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We are in our first week with Preparing, and today was day 3 (we took yesterday off so the oldest three children could help their Daddy with renovations on an old house that will soon be home to a new food ministry). For independent science, they were supposed to read and then answer 5 questions. I typed out the questions and left space for answering them and printed up a copy for each of them; that way when they look back at it later, they know what the questions were. I have a question though- should I be expecting them to answer these in complete sentences?
Also, here are my 3rd grader's answers. Are these okay? (I'm going back and forth on whether he should stay in Preparing or go back to Beyond with his brother.)

1. What do the hares' and the birds' bodies grow to prepare them for cold weather?

Feathers or fur.

2. How do white fur and white feathers protect the animals?

Because the snow matches.

3. Make a sketch of a Ptarmigan's foot.

(It took him quite a while to figure out that there was a drawing of one right there on the page for him to copy, but he eventually figured it out!)

4. Describe what makes a ptarmigan's foot special.

So they don't sink in the snow.

5. What does Job 12:7-10 say you can learn from the animals, birds, and fish?

He holds the creatures in his hand.


Are his answers pretty typical? Or should I be expecting more detail in his answers? I know it's just the first week, but I don't want to keep him in Preparing if the workload is going to be too difficult.

Thanks!

His answers seem fine to me. They are about what I expected from my ds last year. I did require complete sentences. I'm sure that's the 8 years of ps teaching in me. I'm not sure it's essential, but with very little effort, they can make the sentences complete without the fragments. If writing is an area of struggle with your dc, then you may choose to just have him/her focus on the content and not worry about the sentence structure or lack thereof. I'm not sure I helped much!

I think it looks great for a 3rd grader! I started requesting that my daughter answer in complete sentences too. But I don't always enforce it. She is completing Unit 29 of PHFHG this week. She started it the middle of her 4th grade year.
For perspective here is her answers to the same questions from last December.

1. Fur and feathers
2. They are camouflaged.
4. The ptarmigan's feet are like snow shoes.
5. They are all special.

HTH

Edie

I do require my dc to answer in complete sentences. I think your ds's answers sound good, but if it were my dc, I would make them go back and make them into complete sentences and perhaps add just a bit more detail/explanation to #4 as to why they do not sink in the snow, but my dc are 4th grade and 9 years old so I expect a bit more of them. It sounds like he is off to a great start!

Thanks, everyone! I feel a lot better now! I'm going to start requiring complete sentences; come to think of it, I don't think my 4th grader answered in complete sentences either, so I'll have to tell her that too.

I think my ds is going to do fine in Preparing; I've spent a lot of time thinking about it this week, and I really believe Preparing is where he needs to be. I think once he is used to the routine and the assignments he'll really hit his stride.