Science "Curriculum" for a First Grader

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  • February 24, 2011 at 1:54 pm
    MamaSnow
    Participant

    OK, I realize a full science curriculum isn’t necessary for a first grader, and that it’s been stated over and over again that nature study and living books are enough.   However, I’m (gulp) terribly inconsistent with nature study Embarassed so I’m a little nervous about making that our whole “science” program.  When we go back overseas we won’t have library access either to find more books on various topics as they interest us either.   I’m starting to think I’d really feel a bit more comfortable if I had a “curriculum” to follow – just to keep us on track even if we don’t read and do everything in them.  I’ve looked at Apologia and at the Answers in Genesis series…which look like they’d be a little over the head of the first grader, but maybe they could be adapted for now and then revisted in detail later (it looked like the Answers in Genesis ones were formatted this way)?  Anyone ever done this?  Or any other ideas for 1st-2nd grade level that would give us some kind of ‘framework’ at least?  We would certainly supplement with nature study and living books as well…I’m just feeling like I need something that would help keep us on track with those other things.

    I have considered the SCM resources as well…I’ve looked at 106 Days of Creation Studies but am a little concerned about being able to find (and ship) enough of the books to go with it (hence why I’m leaning more towards a “narrative” style textbook that would be more of an ‘all in one’ resource).   We may already use Outdoor Secrets later this year since I think that would be more appropriate to use while we are still in North America. 

    Thanks for any thoughts and suggestions. =)

    Jen

    February 24, 2011 at 2:46 pm
    alice
    Participant

    I don’t know if this will be helpful or not, but I’m doing Ambleside this year with my 1st grader and we just did The Burgess Bird Book and James Harriot’s Treasury for Children.  It ended up being a chapter every other week in the bird book.  Next year I will just continue the book with both my first and sedond grader, since I have more than 1/2 of the book still available.  As far as nature study, I too, am just awful with it! 🙂  I have though, decided that my main goal for nature study was to get my children to be more observant of nature (they love drawing in their journal, the 2 or 3 times we actually did it)..and not to gain tons of science facts.  That has cut down so much of my guilt for not doing things “Just right” in that area.  I will be using Apologia when my kids are in 2/3rd grades.  But for now, I’m keeping it simple.  I hope you find an answer to your question!

    February 24, 2011 at 2:56 pm
    Cindie2dds
    Member

    I love Outdoor Secrets.  I have read it to my girls twice.  They are asking for it again for the fall.  The companion is wonderful and those books are more easy to find at the library than 106 Days are (although 106 is on our school plan for later 3rd grade-ish).  Right now we are reading James Harriot’s and The Burgess Animal Books as well as The Storybook of Science.  Once you go outside, you would be surprised at what they look at and for.  I tried to do a “science curriculum” with my oldest twice, one with an Usborne… 

    Another suggestion is Queen Homeschool has a nature curricula (3 different ones, I think), narrative style, based on some lovely books.

    Hope that helps.

    February 24, 2011 at 3:32 pm
    Polly
    Participant

    We really enjoyed Clara Dillingham Pierson books Among the … from Yesterday’s classics.  We read the other books mentioned too.  These were our favorites by far.  We use Apologia for my 9 year old.  My 6 year old has been listening to them.  I’m amazed at how much she picks up.  But if you are looking for just a 1st grader I’d go to the Pierson books.  Very enjoyable but lots of information.  🙂

    February 24, 2011 at 6:02 pm
    dmccall3
    Participant

    Those Burgess boooks and a few of the Pierson books are available for free for ebook readers and things like the ipad. There are actually tons of nature books such as those available. Manybooks.net is my go-to resource for that sort of thing.

    HTH!

    Dana

    February 24, 2011 at 6:13 pm
    Heather
    Participant

    We’ve not yet started the Pierson books, but I purchased all of them in one paperback for less than $20 on Amazon.

    February 24, 2011 at 6:41 pm
    jeaninpa
    Participant

    I like the Apologia books and think that a first grader would do ok with them if you are doing it together.  My 5 and 6 year olds listen in and enjoy those books. 

    My first choice for that age though would be the Christian Liberty Nature Readers.  They are great!  We also like the Magic Schoolbus books and some Usborne books — we’ve used Wild Places,  Living World Encyclopedia and the Science Encyclopedia.  Of course, with Magic Schoolbus and Usborne you will not get a Christian worldview.

    February 24, 2011 at 8:22 pm
    houseofchaos
    Participant

    God’s Creation series by Christian Liberty Press might work.  I think I have K through grades 2.  I could dig them out if you’re interested in knowing more.

    Gaeleen

    February 24, 2011 at 8:39 pm
    suzukimom
    Participant

    I have been using the Christian Nature Readers with my son – both as a practice for him for reading, and also for a bit of “nature study” type science.

     

    February 24, 2011 at 8:40 pm
    suzukimom
    Participant

    forgot to mention, my son loves the Christian Nature Readers, and always wants to read more.

    February 24, 2011 at 8:40 pm
    mfurnell
    Participant

    I was just reading this Lens of Jimmie’s today…it’s a great science resource! Great!

    Melissa

     

    February 24, 2011 at 8:47 pm
    Cindie2dds
    Member

     

    We’ve not yet started the Pierson books, but I purchased all of them in one paperback for less than $20 on Amazon.  

     

     

    Thanks, Heather.  I’m going to try to find that.  Smile

    February 25, 2011 at 1:51 am
    RobinP
    Participant

    If you’re heading overseas, I would invest in a Kindle or something similar and load up on the free resources that many have mentioned.  You could have a vast library at your fingertips.  106 Days calls for many of the Burgess books and several of these are available for free or very inexpensively.  We have missionary friends who say they couldn’t do without their Kindle.  They are very remote, so without it, they would have absolutely no access to books.

    February 25, 2011 at 1:34 pm
    MamaSnow
    Participant

    Thanks for all the good ideas ladies…coming here and seeing all your ideas and wisdom always helps clear my thinking when I am complicating things too much (which I do tend to do sometimes….)

    And yes RobinP – I do have a Kindle and am slowly but surely building a library of cheap and free books on to it…part of why I am thinking several years down the road at the moment so I can be sure to gather what I need while it is much easier to do so. =)

    Here is what I’m thinking now….I was concerned about using 106 Days of Creation Studies as is because I was afraid of not being able to find all the correct resources for it (and then getting frustrated and having to tweak more than I want to…), even though I love the idea of it.   But I was just looking at Considering God’s Creation and thinking about sort of using that as a ‘spine’ over several years (maybe grades 1-3) – taking it gently and slowly since I would be working with a younger student, and then using that as a jumping off point to bring in other living books (such as those that have been mentioned, and those that are used in 106 Days that I would have access too), hands-on activities, and hopefully giving us the kick-in-the-pants that I need to stay on track with doing nature study regularly.    Any thoughts on that?   Also wondering for those of you who have used Considering God’s Creation – are there hands-on experiment type activities included in that, or would I need to track down the experiment books that are listed in 106 Days to add those things in?

    Thanks,

    Jen

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