4 hours ago
We have been using the same science curriculum in our homeschool from the start, so today I wanted to write about two things related to science - how I go about teaching it with all my kids together, and if we will continue using it into middle and high school!
(A Note On Nature Journals)
Even though this post is mostly about Apologia as our main science text, I wanted to mention that we also love using various nature study resources! You might have noticed the winter nature journal in the background of the picture above, and that is from Raising Up Wild Things - I LOVE her seasonal nature journals! They are beautifully done and give us great ideas for how to get out and observe nature. I usually print up a set of the journaling pages for each of my kids and send them outside about once a week to record their observations over the course of the school year. This year I would like to work on getting out there with my kids and developing my own habit of nature journaling!
Now on to my thoughts about our main science curriculum.
What We Use
We have used Apologia’s Young Explorers series from the beginning of our homeschool. There are a series of textbooks covering different topics from a Christian/Young Earth creationist perspective, geared toward kids in grades 1-6.
Personally, I think many of the textbooks would be a little much for a 1st grader. I let my little girls (preschool and kindergarten) tag along with us on science, but I didn’t expect them to retain much at those ages. These textbooks can be adapted for younger ages, but you would have to do alot of teacher editing to give them the pertinent information without overwhelming them.
Each textbook also has accompanying student notebooking journals that you can purchase, with extra activities, notes pages, etc. Last year was the first year that I tried using the notebooking journals, and I have mixed feelings about them.
First, there are so many pages in the notebooks. Unless you are doing a couple pages every day, you probably wouldn’t be able to use all the pages in the books. In that respect, you do get alot of pages for your money, but the value of the pages is a little up in the air for me. Many of the pages are copywork, coloring pages for younger kids, decorative pages for note-taking, and crossword puzzles/wordsearches with vocabulary words. Were my kids exciting about the notebooks? Yes, but we could have just as easily took notes in a plain ruled notebook and pasted in our drawings or coloring pages. I think this year we are going to continue without the notebooks and see how it goes.
Last year we went through Swimming Creatures Of The Fifth Day, and Human Anatomy and Physiology, so we did two science courses. That may have been a bit much, but I think my kids handled it just fine! They picked out the topics themselves and were excited to learn, so that helped alot.
How I Teach It
For my bigger kids (3-5th grade last year), we did science one or two days a week. We all sit at the table, the kids with their notebooking journals, and I would read the chapters, which are written in an engaging way for kids (which I love!).
There are narration breaks built into each chapter, so we stop and discuss/narrate at those breaks. I also pause throughout to write important information on the board, or to draw illustrations to make it easier to understand. We take breaks frequently for my kids to copy out the notes or drawing that I put on our little whiteboard, then we move on.
There are experiments included with each chapter, and though we read through the experiments, we have only done a few from the book. They are generally pretty doable experiments, but sometimes we need special materials that I just don’t have on hand. This is one aspect of how we are doing science that I would like to change over this next year! More experiments!
Will We Stick With Apologia?
There are alot of things I love about Apologia science. I love that it is written in an engaging way, and I love that it presents the information from a Christian worldview. I think it’s a rigorous curriculum, and I think it’s especially well-suited for "science-y" kids. There have been times when I have found one of our Apologia textbooks missing because my oldest has taken it to his room to read on his own (just for fun)! For these younger grades, we are really enjoying it!
One thing I don’t love is that some of the textbooks can become a little overwhelming, especially for younger kids or kids who are not naturally inclined to enjoy and understand science. A friend of mine gave me a tip to look in the back of the textbooks at the chapter summary questions and base the information you cover with younger grades on those questions. I think that is a great idea, because for younger grades alot of the chapters are just too much information! With these textbooks for younger grades, the parent definitely needs to be involved to help wade through the information to get to the pertinent “good stuff”.
