Suggestions from all you science adder-on'ers

[Patience]

Anyone add on some more to the science? It is super as written, but my children are asking for more science this year and given that we've not done much with science, I am game. I wondered if anyone had some ideas for how they make the most of the scheduled lessons. I had read that Janice Van Cleave has some helpful books that are well organized. Would these be good to check into?

[sharonb]

We are adding on Apologia Zoology 1. We read a couple of pages twice a week and just do the activities and experiments as we come to them. My oldest narrates to me and I write down what she says, then she copies it and draws a picture for her notebook. At our current pace it will take a while to get through the book, but since they are young it's better to take our time! When we finish Zoology 1 we will probably do Astronomy next.

[sharonb]

I just re-read your question and you were asking about making the most of the scheduled lessons. We don't try to add to the scheduled lessons. Our Apologia book is done totally separately.

I suppose if you want to plan ahead you could look at what topics the science is going to cover and get library books to dig into those subjects deeper. Or just let your children's interest lead and get more books after the fact.

[Patience]

Thanks for your reply! You are right in that I do not want to add a separate program, but I think we will just simply look some of these topics up in our brand new encyclopedia set! There is so much there. And I also think we will get a loupe, microscope, and good magnifying glass, to simply observe up close the items that come up in our study. I am really trying to keep it simple this year. I may take a look at the Janice Van Cleave books to add a few experiments, but I doubt I will get to doing much more. But I certainly am open if others have ideas.

[water2wine]

I'd go for the A Child's Geography version 1 since in CTC you will do version 2. We did it with Bigger and it was great. I will repeat it again with younger dc when they are ready for it. It is very CM. Oh the reason I call that science is because it really is. It is geology really or Earth Science.

[water2wine]

Ooops did not see your post above me. That sounds like an excellent idea. The best things to use are the things you already have on your shelf. It is not like it needs anything estra anyway. ACG was on my shelf last year.

[Patience]

No I like that idea! Thanks for the tip. I will check that book out.

[water2wine]

Just a heads up, it is hefty not just a tiny add on.

[Patience]

Is this by Anna Voskamp?

[water2wine]

Yes! It is the first version, not the one that is in CTC.

[faroutback]

Hi, have you considered any of the God's design series from Answers in Genesis? It has a reading section plus activities but it seems there might be enough just to read and discuss. I've only gotten to browse it at this point but not yet tried it. How about Nature Study? I've been looking at the handbook of nature study with the outdoor nature hour. I think if you do a search on the handbook of nature study the results show about the outdoor hour. If you want kind of a mathematical approach as well Tops Primary Lentil Science is fun and inexpensive and rather independent. Just a few more thoughts.