Elemental Science for Biology-Logic Stage Review

We have been homeschooling for eleven years now and I've always just done unit studies with science but this year I wanted something different.  With a sophomore knee deep in biology, I needed a curriculum that was written well that I could combine with several kids.  I found it with Elemental Science.

Elemental Science's classic science series is awesome.  Biology, Earth Science and Astronomy, Chemistry, and Physics are available for both elementary and intermediate levels; the only exception is the intermediate level for Physics which is due out in 2014.  They also have a Preschool series that includes two science curriculums and a history curriculum.

The Biology Logic Stage uses two books as the spines: Encyclopedia of Nature (DK) and Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia.  There are several other reading options that include Human Body (DK), Usborne Interlinked Encyclopedia, and Usborne Illustrated Dictionary of Science.

The schedule for the units is broken up into two options: a two day or five day schedule.  The units are:

• Unit 1          Introduction and Ecology
• Unit 2          Plants
• Unit 3          Invertebrates
• Unit 4          Vertebrates
• Unit 5          Animal Overview
• Unit 6          Human Body

 

I opted to purchase the downloadable version of both the teachers edition and student pages.  With four girls going to use this program, this seemed the easiest option for me.  The $25.50 cost was very reasonable for the program, although the printed copy does have a bigger cost.

 

The student guide includes assignment sheets, unlabeled sketches, experiment pages, and blank report pages.  There are reading and writing assignments with each week.  The writing assignment pages are left blank to allow the student to summarize with an outline, summary, or do both on the reading assignment.  Vocabulary and memory work in included for each unit.  Also, each week, dates relevant to the reading assignment are entered on timeline pages.

 

The experiments are easy to do and a nice list of items that are needed are included at the beginning of the book and divided up by chapter.  I love that the experiment sheets work through the scientific method which really reinforces this method to the students.  

 

At the end of every unit is a test.  We are almost done with unit one and should be doing our test next week.  I have previewed the test and it reinforces the vocabulary and information that has been taught to the students.

 

We have thoroughly enjoyed this program.  I have already decided that we will be purchasing the next book which will be the Earth Science and Astronomy for intermediate.  I honestly cannot find any problems or issues with the program.  It is very detailed and thorough and a lot of fun for the kids and myself.

 

I really wish I had been able to get the preschool series for my two littles this year but it wasn't in the budget.  I have already decided that I will be getting the history book also for next year.   

 

 I cannot say enough good things about this program.  We love it!

Tasty Tuesday

I'm trying to get back into posting several times a week so I'm restarting my Tasty Tuesday and Farming Friday posts this week.

So today, I'm sharing some crock pot recipes that we have tried and enjoyed the last few weeks!! Enjoy!

Chicken Taco Soup
1 lb cooked de-boned shredded chicken
1 cup chopped onion
1 16 oz can of beans (kidney, pinto, black...the original recipe calls for two cans but my kids aren't huge fans of beans)
1 cup corn
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1 14.5oz can rotel tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 packet of taco seasoning

Mix ingredients in slow cooker.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours, stirring several times.  Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.



Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
2 lbs chicken, boneless, and skinless
1 cup salsa
1 cup petite diced canned tomatoes
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
1 cup onions, diced fine
3 Tbsp sour cream

Place chicken in crock pot.  Sprinkle taco seasoning over meat.  Layer other items and pour 1/2 cup water on top.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Shred meat and add back into crock pot with shredded cheese.  Stir and cook until cheese is melted.  Serve on tortillas with sour cream.


Crockpot Apple Butter
5 lbs peeled cored and finely chopped apples
4 cups sugar
2 tsps. cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt

Put ingredients in crock pot and stir until coated.  Cook on high 3 hours, stirring every 30-45 minutes.  Then turn to low and cook another 5.5-6 hrs, stirring every hour or so.  Place in food processor or blender and puree.  Can or refrigerate.

Bug....

