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lapazfarm
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Thanks for that link, Cassie. I don't know why I was unable to access that page before. My computer often has a mind of it's own.
As I said, I think this curriculum has potential and it is a shame to find errors after only a cursory reading. I hope they can clean it up a bit.
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Theresa
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lapazfarm
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Now that I am able to access more of their website and materials, I have more confidence.
I especially like the look of the Classic Science series It looks very thorough! 
(I'd still like to see them to clean up the Sassafrass Adventure text) 
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Theresa
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SeaStar
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Thanks for your thoughts, Theresa.
My initial interest in the series came from reading about it in Cathy Duffy reviews. I have a friend, also, who used the biology from Elemental Science this year and liked it.
The author does ask for feedback and comments on the book, so I think that would be an excellent place to start- contacting the author directly.
The more I study science, especially with my children, the more I come across conflicting/wrong data. I just read a whole article about why white bread is not that nutritionally different than wheat bread  . In some areas of nutrition it is better.
We also researched the Hobo spider recently. A bazillion websites said it is a very dangerous spider with a medically significant bite. It turns out that is not true at all- it is harmless. We did this research as an exercise to show the importance of verifying data and repeating experiments to verify results.
So I am stumped here. I don't know what cheetah's eat, so I wouldn't be able to catch an error like that. I also use OOP science books with my dc, even though much of the info is out of date or just wrong. And in my own field, medicine, organisms are constantly being reclassified and renamed.
It's hard to keep track.
I guess the bottom line is that it's good to keep an eye out for these kinds of errors and address them as they come up.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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lapazfarm
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I think that is a great attitude to have, Melinda.
The only reason I even bothered looking at it is that because of my background and my advocacy for science and nature study in the homeschool, I am frequently asked if there is a science curriculum I can recommend. So I am constantly keeping an eye out for something that I can stand behind. Whenever something new comes up, I check it out.
And though this curriculum isn't perfect, it has a lot of merit and certainly ranks with some of the better choices out there. I would heartily recommend it over something like Apologia with all its bias.
I hope you and your kids have fun with it.
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Theresa
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SeaStar
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Thanks, Theresa.
I know a lot of families love Apologia, but it did nearly kill my kids love for science. And we both know that science is totally fun and amazing!
It is... which is why I love it. There is always something new to discover or learn.
I have to laugh thinking of how many continuing education lectures I have been to that start with the lecturer saying:
"We used to think" or "It was formally thought that..."
or (my favorite)
"It is not clearly understood why,: or "No one really knows for sure how..."
And then there is also, "There are a lot of different theories about..."
There is just so much that is still unknown or is being proven wrong/different all the time. I can think of a dozen things I learned in school that have been changed or proven flat out wrong.
Anyway, we will definitely be on the alert for Hobo spiders as we work through Sassafrass science. Thanks for the heads up!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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knowloveserve
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lapazfarm wrote:
And though this curriculum isn't perfect, it has a lot of merit and certainly ranks with some of the better choices out there. I would heartily recommend it over something like Apologia with all its bias.
I hope you and your kids have fun with it. |
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In a nutshell, what would you call the better choices out there? (My kids are right the ages of Melinda's also... I'll have a very bright 3rd grader next year, and an average 5th grader )
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pumpkinmom
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I bought the Zoology book and about fell over when I got it. It was so thick! I was just going to let my youngest read it over the summer (for fun). I didn't buy any of the other stuff. This won't work as he won't be able to finish it over the summer (8 weeks). Next year I have him doing physics for half the year and then anatomy for the other half. I was going to purchase the anatomy book. I just don't know if he will get through it in half a school year. I need to go back to the website to see how long they say the books will take. I'm still waiting for samples for anatomy to show up on the website.
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Cassie
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: May 06 2013 at 2:35pm | IP Logged
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knowloveserve wrote:
lapazfarm wrote:
And though this curriculum isn't perfect, it has a lot of merit and certainly ranks with some of the better choices out there. I would heartily recommend it over something like Apologia with all its bias.
I hope you and your kids have fun with it. |
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In a nutshell, what would you call the better choices out there? (My kids are right the ages of Melinda's also... I'll have a very bright 3rd grader next year, and an average 5th grader ) |
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Well, it depends on what you want.
