4Real Forums: Nebel's Building Foundations of Science

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Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science

Topic: Nebel's Building Foundations of Science

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CrunchyMom
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Posted: April 02 2011 at 6:47am \| IP Logged

That is brilliant, Jennifer. I'm not sure I'm brave enough, but I might try that! Less time consuming that feeling I need to reproduce the lesson plan in my lesson plan.

I really think I might work on that chart since Jen is likely a bit too busy these days to do it for me

I find that if you read a few of the picture books, they cover all the objectives listed. I think it could be done in a very Charlotte Mason way, and for many of the lessons, simply having the book narrated back would be sufficient for covering his objectives, and his method provides a logical order for introducing the books themselves. However, flipping through the book to find the booklists in order to request them from the library or order them or whatever is time consuming!

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Lindsay
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MNMommy
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Posted: April 02 2011 at 7:26am \| IP Logged

CrunchyMom wrote:

I have found that the genius behind the program isn't just the order of the lessons, but also the socractic-type questioning method used to teach lessons. We have found his methods excellent for developing scientific thinking and making natural connections between the lessons. Also, Nebel's specific scientific vocabulary is giving my dc a working vocabulary to use in their everyday experiences. For example, melting ice is now a natural non-living substance receiving heat energy from the sun causing the particles to speed up until the ice is changed into a liquid. On other days melting ice is just melting ice.

The objectives could certainly be taught through CM type read alouds and narration. I just had to give a plug for Nebel's methods. I love how and what this program is teaching.

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Jennifer
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Maryan
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Posted: April 04 2011 at 7:27am \| IP Logged

MNMommy wrote:

Before the year began, I cut the spine off the book. Then I stapled together each lesson (A-1, A-2, etc). I three hole punched all my groupings and re-ordered them according to how we were going to cover the lessons. Now I just reach into the binder, retrieve the next lesson, and we are off. Sometimes I get library books to go with the lessons, but usually not.

Hmmm... I have this book and that might be the way to get me to use it. I have a TOTAL aversion to using large bulky books. 100 EZ Lessons, Writing with Ease, etc. all had to get cut apart because big book on my lap with kids just doesn't happen for me!

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Maryan
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AmandaV
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Posted: April 04 2011 at 7:54am \| IP Logged

I really like your idea too, Jennifer. My husband had me buy the book because he liked the organized approach and wanted to teach a lesson each weekend ( I wasn't doing a very formal approach this year) but we've realized he doesn't have the time to devote to preparation so I'm going to take over for next year. Now to find the time to tear it apart!

Oh, has anyone used BFSU and another science order at the same time? For instance, we are mostly following Mater Amabilis and year 1A covers insects, birds, and plants for the 2nd grade (first year). I'm not sure whether I want to give up that plan or mesh the two.. any thoughts?

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Amanda

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MNMommy
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Posted: April 04 2011 at 8:33am \| IP Logged

We are mostly following MA next year, and I decided to not do their science for two reasons. First, I have two dc in different levels and I am not going to do two seperate science orders. That would be too much for me. After releasing myself from the MA science path, I realized that BFSU and CM Nature Study combined with science reading will be perfect for us.

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Jennifer
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seeker
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Posted: April 04 2011 at 9:14am \| IP Logged

Why did I not realize this book was for k to 2nd grade? Next year will *hopefully* be my first year homeschooling (my dd will be in 2nd) and I was only going to use the Comstock book and the blog that goes with it. I was going to use this book in third grade. Would BFSU be okay for third? Is HNS enough for science for a 2nd grader (and first year hs'er)? Hope I'm not pulling this thread off topic...

AmandaV
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Posted: April 04 2011 at 9:37am \| IP Logged

He has a second volume as well, but on his yahoo list he suggests starting with the first book, I believe. K5science is the name

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Amanda

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MNMommy
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Posted: April 04 2011 at 10:25am \| IP Logged

seeker wrote:

I was going to use this book in third grade. Would BFSU be okay for third? Is HNS enough for science for a 2nd grader (and first year hs'er)? Hope I'm not pulling this thread off topic...

We will be finishing the K-2 book in my dd's 4th grade year.

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Jennifer
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Grace&Chaos
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Posted: April 04 2011 at 10:50am \| IP Logged

Jennifer, I love what you did with the book. I got both volumes and have been trying to figure out how to use them. (I'll have a third grader next fall and wasn't sure where to start) They seem very overwhelming at first. Did you just rip the book apart yourself or did you take it somewhere like a staples/professional printer? I can see summer project in the works

.

