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NicKatMommy
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Hi, I keep running into dead-ends trying to find a science curriculum for 1st grade, separate from nature study. I thought I would use the outline for 1st grade science found in The Well-Trained Mind and supplement with living books, and set up some montessori-type displays. The Well-Trained Mined recommends The Kingfisher First Human Body Encyclopedia for life science. It looks like a beautiful book, however, it has very explicit language (not sure about pictures) for reproduction. I don't believe first grade is the time to "go there" in that fashion. Does anyone have experience with this book, could I simply tear that page out? Any other science recommendations, say, for example, the CHC Behold and See 1 book? Thanks!
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NicKatMommy
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Just wondering if I should have posted my question in "Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science?" Should questions for 1st graders and up be posted under the subject heading? Thanks, I'm still a newbie at this!
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SeaStar
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I think your post is fine to stay here.
I have a copy of the CHC Behold and See 1, and it looks (to me) like a very fun, gentle way to introduce several topics to a first grader. There are lots of "hand on" activities in the book. It is very colorful (eye catching), and the rolling story of Josh and Hannah on the farm is something that would keep my dc's interest.
It is "gentle" but not dumbed down... it would be easy to supplement with library books but not strictly necessary. I think the presentation is "living"-
the dad is answering questions from his children and explaining how the world works.
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NicKatMommy
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Oh, and just one more thought if I may, was also considering as an alternative to the Well-Trained Mind outline, the Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding book, but that book does not seem to cover human life science at all. Any help with all these options would be greatly appreciated!
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NicKatMommy
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I do see how it is a "gentler" approach, and I love that, it's what draws me to the cm style. As a new homeschooler, however, I worry whether it is "enough." For example, it does not seem to include the human body beyond learning about the senses. Is that ok to not include more about the human body for first grade?
Thanks again!
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NicKatMommy
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Yet one more option I'm considering ... would it be ok to use some "vintage" science books I have that cover all the areas that many of the curriculum follow?
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kristinannie
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We are using Real Science Odyssey's Earth and Space this year (they also have Life Science). It is really hands on and a lot of fun. I highly recommend it!
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John Paul 8.5
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SeaStar
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The human body is covered in greater detail as you move through the Behold and See series. At the CHC website, you can tae a virtual tour of all the Behold and See books and get a better idea of the different topics covered over time.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 08 2011 at 8:27am | IP Logged
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Welcome NicKatMommy!! It's wonderful to see you here!
So...let's see - science for 1st grade.
NicKatMommy wrote:
| Hi, I keep running into dead-ends trying to find a science curriculum for 1st grade, separate from nature study. |
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This is probably because in 1st grade, a formal science is not necessary. I know there is a temptation to think, "Nature study? That's it? That's all there is? That can't teach them anything science related - can it? Maybe a little...but we've got topics to cover, vocabulary to learn, experiments to do! Can't get that if we just go on a nature walk!" But, don't sell nature study short!!!
NicKatMommy wrote:
| Any other science recommendations, |
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Here are all the things that nature study fosters/nurtures/teaches, all of which prepare a child to dig deeper scientifically in the later years. These lay the groundwork, so to speak. (And just so I'm clear - I'm talking about a 10 - 15 min nature walk in your yard, and maybe a weekly/bi-weekly walk to a park or another wildlife area):
:: A child begins to understand his place in God's creation. There is an emerging order that develops over time (and not a long time either). A child sees that he is different from the plants and animals, different from the earth. This understanding develops more over time.
:: The skill of observation - this is SO VALUABLE!!
:: The skill of FINER observation! I know, it's not fair to list things twice. Let me explain....first children need time to be still in nature, to see the beautiful creation around them. That happens as they become comfortable just *being* in nature. They aren't being entertained. You aren't handing them a text or workbook to work from. It's up to them to *see* the beauty around them. This is learning OBSERVATION, and it is a skill a child naturally possesses....but....we parents must be careful because we can deaden these natural skills by constantly handing them facts neatly wrapped up in tidy packages. This means that once they are in 8th grade, 12th grade, college, adult...they may have come to expect information to come at them wrapped up as a tidy little fact nugget...with you always doing the handing. That's not how life works, and definitely not how science works. Sometimes, we need to be able to step back and just OBSERVE various problems, challenges, beauty, rhythms....and even the unknown in order to see them! See the tremendous value in this one skill?
OK....now, Sheesh, Jennifer!!! What is this about FINER OBSERVATION???? Well, once a child has been able to spend time relaxing and allowing his natural ability to observe time to develop, you'll want to start a simple nature sketch book. Simple here. Not talking Audubon!! Just a sketch book illustrating simple observations. For any child to sketch anything - even something simple like a brown stick they found under the Magnolia tree with a gnarly turn on it, they need to be able to see DETAILS! This skill develops naturally and as a necessity as they begin to desire to illustrate their sketches with more and more detail.
:: As part of observation, a child learns to ask questions. This comes naturally for a child, too! Only, in nature study, this is a valuable skill! "Why does this ladybug have two spots, and this one have 6?" "Why was this flower open last night, but now it's closed?" "What is that new sound I hear?" And here is the part where I let you off the hook - you DON'T have to know the answer to all the questions!! It's ok to answer, "I don't know - what a great question! Let's keep watching and maybe we can figure out the answer, or maybe we can look it up!"
