Discovering Math/Science Using Saxon/Apologia

Homeschooling Hearts & Minds

For the month of January I am contributing to a Virtual Curriculum Fair.. Each week is based off a certain subject. This week's subject that I'll be discussing is Math and Science.
 I participated in the fair back in 2012 and posted about Heart of Dakota Science HERE if you'd like to check it out.
I would like to post about the math and science curriculum we are using for this year.
Math:

Saxon Math 7/6
Digital Interactive Video Education- DIVE Into Math 7/6
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In year's past, my husband took the reins with the Math curriculum. This year though, hubby is working a lot, out of state for his job and that left math neglected. So for 2013-14 I decided to use Saxon (which we were already using) but with DIVE Into Math Video Series as the teacher.
I love Saxon and my son does too but I'm not good at teaching Math. I needed some help! The CD goes along with each days lesson. My son watches 4-10 minutes of a blue board with the instruction of the teacher's voice in the background. All the work is done on the board, step by step and done with a Christian Worldview. Very easy to understand. If he goes too fast, you can pause, rewind and then replay it to hear it again.
He works the problems and the student works alongside him on scratch paper.
It doesn't follow the book problem to problem but concept to concept. Each lesson is identical in concept and the teacher uses his own examples to teach it. I will be using these CD's from now on as long as it's my responsibility to teach Math to my kids. Well worth the $50 to give me a sense of peace knowing my son is being taught the concepts for him to understand. Love it!
Check out Saxon Math HERE and learn more about the DIVE into Math CD HERE
Science:

Apologia Young Explorer Series- Exploring Creation with Zoology 1 w/ Notebooking Journal

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We've loved using the Apologia Elementary Science curriculum in our homeschooling in years past. The Heart of Dakota uses Apologia for their science in one of the books we studied, so with our year off from H.O.D, we didn't want to miss out on using this curriculum before my youngest son outgrew it and moved onto the older books.
He decided to study Flying Creatures for the 1st Semester and Swimming Creatures (Zoology 2) for the 2nd Semester which starts late January 2014.
I'd like to discuss Zoology 1 as this is the one we are almost done using for this year. For the record, I highly recommend ALL of the Elementary Science by Jeannie Fulbright. We've studied Botany and Astronomy in the year's past and now working on the animals here above.

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This is the first year that we've utilized her companion Notebook Journal.. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Not only does it have a lesson planner built in the beginning of the book, it has everything you need to complete a journal for a keepsake when complete. Instead of having to find scratch paper or some binder system to do all that is asked inside the student book, everything is already put together for you in the journal.
Like above, a crossword puzzle helping you understand the words in the lesson you just read.

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In the text there is questions to answer. The journal above has them written out so you only need to fill them in to keep all your work together in one ringed journal

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Got a child that's hands on? Outside the experiments the text asks you to fill out (All Scientific Speculation Sheets are included in the journal) they have opportunities for your child to draw pictures and narrate them below. My son loves this part of the study in each lesson.

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Each lesson also has a lapbook activity to cut out, assemble and fill out. This is all included in the back of the notebook journal to cut out and place in the appropriate lesson section.
The Notebook Activities include:
*Fascinating Facts worksheet to fill out w/ opportunity for pictures and narration
*Scientific Speculation Sheet to go with the curriculum's lesson experiment
*What do you remember? Lesson Review Questions page for each lesson
*Copywork in either manuscript or cursive (you choose)
*Vocabulary Crossword puzzle in each lesson
*Lapbooking activity
*Extra credit work for older children along with book suggestions
Check out this curriculum at the Apologia website HERE for more info or to order this curriculum
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Check out other homeschool bloggers that are participating in this week's curriculum fair to see what they are sharing in regards to Science and Math curriculum:
Our {almost} FREE 2nd and 4th Grade Math Program by Susan @ Homeschooling
Hearts & Minds
Supercharged Science's Mathemagic  by Kristi K. @ The Potter’s Hand Academy
Math & Logic Resources by Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses
How We Tackle Middle School Math, Logic & Science by Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool
 A Peek into our Homeschool: Math & Logic by Brittney @ Mom's Heart
Math and Logic: Patterns and Reasoning by Leah@As We Walk Along the Road
Make Math Fun: Your Kids Will Thank You by Tauna @ Proverbial Homemaker
Our Curriculum Choices 2014 ~ Mathematics by Renata @ Sunnyside Farm Fun
My Favorite Math For Boys by Monique @ Living Life and Learning
Math--Our Four Letter Word by Nicole @ Schooling in the Sun
If I Knew Then What I Know Now by Kristen @ Sunrise to Sunset
Math and Science anyone? by Michele@ Family, Faith and Fridays
My 7 Favourite Math Resources by Kim @ Homestead Acres
Basic Instincts by Chelli @ The Planted Trees
Getting My Teens Ready for Algebra by Debra @Footprints in the Butter
Math We Love by Laura @ Four Little Penguins
2014 Virtual Curriculum Fair ~ Math & Science by Jennifer @ a glimpse of our life
Our Take on Math, the Elementary Years - Charlotte Mason-style by HillaryM @ Our Homeschool Studio
Tackling Math and Science from Multiple Angles by Laura @ Day by Day in Our World

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