I am not completely convinced we will continue using Apologia through all the grades. The reason I knew I wanted to try Apologia with my own kids was because I used Apologia science courses for high school when I was a homeschool student. Those books made me love science! The original science textbooks were written by a man named Dr. Jay Wile, and he has a real knack for explaining science concepts in an understandable way. The science notebooking system presented in the original textbooks also prepared me really well for taking good scientific notes in college (I was complemented by my microbiology professor on my thorough note-taking in my experiment books).
In the time since I graduated, the company has been sold, and the most recent, new editions of the Apologia high school science textbooks were completely re-written by a new author. In addition, all the middle and high school textbooks seem to require the pre-made science notebooks to get the full program. It could be that good note-taking is still taught through those accompanying student notebooks, but I know from experience that all you really need is ruled notebook.
I read a review from Dr. Jay Wile on the new edition of the high school biology text, and one of the concerns he had with the new edition is an overwhelming amount of information. He was concerned that the new text included so much extra information that a student may need the help of a parent or teacher who already knows something about science to help the student know which information is really crucial. I thought that was interesting since I already thought certain of the elementary school texts included a bit too much information for the grade range (especially the Human Anatomy and Chemistry courses). So reading that review gave me pause. The last thing I want to do is to stifle a love of science in high school because of information overload.
My plan over the next couple years is to obtain a copy of Jay Wile’s new biology text with his new company Berean Builders, and compare it to the science course I took in high school, which I loved. I want to preview the course a bit because I have slight reservations about certain ways Wile may approach old earth vs. young earth creationism (he is a young earth creationist himself), and I’d like to read through his new science book myself and see what I think of it. I may do the same with Apologia’s high school text, and then make a decision. Keep an eye out for an eventual post about my decision!
Before I close this, I wanted to point you to the post I wrote a couple years back about other science resources we've used (especially note the additional nature study resources I link in that post, which I love!).
Have you used Apologia? What science curriculum do you use, and what do you think about it?
You know you have a problem with the writing curriculum when it produces tears. Tears when teaching homeschool math? Pretty much a given at one point or another. Tears with writing? Something is not working.
Writing Curriculum - Previous Experience With IEW
The first time we tried using Institute For Excellence In Writing (IEW) was when my oldest was in the 3rd grade, when we tried one of their topical writing programs (All Things Fun And Fascinating). I had listened to several interviews and talks from Andrew Pudewa, the founder of IEW, and I really liked his approach - having kids outline pieces of writing using keywords, and then re-writing it from memory a few days later. This is the approach that Benjamin Franklin used to teach himself to write well, and the benefit for this method with younger kids is that they don’t have to tackle one of the hardest parts of writing - thinking of something to write about. The subject is given to them, the structure is given to them, and they learn to re-write it in their own style without plagiarizing. I thought it would work wonderfully!
Well, it turns out that 3rd grade was a little too early for us. Instead of this fun opportunity for creativity that I hoped it would be, it became a kind of torture on my poor 9 year old boy who didn’t see why he had to learn this anyway.
The next year we put away IEW altogether, and his main writing practice was whatever writing was naturally included with his other subjects. I want my kids to be good at writing and confident in their abilities to write, because I think being able to communicate decently well in writing will take them far in life. But I don’t ever want to force my child to finish something through tears that they may not be ready for yet, and we weren't ready for IEW in 3rd grade.
After taking a break for a couple years, last year we gave IEW another go, but this time with their new(ish) Structure And Style for Students program, level 1A. This set includes videos explaining the assignment each week, given by Andrew Pudewa himself. Pudewa is a pretty entertaining speaker, and in the videos he breaks down each assignment into managable chunks. We did this program for my oldest and second child last year - I decided to allow them to do the program together because my 3rd grade girl was more inclined to like writing anyway, and I knew she would enjoy it.
A Typical Week
A typical week looked like:
(1) the kids watched the instructional video one day and started their keyword outline,
(2) they finished their outline the next day,
(3) they re-wrote the piece in their own style,
(4) I edited their first drafts,
(5) the kids re-wrote or typed it with errors corrected.
