Name: CHEC Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-12T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-14T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Denver, CO

Tagged: Nature study, science

This topic has 13 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 4 months ago by HollyS.

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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January 13, 2015 at 9:13 pm
BlessedMommy
Participant
So we tried, and we tried again and then again one more time… Apologia’s Chemistry & Physics text with the Jr. Notebooking Journal and it’s just. NOT. working for my 7 year old. I’m admitting defeat and putting it aside. Probably selling it actually.
Anyways, after borrowing Nature Connection from the library and looking it over, I thought it would be a great solution for our Nature Studies because I felt like a ship lost at sea in that department. And this pretty much lays it out for my month by month and serves as her journal as well. So we are waiting for our own copy to come in the mail.
However, is nature study enough for Science alone? When I carefully planned out my year using SCM as my guide, Science and Nature Study seemed to be scheduled as 2 separate things. Science 2 days a week and Nature Study 1 day. (that’s what I got from it anyways). We also have the Burgess Bird Book which I have yet to figure out how to fit in but, I saw it listed as a living book for Science…so would I replace my 2 days of scheduled Apologia with that perhaps? or 3 days of Nature Study/journaling?
I’m intrigued by Outdoor Secrets but, wondering if it makes sense doing it along WITH Nature Connection. Forgive my rambling… I just want so badly to find something that works but still feel like I’m not leaving anything important out.
January 13, 2015 at 10:21 pm
sarah2106
Participant
Sorry Apologia is not working. My sister is using the elementry Chem/physics book with her girls and it has been a bit tougher, over their heads, except the 5th grader. It seems some of the books are tougher than others for younger grades. We really enjoyed astronomy, and the kids like botony this year, though a bit in depth.
We did outdoor secrets when my oldest was in 1st grade and really liked it a lot! I had younger ones and they also enjoyed listening to the books.
Sorry not a lot of specific help. I hope you can find a solution that works for your family.
January 13, 2015 at 11:15 pm
BlessedMommy
Participant
Thanks. I keep hearing so many wonderful things about Outdoor Secrets. I just looked at the samples for the book and companion and I’m really liking what I see. But, Nature Connection is in the mail.
So now I’m pondering this…
1 day of Outdoor Secrets
1 day of Nature Connection
1 day of Burgess Bird Book (I found some great free resources including a study guide to go with it).
Is this a crazy idea, to use 3 different things? Also, she occasionally reads to me from the Christian Liberty Nature Readers so that’s even more nature stuff.
January 13, 2015 at 11:24 pm
sarah2106
Participant
For me, I do not like to many books going for the same subject at once. It is my personality to finish a book before starting something new.
Maybe do Nature Connection since you have it on its way and the Bird book and see how it goes. I have not looked at Nature Connection, but nature study is science. Hands on learning at its best 🙂
January 13, 2015 at 11:30 pm
Wings2fly
Participant
We have done both Outdoor Secrets and Burgess Bird Book. I think your Nature Connection could be a weekly outdoor nature study with nature notebook. Then on two days per week, I would do one or the other at a time for a term. Winter is a good time to study birds and set up a bird feeder at your window. Then do Outdoor Secrets when the weather warms up and you can go out to see the flowers and worms and dragonflies and bees, etc. We really enjoyed that one. But neither of these will cover much chemistry or physics in a direct way like Apologia does. I am planning to have my son read in 6th grade Mystery of the Periodic Table, Sloane’ s The Weather Book, and The Sciences by Holden. I used to think we needed more than living books and nature study and we did some Apologia books when my kids were younger. My son now says he thought it was long and boring. So we use only living books and nature study now until grade 7 or 8. I still have the Apologia, but as a resource or free reading. You do not have to read the chapters in order.
January 13, 2015 at 11:55 pm
BlessedMommy
Participant
Thanks so much. I like that idea Wings2fly. Since I already have Burgess on hand I will start with that 2 days per week and do Nature Connection 1 day a week. (Whats cool about that one is that she won’t need a separate notebook…Nature Connection IS the notebook) and when it gets closer to spring, I will order Outdoor Secrets. I’m feeling so much better just having put the Apologia aside. I think my daughter will feel better about it too. 🙂
January 14, 2015 at 6:19 am
nebby
Participant
To answer one of your questions — yes, nature study is enough! Don’t feel bad ditching Apologia. Science at this age is about building observational skills and maintaining their natural inquisitiveness. It is not about learning specific facts. There will be plenty of time for that later.
Nebby
http://www.lettersfromnebby.wordpress.com

