I haven’t elaborated much on a lot of my current thinking regarding science. On the one hand, I think the model of studying the three “big” sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics) at the same time, a strand of each, showing how they intersect–that’s good, good stuff. On the other hand, I don’t have the desire nor the time to put that together right now. So, I’m going to take our cue from that plan without following it exactly.
What do I mean?
Next year, because of our “Hogwarts” school, I’m going to have EG learn some basic botany, with botany being an offshoot of biology. She’s also going to do some basic astronomy, for the same wizardly reason, and then her main science will be chemistry. I intend to have her work through some of her physics-based science kits that she has not yet completed periodically as well. This isn’t a huge expenditure of time, and I don’t have a good sense of how it will look, but essentially I want her to spend 16-34 one-hour sessions during her 2011-2012 each on astronomy, botany, and physics. That’s not a lot, and I think it’s doable.
Then, the next year, I’ll probably have her do some work on cells and genetics (rather than straight botany), plus continuing with astronomy. Her main focus will be physics, but we’ll add in some chemistry work to review and refresh (more on that later). The following year will be biology, with some time spent on astronomy plus physics and chemistry to keep them fresh in her mind. You see where this is going? Good, ‘cause that’s about as far as I have worked out. ;)
So, how to go about reviewing and refreshing chemistry? As it turns out, I’ve gathered several resources and will be working on gathering just a few more both to enhance her study during next year and provide an opportunity for review in the following years.
Starting in May and continuing through June and July, EG will read back through The Elements, which she completed near the end of third grade. She will also watch the lectures from the Great Courses’ High School Chemistry. Her main text will be Spectrum Chemistry, which is nicely designed to take three days a week (including lab) and take just thirty-two weeks. To supplement and provide extra practice, I have The 100+ Series Chemistry. I just received this today and it is awesome! I plan to check out some of the other books in the series. She also will read The Elements and The Joy of Chemistry.
During the next few years, she can do the exercises from The 100+ Series Chemistry again, since it’s a “reproducible activities” book. She can also watch the Great Courses’ High School Chemistry again, but use the accompanying workbook. She can re-read the supplemental resources mentioned above. I will have her work through Carbon Chemistry in order to go more in-depth with regards to organic chemistry. I also purchased (at one of the closing Borders stores) Chemistry for Dummies and its accompanying workbook. Finally, with regards to experimentation and labs, she’s already wanted the Thames & Kosmos Chem3000 Kit, so after we take out a second mortgage to pay for it, she can use that for several years too. There are additional resources listed on an amazon wishlist, including Caveman Chemistry, Chemical Magic, and The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry.
Why to go to all this trouble? I think that if we have time to see material twice or even three times, it helps to solidify it in our minds. I think that it’s important to review concepts each year rather than just hope we retain them. I know that sometimes one presentation of a concept will just “click” better than another. As an additional bonus, I won’t be trying to fit every amazing resource I can find into just one thirty-six week school year. Instead, EG will have a year of concentrated study of chemistry followed by plenty of time to review, explore, refresh, and deepen over the years to come. Her stated goal is to take all four offered AP science courses, so she will revisit chemistry in high school with a comprehensive course.
Showing posts with label homeschool: science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeschool: science. Show all posts
31.8.10
I Can't Help It, It's a Disease
With the year happily underway, I know what it means.
It's time to start thinking ahead. Time to start thinking about... 2011-2012.
Yes, I just created the "Homeschool 1112" folder on my computer.
I know, I know. Some haven't even started the 2010-2011 school year! I spread out our buying throughout the year, though, which means that very soon, I'll need to have a plan in order to purchase.
There's some good news. I know what I plan to use for FB for language arts and mathematics. The only real prep work that will need to be done for him is with regards to science and history. I know we'll continue with SOTW, so that is simply a matter of getting the activity guide and beginning to select books. For science, we'll do life science/biology, as suggested in WTM, but I need to select our spines, any experiments or experiment kits, and supplemental books. For EG, I know what I plan to use for language arts, including about half of the literature list. I plan to have her tackle geometry next year, and I have two of the three resources I plan to use. I do need to choose her history supplements. We'll continue with Latin Prep, and the art & music appreciation plans that we began this year. I think we'll use The Snake and the Fox for logic. So far, so good, right?
