Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

This topic has 7 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 9 months ago by Theups1.

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

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July 10, 2017 at 2:22 pm
Theups1
Participant
SCM says nature studies through 6th grade. But Apologia studies (which I believe Jeannie Fulbright says are CM based???) start as early as 1st.
Have y’all done an official science like Apologia in 6th or nature studies still?

His
Shari
July 10, 2017 at 3:53 pm
Jamie
Participant
We did Apologia Science + Nature Study with our 6th grader last year. It works out great to do one about 2-3 times a week, then enjoy nature on Fridays.
Just my personal opinion… I believe the Young Explorer series is recommended for K-6, but I would not use them before 2nd grade. They are pretty in depth and even I struggle with all that information sometimes. The key is short lessons just 2 – 3 tines a week with narrations.
July 10, 2017 at 3:58 pm
alphabetika
Participant
My oldest daughter did the Apologia YE Botany in 6th grade, mostly on her own. This was long enough ago that there were none of the notebooking journals and things that go along with them now, though she did answer the questions and do a lot of botanical art to go along with her studies, because she enjoyed it. I agree with Jamie that the series would be best used with kids at least 2nd grade, and the botany book was perfect for a 6th grader to use mostly independently. I haven’t seen the newer studies (anatomy and chemistry?), but I did use the Flying Creatures book with my 2nd daughter when she was about 4th grade and I briefly used the Astronomy book with her when she was younger than that.
I was nowhere near as CM then as I am now. With my current almost-8yo I’m doing interest-led living book science and nature study and it’s working wellfor us. We used Outdoor Secrets for 1st grade and that was wonderful.
July 10, 2017 at 4:17 pm
Karen Smith
Moderator
Just to clarify, for grades 1-6 we recommend living books on a variety of science topics along with nature study.
July 10, 2017 at 4:55 pm
Jamie
Participant
Karen – Is there a list of living science books (according to younger + middles) that you guys recommend?
July 10, 2017 at 8:01 pm
Karen Smith
Moderator
You can find lists of living science books we recommend by downloading the free samples of our living science courses.
In addition to the book lists in our science courses, I recommend most books by
- Jim Arnosky
- Millicent Selsam
- Nic Bishop
- Sandra Markle
- Robert McClung
- Gordon Morrison
There are many other authors of living science books, but the above list is a great starting point. Each of the listed authors has written several books on nature/science topics, has a passion for nature/science, and has a “living” writing style.
July 10, 2017 at 10:02 pm
Jamie
Participant
Karen – Thank You!! 😀😀😀
July 12, 2017 at 3:23 pm
Theups1
Participant
Thank you all!!