nature study might really spark her curiosity and make her more independently interested in science, which would create a nice framework for more formal science as she gets older.

I hope that gives you another idea to consider.

[Mommyto3boys]

I haven't done 1850-modern yet. I will do it next year with a 7th, 4th, and 2nd grader along with a 4 year old who may decide to join in on some stuff.

I am looking forward to chemistry and physics with my 4th and 2nd grader while my oldest does General Science. I have done the magnet kit before from Adventures. Also, I have done the Wired kit before when my oldest was in 4th. My children have done some physics and chemistry before (not with the 100 science experiments book) when they were younger so I am not worried about it being too much for them.

HTH,

Debbie in NC
Mom to 3 ds (12, 9, and 6.5) and 1 dd (4)
Done MFWAdventures, ECC and K, CTG, RTR and K
On EX1850

[cbollin]

I had forgotten about the Wired Kit! that was fun! I remember we had that on display that year at local academic fair. In fact we had on that display about 5 favorite (and it was hard to chose only 5) projects from that year in science. everyone stopped at our display. We had a science display and history display.

and agreeing that extra emphasis on nature walks and notebooking is good. And carry over from EX1850 will be fun on that. In 1850MOD, the science is a lot of science history, chemistry and physics. So, adding in more emphasis on nature walks can be fun too.

when I did 1850MOD, I had 6th and 3rd grader. My 3rd grader loved the experiments and extra links. On some pages in the World of Science book, I only read the first paragraph (which is slightly different font or something like that from rest of the page). We enjoyed the pictures. If I had done just that with my oldest I would have thought it wasn't enough, but somehow as you get homeschooling longer you realize it is enough at that age. She enjoyed the book, kept a little notebook, really had fun with the experiments that year and would repeat them and vary them. yep... I'd go with the built in science and then if she gets an interest in a topic, feed that interest with library books, use the internet links for more experiments and enjoy it all.

ok.. have I mentioned that 1850MOD was probably my favorite MFW year? I really enjoyed it a lot. I liked ECC (both times), etc... but that was a good year.

-crystal