Year 1 Science – Outdoor Secrets & companion, booklist… anything else?

Nikki,

If your children are grade 2 and below this would probably be fine.  There is 50 lessons and with also incorporating Nature study, it would also be part of your science year.  If after the 50 lessons are done if you have more time in your year you could just supplement by reading some good living science books such as the Thronton Burgess.  My children have really liked these. They teach about the different animals while having a lively story to interact with.  You can also find these books free online.   Anyway that is my thoughts regarding Outdoor Secrets.

Take care,

KIm.

Outdoor Secrets with the companion is lovely, I used it this year with my 5 turned 6 year old.  It was just right for her.  It will depend on the age of your child, but since you said year 1, I assume she is around the same age.

Outdoor Secrets on its own is nice, but with the Companion Sonya gives additional reading and ideas.  For example, there is a story about an earthworm in Outdoor Secrets.  In the companion, this covers three lessons.  In the first you read the story (fun and entertaining), second lesson go dig up an earthworm, study it and draw it, third lesson read an additional story about an earthworm that covers more about how they live/what they do.  There is also a note in the margin about additional information to be found in Comstock’s Book of Nature Study.

You could easily put this together yourself from Outdoor Secrets, but with the companion it’s already done for you.

I would say it is enough for a 5 or 6 year old for one year, if they are not too science hungry.  Keep in mind there are 50 lessons and spread them out accordingly.

We have the Outdoor Secrets book with Companion guide and love it.  My two youngest boys have enjoyed it very much (8 and 5 yo).  I don’t think you’d have to add anything in if you follow the guide unless you just want to read extra living books, which is always a great idea and extra Nature Study.

I have used 106 Days with my 12 and 8 yo (when they were a bit younger), but my 5yo just tagged along, they were a bit younger at the time, and we spent alot of time getting through it.  My 12yo did not receive the benefit of an Outdoor Secret-type intro to Science and I wish he had. He is a bright kid so I didn’t mess him up, but I would have liked to have gently intoduced him to great living books at 3, 4, 5, and 6 yo like I have been able to do with my 2 younger boys. 

Each “science” recommedation is just that….a recommendation…..some like to start out with Apologia/Nature Study, some have done the 106 Days, some only Nature Study/living books (the list goes on and on) until the kids get older or just cont. with that.   And, if I am correct, the Hours in the Out-of-doors does not have lesson plans, it’s more like a “how-to” we have the Outdoor Secrets for the guide/lesson plans/book list, etc.

I hope this helps, I am kind of new to this as well and science is my least favorite subject, unless we can read about:)

I think, after getting all three of the things that SCM recommends this year and looking at them, that I would start with the Outdoor Secrets and Companion (50 fun, easy lessons), then do 106 Days of Creation, and then do the Apologia series, which is more “intense” than either of the other two.  It makes sense to me to do it this way, and I would have started it that way if I had HS sooner with CM.  =)  HTH 

We are doing the 106 Days of Creation this year, and having my girls read all the Thorton Burgess books I can get them through.  They are older than yours. 

It would depend on how you are going to split up your year.  If you were interspersing your “formal” lessons with books on the subjects, you would be able to make it work for a K-1 child for a school year, which is typically about 36 weeks.  The next year (106 Days) is planned for 3 days a week, plus Nature Study.  None of this is overly intensive, and has lots of experiments with everyday things.  Great lead into the more formal Apologia, which all have a notebook type journal to accompany the text – with copywork, nature study, journalling, etc in them.

I thought Outdoor Secrets was a great way to “train” your child to be aware of Nature and the things around you…You could almost do one science day and one Nature Study day, with both focusing on what you were doing that week, but that probably depends on the subject/time of year.  I loaned my copy to a friend, so can’t get more detail specific.

Your school year is whatever is required by your state or determined by your needs/wants.  Most people do about 36 weeks of school just so that they can keep records easier.  The planning is made easier by setting yourself some time frames.  (The “Planning Your CM Education” is helpful, and I would think, especially now when you are essentially starting her fresh.)

Also, you don’t have to buy every book right now either, you can spread it out over the next little while, to make it easier on the budget.  You can also just look up the topic you are reading about at the library and use what they have if money is an issue.   (We actually do school April to March so I can use our tax return – I admit I like getting all my books up front.  It makes me feel more prepared.)  =)