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SeaStar
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| Posted: July 12 2011 at 11:39am | IP Logged
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We started back to school last week and are giving Apologia a go this year.
Previously we have done mostly living books, nature study, some CHC and MSB kits for science. We just finished up Outdoor Secrets from SCM as a read aloud, and the kids loved it.
I am finding now that Apologia is much meatier and more technical than I had anticipated, even looking through it beforehand. I like its conversational tone, but I feel I am going to have to take it very much slower than the suggested rate in order not to overwhelm my dc ( 6 and 8).
For those of you who have used Apologia, I would love to hear your experiences using it with different ages. Maybe it is more for upper elementary than I thought.
My dc are enjoying the experiments, but I do feel the reading is pretty technical.... than again, that could be because we are digging in deep to this subject (flying creatures) vs. hitting topic highlights as in the past, which is a big difference.
For the past three years we have done a general study of the solar system, weather, seasons, habitats, senses, matter, etc with the methods I listed above. I don't think anyone here wants to make another model of the solar system for a long while.
Perhaps we just need to adjust to this more in-depth approach. Any thoughts?
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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Tina P.
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| Posted: Aug 08 2011 at 2:37pm | IP Logged
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I used it for my 6th and 8th graders and the 8th was the only one who barrelled through it without more direction than what I expected him to be able to read/do. I think this series, followed relatively faithfully, prepares kids for the experiments and writing they need to do at the high school level.
I would not recommend the Astronomy book at all as I've heard the nonCatholic Christianity is spread quite thickly in that one. Since your kids are so young, i would say take them for nature walks once per week and continue to do nature study. Botany is always fun with littles like yours. My kids do 'kitchen science' with books like this one. Oh, and bird study with the Burgess Bird Book is fun for all ages!
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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Mimip
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| Posted: Aug 09 2011 at 6:17am | IP Logged
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Melinda.
I have done this book 5 times over the past 6 years with both my own children and classrooms full of kids through our co-op and I ALWAYS geared it to ages 9 and up. I think it gets very technical especailly at the end and the young ones lose their living book aspect to learning. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Apologia, if not I would not be teaching it, but I think it is better for grades 4-6.
I would highly recommend this lapbook from Currclick. We have not used it yet but I have heard RAVE reviews and we'll be using the swimming creatures one with my youngest this year.
I think this makes the book more concrete for little ones and lets them take the info as their own.
Good luck and I can't wait to see how you made the book your own!
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Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Aug 24 2011 at 8:30pm | IP Logged
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Updating-
Flying Creatures is a big hit with my ds, 8, who is able to do the work and finds it all very interesting.
My dd has done her best to keep up, but it is really too technical for her, as Mimi predicted.
For dd, I have switched gears and am using Behold and See 1 from CHC. She is thrilled and tells me often how much she loves her science book. I think it's the combination of the bright pages, the kid-friendly activities and the one-on-one time with Mom that she really likes.
She still hangs around for Apologia, but she is happy to have her "own" book. I am finding that it's not that much more work to do both science programs.... but then again I only have two kids. This is the first year we have not done science together....
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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Rosesinsummer
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| Posted: March 23 2013 at 8:59am | IP Logged
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I know this is an older post, but I'm currently finishing up Apologia Astronomy with my 8 year old and 6 year old. It has been a big hit-- the book is very readable and the experiments are fun. I bought a pre-made lab kit from Rainbow Resources which was a huge help. I have not found it to be anti-Catholic, but it is a literal young earth creationist approach rather than big-bang universe being billions of years old traditional approach.
I just gloss over it and/or skip it and at this age, they don't have too much understanding of the theories of creation of the universe. We'll go into that more when they are older.
I was wondering which Apologia I should do next year. I'll have a 3rd grader and 1st grader. I have heard Botany is pretty technical as well.
Seastar I appreciate your update about using Behold & See for your younger daughter. Maybe Behold & See 1 for my first grader and Botany for my 3rd grader? Or Flying Creatures? Another friend suggested Swimming Creatures at this age. Any thoughts from those who have used Apologia in the elementary years?
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pumpkinmom
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| Posted: March 23 2013 at 11:12am | IP Logged
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I haven't use Astronomy, but have been told it is the easiest of all of them. We used botany last year (with 2nd and 5th grader) and the it was too much for the 2nd grader, but he enjoyed following along. But, botany is my degree, so it easy and fun for me to teach which makes a difference. We started flying creatures and it was too much even for my 5th grader. If a child has a big interest in the material it will go over well. My kids had no interest. My youngest has taken an interest in birds recently and I will get the book back out for him to read. I lost interest in it because it was too technical. I think they are should be geared for middle school age unless a kid is really interested in the subject matter. Of course, astronomy is easier for the younger elementary. Just my opinion though. 
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SeaStar
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| Posted: March 23 2013 at 12:07pm | IP Logged
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I agree, Cassie, with everything you said.
After an initial burst of interest, Flying Creatures was a dud at my house.
As Cassie said, it was very technical and just not all that interesting for a kid who likes experiments and hands on things. The workbook had a lot of cross word puzzles, word searches, etc, that did not go over well here.
I have also heard that Astronomy and Swimming Creatures are a little more lively. We are using Behold and See 2 for dd this year, but she does not like it as well as B&S 1. It is more technical. The section on rocks especially seems too much for a second grader.
My dc are really enjoying Robert Krampf, the Happy Scientist, and Steve Spangler on line. Both have a lot of videos, and my dc spend hours reproducing the experiments. Both sites have pretty much everything you would need to teach elementary science, and it is a lot of fun. You can just watch the videos or you can delve in to all the written experiments.
I do advise a bit of parental discretion with Steve Spangler, though. He is funny and entertaining, but every now and then he gets too excited and slips with his language. It's not bad or often, but it's something to watch for and be aware of. Robert Krampf is good, clean fun all the way.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Digging deeper into Apologia