There's a little matter of a class called biology. O, hai there, bane of my existence. She wants to do high school biology next year. She's capable of this. That's not at issue. It's just... well, advanced math is pretty easy. We just keep doing the next thing, whether it's the next thing from Art of Problem Solving or the next thing from Life of Fred, or both. The sciences have more leeway. There's the molecular focus, or the zoological focus, or the ecological focus, or... well, you get the idea. To make matters worse, I was a biology major. Why does that make it worse? Because, as a result, I think every single part of biology is Of The Utmost Importance.
You would think that the lack of secular science material would mean I have few options. In a sense, this is true. All of the options I have identified were originally designed for classroom use, not homeschool use. It will also be necessary to add a laboratory component to the course, whatever I choose. The LabPaqs look like a possibility. If I seem to be rambling, that's because I essentially am. This has me far more flummoxed than I would like!
There was a thread on out of the box chemistry on WTM the other day, and I have half a mind to post a thread about out of the box biology. Surely there's some resource out there for biology that's vaguely reminiscent of Fred or MCT or...
In sum, though, my major decisions for next year are few. Decide on first grade life science spines, experiments, and supplemental books; choose books to accompany SOTW 2; finish EG's literature list; choose remaining history supplements for EG; and pick a biology curriculum for EG.
Sure. No sweat.
It's time to start thinking ahead. Time to start thinking about... 2011-2012.
Yes, I just created the "Homeschool 1112" folder on my computer.
I know, I know. Some haven't even started the 2010-2011 school year! I spread out our buying throughout the year, though, which means that very soon, I'll need to have a plan in order to purchase.
There's some good news. I know what I plan to use for FB for language arts and mathematics. The only real prep work that will need to be done for him is with regards to science and history. I know we'll continue with SOTW, so that is simply a matter of getting the activity guide and beginning to select books. For science, we'll do life science/biology, as suggested in WTM, but I need to select our spines, any experiments or experiment kits, and supplemental books. For EG, I know what I plan to use for language arts, including about half of the literature list. I plan to have her tackle geometry next year, and I have two of the three resources I plan to use. I do need to choose her history supplements. We'll continue with Latin Prep, and the art & music appreciation plans that we began this year. I think we'll use The Snake and the Fox for logic. So far, so good, right?
There's a little matter of a class called biology. O, hai there, bane of my existence. She wants to do high school biology next year. She's capable of this. That's not at issue. It's just... well, advanced math is pretty easy. We just keep doing the next thing, whether it's the next thing from Art of Problem Solving or the next thing from Life of Fred, or both. The sciences have more leeway. There's the molecular focus, or the zoological focus, or the ecological focus, or... well, you get the idea. To make matters worse, I was a biology major. Why does that make it worse? Because, as a result, I think every single part of biology is Of The Utmost Importance.
You would think that the lack of secular science material would mean I have few options. In a sense, this is true. All of the options I have identified were originally designed for classroom use, not homeschool use. It will also be necessary to add a laboratory component to the course, whatever I choose. The LabPaqs look like a possibility. If I seem to be rambling, that's because I essentially am. This has me far more flummoxed than I would like!
There was a thread on out of the box chemistry on WTM the other day, and I have half a mind to post a thread about out of the box biology. Surely there's some resource out there for biology that's vaguely reminiscent of Fred or MCT or...
In sum, though, my major decisions for next year are few. Decide on first grade life science spines, experiments, and supplemental books; choose books to accompany SOTW 2; finish EG's literature list; choose remaining history supplements for EG; and pick a biology curriculum for EG.
Sure. No sweat.
17.4.10
You Mean One Day I Won't Have to Make the Decisions?
