Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Recommended Resources What is everyone using for science?

Looking to next year and trying to find more science for my DD9. She is using Science4Kids right now. What does everyone like? Also looking for DD6's. I'm still hoping to get my hands on Plato science but looking at other things as well.

I am also eagerly waiting to see responses DS6 loves Science so any ideas would be great!

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Our science was very unstructured up until we did cyber ed a couple years ago. Nonetheless, the kids tested very high in science on above grade level tests. We did a few short term classes when they were younger- one was called "Bucket Buddies" and another was "Zam's Quest". These were really fun, and each class attracted a small group of gifted students.

I just ordered noeo science. Should get here this week. I'm hoping it's a big hit. http://www.noeoscience.com/index.html

My girlfriend put me onto Bill Nye the science guy and my girls (7 and 4) love it!!! What I like about it is that it leads to lots of questions, research and experiments - so much so that my bath tub is full of growing projects! The shows are short-ish in duration (about 30 mins) and there's one on almost every subject so it's a great way to kick-start a line of inquiry...

jojo

Bill Nye rocks!

I was looking at neoscience the other day. Please let me know how that goes. I would like to know how much religion is in the curriculum. For personal reasons I am trying to teach science from a scientific viewpoint and not a religious one. I was encouraged by the the quote from the parents that science shouldn't be ignored because some theories deny God. I thought an emersion method might work well with my children.

I think I saw Billy Nye videos at the library. I went the other day to the main library to look for more ideas since they have a much larger video assortment than my local library.

I tend to follow DS6 whims. He is very much into science (already knows way more than me). I like the Discovery videos online and then get him lots of related books and online info. I also love National Geographic for him. I think Science is the easiest subject to homeschool.

We are using Real Science for Kids chemistry. I've read this is 4th to 7th grade level science. It is pretty good, but parts are a little dry. I think after we're done with chemistry, we'll go back to random kitchen chemistry that interests DS for a while and come back to it later. Summer is also a great time to undertake messy projects, start a worm compost, work on a butterfly garden, research bugs, etc.

I've also found it's hard to find truly secular science curriculum!

We use Singapore's curriculum for science. Completely secular and heavy on critical thinking, but very light on "content" -- much more process oriented. That's exactly why I like it, but a lot of people see that and think "too easy".

It's not a hugely difficult curriculum either way -- workload is very manageable and it's easy to accelerate -- but it does require more independent thought than one would expect, and the math requirements track with the Singaporean math curriculum. So if you're using Singapore for math, I'd match the levels and just expect it to be a little on the content-light side. That does give us time for DS to do a science fair project, so it's not all bad.

That's great news Erica. I've been looking for someone to review Singapore. I think the content light is fine, with overview on concepts in terminology. That gives you more time for free choice, hands on stuff anyway.

Yes, now that CyberEd is coming to a close <sniff>, I wasn't sure what we'd use. I was wondering about Singapore. Thanks for the rec!

Our Noeo science came this week, and we love it! We're doing the Bio II.

What's Noeo? That one's new to me...

We too will be sad seeing CyberEd go.

I bought Singapore science a few weeks ago and it looks pretty good. We haven't used it yet but like Erica pointed out it looks like there are lots of good assignments there. The content itself looks quite easy compare to CyberEd.

I think we can boost the content using library books. I'm okay with that.

Or would it make more sense *just* to use the library books? You guys know how packaged-curriculum-averse I am...

LOL!

I like when somebody lies down the problems for me Check their web site. They have sample pages there.

Here's Noeo: http://www.noeoscience.com/index.html Even though it's from a Christian company, it's a secular science program(important for us). The lesson plans are very simple, and easy to follow. The books they use are FANTASIC! I had to rip them from my children's arms at bedtime. LOL! And the experiment kits are great too.

I spent a very long time on the noeoscience site today. Went through everything and contacted them with questions. They responded very quickly.

One of my questions regarded compacting the program down from 36 weeks to say 24?. They said that each chapter can be compacted fairly easily. There are definitive stopping points. I'm going to give RJH a little time to settle in, then ask her opinion as well. I loved that they offered beginning Physics as well.

Hmmm...

We've used TOPS science modules ( www.topscience.org )a few times here--I'm of two (or some number!) minds about them, I think, but they are both secular and inexpensive. Most of the supplies are "homemade", and while I appreciate both the ingenuity and the philosophy behind that decision, we found some of the equipment frustrating to use. My bairns are still pretty wee, though, so it may have been more a fine-motor thingy than something inherent in the materials.

Somebody here (incogneato, I think) likes Bite-Size Physics ( www.bitesizephysics.com ), which I am pondering. It looks really fun!

peace
minnie

Yes, I'm considering the online physics program that 'Neato liked, too. It sounded really good, and we should have easier access to the Internet next year than we had this year.

Wanna revisit the physics for us, 'Neato?

