By Amy
This is my first year to teach science. I decided to go with Apologia: Exploring Creation Through Astronomy. It’s FANTASTIC! We all love it! It seems as if the goal of this curriculum is worship! The heavens declare the glory of the Lord, so let’s study the heavens and see His glory – and worship Him for it! As we study the different planets, again and again the author points us to the wisdom of the Creator. We all have so appreciated this curriculum! (Granted, I’m only 3 weeks into it!)
I also bought a Knowledge Box lapbook CD-Rom to help my kids record what we’re learning as we read. If you use this curriculum, I really recommend creating the lapbooks as well. They’re colorful and fun, and they can be adapted for kids of all ages. I have Savannah do more writing than the boys, and it’s not a problem at all. It’s a great way to “break up” the text book reading, as well. Since we only do science 2 days a week, I read several sections in a chapter each class.
The textbook is written to kids. Actually, I'm sure Savannah could read it on her own if I wanted her to. But, since I'm doing this class with all three kids, I do the reading. The author does a great job at capturing my kid's attention. The examples she uses and the ways she presents information is great. -- Way better than the science books I remember using as a kid -- I always thought science was boring. This is NOT boring!
I also bought a Knowledge Box lapbook CD-Rom to help my kids record what we’re learning as we read. If you use this curriculum, I really recommend creating the lapbooks as well. They’re colorful and fun, and they can be adapted for kids of all ages. I have Savannah do more writing than the boys, and it’s not a problem at all. It’s a great way to “break up” the text book reading, as well. Since we only do science 2 days a week, I read several sections in a chapter each class.
The textbook is written to kids. Actually, I'm sure Savannah could read it on her own if I wanted her to. But, since I'm doing this class with all three kids, I do the reading. The author does a great job at capturing my kid's attention. The examples she uses and the ways she presents information is great. -- Way better than the science books I remember using as a kid -- I always thought science was boring. This is NOT boring!
At the end of the first chapter, after an introduction to our solar system and the eight (nine) planets in it, we made came up with a mnemonic phrase to help us remember the planets in the correct order. We came up with "Mary’s very excited monkey just spit under Nana’s pants." Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. It worked, too! Then, we created a visual representation of our solar system that is proportionately accurate (sorda!). We used balloons, beads, toys, and yarn to come up with this.
While the boys and I sponge painted the sun, Savannah wrote the names of the planets for us.
So far, my favorite section is entitled “God’s Light Shines Brighter.” After teaching us just how hot and how bright the sun is, the author reminds us that in Heaven we won’t even need the sun. "... You will have the LORD as an everlasting Light, and your God for your glory!" (Is 60:19) AMEN!!
The author, Jeannie Fulbright, has also written four other elementary science curriculums for Apologia that I look forward to trying over the next several years:
Exploring Creation with Botany
Exploring Creation with Zoo 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day
Exploring Creation with Zoo 2: Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day
Exploring Creation with Zoo 3: Land Animals of the Sixth Day
1 comment:
We just finished Flying Creatures of the 5th day. We used a lapbook from Knowledge Box Central as well. I don't know who enjoyed the lessons more - our son or his parents!
How exciting to see that your family is enjoying the same Science curriculum!
Tonya
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