Reflections on Year 8 Science with Sabbath Mood Homeschool...

Last week, I reviewed RileyAnn's Year 9 Science, where she used Ambleside Online. Today, I want to share Ruben's Year 8 Science and his use of Sabbath Mood Homeschool guides, combined with a couple AO books. First, a look at the books and resources and how I scheduled them....

Term 1

The Planets by Dava Sobel
SMH Astronomy - Form 3-4

Term 2

Secrets of the Universe by Paul Fleisher - AO Year 7
SMH Physics - Form 3-4

Term 3

Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather by Eric Sloane
SMH Weather - Form 3-4

All Year

The Lay of the Land by Dallas Lore Sharp - AO Year 7

I chose the above term books and resources based on exposure and interest. What I mean by exposure is, Ruben didn't have much in the way of formal science in the areas of Astronomy, Physics, and Weather in the past so I wanted him to gain some base knowledge before high school. In addition, I read aloud The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson in our Morning Time, which is an AO Year 6 Science/Natural History book. I thought those three term topics, along with a study of the sea, would bode well for a general Earth Science course.

In addition, Ruben is extremely mechanical, having a natural bent toward physics and engineering. He is also interested in meteorology and the weather so I wanted to somehow tie those interests together. I feel the combination of books and resources we used this year accomplished that goal. On the other hand, in an effort not to be off balance with biology or a life science, I added The Lay of the Land, which Riley really enjoyed last year. Sharp was an American author, professor, and Methodist Episcopal minister, who wrote books about native birds and small animals. He was a naturalist of sorts, who wrote The Lay of the Land in 1908 about a variety of woodland critters and birds, of which, Ruben is familiar due to his passion for the outdoors.

Overall, Ruben had a very rich year of science. We/he enjoyed all the books with the exception of The Planets by Sobel, which I cannot recommend in good faith for a few reasons. I actually ended up stopping it and subbing out part way through the term. Instead, we used a combination of Album of Astronomy by Thomas McGowan and The New Astronomy Book by Danny Faulkner, published by Master Books, both of which I had on the shelf. We didn't read either from cover to cover, but rather pulled information that matched the notebook assignments and experiments in the Sabbath Mood Homeschool guide. McGowan's book does have some evolutionary content, but Faulkner's book is from a creationist perspective and the combination afforded a nice balance.

In my humble opinion, Secrets of the Universe is a MUST READ for middle or early high school or anyone looking to gain knowledge of physics. It's a wonderful introduction. Fleisher's writing is easily accessible and engaging. Unfortunately, it's been out of print for some time, making prices for the original book ridiculous. Fortunately, it has recently been reprinted by Living Book Press in 5 separate books. The Sabbath Mood Homeschool guide is not necessary as Ambleside Online offers a reading schedule in their Year 7 curriculum. However, I wanted a guide to add a bit more to Ruben's study. It gave him notebook suggestions, links to various websites for further study, discussion prompts, and experiments, which he read through, but didn't perform.

Ruben's favorite science book of the year was Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather. Sloane's writing is interesting and his illustrations are amazing! RileyAnn also enjoyed Eric Sloane's Weather Book when she read it as part of her AO Science study in 8th grade. In addition, we read Diary of an Early American Boy by Sloane several years ago as part of Sonlight. Apparently, Sloane wrote a series of six weather books over his life. We will most likely be adding others to our future science studies.

The Sabbath Mood Homeschool study guides include 33 lessons that you can either schedule three times a week for 11 weeks, followed by a 12th week of exams, which is what we did. Or, you could schedule a lesson once a week for an entire school year, breaking for exams at the end of each term. The exams are included in the study guide. Again, they are not necessary to the books. You could simply read and narrate or notebook on your own. However, they were easy enough to follow and I liked having them as a jumping off point. I appreciate the advance work Nicole William's did for me.

Basically, Ruben followed the guides by doing a different lesson Monday through Wednesday. Then he read a chapter from The Lay of the Land on Thursday. He studied a different book each term as noted above. After his reading, he created one notebook page each week as part of his written narration. As you may know, Ruben is dyslexic and struggles with writing. Often times, I would help him pick out a main idea to summarize after the reading or assign him a copywork passage from the reading to accompany his illustration. Here are samples....