:: I wonder.... - Children naturally wonder, and this wonder leads to observation, questions and finally....CONSIDERING! I wonder....if this flower has seeds? I wonder....if there is a skink under this rock? I wonder....if the skink will drop his tail if he sees us? Wondering leads to questions and a desire to go further. Sometimes, this prompts hands-on interaction with nature studies. Other times, it may prompt a chart to measure natural phenomenon, and perhaps another time it may provide an opportunity to raise a wild animal like a baby bird.
:: Lessons learned in nature are gentle. The child gathers information and observes things that are important to them. They are curious. They observe. They consider. Each time a child steps out into nature, the child observes something that is important to them, in other words they take away from the experience things they find valuable! You don't have to worry about a scope and sequence or list of topics, nature provides them all and your child takes them when he/she is (developmentally) ready for them. And...you don't have to structure nature walks, or be a naturalist for you or your child to enjoy being in nature (although, you will be a naturalist by the time your home education experience is over...and so will your child if you take time to slowly encourage and make nature study a priority in your day). This is about trusting the child within Nature, which is the palette of the Divine Imagination. There isn't a better science scope than that! But, here's what is so fantastic about nature study especially in the early years...children develop a growing understanding of God's world one little fact, one little observation at a time because of their own interest!! It's gentle, slow, and builds a knowledge base gently.
:: Lessons learned in nature foster quiet reflection. Children learn that to observe some species, they must be quiet and handle nature gently. My kids and I often speak of using our Indian feet to walk in nature so that we don't startle the gifts waiting around the bend. This time-spent is calming and carries with it an immense benefit for young children.
:: Nature is patient and rhythmical, even while offering unique circumstances. There are predictable things that happen within nature - the change of the seasons, the migration of animals, etc. Yet, there are also exciting and unique circumstances - weather phenomenon being one! This means that over time, observations and questions become richer and more developed, and these observations begin to factor into a scientific body of information for natural history that is a wealth for the child to draw on.
:: Nature study fosters within a child/person a natural desire to be a good steward of God's creation. I'm sure I don't need to elaborate more on that, but surely it's easy to see how conservation, ecology, botany, zoology (and all the branches of science really) are related and ordered by the Creator. A child that has developed an understanding of this through observations in nature on a regular basis has a natural understanding that man must be a good steward of God's creation.
:: The child naturally begins to distinguish between living::non-living, animal::plant, water life::meadow life, seed bearing::non-seed bearing, and on...and on...
:: Nature study gives the formal study of science a depth, a framework upon which to hang scientific understanding. You can read out of any text about a cold-blooded animal, but recalling the time you saw the lizard sunning itself on the big rock by the lake brings depth and understanding to the lesson. A child, when they encounter nature regularly, develops a relationship with the things they encounter based on their interest, their observations, their questions. This relationship means something IMPORTANT! It means that the child has discovered something they want to get to know. Over time, these relationships with the natural world grow, and so does a child's body of understanding which assists the study of formal science.
:: In the early years, picture books that are written by an author passionate about their topic can develop an understanding further. Let's say you've just discovered a skunk in your backyard in the evening hours (I highly encourage nature study THROUGH THE WINDOWS for this one!!!). Your child has observed, perhaps you've both asked some questions, and your child is genuinely interested in the topic...you might go to the library and check out some picture books on skunks and read those to your child. His interest is piqued by his observations and his understanding develops based on those observations made in the natural world. Relationship first --> then understanding. I can't understand you if I don't *know* you.
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Now, I realize that trusting that nature study is ENOUGH for a 1st grader is a little bit of a leap of faith, but it is, and I'll go further and say that it is instrumental in assisting the development of a scientific mind. Think about the scientific process we all learned in high school science, now look up at those points I just listed for you above....do you see that process reflected in some of the foundational benefits I listed for nature study? I see much if not all of the scientific process right there!
I do enjoy using some other supplements (Nebel's Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding as a supplement/resource only) and reading (picture books like the Let's Read and Find Out Science series, and Smithsonian's Backyard) for 1st grade in the science/nature study area, so I don't want to be hypocritical and say that I don't....but I (try to) use them in a way that supports nature study, rather than replaces it, because I do find it's place in a child's day to be THAT important.
NicKatMommy, you surely will know how to make this decision best for your child/family!! Thank you so much for letting me answer this question with my own passion because this is a topic I enjoy so much; I am just in awe of the natural wonder present in young children! This natural wonder can be muted or diminished (or at the very least, not fostered), and I've seen it happen at my hands in my own children at times (thank goodness children are resilient!) Whatever you decide to do for 1st grade science, I hope I have at least illustrated the immense (and often understated or NOT-at-all stated) value of nature study in the early years. It is my hope that I have proposed enough that one might consider that *just nature study* is really a valuable and immense part of any child's year, so much so if you didn't do anything formal for science in 1st grade, it could be enough, more than enough!