I haven't posted lately because we've had this bug floating around.  High temperature for a few days and then about a week of a nasty dry cough.  I think we're finally on the tail end of it.  Thank goodness because I'm tired of buying cough medicine! 

We have been getting ready for winter.  It has been very cold here the last two weeks, most of the days are only in the 40s.  Little low for this time of year.  I'm glad that I ordered a load of wood before the cold hit because we've already had several fires. 

I still have to cover the raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.  I hope hoping for some nice warm days before I did that but it doesn't look like that's going to happen so I'll be out there this week getting that done.  We still have to bring the hoses in so they don't split in the cold.

Our hens finally started laying a few weeks ago.  We're getting 4-5 a day.  We have 18  hens, but like I said its starting to get cold out and they don't like the cold that much.

Our momma cat and her nine babies are doing well.  I got her a high protein cat food and been feeding her a milk supplement because she's not too big herself.  She's been eating all her food and then going out hunting so I know she's burning the calories.

Next spring we're looking at a calf and several pigs.  I have a friend that wants one so we'll be raising it with ours and it looks like the guy that I rent our back 8 acres to for his cows, wants a few also.  Doing chores for one pig or three doesn't really matter and they will all pitch in to cover the cost AND I know what goes in the animals that we are eating!  We're talking about raising hens and butchering....but that will be in a few years.  No time for that now.

On the school front, we haven't gotten everything done these last two weeks but we're getting there.  Tomorrow I will post a review on Elemental Science: Biology and what I think of it.  It has been a great program so far and we've really enjoyed it, but I'll give you the low down tomorrow.

Have a wonderful night!!  I have company coming over for WD tonight.  Can't wait!!

Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum part 2

Laura during a book signing

Laura and Almanzo in the house that Rose built for them out of stones

Teaching school

Princess Buttercup in school

I'd never seen a wagon fully loaded before, there wasn't any room for people.
 

Doing business at the post office

Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, Walnut Grove, MN

Photo of Pa and Ma

A buffalo coat like Pa's

In front of one of Laura's quilts with Grammy

Bug-a-bug doing laundry

Photo of the Ingalls Family 1891

Trouble preaching at the church

In front of the fireplace recreated like the one on the tv series.  Michael Landon's wife and son donated the mantle that was used in the series

A painted wall just like the backdrop from the tv show

Busy busy oh my!

School is in full swing here.  Boy Scouts, American Heritage Girls, and volunteering on day a week at our after school program has taken up most of my time.  I canned and froze produce from our garden.  I need to get out there today to pull tomatoes to make salsa and make another batch of apple butter.  My cucumbers did not do well at all.  Next year I will build a raised bed for them.  I already have plans to double the size of the raised beds I have now and add a few more.  It will  make a lot of work in the spring but we will reap a much greater reward in the fall.

My mom came in for a week.  We did a lot of shopping and explored Mankato, which is about an hour from here.  We also painted the living room.  Its so nice to have color on the wall.  I can't wait to paint the rest of the downstairs.  I've decided to go with a fall color pallet.  The living room is green and the foyer and one wall in the dining room will be a burnt orange.  The other walls will be probably a tan.  Next summer I will paint the kitchen a gold with a deep purple color for the cabinets.  I would really love to redo the kitchen but its not in the budget right now.

This week we are doing school in the  mornings.  It is supposed to be in the seventies all week long.  It won't be long before the temperatures really plummet and we have a lot of outside chores that need to be done.  I've decided to take advantage of the weather to clean out some of the barns, clean out the raised beds, prune the trees, and clean the garage.  Its also nice for the kids to get out and enjoy the weather before we're locked in for the winter.

I will hopefully post photos tomorrow of our trip to Walnut Grove, MN to the Laura Ingalls Museum.  My mom is a huge fan so we took the trip while she was here.

