This is the first year we have had more than one science curriculum going at the same time.  In the past, I've done science with all the children together, but this year I decided my oldest son was ready to move beyond the elementary Apologia. He is doing General Science this year. I had planned to have the rest of them do Botony, until son #2 spotted the new Zoology 3 book in a catalog. Being the animal nut that he is, he promised to read through both the botony and astronomy books during the summer if I would let him do the Land Animals book. So, both of the older boys are doing science on their own this year.

With three science curriculums being used, it seems like somebody is always doing an experiment. And, being the well trained observers and life learners they are, all my children gather to watch.  I've also noticed that, even though my older childern are doing their own work, they still have half an ear on the little kids lessons. This morning, the younger children and I were studying spore producing plants. I explained that the black spots on the back of ferns are actually spores. My oldest son exclaimed, "I didn't know that!" (Maybe he should have read botony over the summer too.)

I sent three of the children down to the creek to pick a fern to draw and was suprised when they came in with four different types, all picked within a few feet of each other. The road on which we live is lined by ferns and I have counted between five and six different kinds as we walked down to my in laws house, but I didn't realize they would find so many in just that one spot. The diversity in God's creation is absolutely amazing!

Son #1 recently did a chemical change experiment which was a big hit. He actually got to do it twice because I didn't get to take pictures the first time. There were two different reactions taking place here.

Son #2 did an experiment to show how camoflague works. Sadly, the experiment did not work as expected, but he still enjoyed eating the Skittles. I also had him complete the sample chapter of the Live and Learn lapbook. I decided not to purchase the kit because he really doesn't like hates lapbooking. So, he is doing a nature notebook instead.

I was a little nervous about the schedule this year, but it actually seems to be going pretty well so far. I think the older children are enjoying a little more freedom to work on their own (we are also doing two separate history curriculums this year) and are keeping up with projects a lot better than if I were responsible for setting them up. And I'm enjoying having a little more time to spend with the little ones.