January 14, 2015 at 6:21 am
Melanie32
Participant
I agree with Nebby! Yes! Nature study is enough. 🙂
I would think that 7 is way to young for chemistry no matter what the curriculum recommends.
January 15, 2015 at 7:23 am
jeaninpa
Participant
I’m sorry that the Chemistry didn’t work for you, but I would echo what someone else said that the subject matter would be better suited to an older child. I wouldn’t sell the book just yet, you may find it works perfectly in a few years. My children enjoyed the Astronomy or the Swimming Creatures book at that age.
Thanks for introducing me to The Nature Connection. I wasn’t familiar with it and I love the looks of it. I’m considering ordering three of them for my three youngest! Maybe I should order one for myself too. :>
January 15, 2015 at 8:17 am
Mysterious Lady in Pink
Participant
I totally agree about the nature study comments! My adult kids focused on nature study for the elementary years (a plan endorsed by my physics-teacher husband) and didn’t do more “traditional science” until middle school years, quite successfully. Nature study and nature notebooks is a terrific foundation for higher-level sciences.
January 15, 2015 at 9:58 am
my3boys
Participant
I agree with all of the comments you’ve already received but just wanted to add that Outdoor Secrets is such a great resource that I’d use it again with my 9yo if I could!
Seven is so young, and if you think about it…you could begin “formal” studies in 7th grade and still get in 6 years of textbook science (if that’s what you want).
January 15, 2015 at 9:26 pm
BlessedMommy
Participant
Thanks so much for all of the reassurance and encouragement everyone! 🙂
Jeaninpa – I was pondering getting a copy for myself too. 🙂
My3boys that’s great to know. I definitely want to get the book and the companion book, probably after we at least get through the Burgess Bird Book. Nature Connection is meant to be used for 12 months so that will just be an on going thing we do once or twice a week.
January 16, 2015 at 11:27 am
artcmomto3
Participant
My 4th grader is doing Chem/Physics this year at co-op, and it has been a bear (and I love physics!). I think part of it is all the new language introduced, the difficult concepts taught, and the fact that we are cramming it in 20 weeks as opposed to 30-36 weeks. They have one week per chapter, and to me it feels rushed.
With that said, I think this is one of the harder books. Last year in 3rd grade she studied astronomy. She got to where she was able to do the reading on her own, and she ate it up! It was one of her favorite subjects. However, chem/physics is too hard for her to read independently, and I have to sit with her and help her with it. And then I am doing 106 Days with my 2nd grader. Next year we are going to combine science and do Answers in Genesis. I will toss in some nature study as well.
I am not sure about rotating science curricula. Since they are all nature related, it may not matter. The Burgess books you could definitely rotate in to your lessons. Right now I am rotating spelling curricula with my daughter b/c she really likes All About Spelling, but I want her to use Spelling Wisdom too. They each meet two different needs and it has not been a problem rotating at all. I would think science would be the same way.
January 17, 2015 at 8:24 am
HollyS
Participant
After previously using Apologia, we switched this year. We’ve been enjoying AIG’s God’s Design Series. We are going through the animal book right now. It doesn’t have quite as much information as Apologia, but is still very interesting to read. Some of the worksheets are busy-work, while others are more CM friendly (like labeling parts of animals or comparing different types of animals)…I pick and choose which they do. By adding in some narration, I’d consider it CM friendly.
In addition to this, we have one nature book going. For this we’ve done A Pioneer Thanksgiving, One Small Square books, Nature Friend Magazine articles, etc. We’re also using Natural Science Through the Seasons. With a 7yo, I think just a nature book alone would be plenty…Nature Connection looks like a great nature book!