Exploring Creation with Astronomy

There is no feeling like the feeling of finishing the last lesson in a school book.    We have officially completed Apologia's  Exploring Creation with Astronomy.  All that we have left to do is put together the notebook after I print the pictures.  The Crafter is not pleased with being finished, but the Historian promised that he would still take her outside for star gazing.  I would post some pictures, but I haven't figured out how.  We started lesson 1 back in June and took lots of breaks along the way.  I confess that science often gets pushed aside for reading, writing, and arithmatic.

The highlights

• Using a round watermelon with a circle of red construction paper taped on to represent Jupiter.
• I was explaining that the reason why we don't eat tuna as much as we used to is because of  mercury (the metal).  Then Wild Thing replies "And the Venus"
• The baking soda/vinegar volcano (with red food coloring)
• The hurricane tube
• The Crafter insisting that she will always think of Pluto as a planet no matter what the astronomers say.

I usually have trouble choosing a science curriculum.  That may seem strange since I have a science background and I taught high school science and I teach college chemistry labs.  I guess I am hard to please.  I want to use Christian materials when possible.  I find that the "good stuff" is dry with black and white pictures and tends to be too difficult for elementary level and that the "fun stuff" is colorful  but generally lacks substance. 

So far I have been pleased with Apologia's materials.  They are Christian, colorful, factual, internet linked, and have fun, doable activities.  I plan to use more of them with Wild Thing and Sweetie when they get old enough.  Unfortunately, the Crafter has had to endure my experiments with other curricula.  For more information go to http://www.apologia.com.

Next we will start our study of weather and oceans using Our Weather and Water by God's Design.  It is published by Answers in Genesis.  http://www.AnswersInGenesis.org/curricula  It definitely falls into my "good but dull" category.  I'll have to spend more time searching for library books and internet sites to supplement this one.