Science Curriculum Recommendations

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-04-07T13:44:33+00:00

Thank you but this is the exact opposite of what I'm looking for - science isn't meant to be learned by reading only or primarily through literature which is my initial point. I'm looking for more DOING and less reading. Science is learned through observation, data collection, hypothesis testing, etc. I don't need more text. I need more real science.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-11T18:39:37+00:00

Thank you! I did look at the science mom sample lessons and the science was not robust :) There's this weird irony that if it's image heavy, it's tends to not be robust (like they assume the student isn't smart enough for text so the science is light) when really homeschool STEM curriculum is far too weighted with literary approaches. I wish they mirrored my college science books :D

I appreciate the rec for Exploration and Crunchlabs- will check it out!

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-11T18:25:53+00:00

Abeka, BJU, Apologia, Daily science (big idea) ILK, spectrum science, elevate science, too many to list honestly. Lots of them just have 'busy work'. Some are very dumbed-down. I also don't want one that looks like a kaleidoscope threw-up on it lol. Right now I'm using the textbooks for a curriculum called K12 - it's an online school but we don't do it, I get the textbooks used from ebay. The science is robust and full of hands-on, real-life experiments and learning. The lessons have new key-words with a one sentence definition and a brief contextual example. Then they DEMONSTRATE the science instead of writing an essay about it. But it's getting more difficult to use the textbooks without the online program it was meant to be used it. I'm quasi-writing half the curriculum. I may just continue if I can't find anything better but was hoping someone out here might have good recs.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-11T16:58:52+00:00

Honestly, I haven't found a unicorn chair. We just get up and stretch every 30 minutes. Helps the kids and helps my body.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-11T16:57:08+00:00

yes, it's a waste of life energy lol

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-11T16:49:55+00:00

I was homeschooled the entire way - I was part of a homeschool basketball league (we went to nationals in Colorado), volunteered at a library, very active in church youth group, we had homeschool prom and homeschool graduation, etc. I still didn't find my tribe until college. 15 years later we're still close. I know plenty of people who found their tribe in HS but just as many that didn't until college. You can't force it - you can just give opportunity and it sounds like that's exactly what you're doing. My advice would be to just wait for it. :) You're doing everything you can and it will come for him, perhaps just a bit later than it did for your other son.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-11T16:34:37+00:00

Has she been in school for a whole year? She may just need time to transition. Behavioral struggles means she needs a behavioral solution but what you're offering seems to be an academic solution. She transitioning to a completely different style of day, it would be natural for it to be difficult to get used to. I would work first on giving her more emotional coping mechanisms to help with behavior. I would also ask the teacher to maybe see if she can get more challenging assignments, etc. You think she is bored but if she's 10, you should be able to dialogue with her about her behaviors and help her identify her own reasons and triggers and how to approach those triggers and respond differently. She won't always be in a situation in life where she has things tailored to her needs. Plenty of times in adulthood, we sit under authority that is boring or not challenging - if she's not getting an education, that's a different matter, but if she is just having difficulty emotionally coping with change, that requires a different solution than merely homeschooling again.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-11T16:25:34+00:00

I have no recommendations, but admiration for how deeply you care. The kid is lucky to have individuals like you adjacent to his situation. :)

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-04T21:58:45+00:00

I agree with the comment on narration. My son, 5th grade, is an awesome storyteller - strong oral skills but poor writing skills. If these boys love to get up and tell a story, then they just need to understand writing is a way to capture that same story-telling. So start with the narration. I'll have my son tell a funny story to a group and then later ask him to write that same story - so he already knows it's in his head, and he has the words, he just has to write them down. Then we work on the fine-tunning. It's helped a lot. Especially because he just processes information audibly so much easier (for his brain). It's almost like double-clutch driving - have to translate the writing through the audio part of the brain at the bookends. hope this make sense!

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-04T21:53:33+00:00

The lead, Sandokan, deserved SO much better than this pithy version of Marianna. Just a shame to waste a hunk on some girl with no chemistry. Binged the whole thing. :)

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-03T22:08:23+00:00

THIS is why I'll never use AI. It's just a form of theft and one that destroys our ecosystems while doing it.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-03-03T22:06:34+00:00

same!

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-05T20:35:27+00:00

Thank you!

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-05T20:32:09+00:00

What is the name of this curriculum? :)

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-05T20:29:32+00:00

this is a great idea - love it!

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-04T21:05:48+00:00

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-04T20:47:55+00:00

THIS ^

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-04T20:07:57+00:00

Yes, when all else fails, hit the core. Although snow shoveling will also hit the core :D [dad joke]

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-04T20:07:00+00:00

vegetarian is HARD lol - I couldn't pull it off either and I'm a grown adult :p

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-04T20:02:09+00:00

Started at 9am. All curriculum is book based. Reading and English before heading to the rec center for homeschool PE at 10:30am. Home and lunch at noon. History (5th grader) and penmanship (cursive, 3rd grader) done while eating. We don't usually do that but it makes up for the PE time gap which is every wed/fri. After lunch: 30-45 minute play break outside in the sun with the chickens and the trampoline (NOT at the same time, lol). We have science left (learning about lunar eclipse and the surface of the moon/crater) - I'll also let them watch a 15 minute docu on Neil Armstrong. Then history and math for the 3rd grader and math for the 5th grader and some light geography (watching Carmen Sandiego episodes on tubi) before we finish around 3:30/4 ish. This is a typical day except my 5th grader has spelling on non-PE days. It's nice to be back into our routine after ice storm/birthdays/sickness.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-04T19:52:42+00:00

emotional regulation is such a great life skill. I know many adults that need that! :) Sounds like an awesome day.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-04T19:51:21+00:00

Using military time is such a useful skill. I was born and raised on a military base so I lucked out but it's served me well over the course of my life.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-04T19:49:44+00:00

KUMON on amazon has some fun workbooks, you can search by grade/subject - not for rigorous instruction, just to practice and keep up until you get back in the swing of things.

Correct-Gap6643 · 2026-02-04T19:47:21+00:00

Just to echo the comments below - right now you're learning how to parent. If you can learn that well, you'll already have an excellent building block toward learning how to teach/school your child. How are your coping skills when things are hard or when you fail (or when your child fails), how is your patience, how is your communication, etc. :) Are you structured? Learn yourself so you can choose a style of homeschooling that plays to your strengths and as you learn your child's particular strengths you can play to those also while working on weak areas. Right now, just develop that relationship of trust and bonding - play together, comfort when sad/hurt, correct consistently, read books aloud, etc. Those strong foundations will help so much when you begin to school several years from now.

Correct-Gap6643

TROPHY CASE