A few months ago, EG and I had a fairly in-depth conversation about what she wanted to study next year and in the years following, all the way through high school, with regards to science. We discussed Advanced Placement courses, possible summer programs, the chance of finding a professor locally with whom she could do research, once she's in high school, the importance of a high level of comfort and enjoyment of math in order to do upper-level science - the whole nine yards. I have a few small things that I require, and we added those into the mix.
And here, then, is where we wade into somewhat uncharted territory. There's no reason that she can't do what it is she'd like to do, but I don't see many examples of it. Further, the assumption in most circles seems to be that a child who is capable of high school work before high school age should graduate from high school early. That's not our philosophy. EG will graduate from high school in the spring of 2018, just as she would have had we sent her down the street to school back in August 2005. Her high school education will not look the same as it would have in that scenario. She'll go both wider and deeper. I don't know which books she'll read for high school, or what electives she might choose. I do have an inkling of how she'd like the science portion of her transcript to read, though.
Luckily for her, her math skills are more than adequate to meet the pace she wants. It's common knowledge that math begins to be a prerequisite or co-requisite at higher levels of science, which can in fact hold some students back from the acceleration that they desire.
Science is EG's main area of interest, at this point, at least in terms of thinking about potential courses and direction. Charting a course with her input is a slightly new direction for me. I've become so used to making the necessary decisions for her education without any other input. Yes, occasionally my mother or the Spousal Unit will give his or her two cents' worth, and occasionally I've even asked for outside input. In the end, though, I've always been the final arbiter, and this - this represents a departure. I know it's a necessary one, but I'm thankful, I think, that she's ready to begin with one subject, so we can navigate the transition slowly, one area at a time. Not that she couldn't handle it otherwise; I'm just not sure how I would.
And here, then, is where we wade into somewhat uncharted territory. There's no reason that she can't do what it is she'd like to do, but I don't see many examples of it. Further, the assumption in most circles seems to be that a child who is capable of high school work before high school age should graduate from high school early. That's not our philosophy. EG will graduate from high school in the spring of 2018, just as she would have had we sent her down the street to school back in August 2005. Her high school education will not look the same as it would have in that scenario. She'll go both wider and deeper. I don't know which books she'll read for high school, or what electives she might choose. I do have an inkling of how she'd like the science portion of her transcript to read, though.
Luckily for her, her math skills are more than adequate to meet the pace she wants. It's common knowledge that math begins to be a prerequisite or co-requisite at higher levels of science, which can in fact hold some students back from the acceleration that they desire.
Science is EG's main area of interest, at this point, at least in terms of thinking about potential courses and direction. Charting a course with her input is a slightly new direction for me. I've become so used to making the necessary decisions for her education without any other input. Yes, occasionally my mother or the Spousal Unit will give his or her two cents' worth, and occasionally I've even asked for outside input. In the end, though, I've always been the final arbiter, and this - this represents a departure. I know it's a necessary one, but I'm thankful, I think, that she's ready to begin with one subject, so we can navigate the transition slowly, one area at a time. Not that she couldn't handle it otherwise; I'm just not sure how I would.
27.3.10
Book Review: Don't Be Such A Scientist.
You know there's something a little different about a book whose subjects on the back are listed as "Communication/Science/Film." Don't Be Such A Scientist could easily be viewed as a companion book to Unscientific America, since they describe different facets of the same problem. That problem is, namely, the vast disconnect between "science" and the "general public," especially on key issues such as evolution and global warming.
Randy Olson offers four prescriptive statements of what not to do: don't be so cerebral; don't be so literal minded; don't be such a poor storyteller; and don't be so unlikeable. He intersperses his suggestions with amusing anecdotes from his times as a Ph.D.-turned-film-student. It's amusing, makes good points, and is a quick read.
While he states that his audience is scientists, students, and the interested general public, I feel like the target audience is high school students and undergraduates. In fact, I think it is a perfect book to hand to a high school student who is interested in science - trying to get things right from the beginning, essentially, rather than trying to close the barn door after the horse has already escaped. And as a book for high school students or undergraduates, it hits all the right notes.