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Jenny
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mamaslearning
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Posted: April 04 2011 at 2:39pm \| IP Logged

Thanks for all the hints and insights. I just got the book from the library, and I really like the way it teaches. Looks like I've found a science spine for next year, hurray!

AmandaV wrote:

Oh, has anyone used BFSU and another science order at the same time? For instance, we are mostly following Mater Amabilis and year 1A covers insects, birds, and plants for the 2nd grade (first year). I'm not sure whether I want to give up that plan or mesh the two.. any thoughts?

I am combing the two. For first grade we did/will finish animal kingdom, human body, and plants (non-MA). For 2nd grade this year I'm planning on Birds, Rivers and Oceans, and Weather from MA plus adding in earth and space studies with BFSU. I'll do other parts of BFSU in 3rd grade.

I'm meshing WTM and MA scopes and sequences.

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Lara
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Angel
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Posted: April 05 2011 at 8:34am \| IP Logged

Has anyone used *both* the K-2 book *and* the 3-5 book at the same time? I have kids in both age groups, and my 8 yo loves science.

I didn't buy the K-2 book last year, and in retrospect that was a good decision because our year was nuts! But I'm still looking at it for the coming year.

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Angela
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kristacecilia
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Posted: April 05 2011 at 10:16am \| IP Logged

So... does this book cover 3 full years of study (K, 1st, and 2nd?) I am planning to purchase it and use it for both my (then) K and 2nd graders in the fall.

I was also planning to continue the Handbook of Nature Study blog and book, nature walks, nature journaling, Nature Study and Related Literature, etc... the stuff we have been doing up until now.

Is that enough for a 2nd grader? Should I be supplementing the 2nd grader with something else along with BFSU?

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Krista

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CrunchyMom
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Posted: April 05 2011 at 10:56am \| IP Logged

It does cover three full years of study, but you could do it faster or slower. There are not lessons specific to the different grades.

I haven't looked at the 3-5 book, yet, but it looks to be a continuation of the lessons in the first.

I'm sure you COULD simply start using it with a third grader, but I think that it would be better to start with the first book. I'm not sure how much more advanced the actual lessons are in 3-5, but since his approach is that of building foundations across the fields of science that enable one to move conceptually onto the next level, starting with that book would likely mean there will be gaps, and the lessons in that book assume you have done those in the first.

So, I think that you might go ahead and get the first book, and you could probably get away with doing all the children together at first, perhaps going into a bit more depth with the older ones. You might find you could breeze through some lessons that you have already covered but will need to do others.

I don't know, I'm not an expert. This is just my perceptiion from having read the first book. His yahoo group that Jenn links to early on in this thread are very helpful, he is there personally, and you might gain some insight by inquiring there about this.

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Lindsay
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mamaslearning
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Posted: April 05 2011 at 11:39am \| IP Logged

kristacecilia wrote:

Is that enough for a 2nd grader? Should I be supplementing the 2nd grader with something else along with BFSU?

The only reason I'm doing other things is because I'm not using the whole book (I'm trying to align with the classical rotation of science).

If all you did was BFSU for 2nd grade, then it looks like there are plenty of lessons and it could possibly spread to another year depending on how much you do each week or if you skip weeks, etc.

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Lara
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kristacecilia
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Posted: April 05 2011 at 12:10pm \| IP Logged

Okay, I am sure it will be fine for both my K and 2nd grader. I am not even sure my K-er is ready for structured science yet, but he can come along for the ride.

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Krista

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MNMommy
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Posted: April 05 2011 at 1:03pm \| IP Logged

Grace&Chaos wrote:

Did you just rip the book apart yourself or did you take it somewhere like a staples/professional printer? I can see summer project in the works

I've taken books to Kinkos and Office Max for cutting the bindiing off and either 3-hole punching or spiral binding. My experience has been that Kinkos does a much better job. Neither are very expensive - about $5/book for the cutting and binding.

I, too, am allergic to big books. I've had Reading Made Easy and Writing With Ease rebound. Totally worth it!

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Jennifer
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Grace&Chaos
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Posted: April 05 2011 at 1:39pm \| IP Logged

Jennifer,

perfect. I was already thinking exactoknife and what if I don't cut each page the same

. (I am quickly becoming addicted to spiral bound books myself.)