End of week one

It was a pretty good first week.  We had been doing reading and math for a while, so this wasn't technically our "first" week, but it was the first week we did all of our subjects.  We took Monday off and only did a half a day yesterday.   My friend is a pastor at a small church that my church just bought and the launch is today, so we took off to help out.

Princess is reading Wizard of Oz.  I caught her going through and taking from the movie and not really reading it.  I asked what color shoes Dorothy replied to which she said "red", so now she's reading it more carefully.  Bug-a-bug is reading Mouse and a Motorcycle.  They keep asking for different books but I'm sticking to my plan and they will be reading these.

Math is going pretty well for the girls.  Princess still struggles a lot.  Math is not her thing.  That's okay though, we'll just keep working until she gets it.  Bug-a-bug is doing well.

Spelling and writing are doing well so far.  I just ordered Grammar so we're waiting on that to arrive.

TL is doing okay.  I'm having a hard time getting him motivated or interested in going the extra step.  He only wants to do the minimum of what needs to be done.  Its starting to drive me a little insane.

He's doing well in math.  He had to catch up some from last year because we started Algebra so late with our move.  He seems to be doing well with it though.  I'll be giving a test this week so we'll find out more. 

He's finishing reading Mysterious Island on Monday.  It should be interesting to see what he thinks of it.  I need to finish it up myself so we can go over some questions.  Spelling is going well.

We haven't started writing yet.  I'm making him take these aptitude tests to see where his strengths lie for a profession.  He's up in the air with what he wants to do so I'm hoping that he can find some direction from this.  We did have a lot of laughs over some of the jobs listed in the back of the book.

Science
The girls have started doing Elemental Science-biology this year.  So far, its going really well and they really like it. 

TL is working on Biology.  I still have to pick up the microscope and slides for him to do his labs.  It may be another month and then we'll just have lab catch up week I guess.

History
We're working on Tapestry of Grace Year 3 Unit 20
So far, its going really well.  We technically didn't finish the week yet because we didn't have enough days.  TL had to read a bunch of primary documents this week about the onslaught of the Civil War.  We will be going over these on Monday.  I'll be interested to get his opinion on some of the things that he read.

So that's it!!  Its been busy and will be so for the next few weeks.  I'm enjoying it though!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Busy Busy Summer

Most of the last three weeks have been keeping me busy with lesson planning and trying to control all the weeds around here.  All of the rain this spring was like miracle grow!!  I get an area all cleaned out and in a few days, they're back and two feet tall!!

The garden is doing well.  I've been able to make about 12 quarts of spaghetti sauce using the fresh green peppers and onions from the garden.  I just pulled all of the carrots tonight.  I'm hoping to get about 15 freezer quart-size bags.  I pulled enough tomatoes tonight for 6 more quarts of sauce.  I hope to make some salsa in a few days.  The pumpkins are doing well.  The potatoes seem to be doing well.  I'll be getting those in a few weeks so we'll see how they did.  I've picked three cantaloupes for us and given three away so far and there's seven more out there.  The only thing that hasn't done well is the cucumbers.  I have only canned 12 pints of pickles and right now I only have five that I picked tonight.  I guess I'll make relish out of those.  I don't think I will get more cucumbers this year.  Oh well.  I didn't plant green beans or corn this year and I already have made plans to expand the garden next year.  Doubling some items and tripling other spots. 

Other than that, here's what's been going on lately:

We celebrated Princess Buttercup's fourth birthday!!

 

 

 

Bug-a-bug was baptized!



 

 

We had a cousin visit!!

TL tested for his purple belt!

And I got a job!!  I will be teaching online to homeschoolers at Home Education Council of America.  I'm putting together my high school and junior high American history classes right now.  I'm hoping that the first semester will be up and running by the end of the month.  We'll see though....with all this produce and the apples now coming in, not sure how this will work!

I'm off for now.  Still have a few things to do before we start homeschooling tomorrow!  Have a wonderful week everyone!!