A Review of Form III-IV Science Using Ambleside Online

RileyAnn has officially completed AO Year 7 and AO Year 8 Science. I highly recommend it!! The Ambleside Advisory did a tremendous job of choosing a variety of living books and piecing together a wonderful introductory and preparatory science study for the upper years. Because Riley completed the study in her Year 8 & 9, I did make a few minor modifications and additions for high school, but nothing major. I'm not going to spend too much time on AO Year 7 because I did a reflection of that here, which also includes some of my thoughts on scientific literacy. Rather, I will share the books Riley's covered over the past two years, as well as samples of her notebooking pages to hopefully give you ideas.

Riley's Year 8 Book List Based off AO Year 7

Eric Sloane's Weather Book by Eric Sloane
Social Life in the Insect World by Jean Henri Fabre - (A book I substituted for AO's The Life of the Spider)
Secrets of the Universe: Discovering the Universal Laws of Science by Paul Fleisher - (This book has been reprinted by Living Book Press in 5 separate books.)
The Wonder Book of Chemistry by Jean Henri Fabre
First Studies of Plant Life by George Francis Atkinson
Adventures with a Microscope by Richard Headstrom
Signs and Seasons: Understanding the Elements of Classical Astronomy by Jay Ryan

Great Astronomers by R.S. Ball - (I highly recommend the linked edition!! It is a well done reprint with original illustrations.)

Lay of the Land by Dallas Lore Sharp

Riley's Year 9 Book List Book Based off AO Year 8

First Studies of Plant Life by George Francis Atkinson - continued

Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Molecules That Changed History by Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson

Adventures with a Microscope by Richard Headstrom - continued

Signs and Seasons: Understanding the Elements of Classical Astronomy by Jay Ryan - continued

Great Astronomers by R.S. Ball - continued

The Chemical History of a Candle by Michael Faraday - (Be sure to add the free online videos linked at AO)

Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman
A Briefer History of Time by Stephen Hawking 
The Microbe Hunters by Paul DeKruif

Rural Hours by Susan Fenimore Cooper

For the Love of Physics by Walter Lewin - (I added with Sabbath Mood Homeschool guide.)

Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel - (I added.)

Overall, Riley enjoyed her study. She felt there was a nice variety of the sciences represented and she said she learned a little from each book. Her least favorites were those by Fabre, A Briefer History of Time, and The Chemical History of the Candle because the writing and subject matter was not as interesting to her. 

Like last year, the schedule was such that Riley read from two books per day, four days per week, and then completed one notebooking page per day from the book of her choice. Here is a sample of her work....

I realize this is a lot of pages to showcase, but my hope is to allow you to see the variation of knowledge gleaned by this study throughout the year. I love the way AO mixed sciences in these years using living books. However, I will admit, initially, I was a bit skeptical, but after doing a variety of research a couple years ago, I realized the US is one of the few countries that segregates the sciences. Also, Charlotte Mason did not separate them, as she taught the various branches of science concurrently. 

In addition, I was very pleased with Riley's standardized test results this spring, which clearly showed she had mastered the different streams of science well enough to beat the test. This was especially interesting since the test was based on current common core standards, to which we have never adhered in our homeschool. 

In closing, I want to highly recommend the AO Science we used! I'm so glad we chose this route and hope to continue with a mix of science streams each year throughout high school. To those that worry about using old books that may be outdated, I say stop worrying. You can always Google updated information if you feel it necessary...we did not. Also remember, scientific literacy should be the goal. If you have a budding scientist, they will narrow their field and specialize in college, not middle and high school. Right now, providing a feast and allowing adequate time and space for your student to digest it should be your main concern. The AO Science choices afford you the opportunity to do just that.



Note: Ambleside Online is a FREE Charlotte Mason inspired curriculum. They offer schedules for Year 0-12, as well as a variety of resources to help parents educate their children. All opinions are my own and I am not being compensated by AO in any way. However, the books in my lists are linked to my Amazon affiliate account. I appreciate your consideration in clicking the links. By doing so and making a purchase, you are supporting my efforts here on this blog and in our homeschool. Thanks!

Math, Logic, and Science Books for Sale - January 2019...

Below you will find our latest list of math, logic, and science resources for sale. I have many new wonderful science and nature lore titles available. There are sets of science books by topic toward the bottom. These are handy for unit studies or as aids to nature study. There are several beautiful out of print books in the sets.