We learnt more about physics from the brilliant Canadian 'Eureka' TV programs than anything else. They are quite expensive on DVD, but you can watch them on YouTube I think.

Having done only a week so far, it looks like I could really compact it. They have it set up in weekly lesson plans, but we could easily do 2 lessons in 1 week, and that's my plan. I'll come back to this thred in a few weeks and let you know how it's going.

Ooh! Ooh! I love Bite Size Physics too! We have kind of added it in here and there rather than using it as our main program, but it really is extremely well done. I recommend just getting the book to start with (at Lulu.com), but there are also web classes that I've heard excellent things about.

The two absolute best things about Bite Size Physics IMO are that the experiments are integrated in the text at appropriate points (so it's easy to know what to do when), and the materials really are easy household things -- books, sneakers, string, tennis balls -- and not the "sort of household things" that take three trips to different stores to track down. That has been my one quibble with TOPS Science... when they say "household things" I frequently end up needing to make several phone calls and then driving across town to get that one last important piece that my grandmother might have had on hand eighty years ago but I've never seen in person myself...

Hmmm... You could do Singapore without the activities, but it would be a little tricky... the workbook relies on the activities almost as much as on the text. But if you wanted I suppose you could just get the text to read and nevermind the activities or the workbook... It wouldn't be the ideal use of the curriculum, but it might do.

On the other hand, if you look at the science-related books from Critical Thinking Press, you might find something that would be closer to what you're looking for. We have an older (out of print?) book from them that has concept maps for life science, but I think it matches or nearly matches their "Thinking Connections" Book-on-CD. It really is just concept maps... so I don't think it would make a complete curriculum at all, but it might make a good complement to voracious reading.

masterofnone,

Have you looked at the Galore Park science books? (I think it looks as though you'd want "So You Really Want to Learn Science," rather than the "Junior Science," which looks to be for younger kids.) I've not seen them in person, but I gather that they are what you are describing--no experiments, but a good framework around which to organise your knowledge of science. There are some sample pages on their website ( www.galorepark.co.uk ). There are biology, chemistry, and physics sections in each volume, I believe.

minnie

DD9 liked the online class with Physics Jim and as a parent, I'd been really impressed with it. Her big focus is writing now, but when she gets a bug about science again, we're going back.

What I loved is that the class comes with live WEbEx lectures. All the kids are *there* in real time shooting IM's at each other and having a really fun time. There was a sense of comraderie.

Also, I'd like my kids to have experiences with other adults as their teacher besides me. And by teacher, I mean an adult who is intellectually similar........
Jim engages thet students, he's very funny and he knows his stuff. He puts the physics stuff in *kid-language*.

He answered DD's e-mail questions and was very encouraging. He also answers questions live during the lectures which is super cool. I highly recommend it.

Here's the discussion on the class

We are using How the Body Works, A comprehensive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Anatomy, Cosmeo science videos, howstuffworks.com, his favorite magazine is Popular Science, favorite show is Myth Busters, and he watches a lot of Science channel shows. He says science and technology is his favorite subject and I feel like we should be doing more.

Cosmeo is great!

I think here is our solution

From Homeschool Buyers Co-op 3/19/09


I am really bad in reading e-mails so I didn't notice it till questions pointed it out to me.

I think we are all set! We will use CyberEd together with Singapore Science problems

Yay! Oh, that makes EVERYTHING easy!

Seriously, folks, CyberEd science ROCKS! I have been hesitant to say much about it since it wasn't being offered anymore. I didn't want to say "Oh, there's this great curriculum, but you can't get it anymore. Bummer for you!" But if it's back on, then life is good.

DS7 has just loved this! It is really the only packaged curriculum we use, and I can't say enough good things about it. It has been perfect for DS7.

CyberEd, all the way! Fer sher!

My thoughts exactly Problem solved!

So i'm intrigued. What is this CyberEd? WE're trying Exploration Education as a time filler. It's 4th-8th grade but there isn't a lot of new material in it for DS except for near the end (the 7-8ht grade material) and it ain't cheap but DS5 will be able to use it. I can't comment on it just yet but I will as we do more in it. My friend, a physicist, highly recommended it to me.

CyberEd is a middle school level (and high school, though we're not there yet) online curriculum that is really great for younger, visual learning, HG+ kids who love science. It has been just the perfect mix of challenge and concept and fun for DS7.

It was supposed to go away after this year, so I'm THRILLED that it's sticking around!

I tried to look at it but the website still says it's shutting down. I'm a member of homeschool buyer's co-op so I'll keep my eyes open for an announcement. Does anyone have a scope and sequence for cyber-ed?

It's all online, so nothing offhand that I can refer to...

I hope it's true! We've been eying cyber ed up for a while, but I thought it was going away.

http://www.plato.com/Secondary-Solu...ondary-Intervention-Library-Science.aspx

Check their sample lessons