The final chapter is titled "Be the Voice of Science!" I must admit that I expected some sort of Plan, or at least some Suggestions. Instead, he mostly discusses that there is no template, and that each scientist must develop his or her own voice. Well - of course that's true. Some general discussion would have been helpful, though, along the lines of "here are some important things to know or note," or "here are a few ideas about skills that may be good to develop." I'm coming at this both as someone with scientific training (though no actual desire to work as a scientist), as well as the homeschooling parent of at least one child who will probably end up in a scientific field. (EG decided earlier this week she'd like to go to Cal Tech. Because "that kind of stuff is easy." Right-o.) What can I be doing to facilitate a well-rounded scientist?
I've told the Spousal Unit several times that I think being a well-rounded student takes more time when your area of specialty is math and science than the humanities or the arts. Not because math or science are inherently more time-consuming, but the level of knowledge which one needs of the humanities and the arts in order to be well-educated is so much higher than the amount of math or science necessary to be well-educated. A well-educated writer can take just three years of high school mathematics. A well-educated mathematician needs four years of literature study in high school, a good grasp on history, and an appreciation of aesthetics, in addition to whatever higher-level mathematics s/he is studying.
What I find myself wanting now is a discussion between a number of intelligent people about what things they personally would suggest. I think there would be some overlap, which would certainly indicate promising ideas, but I also think the atmosphere of discussion would yield new, maybe slightly off-the-wall ideas.
Randy Olson offers four prescriptive statements of what not to do: don't be so cerebral; don't be so literal minded; don't be such a poor storyteller; and don't be so unlikeable. He intersperses his suggestions with amusing anecdotes from his times as a Ph.D.-turned-film-student. It's amusing, makes good points, and is a quick read.
While he states that his audience is scientists, students, and the interested general public, I feel like the target audience is high school students and undergraduates. In fact, I think it is a perfect book to hand to a high school student who is interested in science - trying to get things right from the beginning, essentially, rather than trying to close the barn door after the horse has already escaped. And as a book for high school students or undergraduates, it hits all the right notes.
The final chapter is titled "Be the Voice of Science!" I must admit that I expected some sort of Plan, or at least some Suggestions. Instead, he mostly discusses that there is no template, and that each scientist must develop his or her own voice. Well - of course that's true. Some general discussion would have been helpful, though, along the lines of "here are some important things to know or note," or "here are a few ideas about skills that may be good to develop." I'm coming at this both as someone with scientific training (though no actual desire to work as a scientist), as well as the homeschooling parent of at least one child who will probably end up in a scientific field. (EG decided earlier this week she'd like to go to Cal Tech. Because "that kind of stuff is easy." Right-o.) What can I be doing to facilitate a well-rounded scientist?
I've told the Spousal Unit several times that I think being a well-rounded student takes more time when your area of specialty is math and science than the humanities or the arts. Not because math or science are inherently more time-consuming, but the level of knowledge which one needs of the humanities and the arts in order to be well-educated is so much higher than the amount of math or science necessary to be well-educated. A well-educated writer can take just three years of high school mathematics. A well-educated mathematician needs four years of literature study in high school, a good grasp on history, and an appreciation of aesthetics, in addition to whatever higher-level mathematics s/he is studying.
What I find myself wanting now is a discussion between a number of intelligent people about what things they personally would suggest. I think there would be some overlap, which would certainly indicate promising ideas, but I also think the atmosphere of discussion would yield new, maybe slightly off-the-wall ideas.
31.1.10
New Book, and New Directions
First, I discovered a great book today at the bookstore:
Why is it great? It has background information, biographical information, detailed information about evolution, and, best of all, integrates genetics into what I feel is its proper place, part and parcel of evolutionary theory. I had in the back of my head to put together an Evolution & Genetics class for the autumn for the co-op; whether it happens via co-op, another venue, or just in my own house (please let it be out of my basement with the tiled floor and the second kitchen, please let it be out of "my" new house, please please please), I think this will work amazingly well as a spine or jumping-off point. Ideally, I want EG to read Why Evolution Is True and perhaps the new Annotated Origin that was released last year.