We did each of these tasks on a different day, so it wasn't overwhelming, and by the end of each week they had written a new report or story.
To Sum Up
Unlike the first time we tried IEW, the work was manageable this past year for my 5th grade boy. I could see that writing became easier for him over the course of the year, and he even started to have a little fun with it. Some of his fiction stories at the end were impressively well thought out and funny! I loved seeing his sense of humor come through more in his writing, and even though writing is not his favorite subject, I can see that he’s more confident in how to write a good paper than he was at the start of the year.
Lesson learned: if a curriculum isn't working well right now, it may work great in a couple more years! That's one of the beauties of homeschooling, allowing kids learn new skills when they are ready as an individual.
I think the biggest difference between the Structure and Style Program and the topical programs that we had used previously is the videos themselves. It's very convenient for me to be able to have the assignment explained to them through an interesting video (as opposed to sitting down and explaining the assignment using the book each week). It adds an interesting element to the curriculum that really worked for us this past year. You could 100% get the same benefit through the topical programs if you as the homeschool teacher are already familiar with the approach IEW takes, but the video program simplifies (or even eliminates) some of that extra prep work.
We are going to continue on with Structure And Style 1B this upcoming year, which is a continuation of the skills built in 1A, with a little more practice at essays and research papers toward the end of the year.
What We're Using For Other Areas Of Language Arts
Of course there are other elements to language arts beside writing.
For reading instruction I have used All About Reading for all my kids, so my 2nd grader (going into 3rd) and brand-new 1st grader will continue with that program this year.
For some extra practice with writing and grammar terms, spelling, etc, we use Language Lessons For A Living Education from Master Books for all three of the big kids.
I am also looking at a little more grammar and sentence diagramming practice with my two oldest, and for that I am considering Rod And Staff’s English program, which I would go through with them. Last year we tried Fix it Grammar from IEW, but right now it’s not clicking for the kids - I may save the rest of that program for the future while we try Rod and Staff.
We may also try the Rod And Staff spelling program for a couple of my kids, along with customized spelling lists.
And of course, for literature, we are enjoying lots of audiobooks and reading good books together! I do assign certain books for independent reading that go along with my kids' history curriculum, but I'll discuss that more in another post. I may also do a whole separate post on my favorite read-aloud booklist sources.
So yes, I’m that crazy person who has multiple programs for language arts instruction. Choosing a language arts program for every aspect of language arts is difficult for me, because I think various programs do different aspects of language arts better than others, and each of my kids have different strengths and weaknesses and need different approaches. So is it a little messy? Yes, but in the end, I hope we cover the bases.
Let me know if you have any questions about IEW!
I will respond through email, and may also do a Q&A post or answer on Instagram!
I have a few homeschool curricula posts almost ready to share, but in the meantime, I thought I would share the curriculum posts I wrote a couple years ago! Many of my feelings about the curriculum we've used have stayed the same, so alot of the resources and experiences I shared then are still relevant now. Keep in mind that a couple years ago I had a 4th, 2nd, and 1st grader, so I'm writing from that perspective!
Homeschool History: 4th, 2nd, and 1st - A few of my thoughts about history in homeschooling and a summary of all the curricula we had tried up to that point!
Homeschool Chat: Language Arts - Summary of what we've used for different aspects of language arts - reading, writing, spelling, etc. This has definitely changed some, so there will be updates to this post coming!
Homeschool Chat: Righstart Math - A thorough look at how we use Rightstart Math, which is the only math we've used in our homeschooling up to this point!
Homeschool Chat: Science - A look at the Apologia Young Explorers series, which is our main science curriculum, with a bunch of other resources we've used and liked for science.
Homeschool Bible Recommendations - Lots of Bible resources for kids in this post that I would still recommend!
I'm looking forward to sharing some updated thoughts and changes we're making as I get my thoughts in order!
