Me again!

This is our first full year going into homeschooling.. (Started homeschooling after a horrific first semester last year with DS).

So I am trying (and succeeding!) at getting all curriculum together right now to start blending in in mid summer for next year.

This year has been trial and error and while I know I am not anywhere near fantastic, I now know what works best for DS.

In way of other subjects I have found what works and have managed to get all materials together already. Science has me a little stumped.

I have "extras" for science, for projects, microscope, etc, etc, etc, but he does really well with mainstream Science textbook workbook combo oddly enough for main curriculum in that subject.

Can anyone suggest a combo in that subject to look into?

I have looked at Abeka and Sonlight and Bob Jones curriculum, none of them fit what I have in mind for him. More streamlined, "school book" type set is what I would like to find. But with everything out there, my brain is spinning around! I have no idea what is best!

ETA: I am ideally not looking to spend a fortune on this if possible.

I know that nobody can tell me what is best for my son, just hoping maybe someone has an idea where I can look /what to look for. =)

Thanks!

I am not familiar with anything like what you describe that is marketed for homeschoolers.  When I was teaching, I had access to a science text book for each grade level .... it was called Discover Science and was published by Scott Foresman.  You might try googling that... I liked the simplicity and it did provide some suggestions for easy experiments.  However it didn't really incorporate inquiry (scientific method) well.

If you are interested, I have also developed curriculum for middle-level students.  I taught 4-6th grade science for 6 years before becoming a stay-at-home / homeschooling mom.  I have one unit completed, Our Dynamic Earth and more in the works.  More information is available on my blog, Science Logic.  

Hope that helps some! 

Eva

Thanks so much for the info.

I think I explained what I am looking for wrong.

I am just looking for a good textbook/workbook set, the type that is school curriculum generally..

I meant with the other part, that I have all the "extras" to work on through the year, that I just really need a good direction to look for school text book. =)

I am going to check out your link right now, thanks so much, and congrats on that! That is wonderful!

My 4th grader just completed Zoology 1 with Apologia ... Flying Creatures.  He loved it, but we did it with a co-op so I don't know how it would be just one on one at home.

I'm going to be selling mine if you're interested.

Here's Apologia's web site ...

https://apologia.securesites.net/store/?zenid=ec0c1bc803a1c9d0821ce3db64bfaa34

Of course my book will be less than retail ! :)

Have you looked at Real Science-4-Kids by Dr. R.W. Keller?  We have done some of the chemistry and like it. 

With these you have a teacher's manual, student textbook and student workbook.  For the labs, most of the stuff used would be stuff you would have around the house.  There are somethings you need to shop for but nothing major. 

I am generally unsupportive textbook programs for elem and middle school as they can be dry and make learning boring but this one I think covers the topics better than me putting together living books (real children's books) on the topics.

Real Science 4 Kids is the name of the curriculum. The site has free sample pages to view.

http://gravitaspublications.com/

It is a textbook, a teacher manual, experiments and a lab workbook to use proper scientific method to do the experiments with. Level 1 is for grades 4-6 and the programs are Chem, Bio and Physics. These were intentionally written to cover these not-usually-taught topics in elem. grades.

The grades 7-8 materials then go deeper with same topics then the program will have high school that will go to normal depth with high school. The gist is if they cover it lightly in earlier years it is not scary in high school years.

For everyy other topic,  there are TONS of regular very good children's books on the market to read and learn from that are interesting and not boring. Workbooks need not be done as part of learning. You can use the library for those. It will make up for the cost of what you spend on Real Science 4 Kids.

This is a relatively new program so you may struggle to find it used. IMO it is one worth buying and find other ways to be frugal for other HS materials.

Real Science 4 Kids is a secular program written by a Christian with nothing oppositional to Christians. This is per what the author said at a lecture I heard her give at a HS conference in 2008. She said she's trying to sell it to public schools so had to edit out all the religious referencs that originally were in there.

I ordered mine at a discount from Rainbow Resource. My friend bought it direct from the publisher and was surprised to get a freebie gift in her box (you never know what you may receive!).

HTH.

Misty some of the pub schools have nixxed textbook learning in elementary grades instead using regular children's books on science nonfiction topics. Some pub schools also use the regular books as part of unit studies and teaching 'across the curriculum'. I wonder if that is why you can't find any? 

I was given an 1985 Grade 2 Science public school textbook and it is HORRIBLE, terribly boring and dumbed down to the point of insulting. I'd never use it!

The Well Trained Mind recommends using an Usborne Science book as a spine and using mostly nonfiction children's books for more content.

Hi there.

I'll add the curriculum that I've used over the years to the thread:

Solomon Resource Guide breaks each science subject into a list of criteria kids should know at each of three grade level groups--up through 8th grade.  The topic criteria lists are followed by book suggestion lists to get from the library and activity lists.  (If you can't find the books they suggest, any age-appropriate non-fiction books on the subjects will do the job.)  I wanted worksheets--which I found for free at www.enchantedlearning.com.  When I started homeschooling ten years ago, this was available as a two-volume set.  Then it went out of print, and came back as a three-volume set.  It's out of print again, but you can probably find a used one somewhere.  (Here's a link for Volume Two at Amazon.com:  www.amazon.com/SOLOMON-RESOURCE-GUIDE-Science-II/dp/B000Q1JU1I/ref=sr_1_1)  This was great for me, because I had all the extra stuff at home, too, and I just wanted a book to keep me focused.

Considering God's Creation uses a teacher's guide (which contains your science info) and a student book (which contains all the worksheets).  The worksheets made the science look simplistic to me, but when we started using it I was pleased with the program.  (And my daughter liked cutting stuff out and filling up her binder.) 

Lyrical Life Science has a student workbook and a CD or cassette with science songs.  Again--the songs made me think of this as a "little kid" program, but it's actually appropriate--and designed--for sixth graders.

Now we use Jay Wile's Apologia curriculum for high school--but this list reminds me how much fun it was to discover science with a younger student.  Have fun!

I use the Glencoe Sciences series, and my son loves them.

I do have a couple available on homeschoolclassifieds or you can PM me.

Stacy

I know it isn't exactly what you asked for, but I'm going to throw NOEO out there as a suggestion.

We use it, but we nix the parts like notebooking/vocab/etc. to suit our kids, but maybe that stuff would appeal to yours??

Open and go teacher's manual with very engaging books for the kids.  Not a textbook approach, but lovely books!

Last year we used Christian Kids Explore Biology. It's very hands on and my boys loved it. Next year we'll be using either Christian Kids Explore Chemistry or Physics. The books are fantastic. I can't wait to dive in! You might want to give them a look.

We have used ABeka for our two daughters and loved it!

I have two copies and the test booklets if you need them.

SAndy