Second, my plans for next year have taken a different turn. Through a series of conversations and too much time to think in the shower, I'm 95% sure that FB is going to start history next year, in kindergarten. This is mainly due to EG's desire to do at least one portion of school with her little brother. They are far enough apart in age that somewhat coordinating history is about the only way for it to happen. So FB will do SOTW 1 next year (K), SOTW 2 in first grade, and SOTW 3 in second grade. Then, in third grade, EG will be in eighth, and doing a full year of United States history, so FB will do the same, before finishing up the SOTW series with SOTW 4 in fourth grade.
This has thrown me into a tizzy. I wasn't planning to start history with him in August! I was planning on starting in August 2011! Eek! So naturally, I've spent my spare time attempting to start hashing out some semblance of a plan.
What I need to do starting tomorrow, though, is spend the 28 days of February getting the house in perfect shape to sell. Some good thoughts, a dash of prayer, a lot of manifesting, and of course some hard work... because I have got to make this happen.
Why is it great? It has background information, biographical information, detailed information about evolution, and, best of all, integrates genetics into what I feel is its proper place, part and parcel of evolutionary theory. I had in the back of my head to put together an Evolution & Genetics class for the autumn for the co-op; whether it happens via co-op, another venue, or just in my own house (please let it be out of my basement with the tiled floor and the second kitchen, please let it be out of "my" new house, please please please), I think this will work amazingly well as a spine or jumping-off point. Ideally, I want EG to read Why Evolution Is True and perhaps the new Annotated Origin that was released last year.
Second, my plans for next year have taken a different turn. Through a series of conversations and too much time to think in the shower, I'm 95% sure that FB is going to start history next year, in kindergarten. This is mainly due to EG's desire to do at least one portion of school with her little brother. They are far enough apart in age that somewhat coordinating history is about the only way for it to happen. So FB will do SOTW 1 next year (K), SOTW 2 in first grade, and SOTW 3 in second grade. Then, in third grade, EG will be in eighth, and doing a full year of United States history, so FB will do the same, before finishing up the SOTW series with SOTW 4 in fourth grade.
This has thrown me into a tizzy. I wasn't planning to start history with him in August! I was planning on starting in August 2011! Eek! So naturally, I've spent my spare time attempting to start hashing out some semblance of a plan.
What I need to do starting tomorrow, though, is spend the 28 days of February getting the house in perfect shape to sell. Some good thoughts, a dash of prayer, a lot of manifesting, and of course some hard work... because I have got to make this happen.
8.11.09
Science, Revisited
Science should be the easy thing. My educational background is in science, and I have a strong idea of what I want EG to cover. There doesn't seem to be a curriculum that's structured in a way that even approaches what I want, though. It needs to be at least somewhat homeschool-friendly, it needs to be totally secular, and it needs to be rigorous. It doesn't need to have unnecessary busywork; EG would definitely like to accelerate her science, and plodding through a long textbook doesn't appeal to either of us.
I entertained the faint hope of pulling together resources from experiment kits and living books, as I generally have for past years. Already this year, though, I was having trouble finding books at the appropriate level. Most science books written at the adult level assume a working knowledge of high school level science; they aren't seeking to impart it. Most children's or young adult books are below the correct level. I had discarded the idea of Prentice Hall's Science Explorer series (at least as a main text), based on the fact that it's really not written for homeschoolers at all, plus the fact that it would be difficult to accelerate through a textbook. I may still purchased used copies to have available as additional reference material.
When I first found the CTY online courses, I thought that was the answer, until I discovered the price. Then I discovered that CTY uses the PLATO courses... which are available for a far more reasonable price through the homeschoolbuyerscoop. Now we're talking!