Knock, knock, knock.
I crack open one eye and see the sunlight streaming in through the windows. Woodpeckers. Usually our woodpeckers are a problem in May, but all the birds seem to be arriving late this year. I bang my hand against the wall a few times to scare it off, and then pull the blankets back over my head.
Knock, knock, knock.
I'm starting to get a little exasperated now and I knock back on the wall a few more times. Finally, the woodpecker seems to have left.
I think about the sound that kept me awake last night, like the whining of a lost dog moving around our house. After worrying about it for 15 minutes, I sort-of woke Derek up to tell him I thought there was a dog wandering around outside. He told me it was the local elk mewing in the field down the hill. "Are you sure?" I had asked. "Positive," he replied as he closed his eyes again. I feel a little silly now for praying that whoever owned the "lost dog" would find it.
I push my thoughts away and roll over, squeezing my eyes shut against the sunlight, attempting go back to sleep.
Chirp, chatter, chirp.
A squirrel has decided to scold some other creature right outside my open window, and he's loud. Perhaps he's actually scolding me for daring to try to sleep past sunrise.
Basically all the wildlife is conspiring against my sleep cycle.
I give up and roll out of bed.
---
Even though I wish I could have a day to catch up on my sleep, I'm glad the squirrel scolded me out of bed this morning, because I actually have some time to write a chatty post. I'm sitting on the porch now, coffee cup on the table, listening to the birds singing in the trees, and feeling the warm sun on my back. Watching out of the corner of my eye as Wyatt practices aiming his unloaded .22 at a distant tree. We signed up the two big kids for 4H this year - actually, I should say Derek signed them up. I made it very clear that I didn't have the mental space this spring to manage 4H commitments, so it was up to him to make sure they stayed on top of their projects, and he has held up his end of the bargain admirably. Wyatt is shooting in the county fair competition this weekend. It's been really great to see how seriously he is taking gun safety, and to see him get more comfortable with shooting, because, as he reminds us frequently, he'll be old enough to hunt big game next year.
Gwen signed up for sewing in 4H, and she and Derek have been figuring out how to work a sewing machine - with a little help from me. I am still the only person in the house who knows how to thread a bobbin, so I'm not totally unnecessary. They made a cute little shirt together, and I'm so proud of Gwen for her hard work in learning how to follow a pattern - I don't even quite know how to follow a pattern! My sewing expertise is limited to blankets.
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At the beginning of June, I was sure I'd have buckets of time to read a bunch of books, organize the school room, take up a new hobby, and write on the blog. It was summer break, after all! No schoolwork on the to-do list for a few months. Unfortunately, that is not quite how it's worked out - I don't even know where June went, I just know I was out of the house almost every day for pre-planned trips, errands, appointments, the homeschool conference, and VBS. You don't even want to know how much I spent on gas. But the last appointments were checked off the list this week, and I am looking forward to catching up on house projects, cooking more, and yes, more reading and hobby time for the next month.
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Speaking of trips, for 4th of July weekend we all went to visit my grandparents at their cabin in a cute mountain town a few hours away. I love getting a chance to visit them each summer, because it's one of those trips that is just refreshing. We don't have a packed-full schedule, we just enjoy one or two activities and spend the rest of the time playing card games with my grandparents. Derek and I love card and board games, and we rope our friends into playing with us whenever we have them over for dinner, so it's a treat spending a whole weekend chatting and playing cards at the cabin. The kids usually run around outside, play a few games themselves, and watch movies during our downtime.
This visit my grandparents took us to an outdoor wildlife park that mainly featured animals that we have in the mountains, and a few from further north. Red foxes, coyotes, black bears, mountain lions, porcupines, elk, and even a wolf and a grizzly bear. We've seen many of these creatures many times in the wild, but it was really cool to see them up close. We got there in time for the afternoon feeding, and the keeper told us about each animal as they came to the near side of their enclosures to eat. It was really cool! Afterwards we went out for pizza, then home for sparklers in their driveway since the fireworks display was cancelled for inclement bad weather.