The Houghton Mifflin and Scott Foresman math texts are great older hard cover math books. They are pre-common core and are a wonderful resource for teaching math concepts in a living, organic way, or giving extra practice problems. I do have some flashcards and math manipulatives as well that are not listed so let me know if you're looking for them.

The prices do not reflect shipping. I accept PayPal and ship media mail within the U.S. We are a smoke and pet free home. Please use the contact form on the right side bar to send inquires and desired list.

Thanks so much for your consideration,
Melissa

Natural History (Science) & Nature Study

Nature Portfolio throughout the Year by Barbara Shukin $10

Sabbath Mood Homeschool Astronomy Forms 3 & 4 (includes guide and The Planets by Dava Sobel (hardcover w/jacket) $20 set

A Mind in the Light Natural Worlds I (ages 6-8) (includes Teaching Guide and Companion Album) $30 set

Hands-On Physical Science Activities for Grades K-8 $4

Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space by Stephanie L. Redmond $10

Natural Science through the Seasons by James A. Partridge $15

Simple Machines Made Simple y Ralph St. Andre $3

Great Science Adventures – The Wonder of Light and Sound by Dinah Zike and Susan Simpson $3

Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation by Dennis Petersen (hardcover) $4

202 Oozing, Bubbling, Dripping, & Bouncing Experiments by Janice VanCleave $2

See For Yourself More Than 100 Experiments for Science Fairs & Projects by Vicki Cobb $2

Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the Year $3

Rocks & Minerals by Janice VanCleave $2

A+ Projects in Biology by Janice VanCleave $2

The Story of Science, Einstein Adds a New Dimension by Joy Hakim (hardcover/w jacket, ex-library) $12

Science in the Creation Week by Unfred – grades 2-5 $5

The Brown Paper School Series - This Book is about Time by Marilyn Burns $2  

Making Things Float and Sink with Easy-to-make Scientific Projects $2

Usborne Internet-linked First Encyclopedia of Science SL MFW $3

Usborne Science with Magnets $3

Explorabook, A Kids’ Science Museum in a Book by John Cassidy BF $3

Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits by Bob Bennett $6

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot AO 12 $4

North with the Spring by Edwin Way Teale (hardcover) $10

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson $3

Deep Woods Adventure series by P.M. Malone $5 set

-       Book 1 Out of the Nest

-       Book 3 To Find a Way Home

Simple Chemistry Experiments with Everyday Materials by Louis V. Loeschnig $3

Simple Earth Science Experiments with Everyday Materials by Louis V. Loeschnig $3

Simple Weather Experiments with Everyday Materials by Muriel Mandell $3

Simple Kitchen Experiments with Everyday Materials by Muriel Mandell $3

Volcanoes and Earthquakes by Mary Elting $4

White Snow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt $3 each (x4)

The Beaver Pond by Alvin Tresselt (hardcover, ex-library) $4

The Mitten by Alvin Tresselt (hardcover, ex-library) $4

Rain Drop Splash by Alvin Tresselt $3

The Storm Book by Charlotte Zolotow (ex-library, hardcover) $8 (x2)

Deer at the Brook by Jim Arnosky (ex-library) $2

Crinkleroot’s Guide to Walking in the Wild Places by Jim Arnosky $8

Sketching Outdoors in Spring by Jim Arnosky (hardcover w/Mylar, ex-library) $5

Flute’s Journey, the Life of a Wood Thrush by Lynne Cherry $4

Polar Bears by Gail Gibbons $4

Sea Otter Rescue, The Aftermath of an Oil Spill by Roland Smith $4 each (x2)

Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z. Guiberson SCM $4 each (x2)

Water’s Way by Lisa Westberg Peters $4 each (x6)

The Sun, the Wind and the Rain by Lisa Westberg Peters $4 each (x4)

City Storm by Mary Jessie Parker $2

Wind by Ron Bacon $2 each (x2)

How Superhighways are Made by David. C. Cooke (hardcover, ex-library) $3

Where Did The Butterfly Get Its Name? by Melvin and Gilda Berger $5

Do Stars Have Points? by Melvin and Gilda Berger $4

Take a Tree Walk by Jane Kirkland $2

Adventures with a Hand Lens by Richard Headstrom AO author $2

The Heart: Our Circulatory System by Seymour Simon $3

Sugaring Time by Kathryn Lasky $3

The Farm Book by E. Boyd Smith $3

Let’s Read and Find Out About Science:

