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What to do after 106 Days of Creation Studies if not Apologia?
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Okay, I’m thinking WAY ahead here, but I need suggestions for a good 2nd grade science if we do 106 DOCS for 1st this coming year. I’m not an Apologia fan, so that won’t work. I would like a CM-type curriculum, but it MUST be young earth creation based. Preferably nothing too prep-intensive, though, because I’ll also have a 5yr old, 3½yr old, 1½yr old, and could easily be pregnant again at the beginning of that school year.
I’ve seen several people mention Real Science 4 Kids, but I haven’t seen anything on their site about being Christian or secular. Which are they?
Also, is the God’s Design Series by AIG CM friendly or straight-out textbooks?
Hi Heather,
I offer this humbly but how about using God’s creation — the great outdoors — along with some wonderful read-alouds? Our family goals with Science & Nature (we have a 2nd-grader and 5-year-old) are to “cultivate the power of accurate observation and build up understanding” (think that’s taken from A.Comstock), enjoy God’s handiwork and love, respect and care for His creation. We’re trusting that raising our children to trust God’s word will do more than a purchased curriculum. We do keep nature journals and have a field microscope (which may or may not come out). I xerox copies from some pages of the nature journals, print out some of my son’s narrations and add photos to our portfolio which have been plenty for our superintendent at this point.
I think there has already been a thread on nature activities for winter so I won’t add any of that.
I think ahead as well and have been looking at Creation Science Evangelism’s resources for “sharpening my arrows” when my children are older. My husband and I try to be prepared to answer other people’s questions as well as our children’s in this area.
HTh some
Richele
We aren’t doing 106 Days of Creation until next fall (2nd grade) so for 1st grade we are simply using Handbook of Nature Study by A. Comstock and nature study notebook. I followed amblesideonline’s nature schedule (listed below). So for example for mammels we studied dogs, cats, horses, etc whatever interested my daughters. We’d get living books from the library and would observe the animals when we could and draw a sketch of a select few for our notebooks (ambleside suggests 5 or 6 sketches of nature per semester I think). For birds we read from Burgess Bird Book and my dd age 7 learns alot about birds from this storybook! If you go to their website they also give you tips for what to do for nature study/science. My girls have learned a lot just keeping things simple!
Year 1
Summer/Fall Term – mammalsWinter Term – birds (bird poems; bird songs; hummingbird birth) Spring Term – wildflowers (Northeastern wildflower guide)
Tara
There is a newer science program I was looking at, called NOEO science – they have a website if you search it. It is christian based, without being preachy about it. If I recall, it looked CM friendly.
Yes, AIG is alittle textbooky, but you don’t have to use it that way. Use it as a guide, not a textbook. The lessons are short, so that’s taken care of. It has a read aloud section; instead of asking questions, have them narrate.Since you have the topics there laid out for you, find living books for the children to use for that “lesson”, expanding and keeping wihth the CM model. There are hands-on activities as well.
Another option for science, for grades 3-up (which is really the earliest time to start “formal” science) would be “Considering G-d’s Creation”.
Up unitl then, or whenever you start, just use living, Creation-based books, fact books from the library, Creation science videos, use First Nature Guides and observe the outdoors, marveling at His Creation and promote the Creation Notebook as it encourages observtion skills. If you’re inspired and curious about Creation, they will be, too and them learning about it will become effortless for you as they will be self-motivated learners. This way of doing things, as opposed to using AIG or any other “prepared curriculum”, CM friendly or not, will allow you to include all the children. Also, you could use the “BAckyard Scientist” Series for project ideas for almost all your children. May I also suggest the Jonathan Park Series (cheapest at Amazon). Also, I suggest subscribing to either Nature’s Friend-,http://www.naturefriendmagazine.com/ or Creation (by Creation Ministries International)http://creation.com/creation-magazine or Creatin Illustrated-http://www.creationillustrated.com/
Just my personal opinion here, because I don’t know your reasons and it’s your business; but as some of your children get older, one or two may be real science lovers. My son is and I haven’t used Apologia as a “curriculum” at all, but he LOVES to read them for himslef and do the projects for himself. He has been given them for Holidays and B-days just as if they were “regular” books. He wants all of them everntually; he has 4 of them and read through them all more than once.
If you need ideas where to get Creation products at the best prices, other than at used bookstores and library sales (inc. videos), let me know.
Rachel
Thanks for the responses so far, ladies! I was also just considering extending 106 DOCS out over 2 years combined with nature study by adding in my own choices for living books, too, but I haven’t really decided what to do.
Real Science 4 Kids is what I would call pure science, no Creation and no evolution. It leaves it for the parents to discuss with the child. I’ve used several of their textbooks (and absolutely love them) and have never come across anything that concerns me. The author herself is Christian, but she chooses to write her books without mention of secularism or religion so that more people can use them and so that the parent can discuss their particular religious beliefs.
I consider it very CM-friendly and very easy to teach and use, even with little kids in the house!
Heather
I think he may get more out of it at 7 than 6. That’s what happened at my house and then even more so after that.
You can request a sample issue from Creation Illustrated; maybe that would be good this year. Mine weren’t as interested in that one, but yours may. Or the children’s section of Creation while you read the rest?
Rachel
What a great thread….I have been looking at science curricula too. If you don’t use a set like Apologia, AIG, Noeo, etc., then I guess you can just pick topics and books on these subjects to dig a little into each subject…? I am still not sure how to do science the CM way. There are no real guide lines like with a classical curriculum having them do life science, earth science, chemistry, and then physics. We keep our nature journals, and get library books for experiments often, so is there a need for anything more structured at this point? (oh, ages 7 and 9)
When did CM start “formal science”? Or did she do that at all?
I posted how we do science at my blog here, choosing a topic and using tons of library books . I have a list of books that either I have used or plan to use for each of those subjects. If you’re interested I can post them on my blog also. It’s mostly for the elementary/early middle school years.
Heather
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