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Ideas for adding more science

Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 7:24 pm
by Candice
I really want to add some more hands on science/experiment type stuff to go along with Little Hands. Does anyone have any suggestions, books, programs or activities they can recommend? Thanks!
Candice

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:40 pm
by amysconfections
You might want to think about doing Nature walks. Science doesn't get too formal at that age. Look up Charlotte Mason and Nature walks. I would also consider reading The Charlotte Mason companion by Karen Andreola. She talkes about Nature walks. Also www.simplycharlottemason.com has great information on it.

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:27 am
by my3sons
Hi! Nice to meet you!

I've used LHTH several times and been very pleased with the amount of science in it for that age - but you probably have more of a love for science than I do! That is one of the many awesome things about HOD's curriculums; if you want to add in things you are excited to do more of, you have the time to do so!

We have done nature journals and nature walks before. This fits with Charlotte Mason's ideas, as Amy mentioned already. She gave you some great ideas about where to look for more detail about that.

Personally, our nature walks and nature journals have varied widely in the past. The idea, in my opinion, is to enjoy and appreciate God's beautiful Creation, and any additional learning that takes place is a bonus (this was not always my opinion but has come to be it over time). We used to take a walk around the neighborhood, draw and label things we saw in our nature journals, and occasionally look up more information online or in books if the children wanted to do so.

Living in South Dakota, our weather is not always agreeable to taking walks, especially now that we live on a highway out in the country, are in the dead of the winter, and have a small baby as well. In times such as these, we have used Crinkleroot's Guides, Christian Liberty Press's Nature Books 1-4, and The Know-it-all Treasury of Animals and Nature, Vol. II to read from and nature journal on.

This is something that my son, now in 3rd. grade, is really just enjoying now, and we only do it once a week. I think I started it way too early with him, and had way too much I expected of him, where I almost made him dislike it. That is why I wanted to say that I really do think the science in LHTH is enough for that age because I feel I colored my son's view of it with my adding in too much. I'm sure you will balance it all better than I did, but in my case, I was just so gung-ho to do more with my son, that I overdid it and should have just enjoyed what we were already doing more.

One other thought, if you feel your child is needing more, maybe giving Little Hearts for His Glory a look would be a good idea. That does more with science as well, and is a super program too!

Well, Happy New Year! Nice to meet you! Hope some of that helps! Have a super homeschool day!

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:20 pm
by Candice
Thank you for your great ideas! We also recently added the LHFHG science text, The World God Made, and my daughter is really enjoying it. When it is time to move into LHFHG we will use the 1st grade science text, Our Father's World. Thanks again-Candice