I also wanted to take the time to do a history of science course... and a general science overview using The Joy of Science and the Teaching Company lecture series by the same name. I couldn't see exactly how we'd manage to fit in both a history of science and a general science, and still hit high school science in seventh grade, but it seemed like maybe I'd manage to figure it out, somehow.
So, my tentative plans for EG, as of today. Subject to change at any moment. :)
Fifth grade: Evolution & Genetic class (taught by me) at co-op [hopefully this will happen, anyway], PLATO Life Science, PLATO Earth & Space Science, and limited experiments as applicable for life, earth, and space science.
Late fifth grade/Sixth grade: The Joy & History of Science. I'm going to have to combine these, I decided. I'll start working on my syllabus sometime soon. Resources that I plan to use: The Joy of Science, The Joy of Science TTC lecture series, Science: The Definitive Visual Guide, Joy Hakim's Story of Science books, and one or two science kits. I'm looking at Thames and Kosmos' Milestones in Science (which would dovetail nicely with the historical approach), as well as Core Science MS-1 and Elements of Science. The last two appear to have significant overlap, so we'd definitely only use one of those two, but I have no idea what selection or combination to use. I will probably email Thames & Kosmos and ask if I can preview the experiment lists or something.
I could just ask which kit has the fewest number of experiments involving balloons.
I hate balloons.
Seventh grade: PLATO high school biology and/or PLATO high school chemistry. These are the courses used by CTY's online course, which says it usually takes six months to complete a course. Now, EG could always change her mind, but when we've talked about it previously, she said she liked the idea of accelerating and doing both in one year. Oi! I don't know what labs we'd do. A limited number, for sure, and I might decide she should use something like this book instead of a preset kit.
Eighth grade: Physics, most likely using Hewitt's Conceptual Physics.
Ninth-twelfth grade: APs. Either all four AP sciences, or three AP sciences and one year dual enrollment (if she wants to do even more in one area, for instance, or take geology or astronomy).
The only thing that really bothers me is using so much computer-based learning, so I'll have to be careful to flesh it out with appropriate books. The other potential issue is getting my "Joy & History of Science" syllabus done before it's actually time to start. Likely, though, I should get the history one for fifth grade done first. Details, details!
I entertained the faint hope of pulling together resources from experiment kits and living books, as I generally have for past years. Already this year, though, I was having trouble finding books at the appropriate level. Most science books written at the adult level assume a working knowledge of high school level science; they aren't seeking to impart it. Most children's or young adult books are below the correct level. I had discarded the idea of Prentice Hall's Science Explorer series (at least as a main text), based on the fact that it's really not written for homeschoolers at all, plus the fact that it would be difficult to accelerate through a textbook. I may still purchased used copies to have available as additional reference material.
When I first found the CTY online courses, I thought that was the answer, until I discovered the price. Then I discovered that CTY uses the PLATO courses... which are available for a far more reasonable price through the homeschoolbuyerscoop. Now we're talking!
I also wanted to take the time to do a history of science course... and a general science overview using The Joy of Science and the Teaching Company lecture series by the same name. I couldn't see exactly how we'd manage to fit in both a history of science and a general science, and still hit high school science in seventh grade, but it seemed like maybe I'd manage to figure it out, somehow.
So, my tentative plans for EG, as of today. Subject to change at any moment. :)
Fifth grade: Evolution & Genetic class (taught by me) at co-op [hopefully this will happen, anyway], PLATO Life Science, PLATO Earth & Space Science, and limited experiments as applicable for life, earth, and space science.
Late fifth grade/Sixth grade: The Joy & History of Science. I'm going to have to combine these, I decided. I'll start working on my syllabus sometime soon. Resources that I plan to use: The Joy of Science, The Joy of Science TTC lecture series, Science: The Definitive Visual Guide, Joy Hakim's Story of Science books, and one or two science kits. I'm looking at Thames and Kosmos' Milestones in Science (which would dovetail nicely with the historical approach), as well as Core Science MS-1 and Elements of Science. The last two appear to have significant overlap, so we'd definitely only use one of those two, but I have no idea what selection or combination to use. I will probably email Thames & Kosmos and ask if I can preview the experiment lists or something.
