This is our third unit in Nancy Larson Science 2, and we just can’t get enough. Truth be told, Investigating Forces and Work was the easiest unit for the boys, but that’s only because they are well-versed in this area of physical science. Kids who are not as well-versed in this area, will be confident in their knowledge by the time the unit is finished. The step-by-step, easy to follow style of Nancy Larson makes secular science simple.
The biggest difference here is again, the vocabulary. Words like lubricant, force and work were not used in their day when discussing scientific concepts. Now they are routinely used.
In Investigating Forces and Work, kids explore the effects of gravity, friction, lubricants, force and more. The experiments are simple and effective, with lots of hands on activities to illustrate the lesson. They’ll make a simple car out of a notecard, a couple of straws and Lifesavers candies, and see firsthand how the level of an inclined plane affects its movement.
There was an assessment about halfway
through, and another at the end of the unit, it’s fairly extensive, so splitting the assessments up this way makes sense. By the time the assessments came up, they were ready for them with only a short review beforehand – and not a single question was missed. This is an accomplishment for my test-phobic boy who does not do well on tests because he stresses himself out.
The scripted lessons really do make teaching science a piece of cake, and I can rest assured in the knowledge that what they are learning is solid science. It’s neutral, neither pro- or anti- religion, so whatever your beliefs in that area, you can feel safe in knowing this will not indoctrinate your kids into a worldview that conflicts with what you want to teach.
[tweetthis]Nancy Larson makes #secular #science simple! #NLscience[/tweetthis]
One of the things I really love about Nancy Larson Science, is that my kids can work to different levels if they have the need. Yes, they’re identical twins, but one loves math and the other loves languages. They are very different in what they love doing, and some of their ability levels are also different. If one boy needs a little extra, it’s simple to add, and conversely, if the other boy needs extra time, I can do that also. After the sheer volume of truly excellent knowledge, the strength in this science curriculum is the flexibility of adaptation.
While we do these lessons, the straightforward nature of the scripting and already-done lesson plan help me feel like I know what I’m doing! I can answer their questions confidently and know that they’re getting what they need to be knowledgeable in science to the level their age and maturity allows. Over the last few months, I’ve seen more and more evidence of this. It’s in the little things: David will tell one of our friends about how a diamond is the hardest mineral, and fluorite is a pretty soft one; or Daniel will start describing how an inclined plane will help get a cart up into the back of a pickup truck.
Homeschool isn’t for the faint of heart, and neither is parenthood – but Nancy Larson makes this subject stress free and a true joy to teach.
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