Do you need a full curriculum with worksheets and assignments and readings all laid out? (my least favorite approach to science)
Do you want an experiment/activity guide to which you can match some supplemental living books to add some meat to the bones? ( I have some solid recommendations for this approach)
Do you simply want something living to read that will inspire rabbit trails of your child's own choosing? (This group of ladies here are *the best* at supplying fabulous recommendations for this type of book)
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Theresa
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SeaStar
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| Posted: May 06 2013 at 2:51pm | IP Logged
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pumpkinmom wrote:
I bought the Zoology book and about fell over when I got it. It was so thick! I was just going to let my youngest read it over the summer (for fun). I didn't buy any of the other stuff. This won't work as he won't be able to finish it over the summer (8 weeks). Next year I have him doing physics for half the year and then anatomy for the other half. I was going to purchase the anatomy book. I just don't know if he will get through it in half a school year. I need to go back to the website to see how long they say the books will take. I'm still waiting for samples for anatomy to show up on the website.
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I think the schedule is one chapter a week for 16 weeks. The book is much heftier than I thought, also. However, if he is reading a couple of chapters per week, he'd get through it. And if he likes the story and really gets into it, he might even go through faster.
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mommy4ever
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I'm interested in the curricula. I find it interesting that there are some errors in it. I do like to know, but it is also a learning opportunity.
The cheetahs is an interesting topic. They DO eat wildebeests and zebra, but it is the young they try to single out. They may take out the older animals, but it depends on what is present in their territory. This can be discovered through the living books that can be added.
This is great for conversation with your scholar. Why would the author state it? Do we feel it's an error. What research would back our POV and what is supporting the POV of the author? I think that science cant' always be approached as black and white, as we are always discovering something new and improved. It reminds me of Planet 51. The galaxy had x amount of stars and it was x amount of miles wide. that was FACT in their eyes, but that was eventually debunked.
I'm still not 100% what we're using next year, but I think it will be Sassafras in the end.
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knowloveserve
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lapazfarm wrote:
knowloveserve wrote:
lapazfarm wrote:
And though this curriculum isn't perfect, it has a lot of merit and certainly ranks with some of the better choices out there. I would heartily recommend it over something like Apologia with all its bias.
I hope you and your kids have fun with it. |
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In a nutshell, what would you call the better choices out there? (My kids are right the ages of Melinda's also... I'll have a very bright 3rd grader next year, and an average 5th grader ) |
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Well, it depends on what you want.
Do you need a full curriculum with worksheets and assignments and readings all laid out? (my least favorite approach to science)
Do you want an experiment/activity guide to which you can match some supplemental living books to add some meat to the bones? ( I have some solid recommendations for this approach)
Do you simply want something living to read that will inspire rabbit trails of your child's own choosing? (This group of ladies here are *the best* at supplying fabulous recommendations for this type of book)
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Well, we WERE doing the last option you listed this year... (got the books Science in Ancient Greece, in Colonial America and in Ancient Rome down, as well as two Holling C. Holling books...) but rabbit trailing from science always flags in deference to rabbit trailing from history. We are a history loving family and drink it like wine... this unfortunately leaves me feeling like we are very thin on science...
I think the middle option sounds ideal though it would be MOST successful if the guide was something that was ideal for kids to independently work on. I want the kids to experiment, but I confess to not having a lot of time to devoting MY attention to that...
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lapazfarm
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knowloveserve wrote:
I think the middle option sounds ideal though it would be MOST successful if the guide was something that was ideal for kids to independently work on. I want the kids to experiment, but I confess to not having a lot of time to devoting MY attention to that... |
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Then I have a perfect suggestion (or two) for you! Unfortunately I have to run to a Dr appt right now. I'll get back with you on it when I get home.
