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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 08 2008 at 9:57am | IP Logged
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...that are probably obvious to you all who love nature and the outdoors. I'm a newbie to this particular area of learning. I'm science challenged, to say the least.  In years past, we've mostly picked an area of science to explore, used books (like Usborne) and science kits, and I kind of just get out of the way and let them play with the kits, until late Junior high, when I start getting them ready for high school science.
So anyway, 3 yrs ago we moved to a more rural area and we now have some land. We are gardening and composting for the first time ever, we have planted fruit trees and flower beds, and we are talking about raising meat chickens this summer and maybe more animals (bunnies, layers and maybe dairy goats??) in the years to come. My girls are starting horseback riding lessons in August that will include learning how to care for horses, too. For kids who are 6th grade and under for this coming schoolyear, can I count the 10ish weeks it takes to raise the birds, along with the flower and garden care as our science for the year, and then focus just on history in the winter months? Can I do that year after year...animals/gardening etc in the spring/summer months, and more bookish topics in the late fall/winter? Do I have to turn it into something that feels schoolish (like pairing it up with books and writing) or can it just be what it is?? Will a child raised this way do fine when they hit high school sciences? I don't think of myself as an in-the-box homeschooler, but I think because I feel so inadequate in the sciences, I get nervous when I think about doing something out of the ordinary.
So if this is ok and normal for a whole segment of homeschoolers and I'm just not familiar with it, will somebody give me permission? And if its not ok, let me know that, too???
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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Bridget
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| Posted: July 08 2008 at 10:12am | IP Logged
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I hope it's OK! Thats pretty much what I have done. My kids will read just about any science book I leave laying around too.
This past year my 9th grader did fine in a formal science class with textbook.
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 08 2008 at 10:31am | IP Logged
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And you didn't feel the need to make it all into a lesson? Because that's the part that wears me out, just thinking about it. It can be enough...building the structure, taking care of the birds, fixing problems along the way...that sort of thing?
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Bridget
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| Posted: July 08 2008 at 11:08am | IP Logged
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Good heavens, no. That would do me in. And make it less enjoyable for the kids. But... we don't have to report our schooling in MI, so that might make a difference for some families.
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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mary
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| Posted: July 08 2008 at 1:34pm | IP Logged
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books, why not make animal husbandry all that it is this year? if you feel the need to make it more, do it another year. your new home sounds wonderful!
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 08 2008 at 3:12pm | IP Logged
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mary wrote:
| books, why not make animal husbandry all that it is this year? if you feel the need to make it more, do it another year. your new home sounds wonderful! |
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I was just thinking about how many CM advocates recommend nature study through the elem. years and into the early Jr. high years before moving on...I mean, doesn't plant and animal care count as nature study, even if its not drawing them? It may sound dumb, but if I give it a title, then it feels like I have to make it into more than it is. Does that sound weird??
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~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 08 2008 at 4:54pm | IP Logged
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Bridget wrote:
| Good heavens, no. That would do me in. And make it less enjoyable for the kids. But... we don't have to report our schooling in MI, so that might make a difference for some families. |
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Reporting is not an issue for us. I don't want to fall into the "less enjoyable" area with this. I really want it to be an adventure. Bridget, if you do this regularly, can you tell me a bit more about what it looks like in your home?
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Blessings,
~Books
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MacBeth
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| Posted: July 09 2008 at 6:32pm | IP Logged
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Bookswithtea wrote:
I was just thinking about how many CM advocates recommend nature study through the elem. years and into the early Jr. high years before moving on...I mean, doesn't plant and animal care count as nature study, even if its not drawing them? It may sound dumb, but if I give it a title, then it feels like I have to make it into more than it is. Does that sound weird?? |
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No need to label it.  And yes, it counts if you don't draw it. Our drawing days are sporadic at best, but we still do nature study, and we still learn...
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MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
Nature Study
MacBeth's Blog 
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Bookswithtea
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OK, I feel better now.  Sometimes its hard for me to make a big change without hearing about others who have done it before me...
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Blessings,
~Books
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Bridget
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| Posted: July 10 2008 at 7:07am | IP Logged
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Bookswithtea wrote:
| Bridget, if you do this regularly, can you tell me a bit more about what it looks like in your home? |
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It sounds pretty lame...
The kids have regular animal (cat, dog and chicken) and garden chores. When we run into a situation we aren't sure about, we look it up.
Back in my early MacBeth years, we started nature drawing and the younger kids have sort of picked it up as a family habit. They are always finding dead critters or bones in our woods. They enjoy identifying birds and butterflies, probably because I like it. They sit up in trees waiting to see what comes along to draw or research. We enjoy the nature center down the road from us.
My children will read, even science text books, that I strew around. Often they will do an experiment on their own. We enjoy science movies from the library.
From our backyard, we've observed up close and often: fox, deer, rabbits, ground hogs, nesting ducks in our pond, frogs, snakes, chipmunks... oh, coyote...
We've kept bees and next month we'll be goat sitting a milk goat.
I used to worry that it was too sporadic. But the kids retain a lot. If we did formal science, they probably wouldn't retain information in a linear fashion, but would still retain the parts that interest them or that connect with something else in their minds.
My oldest had a formal science class this past year in 9th grade and did just fine. They really know a vast amount of science information and enjoy it.
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 10 2008 at 7:43am | IP Logged
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Ummm...no, it sounds perfect. Hearing about how it works helps me to re-vision. I just started a new thread on hsing with lots of students and this switch over for science may help with that. Thanks, Bridget.
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~Books
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cornomama4
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 5:59pm | IP Logged
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Hi Books,
We're getting baby chicks 8/1 (!) and I'm definitely using the experience for HS. The obvious biology is there, but we're keeping track of expenses to compare our investment to our return (economics), the boys are helping me (yes, me!) build the coop and learning about basic carpentry and especially about SAFETY around tools, and any male chicks that come in our order will be butchered at the appropriate age..the boys have seen this done and understand why we "have" to kill some animals.
I think this kind of live and learn is always going to be a huge part of our schooling. I also know a woman who does most of her HS curriculum from the Cub Scouts awards requirements (up to age 12)..there are academic pins that are quite challenging to earn. We do a little of that too and there are many books around that get picked up (current fave is the snake encyclopedia) but for now seat work will wait until the cold months. I have them do stuff like figure out how many garden beds I can fit into 32' if they are 4' wide and I want 3' betweem, etc. Of course, Flashmaster is a big hit here too (thanks!) They've also learned a lot about scavanging lumber and how "reusing" works for us all.
Just don't take on too much with your little dude being so little and all. Sometimes it's good to pick and choose and research (chickens has been 5 years "in the works"). You seem to be doing so much right now with organizing and meal planning....don't burn yourself out! I'm always so impressed with your input to others questions, I'm sure whatever you do is going to be good!
cm4
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 6:10pm | IP Logged
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ahem...pming you, Cornomama...
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Blessings,
~Books
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: dumb questions...