I could just ask which kit has the fewest number of experiments involving balloons.
I hate balloons.
Seventh grade: PLATO high school biology and/or PLATO high school chemistry. These are the courses used by CTY's online course, which says it usually takes six months to complete a course. Now, EG could always change her mind, but when we've talked about it previously, she said she liked the idea of accelerating and doing both in one year. Oi! I don't know what labs we'd do. A limited number, for sure, and I might decide she should use something like this book instead of a preset kit.
Eighth grade: Physics, most likely using Hewitt's Conceptual Physics.
Ninth-twelfth grade: APs. Either all four AP sciences, or three AP sciences and one year dual enrollment (if she wants to do even more in one area, for instance, or take geology or astronomy).
The only thing that really bothers me is using so much computer-based learning, so I'll have to be careful to flesh it out with appropriate books. The other potential issue is getting my "Joy & History of Science" syllabus done before it's actually time to start. Likely, though, I should get the history one for fifth grade done first. Details, details!
24.9.09
Chasing The Dream: The Secular Logic Stage Science Sequence
It must be nice to be a religious homeschooler, or to feel comfortable using religion-based homeschool curricula in the field of science. There are two to three "rigorous" middle and high school sequences, designed for homeschoolers, that will give children a thorough grounding in pseudoscience.
Not so for the intrepid secular homeschooler. It's up to us to cobble together resources, attempt to appropriately increase the rigor, and decide just what should be taught when. If you are teaching a child or children who could safely accelerate in science by taking one or two high school level courses before leaving middle school, the job just got much harder.
(Ask me how I know.)
The Well-Trained Mind does lay out a suggested course of science study for the logic stages (grades five through eight). The third edition marks a considerable improvement in the rigor of their recommendations, but it's clear to me from reading the pages (make that poring over the pages and possibly wearing out the binding in that section), their recommendations will still fall short of both the breadth and depth that my students will desire.
Deep breath. Deep breath.
I thought I had found a solution. Get Eclectic Girl and Smrt Mama's Captain Science (henceforth referred to as CS) qualified for the Johns Hopkins CTY programs, and have them take their online middle school science sequence. Three courses, each estimated to take approximately three months. I could plan labs to reinforce the materials, when possible, and they'd still have a peer in each other with whom to discuss the material. This solution, like many others, was too good to be true.
You see, if they did take the middle school science sequence available online, it would free me to teach them a general science overview, utilizing Science Matters as a base text (with possible supplementary readings from various sources, including Unscientific America), and either the Elements of Science kit or the Core Science MS-1 kit for labs.
Further, we could take a leisurely stroll through the history of science, reading in Joy Hakim's Story of Science series, and doing the experiments in Milestones in Science.
I even fancied using the CTY online courses for a high school level chemistry course in the second half of seventh grade, and then deciding between the CTY course of high school physics or a "homemade" high school physics course (using Hewitt's Conceptual Physics) in the eighth grade.
The stumbling block, as you might have guessed, is cost. No, their admission to the program is not a done deal, but when the three month courses cost over $600 each, you know that something has got to give, as they say. Yes, there is financial aid for which a student can apply, but the awards are limited to one class per fiscal year, which begins July 1 of each year. Applying for financial aid does not guarantee its receipt, and even if it were available, there would still be lab kits to purchase to complement the written work.
In short, I am once more a bit flummoxed.
I feel deeply that a course in general science and a course in the history of science would both be extremely beneficial for EG and CS. I also think they would benefit from a focus on biology, astronomy, and geology/earth science during the logic stage, especially since the latter two are generally not covered in most high school science sequences. I think they could absolutely do high school level chemistry in seventh grade without the aid of the course online, and the same holds for physics.
What I don't know is how CTY compresses middle school science so nicely into a three month course. I think they can do it, but I don't know how to design that course, in lieu of paying for it.
