Question from a Newbie

The Outdoor Secrets book and Companion (available from SCM) are a great intro to Science/Nature study. I am going to be using it with mine this year. I haven’t used 106 Days yet, but if you want to delay it for a while the Outdoor Secrets set along with it’s suggested living books might make a fun substitute.

If you are not going to start HS until the fall, use the 106 Days along with Module 1, since they do go so well together.  (I can tell you that your 4yo will want to be in all the experiments in 106 Days.  My 3yo loves doing it with my older girls and has insisted on having a nature study journal as well.  =)  We have enjoyed it.

Then use Outdoor Secrets and Companion as a fun intro to “formal” school next summer with your 4 yr old, since it seems to want you to spend lots of time outdoors.  =)  (Looking for worms in the middle of winter doesn’t appeal to me.)  and then let it lead right back into repeating the 106 Days over the next year too, since you can add tons of living books and things. Every time the kids repeat something like this, they learn more because their understanding, knowledge, and maturity have grown as well.  By the third grade, the 106 Days is supplemented by Condsidering God’s Creation curriculum, which allows you to continue your dd education and keep everyone together.  These are great as you find your groove as a homeschooling mom. 

Then look into the Apologia books.  They look interesting too.  =)

Actually, you can repeat it like that, but you as the teacher might get completely burned out on it.  (If you are the kids will know it and pick up the oh, yuck its science feelings. I would probably be burnt out if I did it over and over…)  Here are some ideas for rotations:

Do it for this year to go with the Mod 1, do Outdoor Secrets in the summer, and maybe repeat 106 Days if you are interested for the second year. 

For the second year: if you decide to not reapeat 106 (depending on levels of interest to you and your children) you can choose to read living books about different science areas like habitats, etc.  For fun living books, look at the Thorton W. Burgess books.  My kids are enjoying them, and they are not expensive.

For the third year you could repeat 106 Days and use Considering God’s Creation with it or by itself, and that should catch your youngest into the family loop (although he’s pretty young – you’ll probably enjoy repeating the Outdoor Secrets books at that point as well).   I would also have my oldest start reading her own living science chapter books, like the Burgess books.

Then I would use some of the Apologia books.  Those are pretty cool.

However, lots of ladies on here also say that living books and nature study is enough through the sixth grade.  This includes all the stuff you have already introduced your kids to: flowers, trees, bugs, animals, birds, weather cycles, conservation, etc. I know this is true in my heart, but my head kinda still thinks I need to use a book…=)  (I am still catching up on the “deschooling” of myself). 

The cool thing about CM is that you can choose a variety of things and still be spreading the feast, and really, none of it will “hurt” your children.  =)   There are no CM police telling us to do it this way or you will damage your children.  You know them best, and you will find a groove that works for all of you.  As you do, you’ll have joy in your homeschooling and find the right things for your family.