It was a great weekend all the way around!
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On our way home from visiting the cabin, we decided to stop at a trail to a waterfall that we usually don't have time to visit. We piled out of the car and spied the waterfall in the distance, then read the sign directing us to either the main trail or the "primitive" trail. Well, let's do the primitive trail! We set off and followed the kids up an overgrown, rocky path, over a log here, under a fallen tree here.
After crossing a small but steep gully, we couldn't figure out where the "primitive" trail was anymore. Derek decided to climb up the hill and see if there was a good way through for the kids. As he came back down the hill, announcing it was too dicey to take the kids that way, I spotted the main trail down the hill through some trees. We all scrambled over a fallen tree and a marshy area, and reached the path.
As I led the kids along, I noticed that the main trail reconnected with the primitive trail on an easier path, and the big kids and I scrambled up and got an amazing view of the waterfall! The water was cascading 100 feet over a cliff into a little pool, then continued in a bubbling stream down the hillside. We could practically feel the mist on our faces, even though it was a couple hundred feet away, and a perpetual rainbow decorated the bottom of the fall. It was gorgeous!
It was indeed too steep for the kids to go any closer, so I sent them back down the path to rejoin Derek, but curiosity got the better of me - I picked my way across the hillside to get a little closer to the waterfall. At twenty feet from the falls, the water was roaring very loudly, and the mist occasionally whipped into my face, making my clothes damp. Then I noticed that Derek and the kids had gone on the main trail across the creek and were waiting on the platform on the other side - it seemed silly to go all the way back on the steep, somewhat slippery path to get up with the main trail, so I decided to cross the stream in front of the waterfall instead.
Did I mention I was only wearing flip flops for this hike?
It was somewhat poorly planned, but I made it safely across the stream (which wasn't deep at all or I wouldn't have attempted it), and met up again with Derek and the kids at the overlook on the other side. It was pretty amazing to be so close to such a tall waterfall!
We all were very impressed with the waterfall and agreed it was a great 4th of July adventure in lieu of fireworks.
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When we haven't been face-to-face with huge waterfalls or running mundane errands, I've really been enjoying being home this summer. Aside from it being somewhat stressful financially to go anywhere with gas prices as they are, I've really been enjoying cooking more when I've had a rare day at home. I've made a caramel apple pie a couple times now, biscuits and gravy from the Magnolia cookbook (which I must admit were a huge hit), and sweet and sour chicken from scratch (as good as any we've had at a restaurant). I really want to perfect a key lime pie this summer, and perhaps even attempt the holy grail of pies - the lemon meringue. I don't know how many times I've heard my dad fondly remember his granny's lemon meringue, and though I don't have any hope of supplanting her pies in my dad's memory, maybe my kids or grandkids can remember my lemon meringue pies with fondness someday.
For my birthday in June, Derek took me shopping at Ulta and Hobby Lobby and let me buy whatever I wanted - I got some nice lotion and makeup at Ulta, and at Hobby Lobby I found an inspiring watercolor and drawing book. I would really like to spend a little time playing with watercolor and practicing drawing this summer. I can't guarantee I will share any of my attempts online, but it's something I always wanted to get better at, and I'm hoping for more down time in the next few weeks to practice.
On the to-do list for today though, I have to call and set up a couple more doctor appointments (though these won't be for a couple months yet), register for our homeschool umbrella school for the next year, renew HSLDA, start to plan a bit for next school year and potentially order some curriculum, and cut Gwen's hair. It reaches to her shorts waistband right now, but she wants it to be mid-back length instead.
The kids have donned their swimsuits to play in the kiddie pool on the porch, and I just spotted a water gun, so I think I'll wrap this up before water comes flying this way!
How has your summer been so far? Has it been as crazy as my June was, or have you had some down time?
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