I find myself once again wishing that I liked textbooks, and there was a rigorous secular science sequence available, one that I could feel confident would prepare my students for high school and college level science.
Science is the biggest divide between religious and secular homeschoolers, I often think. Even so-called secular curricula ignore issues of origins (the not-taking-a-stand stance), and as Susan Wise Bauer wrote, to not take a side is to take a side. Neutrality doesn't abide here. There are no curricula designed explicitly for homeschoolers that teach evolutionary theory. None.
Never fear, I'm working on a course to teach at the co-op next fall. I'm thinking I'll title it something like "Evolution: From Darwin to Gould." It won't be perfect, but it will be a perfect excuse for this secular homeschooling mom to curl up with her favorite scientific theory.
Not so for the intrepid secular homeschooler. It's up to us to cobble together resources, attempt to appropriately increase the rigor, and decide just what should be taught when. If you are teaching a child or children who could safely accelerate in science by taking one or two high school level courses before leaving middle school, the job just got much harder.
(Ask me how I know.)
The Well-Trained Mind does lay out a suggested course of science study for the logic stages (grades five through eight). The third edition marks a considerable improvement in the rigor of their recommendations, but it's clear to me from reading the pages (make that poring over the pages and possibly wearing out the binding in that section), their recommendations will still fall short of both the breadth and depth that my students will desire.
Deep breath. Deep breath.
I thought I had found a solution. Get Eclectic Girl and Smrt Mama's Captain Science (henceforth referred to as CS) qualified for the Johns Hopkins CTY programs, and have them take their online middle school science sequence. Three courses, each estimated to take approximately three months. I could plan labs to reinforce the materials, when possible, and they'd still have a peer in each other with whom to discuss the material. This solution, like many others, was too good to be true.
You see, if they did take the middle school science sequence available online, it would free me to teach them a general science overview, utilizing Science Matters as a base text (with possible supplementary readings from various sources, including Unscientific America), and either the Elements of Science kit or the Core Science MS-1 kit for labs.
Further, we could take a leisurely stroll through the history of science, reading in Joy Hakim's Story of Science series, and doing the experiments in Milestones in Science.
I even fancied using the CTY online courses for a high school level chemistry course in the second half of seventh grade, and then deciding between the CTY course of high school physics or a "homemade" high school physics course (using Hewitt's Conceptual Physics) in the eighth grade.
The stumbling block, as you might have guessed, is cost. No, their admission to the program is not a done deal, but when the three month courses cost over $600 each, you know that something has got to give, as they say. Yes, there is financial aid for which a student can apply, but the awards are limited to one class per fiscal year, which begins July 1 of each year. Applying for financial aid does not guarantee its receipt, and even if it were available, there would still be lab kits to purchase to complement the written work.
In short, I am once more a bit flummoxed.
I feel deeply that a course in general science and a course in the history of science would both be extremely beneficial for EG and CS. I also think they would benefit from a focus on biology, astronomy, and geology/earth science during the logic stage, especially since the latter two are generally not covered in most high school science sequences. I think they could absolutely do high school level chemistry in seventh grade without the aid of the course online, and the same holds for physics.
What I don't know is how CTY compresses middle school science so nicely into a three month course. I think they can do it, but I don't know how to design that course, in lieu of paying for it.
I find myself once again wishing that I liked textbooks, and there was a rigorous secular science sequence available, one that I could feel confident would prepare my students for high school and college level science.
Science is the biggest divide between religious and secular homeschoolers, I often think. Even so-called secular curricula ignore issues of origins (the not-taking-a-stand stance), and as Susan Wise Bauer wrote, to not take a side is to take a side. Neutrality doesn't abide here. There are no curricula designed explicitly for homeschoolers that teach evolutionary theory. None.
Never fear, I'm working on a course to teach at the co-op next fall. I'm thinking I'll title it something like "Evolution: From Darwin to Gould." It won't be perfect, but it will be a perfect excuse for this secular homeschooling mom to curl up with her favorite scientific theory.
