The boys are very nearly at the end of Galore Park Science book 1. We spread this book out over two years. Most of the biology was done last year, with lots of diversions into further work, while the chemistry and physics sections were done this year. The questions can get a little dull, but all the information is clearly presented in there so the boys can read it and understand for themselves, maashAllah.
So, time to think about what to use next year. I looked at the second book from Galore Park, and will probably get that, but it is not appealing at all to find that most of the topics on the contents page look very familiar. This is the trouble with National Curriculum science, you seem to be going round and round over and over the same topics again with too much regularity. Yes, more depth is added each time, but it really would be more interesting to put two years worth of depth into one go, then give that topic a rest for a year at least! I can do that myself of course, I don't have to use a curriculum as a guideline at all. I have not kept to it exactly in any case.
With history and geography I just ignore the National Curriculum completely and we do our own thing. I don't need the guideline as I feel I know my way round those subjects sufficiently to find my own way. I recently heard a professor (whose name I forget) speaking on the radio saying that in his opinion a national curriculum for history was an "abomination". I took note, as this seems like a handy response for when asked why I'm not following NC.
So, the only reason why I feel I need a textbook "spine" for science is that without it I'd be wondering what to do and how to start. As I'm not a sciences person it doesn't appear as obvious to me as it does with humanities or languages. For many other home educators it must be the other way round. It is no co-incidence that our most structured study areas are maths and science.
But in any case looking at the on going curriculum content I can be reassured with my decision not to structure any science for under 7, and just to pick and choose the most interesting topics to enjoy after that. It is not like you can really miss anything. It will all becoming round again, like an unwanted dish on a sushi belt.
4 comments:
I'm really enjoying your simile mashAllah!
As salaam alaikum,
Interesting. I guess it is my background because I see science everywhere and in everything, maashaa Allah.
Walaykumsalaam,
I see that science must be there, but I couldn't link it together or explain it in its direct context. I could not derive the theory from the practice.
Maths I will accept on trust is all around us, but I can't honestly see it myself!!!
and when I said about not missing anything I meant anything in the National Curriculum, rather than science in general.
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