I am going to do the new Discovering Nature series that Queenhomeschool.com has out. We are doing the Parables From Nature one. There are 4 in the series to choose from all though I think the first in the series may be too young for you. All though, I always think adding your own research and reading to anything is a very good idea. When the children get interested in a lesson in particular, find a book to delve into it more. That's what we are doing this year. And I have bought some science kits that meet the provincial learning outcomes (dirty words, lol) and a couple that looked fun to do. We will use our Noeo science lab book blank forms with the experiments.
Yes, we did Noeo last year. My husband and I were not entirely thrilled with the Noeo. All though a fine idea as far as creating their own lab notes and drawings, the lesson plans gave smatterings of readings to do from the so-so books that came with it. So essentially, you were "reading" a "textbook" the Noeo writers had put together unintensionally through the lesson plans. Do you know what I mean? Read this page today, read the bottom of this other page today, read from this book these 2 pages today, do the experiment.... not enough meat to it. So we started reading the whole books but they were borderline twaddle some of them. I am not a fan of the DK Eye Wonder books or some of the Usbourne ones either. Just my 10cents.