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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Science Junkie?

Have I ever mentioned that I REALLY like Jeannie Fulbright's Exploring Creation books?


Well, you might even say I have become an Exploring Creation junkie :)  A while back, I went ahead and bought about 4 from the series because I liked them that much... (well, that and they were on sale!)  I like them so much that apparently, I have gone completely hog wild with science reading requirements!  I'll have to do an honest to goodness review of the books themselves on another post.  The point of this post is to confess that, as of before working on this post, I was unaware that I have been requiring a double portion of science for two whole years in a row!  Oh my.  My poor over-schooled children.
Here's how it happened...

Since one of the options for AO science in y4 & y5 is out of print (and the library is not an option in Peru), I decided that meant I needed a substitution.  Obvious.  So, I subbed Astronomy in the missing book's place.  The problem is, I still have the boys reading the other two books, Fairy Land of Science & Nature Reader.  Not only that but I found an experiment book to replace the out-of-print book, that I also have them reading.  Yikes.  That's 4 science books. (*Note* It should be Exploring Creation OR the three other books; an either/or sort of thing)  I guess I just didn't want them to miss anything good!  I'm OUT of control! Well, for the last two years, it seems to have been perfectly fine and the boys certainly aren't any worse off :)  They didn't even notice!  hahahah!

Here's what the AO Advisory recommends:
Christian Liberty Nature Reader, Book 5 by Worthington Hooker, edited by Michael J. McHugh
The Fairy-land of Science by Arabella Buckley
Physics Lab in a Housewares Store by Robert Friedhoffer (another Friedhoffer book, or even another book of science experiments can be substitued if the book is hard to find - this book isn't worth paying inflated prices!)

OR   (somehow, I missed this ridiculously KEY word. perhaps I'd have actually noticed it if they'd at least emboldened the font. maybe.)

if you prefer, you can use any of the Exploring Creation With . . . series by Jeannie Fulbright for science in Years 3-6.
Unknowingly, I made the same double-up-fumble by using Botany alongside the other recommended books for AOy4, last year.  Again, the boys didn't realize it and though they would have been more delighted if we had had time to complete ALL the experiments, they still learned a LOT.

At the beginning of this year, we were still finishing up Jack's Insects from the previous year (it's yet ANOTHER added in science book... not an AO book, but a book that CM used. we LOVED it as a read aloud with everybody).  We finished that up by the end of the first term and again for some crazy reason, even though it wasn't even a scheduled book, I thought we needed something to replace it. 

Anyway, so there you have my confession.  Here's what science looks like this year.  We read all science related books and do Nature Study on Mondays.  We are using Astronomy as a read-aloud with everybody, the AOy1ers and the AOy5ers. 
Week 12 & 13:
What is Astronomy?

Week 14 & 15:
The Sun

Week 16 & 17:
Mercury

Week 18 & 19:
Venus

Week 20 & 21:
Earth

Week 22:
The Moon

Week 23 & 24:
Mars
Week 25 & 26:
Space Rocks

Week 27:
Jupiter

Week28:
Saturn

Week 29 & 30:
Uranus and Neptune

Week 31 & 32:
Pluto and the Kuiper Belt

Week 33 & 34:
Stars and Galaxies

Week 35 & 36:
Space Travel
My AOy5ers are also reading independently:
The Nature Reader
The Backyard Scientist - substitute for the Physics in Houseware's store
Fairy Land of Science - from which they really seem to be picking up some great ideas for thought.  I'm glad we stuck with this one.

So, we're crazy.  I'm crazy.  4 science texts?  oh my.  I can't believe I didn't get it 'til now.  Do I recommend it?  Probably not.  Next time around I'll know better :) 
Practice makes perfect, right? 


7 comments:

Silvia said...

That's amazing, your substitutions and all those science books. Good for you. Don't be frustrated about the library, you have surroundings to die for, nature life and a rich opportunity for your kids of growing in Peru. Wise moms always find resources.
And yes, we are from Texas. And you?
I need to link to your nature post.
silvia

Sarah said...

Whoops...but it's a lot better than what I did during our 2nd year!

Abeka had switched up their books (and I apparently didn't look through them well enough), and so we went half a year before realizing that there was a spelling section!!! We caught up okay, but for a new hs mom, that was kind of stressful!

I probably wouldn't sweat it now...I hope, anyway!

Lord bless you!
Sarah
A House On Fire

Teresa said...

What!? I overlooked it too! How funny! We are doing AO4 with Zoology 1 and AO2 with Botany but we've taken two years to do Botany, it may take that long to get through Zoology 1. I did try to fit The Story-Land of Science in ther also but it didn't work out. And now today I found out AIG has a science curriculum! But I love Jeannie Fulbright's books! Glad I'm not alone.
Teresa

Michelle Gibson said...

You are too funny. I think I have the same problem. We love Jeanie's series. We have have worked through the series (5 books in 3 years) and are currently finishing up Zoo3. We are using AE, Handbook of Nature Study, and Considering God's Creation (the later as a review of the AE series). Isn't homeschool the greatest? =)

turtlemama said...

Ooohh, we crazed, Type A Homeschool Moms. When will we ever learn???? When Ellie started AO at about age eight, she was doing Story of the World. I couldn't decide whether to start her in year 2 or 3, so I combined them AND still had her finish SOTW!!!! Don't want to miss anything, right???? Of course, looking back I realize that she missed a lot more by "doing it all." Live and learn.

We do a lot of doubling up on science, too. Just can't help it. My girls don't seem to mind. We don't do much of any written work with it, if any, so it's not cumbersome to them. A lot of it is learning about something we are enjoying outside along with whatever subject we are doing, like astronomy now. I have, like you apparently just noticed, on several occasions, missed the "or" in the AO notes and mistook them as "ands".

We, too, really enjoy the "Exploring Creation" series. I think there is a new one now. Anatomy perhaps? Maybe I can squeeze that one in......

Dawn said...

I'm an Exploring Creation junkie too! Bought several of the books and love them! Went through Astronomy, Swimming Creatures and right now, Botany. I just bought the Anatomy one and cannot WAIT to start that one in fall! We also do the CLP nature readers here and there.

We're going to be using AOY5 terms 2 and 3 and AOY6 term 1 for our history next year. It'll be our first year using AO, though our small co-op has followed this years composer and artist study. I'm looking forward to it!

sarah in the woods said...

We just finished the astronomy book. I love science and these books are great!

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