First, an explanation of the science related lingo in a Charlotte Mason curriculum.
A Charlotte Mason science curriculum is made up of three main parts
1. Nature Lore:
Naturalists’ books to open the student’s eyes and pique their interest regarding what may be seen outside. These are to be used during the morning school hours for children up to grade 8. It is presumed that an older child will want to continue reading nature lore in their free time, but if your child is new to a CM style of education you may want to schedule a small amount of it be read each week.
- What is Nature Lore?
- Nature Lore books
- A Delectable Education Podcast: Nature Lore
- Does Nature Seem Like a Foreign Language to You? This post could also be called, Why You Should Not Reject Buckley’s Eyes and No Eyes Series.
2. General Science (Natural History):
Students do not begin the formal study of science until form 2 (grade 4).
- Science As The Last Hold Out
- What’s the deal with science textbooks?
- Science Writing Can’t Survive on Charm Alone (Do students learn enough facts using living books?)
- Will a Living Education Prepare My Child, Technically? by Don Rhymer, Mechanical Engineering professor at the Air Force Academy for 10 years
- Charlotte Mason’s Streams of Science
- How I Modify Charlotte Mason’s Streams of Science (forms 3-6)
- The Real Scientific Method (what we learned in school is a myth)
- My Thoughts on the Science Standards
- A Delectable Education Podcast: Elementary Science
- A Delectable Education Podcast: MS and HS Science
- How to put together a science curriculum
- Keeping a science notebook
- For those intimidated by math
- Getting Experiments Done: An idea
- Several experiments we have done
- Does the age of the science books we use matter?
- Should we use only Christian authors for science?
- Living Science Books (You can also find book links on the sidebar.)
- My Favorite Science Biographies
- Science Biographies by century for leisure reading
- Biology & Botany books
- Human Anatomy & Medicine books
- Chemistry books
- Physics books
- Earth Science: Weather books
- Earth Science: Astronomy books
- Earth Science: Geology, Water & Environment books
- Technology & Engineering books
3. Nature Study:
An afternoon activity, including time for object lessons, daily study of the plant or animal or region on which you are making a special study, a weekly nature walk, nature journaling, and ample time to just enjoy the great outdoors.
The series Charlotte Mason’s Method for Teaching Science (or Science 101) includes 12 articles about nature study and nature notebooks!
- Does Nature Seem Like a Foreign Language to You?
- My article about Nature Notebooks
- A Delectable Education Podcast: Nature Study
- My interview with John Muir Laws on A Delectable Education Podcast: Part 1 and Part 2
- How to spend your out-of-door time with little ones
- Some inspiration for nature study in the winter
- Learning to anticipate nature
- I highly recommend the book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
- My Special Study Rotation
- How special studies Opens Their Eyes
- How and when to do Object Lessons
- ADE podcast episode 94: Special Studies
- ADE podcast episode 95: Object Lessons
- ADE Teacher Training Video: Nature Study, Special Studies & Object Lessons
Charlotte Mason assigned specific work based on form
Form 1 (grades 1-3)
Students read nature lore and make special studies. They do not delve into formal science yet.
- Mason’s plan for form 1 science
- Out-of-Door Life – an outline (This could also be utilized before form 1)
- Physical Geography for Elementary School Students
- A Delectable Education Podcast: Nature Lore
- A Delectable Education Podcast: Nature Study
- See Nature Lore and Nature Study above
Form 2 (grades 4-6)
Students begin formal science. Nature lore and special studies are continued.
- Mason’s plan for form 2 science
- A Delectable Education Podcast: Elementary Science
- See Nature Lore, Nature Study and General Science above
- Form 2 science curriculum. Includes a yearly and weekly schedule at the top of the page.
Form 3-6 (grades 7-12)
Students continue formal science, adding more streams. Special studies are continued.
- Mason’s Streams of Science
- How I Modify Mason’s Streams of Science (forms 3-6)
- A Delectable Education Podcast: MS and HS Science
- See Nature Lore, Nature Study and General Science above
- Form 3 science curriculum. Includes a yearly and weekly schedule at the top of the page.
- Form 4-6 science curriculum. Includes a yearly and weekly schedule at the top of the page.