Good luck as you discern these exciting 1st grade decisions!  And do let us know if we can flesh this out for you in any other way!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Mackfam
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SeaStar wrote:
I think your post is fine to stay here.
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Me too!!
You're right though, NicKatMommy - it does *fit* in both forums. I thought I'd just post a thread in the Exploring Creation forum with a link back here to your thread because then members that are subscribed to that forum, but not this one, can see that you have a great question here and might have contributions to make. Hope you get some great ideas!
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Jen Mackintosh
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NicKatMommy
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| Posted: June 08 2011 at 9:42am | IP Logged
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Thank you so much for that tutorial, I will be printing it so I can digest your excellent thoughts slowly.
I do see what you mean about "finer observation," as yesterday we had a deer come right up to a window of our home and, rather than running to get the camera as usual, I asked the children to instead try to remember as much about it by observing. I also asked them to consider things such as whether it had feathers or fur. After it ran off I had them sketch what they remembered and my son drew a deer with flies all around her ears.
I love the gentle nature of the approach you outline which is what I want for my children. I did not find it hard to use a gentle approach for pre-school when others were forging ahead with more "rigorous" plans, but admit that as we move on, the pressure to be more "rigorous" is there. Thanks again!
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lapazfarm
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Well, Jen said it all, so I will just ditto what she said and add a hearty "Hear, hear!!!" 
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mamaslearning
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Elemental Science is another option. I used CHC's 1st grade science for part of the year (it's mainly a topic guide so you get your books from the library each week to learn about the topics), and then did part of the Grammar Stage Biology from Elemental Science. We also used some experiments from Seton's Kindergarten science. Lots of library books in the Read-and-find-out series, Magic Schoolbus, and other library finds.
Have fun on your first grade journey!
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mamaslearning
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Well, it looks like CHC's Easy as 1, 2, 3 is no longer available. That's what I used for first grade this year. I'm not familiar with the new book. Sorry.
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Lara
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ekbell
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I wouldn't worry about covering any particular science topic in any particular year as you have many years ahead of you. In the very early years it's most important to encourage questioning and observation. Nature study tends to be high interest with plenty of ways to find answers to questions and lots of opportunity to observe so it works very well for most children.
BTW if you find something you like that doesn't cover everything your child is interested in there's a simple solution. Just pick up a few good books covering the topic of interest and read them during your pleasure or enrichment reading time. Learning that learning can happen outside of formal lessons and curricula can only be good.
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NicKatMommy
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Jen, just wanted to thank you so very much for your wisdom.
Your words, "we parents must be careful because we can deaden these natural skills by constantly handing them facts neatly wrapped up in tidy packages," and everything else you wrote, has had my friends and I in constant dialogue this week about how we want to make sure we keep the gentleness in our teaching and the wonder in our children - my reasons for homeschooling - so important to keep in mind at our homeschool conference tomorrow when all those choices are before us.
Thanks again!
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Mackfam
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You're so welcome, NicKatMommy!
Enjoy this wonder-filled time.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Grace&Chaos
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kristinannie wrote:
| We are using Real Science Odyssey's Earth and Space this year (they also have Life Science). It is really hands on and a lot of fun. I highly recommend it! |
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I love how we've been doing science these last two years with my younger dd, very CM. I do wish I was more hands on with labs/set up activities, etc. And I really want to do that for her this year.
So, today at our park day one of the moms had her box of curriculum she was selling. She had both of these shrink wrapped (I couldn't thumb through it). The cover caught my attention "Real Science Odyssey - Read, Explore, Absorb, Learn" the comments on users of the program was that it was very hands on lab type activities.
What are your thoughts on it? Is it loose enough that we could keep doing our CM style nature study/science living books appraoch but structured enough for me to give my younger kids set up type labs without to much research on my part?
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Jenny
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kristinannie
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We do it 2 times a week. It takes about 15-30 minutes, depending on the lab we are doing. I bought the package from Home Science Tools with all of the stuff you need for the labs. It even has the straws and balloons. The only think that it doesn't have so far is a paper plate and I actually had to go buy one.  We don't ever use those.
We do A LOT of nature study in our house. Whenever the kids are playing outside, they will find a new bug for us to learn about. I have tried to get them more excited about flowers and trees, but they mostly just LOVE bugs! We don't do formal nature study. About once a week (or more if we find something really interesting), we will actually collect the bug, I will print some info offline and we will sit down and draw the bug and I will write out DS's narration about the bug.
I honestly don't see nature study and science books as mutually exclusive. I am also supplementing RSO Earth and Space with lots of living books once we get to the space part of it. Once we get to a little bit cooler weather, we are going to start doing weekly nature walks.
If you have any specific questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
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SaraP
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I have used the Usborne First Encyclopedia of the Human Body for for first grade science. It uses the proper scientific name for the male reproductive cells, but all it says about how the male and female cells are joined is that "the [male cells] swim into the woman's body. When one [male cell] joins up with an egg, a baby starts to grow."
There is one drawing of fertilization - just the cells involved, no anatomy - and then the rest of two-page spread is about the baby growing in the womb.
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: 1st grade science