-       Plants in Winter by Joanna Cole (hardcover) $4

-       Why Do Leaves Change Colors by Betsy Maestro $3

-       Flash, Crash, Ruble, and Roll by Franklyn Branley $3 each (x2)

-       Air Is All Around You by Franklyn Branley $3

-       Birds at Night by Roma Gans (hardcover) $4

-       Ducks Don’t Get Wet by Augusta Goldin (hardcover) $4

-       The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn Branley (hardcover ) $4

-       Straight Hair, Curly Hair by Augusta Goldin (hardcover) $6

-       Your Skin and Mine by Paul Showers (hardcover w/Mylar jacket) $5

Dolphin Adventure, A True Story by Wayne Grover SL $3 each (x6)

Shark Lady, True Adventures of Eugenie Clark by Ann McGovern SCM $3

Ladybird Leaders series $10 set

-       The Stream

-       Castles

-       Leaves

-       Bread

-       The Tree and Its World

A Golden Guide: Spiders by Herbert Levi $3

The First Book of Time by Jeanne Bendick (hardcover, ex-library) $5

The First Book of Firemen by Benjamin Brewster (hardcover, ex-library) $10

The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole SL $3

A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There by Aldo Leopold (hardcover w/jacket) $6

Encyclopedia Britannica True-to-life Books Eskimo Family (hardcover) $2

The Answer Book by Mary Elting (hardcover) $3

The Golden Exploring Earth Book – Flowers, Trees and Gardening by Matt Warner $4

A Tree Is Nice by Janice May Udry $3

Wonders of the Deep Sea by Boris Arnov, Jr. (hardcover w/jacket) $8

Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv $4

The Tarantula in My Purse by Jean Craighead George SCM $3

Genesis for Kids – Science Experiments that Show God’s Power in Creation! MFW $4

Scholastic Banners: Teaching with Themes (grades 4-5) $40 set includes:

Ø  Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Storms

-       Student Text

-       Teacher’s Theme Guide

-       Volcanoes and Earthquakes by Mary Elting

-       If You Lived at the Time of the Great San Francisco Earthquake by Ellen Levine

-       Day of the Blizzard by Marietta Moskin

-       Hurricane! by Marian Rumsey

-       The Finches’ Fabulous Furnace by Roger Drury

Ø  Save the Earth

-       Student Text

-       Teacher’s Theme Guide

-       Sea Otter Rescue, The Aftermath of an Oil Spill by Roland Smith

-       Nobody Listens to Me by Leslie Davis Guccione

-       Trouble at Marsh Harbor by Susan Sharpe

-       On the Far Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Ø  Oceans of Air (Macmillan/McGraw-Hill)

-       Student Text

-       Teacher Resource Masters

-       Teacher’s Anthology (unit poetry)

-       Weather by Howard E. Smith

-       2 cassettes

Scholastic Science Place Kit (grades 1-5) $20 includes:

-       Air, Sun, and Water – teacher and student books

-       What Will the Weather be like Today? By Paul Rogers

-       Sun Up, Sun Down by Gail Gibbons

-       Water Way by Lisa Westberg Peters

-       Video field trip

-       Using Water - teacher and student books

-       Experiments with Water by Bryan Murphy

-       Three Days in a Red Canoe by Bera B. Williams

-       Energy – student books

-       Simple Science Take One Mirror by Melvin Berger

-       Sound, Heat and Light, Energy at Work by Melvin Berger

-       Science Journal software

-       Light – teacher and student books

-       Rocks and Soil – teacher book

-       The Magic Schoolbus Inside the Earth by Joanna Cole

Math & Logic

                                                      

Scott Foresman – Addison Wesley Daily Cumulative Review Masters – Math Student Workbook grade 1 $2

Scott Foresman Exploring Mathematics 4^th grade set $50

-       Teacher’s edition

-       Student text

-       Enrichment blackline masters

-       Enrichment blackline masters key

Houghton Mifflin Mathematics Text – grade 3 (hardcover) $5

Houghton Mifflin Mathematics Text – grade 4 (hardcover) & Teacher’s Edition (spiral bound) $12

Houghton Mifflin Mathematics Text – grade 5 (hardcover) $5

Houghton Mifflin Mathematics Text – grade 7 (hardcover) & Teacher’s Edition (hardcover) $10

