Science in Little and Beyond

[angelpie2276]

We started using HOD this year, our first year homeschooling. We are enjoying it very much. I am "missing" one thing. The science? I am using 2 guides. One for each of my kids, Little and Beyond. Mind you, I have no experience or training. I have a friend who is using Bigger and that science is more extensive and I keep telling myself to just be patient, we will get to that guide. I keep searching online for different science curric to plug in. But, stop. I very much appreciate how HOD is all together. Does anyone have any suggestions? I keep eyeing Answers in Genesis for my older child, it would be too overwhelming for my younger. I look at Sonlight P4/5 books for science. I consider getting those just to read. I think about just going to the library and getting books about subjects kids are interested in to fill the gap I am sensing in the science department. There is just so much science around us I feel we aren't hitting on all the wonderful amazing things going on around us as we just go about our day. Thank you

[StephanieU]

Remember that science isn't just in the science box. In LHFHG, science was also in storytime (withthe animals) and in fine motor skills (in the Rod and Staff books). In Beyond, if you are using the Emerging Readers, you will find some science there too. As "easy" ways to add science in a CM way:
Nature walks (just go out and explore!)
Zoo or other bio-park in the area (we try to go once a month)
Library books (let your kids pick one or two when you go)
TV shows - Curious George, Fetch with Ruff Ruffman, Magic Schoolbus (just watch for evolution), etc

We were in your shoes last year. But, instead of adding to our day, we took the above options and let my daughter lead. It was great. Some weeks we didn't add anything. Other weeks we did a variety of things.

[Nealewill]

I wouldn't change anything either. You are getting a lot of science as is. And in school, many times kids do very little until they are older. Plus, as Stephanie said, science topics are contained in their history and story time reads. So I wouldn't feel obligated to add anything at all.

And I wanted to add, I didn't find HOD till last year. Before that, I used stuff here and there. I tried adding a more intense science with my oldest when she was 7 and that was a fail! She enjoyed what she learned but she just didn't retain it. The things that HOD has kids do are very foundational. They are things the kids will remember and they are hands on. Those two things (to me) are the most important. Just be glad that you don't have tons of school and enjoy it

[MelInKansas]

It seems "light" in those guides and it is, deliberately. Science for those kids is about exploration, not reading books about concepts they don't get yet. They will learn more, and it will stick, if they do the hands-on activities in the guides which correspond to other concepts they are learning during that day. And as you already noticed, you will get there soon enough, to where science will be more in depth and more work. It will come before you know it. Just trust, Carrie has written excellent guides that give you what you need at each level, with the focus in the proper place at the right time.

If you find yourself with the time and you want to add anything, things like nature walks, talking about animals and plants native to your region, changing seasons (leaves falling and freezing weather will soon be going along with that for us). Just natural everyday things that are easy and fun to do. This will fascinate them and get them started thinking about the world and how things work. How God has designed the world with order, rules, and cycles in life.

I have been tempted by other science curricula also. But many I have looked at are still textbook based. CM style learning is more about living books and active exploration. You will learn to love it, and you will love how it fosters a love of learning in your kids. Just give it time.

[hs.mama07]

We faced a similar feeling with Little Hearts and Beyond. My DS6 is very interested in science and he was asking for more, so I looked at other curricula I could add to HOD.

I also love the look of Answers in Genesis and was able to look at it since my sister uses it. It’s a great curriculum (HOD uses it as an option later). What I found is that HOD covers similar stuff to the beginner section in the AiG books. The intermediate section goes deeper, but it really is better for older kids. I found the same thing looking at other 1st and 2nd grade curricula. HOD covers many of the same things (and in a fun, gentle way). So I would say, if your kids are happy with HOD, then feel free to just rest in that. Your bases are covered and it really is a fun program!

My son kept asking for more, though, so I just started filling the house with science stuff. We have early reader science books for him to read on his own and harder ones that we can read to him. We go to the library and borrow books from there too. We take nature walks and trips to the zoo. We're planning a trip to a hydroelectric dam this spring and we go to the science museum from time to time. Some days he’s perfectly happy with science as written, other times he wants to learn more…so we delve in (books, internet, etc). We’re getting a microscope for Christmas (his number one wish…well, after legos, lol). I did also get rod and staff 2nd grade science to keep on hand, though it covers some similar things as HOD. It is gentle and inexpensive and gives us one more thing to read to him when he’s in that science mood

Hope that helps! Have fun!

[ednerisa]

Hi, I have a 7 yo daughter who's in Beyond. It's our third year with HOD. I felt the same way so last year I added Science In The Beginning. Although dd liked doing the experiments from Science in the Beginning, it made our class times longer. I also bought RSO Science but ended up not using it all. After two tries of adding something else to HOD Science, I realized that it is good as is.

We do attend Rock-it Science, a very informal and hands-on weekly science class just because 1. My daughter has been asking me to send her to regular school. With this class, she is satisfied and has no longer asked to go. 2. I love science and doing science experiments. But because I work part -time I don't find it easy to come up with extra experiments. Which brings me back to HOD Science. It is fun and age/grade appropriate.

We also have a weekly nature study with several other homeschooling families. This is a great experience for all of us. My dd specially loves identifying insects and sketching them in a journal.

Hope this helps!

All best,
Christine

[angelpie2276]

Thank you everyone. All your advice has helped. We do books from library and watch How It Works and other things. My kids really like "experiments". They attended a private Christian school for one year and they must have done pretty neat experiments. My kids don't acknowledge what we do for science as science or even experiments. Geesh! But it is science! We will continue on! I have a habit of wanting to rush things. HOD helps pace me. Thank you

[Nealewill]

You aren't alone in trying to "rush" things I used to do that too HOD has definitely been a God send for me in this area! I used to be cra-cra!

My kids love what they are learning now. And if we want to do extra/other stuff, we easily can. I always make sure to do the HOD stuff first but we just have a lot of fun with our learning and we are definitely remembering what we learn.

[hs.mama07]

I hear you on wanting to rush things! Have felt that desire many many times!! HOD is great for helping us let our little ones stay little as long as possible, while still teaching them great things!

We also always finish HOD first and then just have fun doing other things, as time allows. My little guy LOVES experiments too--says he's going to be a scientist or an engineer someday. I'd love to find a group like that hands-on-science class--that sounds like so much fun!!

[MomtoJGJE]

One thing I have done with science (dh is a scientist so my kids are surrounded by science all the time and enjoy it) is to buy boxes of science experiments that have pictures as instructions so even my youngest ones can do them by themselves. Some of them the older ones (or me) have to do it with them, but honestly my older ones love it just as much. Those are simply done during free time or on weekends or when we have breaks. We do not do them as part of school.

Also, cooking is science. My almost 10 year old made her own cake recipe and mixed it and baked it the other day.