I have briefly started going through the first book and like some of you am trying to figure out if I should start my dd (third grade in the fall) with the second volume. I'm finding that we have used several of the suggested reading books in volume one for our very gentle science these last two years. I thought I would use Outdoor Companion in the fall with her and dss but she is ready for something richer/fuller. My dilema is my 1st & K dss, do they just come along with her (at a much gentler pace ofcourse)?

I'm reading the input very intently, especially those of you who have used volume 1 are you moving on to volume 2?

.

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Jenny
Mom to dds(00,03) and dss(05,06,08,09)
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AmandaV
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Posted: April 05 2011 at 3:51pm \| IP Logged

I don't know if the prices vary by area, but I just called my local Fedex Office (prev. Kinko's) and the price to cut the binding of a one inch book (soft cover) is $1.49 and the price to hole punch is 2 cents a page. So I'm thinking I might hole punch my own. Vol. 1 is 392 pages, so that's over $7 just for hole punching. But the cutting is a great price. I may drop it off this afternoon on my way out for kid's choir practice!

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Amanda

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Mackfam
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Posted: April 05 2011 at 4:13pm \| IP Logged

In case anyone wants to disassemble a book on their own - it's totally doable! In fact, I do it all the time!

And...I have even posted detailed instructions here before!

Mackfam wrote:

Marie,
The question about a workbook and getting neat edges is one I have tackled personally many times!! A rotary blade trimmer is worth its weight in gold for this job! I have an older version of this Fiskars trimmer. It is expensive, but it's been a very worthwhile investment in my home and I bought it with my Michael's 40% off coupon which was a help! I cut down regular paper into fourth's with it to make little alphabet booklets for my K'er...so many uses...including trimming the edges of a carefully dis-assembled book or workbook. The great thing about a rotary edge trimmer is that it uses a sharp blade to cut a fine line and it has edges for butting up a sheet of paper so that if you have one straight edge, you can cut a 90 degree straight edge from that. Clean edges.

If you are squeamish about book dis-assembling....look away right now!!

This process works great if you have a book whose glue is disintegrating and some pages are detaching. One of my first projects was because of just such a book which I used frequently.

* * * How to dis-assemble a glue bound workbook * * *

** First, locate the approximate halfway point of the book and fold open with the intention of *breaking* the glue. Bend the two sections all the way back until they almost touch.

** Now, with either the left or right section of the book, find the halfway point of that section and open it all the way, bending the two sections back again. Do this a few times. The goal is to break the glue if it isn't already.

** To disassemble, start with the first page of the book. Take that page and open the page up, trying to press the page completely open both to the left and to the right with the heel of your hand.

** Carefully holding the page, pull gently away from the glue backing.

** If glue breaking doesn't work, your book should at least open all the way in half by now. An exacto knife works well for cutting pages out. Try to just cut right next to the open spine. You can trim the edges with a good trimmer.

** Proceed carefully with the rest of the book.

** Using the rotary trimmer, trim the glue edge from the pages, and trim the covers to fit the pages as well. I like to laminate the covers at this point.

** Bind.

I've done this successfully with hardbound books and paperback books.

I'm a huge fan of the Proclick now (discussed on the thread I linked above), and it works wonderfully for at-home spiral binding of books into smaller, easier to manage chunks after they have been disassembled from their former glue-bound glory. I also have found that I REALLY appreciate the ability to re-open the spirals and add/subtract...and then reclose the spirals.

Just thought I'd add this for your consideration since a number of you talked about it on this thread.

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CrunchyMom
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Posted: April 08 2011 at 1:53pm \| IP Logged

I just spent about an hour typing a spreadsheet with the booklists for Section A, and it occurred to me as I rubbed my aching neck that, since I started this in a Google Spreadsheet, that others might be able to make this a group effort. This way, only four of those interested in having this could invest an hour to make this spreadsheet happen rather than four.

Please pm me if you are interested in slaving over a section.

I can share the google doc with you, and can just add in your section. A lot of the authors and publishers overlap, so with autofill, the typing isn't actually so bad.

I also plan on being able to modify it for my personal use (adding columns to mark the books I own or that my library has, etc...), but the grunt work is what is killing me, lol.

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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony

[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR

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