Every Day Counts Practice Counts student workbook & annotated teacher’s edition grade 4 $5 set

Time, Money & Fractions Grades 1-2 (School Zone) $2

Evan-Moor Daily Math Practice Grade 4 $5

Evan-Moor Daily Math Practice Grade 2 $5

Creative Math Experiences for the Young Child by Imogene Forte & Joy MacKenzie $3

Decimals: Multiplication & Division grades 4-6 $2

Teacher Created Resources Measurement grades 1&2 $2

Grocery Cart Math by Jaye Hansen $2

The Handy Math Answer Book by Patricia Barnes-Svarney & Thomas Svarney $4

Cuisenaire Rods - $4 complete set (x2)

Magnetic Days of the Week (Today is….) (Tomorrow is….) $3 set

Summer Math Success kits – covers grades K-6 $40 set

Anno’s Math Games III by Mistumasa Anno (hardcover, ex-library) $5

Anno’s Sundial by Mistumasa Anno (hardcover) $4

Circles, Triangles, and Squares by Tana Hoban (hardcover, ex-library) $3

Round & Round & Round by Tana Hoban (hardcover, ex-library) $5

Count and See by Tana Hoban (hardcover, ex-library) $3

Unit Studies for Sale

Animal/Mammals/Habitats $15 set

Dover Coloring Book – Ponies of the World by John Green

The Magic School Bus Adventures in the Food Chain Coloring and Activity Book

Animals of the Bible by Dorothy P. Lathrop

The Racers: Speed in the Animal World by Hilda Simon

DK Eyewitness Amazing Wolves Dogs & Foxes

Nature’s Children – Hippopotamus by Sally Banks

Wallabies and Their Babies by Marianne Johnston

Who Lives Here? By Dot and Sy Barlowe

Animals Keeping Safe by Jane Burton

Animals in Their Homes by Anita Ganeri

A First Look at Animals with Horns by Millicent E. Selsam and Joyce Hunt

What is a Mammal? By Jenifer Day

An Animal Information Book – 14 book set

-       Lions & Tigers

-       Puppies & Dogs

-       Kittens & Cats

-       Zoo Animals

-       Horses & Ponies

-       Farm Animals

-       Baby Animals

-       Bears

-       Birds

-       Wild Animals

-       Monkeys & Apes

-       Sea Animals

-       Reptiles & Amphibians

-       Big & Little Animal

Misc. activities to accompany study

Plants & Trees $ 15 set

Growth and Change in Plants – The Solski Group

Plants by Linda Schwartz

Plants – From Your Friends at Mailbox

Teacher Created Material Thematic Unit Our Environment

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

Starting With Nature: Trees by Pamela Hickman

Seeing Science through Art Sky Tree by Thomas Locker

Corn Belt Harvest by Raymond Bial

Sugar by Sheryl Peterson

Growing Apples and Pumpkins by Amy and Richard Hutchins

Trees of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada by William M. Harlow (field guide)

Misc. activities to accompany study

Earth Science & Biomes $10 set

Our Earth, a skill-builder activity book

Science in Special Places by Lucia Kemp Henry

Teacher Created Material Thematic Unit Rocks & Soil

A Walk in the Deciduous Forest by Rebecca L. Johnson

Rivers by E. Joseph Dreany

Planet Earth Animals of Africa by Lisa L. Ryan-Herndon

The Taiga Biome by Carol Talley

Misc. activities to accompany study

Human Body & Nutrition $15 set

Food, Fact, Fun & Fiction by The Solski Group

The Human Body by The Solski Group

Your Body by Linda Schwartz

Science Pocket – Human Senses & Body Parts by Dinah Zike

Drugs & Your Body – Creative Teaching Press

The Air I Breathe by Bobbie Kalman & Janine Schaub

Looking Into My Body by Nigel Nelson

Your Lungs by Anne Ylvisaker

Your Stomach by Anne Ylvisaker

A Book About Your Skeleton by Ruth Belov Gross

Misc. activities to accompany study

Physics, Magnets, & Electricity $10 set

Delta Science – Properties of Matter

My First Batteries & Magnets Book by Jack Challoner

A True Book – Experiments with Magnets by Salvatore Tocci

Science Secrets: Magnets by Jason Cooper

Electricity Unit Study Adventures by Amanda Bennett

All About Electricity by Melvin Berger

Misc. activities to accompany study