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Theresa
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: May 06 2013 at 7:17pm | IP Logged
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Since you asked, here are my top picks for activity-based science books, from which you could build an entire curriculum if you wished by simply adding in some living books or even some websites or documentaries.(moderators feel free to move this as it has run a bit off-topic)
My *hands-down* top pick would be this book:Exploratopia
This is one of those book you can hand your kid let them run with. Better yet, read along and do the explorations together. There are 400 different fun and educational activities of a wide variety backed up by concise and well-written explanations, colorful photos and helpful diagrams. Great stuff. There are plenty of other books put out by The Exploratorium and they are all top-notch, solid, kid-friendly science. This one just happens to be the pick of the litter to me.
Next on the list is 730 Easy Science Experiments with Everyday Materials. A real treasure trove of open-and go activities. Hand this to your child on a rainy day and stand aside. Uses (as advertised) easy-to-find household materials which most of us have on hand. If not, plan a weeks worth of activities in advance and pick up what you need over the weekend. This book is not as slick and colorful as the previous, and the explanations are briefer, but this could be a good thing as it leaves it up to your child to find out more of the "why" on his/her own.
Another great resource is Science Smart: Cool projects for exploring the marvels of planet earth. This one has an earth science theme and the projects are a bit more involved than the other books. Most of them would need some advanced planning to pull off, and some could probably use adult help, so it isn't strictly a "hand it and go" type book like the others. But it is solid science and the activities, though more involved, are very creative and fun. Older kids (maybe 5th,6th grade) could probably do most of them on their own with no problem. Youngers would definitely need some hand-holding. Totally worth it.
I also wanted to mention the Magic School bus science kits (a subscription-based resource) which some of the ladies here have used. Can't go wrong with these. Though they are a bit spendy it is nice to have everything ready to go with no need to search for supplies, etc.
Hope this helps someone. Happy to offer any further explanations if needed.
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Theresa
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CrunchyMom
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lapazfarm wrote:
Now that I am able to access more of their website and materials, I have more confidence.
I especially like the look of the Classic Science series It looks very thorough!
(I'd still like to see them to clean up the Sassafrass Adventure text) |
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It looks like they have cleaned up the text, though I can't be certain whether they addressed your specific concerns.
Quote:
| We have also gone back and updated The Sassafras Science Adventures Volume 1: Zoology to fix the errors that were missed in the first printing. The updated book is currently shipping and the new Kindle version should be uploaded by the end of the month. |
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ETA: This was written in June, so I assume the new editions are available in both formats.
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Lindsay
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SeaStar
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Is there a page anywhere that lists the corrections?
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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CrunchyMom
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SeaStar wrote:
Is there a page anywhere that lists the corrections?
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I haven't seen anything like that, but it would be helpful for them to release it for those that have the first. I wonder if they would at least offer a copy of the revised edition at cost to those who already purchased the other.
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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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MicheleB
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I emailed Paige Hudson and asked for a list of corrections because I thought I had just received the older book. She stated that most of the errors corrected were grammatical not factual and that there was not a list. 
It was all I could do to keep dd9 from reading straight through the book this morning! 
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SeaStar
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MicheleB wrote:
I emailed Paige Hudson and asked for a list of corrections because I thought I had just received the older book. She stated that most of the errors corrected were grammatical not factual and that there was not a list.
It was all I could do to keep dd9 from reading straight through the book this morning!
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Thanks for letting us know.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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SeaStar
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Updating-
My dc are liking this program. There is a lot of reading and narrating- oral and written. The log book also has plenty of room for adding your own drawings, so I feel it is very Charlotte Masonish.
I bought the printed log books from Amazon, but in the future I would buy the pdf file and print off the pages for that. The log books are not spiral bound and won't lie completely flat, making them a bit difficult to write and draw in. I wound up taking them and having them spiral bound at Office Max- cost was under $10 and well worth it.
We are spending about 30 minutes a day on this program, five days a week. That seems like a lot- in the past we have had one or two science days a week. But somehow I like the consistency- we do science every day, so I am not tempted to put it off. The lesson plans are helping me here- no extra planning work for me.
I have been pleasantly surprised that my ds has taken well to the amount of writing in the log book. He says he enjoys it. My dd (3rd grade) needs help- she writes a bit and then narrates the rest to me and I write it down for her. Otherwise she wears out.
There is enough variety in the topics, especially with the list of living books to go with them, to keep us interested.
So far so good- I hope it lasts!
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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: The Sassafrass Science Adventure
