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dakotamidnight
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| Posted: Feb 10 2010 at 1:42am | IP Logged
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Anyone done this for early grades science?
We're using CHC, but I'll be the first to admit I really don't care for their science for 1st & 2nd - just isn't enough learning for my tastes. I have all the Magic School Bus books, and am considering just using them supplemented with experiments for 1st & 2nd grades. Would this be a good enough science base for those grades?
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Becky Parker
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I think they would be perfect. My kids love the Magic School Bus books. We have some on tape that they like to listen to as well. The DVD's are also nice to have. You might even take a few rabbit trails after you've read a book or two. But even if you don't I think the Magic Schoolbus books are great for igniting interest in science for young kids, which, to me, is one of the main goals of science in these early years.
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Paula in MN
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We still do this! We have all the episodes on tape, and most of the books. The kids pick the topic, then we read the book and/or watch the show. They can decide what kind of narration they want to do, and we will go through all our other books for more research on the topic.
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 Paula
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Chris V
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This sounds interesting, I'm not at all familiar with Magic School Bus ... I'll have to look into it!
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AtHomeScience
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If you like the shows MSB is available through Discovery Streaming--a couple of states offer free access, or you can purchase a pricey subscription through Homeschool Buyer's Co-op. I have also seen MSB science kits, too.
My kids love MSB, though the Let's Read And Find Out Science series is much more extensive, though without science kits and videos.
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Mimip
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We just got the MSB Space episodes in the mail from Netflix and the kids love them.
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guitarnan
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We used MSB for early grades science, too. The science is solid and the approach is engaging and retainable. Even now, many years later, my children can remember details from MSB books and videos (and give me the titles!).
I think your approach is great...since I did the same thing, LOL! (We used MSB books and videotapes from our library...)
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DivineMercy
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We have been doing this this year and will keep going until we decide that we want to focus on something more in depth. We pick up the MSB we are working on then add in more living books that we find. We especially like the Let's Read And Find Out Science series. This week we are starting a new lesson around "The Giant Germ" from MSB, making a compost bin in a bottle, and reading more books about composting. We just finished "Twister Trouble" and my boys loved it! I will also say that if they want to diverge and learn about something else, I just set aside the MSB and we go with what they are interested in. We also get out for Nature Study every day with 2 - 3 times per week more focused there.
Michelle
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CatholicMommy
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Does anyone use the science kits with the MSB books?
Opinions? Do the MSB kits come with the books or do I get those separate? How far up in age would they work for? (enough for 1st-4th or 5th grade??)
While we are primarily Montessori in our household (I have the AMI elementary training...) there is NO way I can provide materials for all the science experiments, so we're adapting  (don't we all?)
So... I'm comparing ideas. I want KITS. I know that much. And I am looking at an almost complete set of MSB kits ($109 with shipping)... and comparing that to a complete set of science kits for the Noeo curriculum ($200 with shipping)... and a nice tax refund....
With Noeo, I have enough books on hand or available at the library to swap out titles as needed without purchasing any new books; MSB books are readily available at the library. So the book-cost is not a consideration. I'm just looking at quality of the kits.
Opinions anyone?
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AtHomeScience
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I find the Young Scientists kits pricey for what you get. Here are a couple of old blog entries I wrote:
Young Scientist Kit #5
Young Scientist Kit #11
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folklaur
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AtHomeScience wrote:
I find the Young Scientists kits pricey for what you get.
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they are much better priced by the set-of-three boxes at Rainbow Resources.
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folklaur
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CatholicMommy wrote:
So... I'm comparing ideas. I want KITS. I know that much. |
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not to throw add in more options ..but i love, and i mean TOTALLY LOVE, the ASK Science kits.
they are complete. but, *really* complete. if you need a paper clip, the kit has it. if you need a cup, it is in there. if you need a tray, it has the tray. if you need to color something, there is a little pack of crayons. the *only* thing you add is water. that is it.
the subjects can easily be beefed up with library books.
i have used, and been pleased with, young scientist kits.
but, i love the ASK kit we have.
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CatholicMommy
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I love the concept of the ASK Science Kits, but they are too out of our price range right now 
They seem fairly complete, curriculum-wise, but it's hard to tell. Is this an accurate impression? Meaning, if I purchased the astronomy one, and coupled it with appropriate living books, would that be one semester of science for the average 4th-6th grader? Or would it be more like a half-semester?
What is the quality level of the materials? Flimsy? Solid? Just wondering. I think I'll get these when my son is a bit older and we want another round of hands-on kits.
In the end, for now, we've gone with the Magic School Bus Science Kits. We've not yet started, but I opened up all the boxes and WOW! I am quite satisfied with what we got for the price I paid (less than $100 for 7 kits). I'll have a preliminary review on my weblog soon (and I put together a list on Amazon with as many of the corresponding books as I could find - but really, you don't *need* the books to do these kits!).
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Erin
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dakotamidnight wrote:
| I have all the Magic School Bus books, and am considering just using them supplemented with experiments for 1st & 2nd grades. Would this be a good enough science base for those grades? |
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Yes. When my older children were primary age magic school bus and nature study were all we did for science. I'm am amazed at just how much they learnt from MSB DVDs. Often they will tell me information and I ask where did they learn this? Mostly they answer, "Magic School Bus"
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CandaceC
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I'm also planning to use the MSB kits in our next school year!! I'm very excited to hear that others have enjoyed the kits. 
I'm starting off in the summer with a human body unit study, and will incorporate the dvd and kit into our plans.
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CandaceC
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Has anyone found a good deal on purchasing multiple dvd's at a time??
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
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cathhomeschool
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Do you mean Magic School Bus DVDs? Don't know of any deals. We've purchased some, received some for bdays and borrow some from the library.
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dakotamidnight
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| Posted: March 25 2010 at 10:44am | IP Logged
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We got all our MSB DVD's on amazon - I buy everything I can on there with gift cards earned from various places.
We also have a ton on VHS that are no longer made on DVD that we picked up at our thrift shop.
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momwise
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dakotamidnight wrote:
We got all our MSB DVD's on amazon - I buy everything I can on there with gift cards earned from various places.
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Totally off topic but how do you "earn" Amazon gift cards?
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dakotamidnight
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momwise wrote:
dakotamidnight wrote:
We got all our MSB DVD's on amazon - I buy everything I can on there with gift cards earned from various places.
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Totally off topic but how do you "earn" Amazon gift cards? |
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I do a lot of online surveys with various sites and do my online searching through swagbucks.
They all pay in Amazon.com gift cards - I get around $600 a year or so in gift cards, which pays for almost all of our home schooling needs, the rest I fill in with books from the thrift shop, library book sales or that I get through bookmooch.
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Magic School Bus for Science?
