The past two weeks was our first time using Apologia for our science course. We were using another curriculum but it just wasn’t in-depth enough for my little scholars. So I scrapped it and we switched to Apologia. My kids love it and beg me everyday to start with science…and sometimes we do.
We are using the Astronomy text and the accompanying Notebooking Journal and Jr Notebooking Journal. We just wrapped up our first chapter and I can tell we are really going to enjoy this curriculum. Yeah for small victories!! My first graders color in their notebooks while I read the text and then I have them narrate the main ideas. My oldest works on an outline of the main ideas in his notebook. If they have more questions we look in our encyclopedias or check Google. We spent an entire hour looking at pictures from Hubble and learning about nebulas. My kids love, love, love the notebooks.
We chose to build Stonehenge for our chapter project out of legos. The book suggested clay but I try to use legos as much as possible. We have used legos for several of our history projects. I found a simple diagram of Stonehenge to build our own model. We also learned how it was used as a calandar to mark the seasons. The one lesson the kids took away from this first chapter was how God put the earth in orbit and how the other planets help keep our little planet in place. They were amazed how “God really thought of everything”…my favorite quote from Miss Sparkles for the week!! My favorite part is that my childrens’ natural wonder and amazement at creation is gently turned toward our Creator with this curriculum. We are going to love our journey with Apologia Science…I can just tell! Linking up with Homeschool Science Share and Tell.
January 30, 2013 at 12:59 pm
Love the Lego Stonehenge! We are more than half way through the Apologia Astronomy text but will have to revisit chapter one and break out the Legos!
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January 30, 2013 at 7:32 pm
Legos always make the school day fun and usually a little longer.
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January 30, 2013 at 4:50 pm
I love this! We just studied Stonehenge in history! We might have to go back and do this because my boys love Legos!
We love Apologia too! We are using Zoology 1 right now and have also done Astronomy and Anatomy.
I host an Apologia Blog Roll on my blog where you can find and connect with lots of other Apologia bloggers!
http://myjoy-filledlife.blogspot.com/2012/07/apologia-blog-role-2012-2013.html
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January 30, 2013 at 7:34 pm
Apologia blog roll!! Exciting. I will have to join up and check everyone’s blogs out after I tuck my little scholars into bed.
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January 30, 2013 at 9:58 pm
Sarah, I might have to join you there too. 🙂
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January 30, 2013 at 9:57 pm
We have JUST finished Apologia Astronomy today! We loved it this last year and it was a big hit in our household. We couldn’t get enough so also supplemented with A Journey Through Learning’s lapbooks (it’s about $20 for 14 lapbooks, one for each chapter). With the lapbooks we didn’t stress if all the components didn’t get done. We’re about to start Zoology 1 next week. And SO looking forward to it!
Have fun. – Victoria
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January 31, 2013 at 4:08 pm
I think lapbooks are really neat but my kids do not like them very much…they are notebookers…
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February 5, 2013 at 6:17 pm
We love the Apologia science program! Of course my children started off with the General science as the elementary ones weren’t out yet when they were that age.
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February 7, 2013 at 6:37 pm
Great idea-we had a clay model of Stonehenge recently. I hadn’t thought of using Lego-this will appeal to one of my children.
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February 8, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Thank you so much for linking up your post at Apologia’s Homeschool Science Share and Tell! We appreciate your participation!
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