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teachingmyown
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| Posted: July 05 2007 at 5:55pm | IP Logged
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I have been looking at some different science programs that two weeks ago I didn't know existed. 
I am hoping that some of you could help me compare/contrast them. They are Noeo science and Real Science for Real Kids. Noeo comes across as CM friendly and living book-ish, but they don't really seem to have that much in their book list.
Also, if someone could compare either/both to the Apologia elementary science texts, that would help as well since I have a couple of those already.
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: July 14 2007 at 11:27am | IP Logged
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Okay, how about if I ask about another program? Would that help? 
I was looking at Christian Kids Explore yesterday at a conference. Any one use this one? It looked pretty simple and conversational without talking down too much. I have a hard time knowing if I will like something from just reading through it for a few minutes with a squirmy toddler in my arms.
Come on ladies, someone has an opinion! 
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 16 2007 at 2:26pm | IP Logged
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I just got my 4realscience chemistry and physics in yesterday (level 1) student books only. I was a bit disappointed but not for the content - just that I think it is more suited for a younger child than the one I ordered it for. My 10 yo basically told me he could read it all in 1 day and there wasn't much new in it. I'm afraid it won't work for a years worth of science for him - maybe 1 week. Of course, he is my child that has been reading my old high school textbooks in chemistry so I shouldn't have been surprised. But, now I am back to begging for help. What should I do with my 10 yo science fan when I'm an absolute science dunce. He doesn't have the math to do high school science, nor does he have the writing skills or organizational skills for me to have a clue what he is doing. Now, I'm not worried about him learning science to some extent, he seems to inhale it. Right now he is devouring an adult book on Square foot gardening and changing and rechanging where he wants the plants. Now our garden is not becoming very successful but he keeps telling me some new discovery of what he did wrong. Still I do want something that will sort of help him organize and get a what we did right experience. I don't want our science to be too haphazard.
I'd love to hear what others have said on this question - and the other materials. I do know someone locally who has ordered the other program you are talking about. She is going to let me see it when it comes in. I'll let you know what I see.
I'm in a bit of a school panic as we start school early August. I'm starting Aug. 16 which is 1 week later than public schools around here. I am nowhere near ready and some of my materials won't even get here until just before we start - some may be even later.
Janet
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vmalott
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| Posted: July 17 2007 at 9:05am | IP Logged
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Have you considered letting him loose with some of the science experiments from TOPS? Maybe couple that with the books that are listed on the Noeo website and have him keep a notebook of narrations of what he has read as well as the results of the experiments he has conducted (the first two pages in this sample would be a good for a notebook).
I understand the appeal of a program like those listed above, since it's already set out for you. However, considering that your son seems to have a lot of science reading under his belt and you really would like him to organize what he is doing and learning with science, an individualized approach might be better suited for him. Just a thought.
Valerie
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Valerie
Mom to Julia ('94), John ('96), Lizzy ('98), Connor ('01), Drew ('02), Cate ('04), Aidan ('08) and three saints in heaven
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 17 2007 at 3:26pm | IP Logged
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Your idea sounds appealing Valerie. I know I can count on him to dig in and do the science experiments. He does them without guides simply making up his own based on reading in the various textbooks and other books we have. I love the sample form you have to encourage record-keeping. This child really needs to work on order and writing. The Noea program seems to be quite expensive if you get the whole thing so can anyone tell me which book the forms are in. As far as TOPS, I sometimes run into problems with recipe type experiments unless there is something else that triggers him, because so many are all repeats of the same stuff and he has done this already. Currently, he reaad something about getting hydrogen out of water by electroloysis or heat (I think that is what he said) and then using the hydrogen to make a rocket. Now, I suspect I'd better keep an eye on whatever this child starts messing around with before we have some sort of disaster. There wasn't anything about this except what he read in my highschoolers physical science textbook -(which he managed to unearth out of the pile of disorder sitting in my family room waiting for me to plan, shelve, etc.) his mind took off with the possibilities and he is planning away, I'm sure, on how he might go about building this rocket. He probably made a few connections on his own and....
Science in some ways will take care of itself for him, if I have enough stuff around to provide the stimulation. (I need enough info to keep him from being dangerous, mainly). He is also the kid that took a bunch of batteries and some wire and other stuff and built something to shock whoever started messing with his desk. Obviously, he learned enough about electricity from somewhere to make this thing. Dad stepped in and built a battery case after the fact - mostly to make sure to limit him to a safe number of batteries where no one would get permanently hurt.
Anyways, where/what book would I get to be able to use the forms you linked. That might be the clue as without something like that, he wouldn't write a thing down. I could never count on any kind of narration with this child so.... If I had lots of chemistry and physics type books with plenty of meat to stimulate and ideas for experiments and a format for reports, I think we could come up with a schedule where I could expect so many written reports per month or something - and he has to do so much English, writing, etc. BEFORE he can do extra science. Right now, he would spend all day creating his own science experiments and never, ever do anything else. We still haven't gotten him to even write in cursive, and barely to write a few related sentences together to form a very rudimentary paragraph. At least now he does not hate writing - so there is progress.
I really don't want to restrict him to any one book or text as much as make sure there is some sort of accountability going on - not because I need to check that he is learning science. He seems to do that quite well without me. He just is so haphazard about everything. I kind of want to use his science fever to work on the writing skills  - moms have to be a bit sneaky - and eventually neatness, penmanship, order, communication ... I think, you picked up exactly what I needed, Valerie.
Janet
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vmalott
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| Posted: July 19 2007 at 6:49am | IP Logged
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Those forms were from the sample of Chemistry II. Still, that might be too elementary or repetitive, given what you've told us about your son's independent work! Sheesh...a rocket fueled by hydrogen??? Yeah, you might want to keep an eye out.
Valerie
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Valerie
Mom to Julia ('94), John ('96), Lizzy ('98), Connor ('01), Drew ('02), Cate ('04), Aidan ('08) and three saints in heaven
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JuliaT
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| Posted: July 23 2007 at 8:17pm | IP Logged
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I have used Apologia Elementary and RS4K. I have some confusing comments to make about both of them. First, Apologia states that the elementary series is CM based. I think that is misrepresenting the program. When I think of CM I think of living books. I expected there to be at least a book list that I could use to supplement what was in the text. There wasn't. In my opinion, Apologia Elementary is a textbook based curriculum. There are a few activities for each chapter. That was another problem. There are activity kits that you can buy to go with the program. They are expensive (I live in Canada.) But some of the supplies that are required in order to do the activities were hard for me to find. Therefore, there were quite a few activities that we didn't do.
Now, that being said, even though I wasn't overly impressed with it, I will continue to buy the books (I told you this was confusing) because they are an excellent resource. There is oodles of information packed into these books. So I will use them for reference, not sole curriculum.
There is one more confusing part. I have used the RS4K Pre-level 1 Chemistry curriculum. We love this. It is very much a textbook program. But I think the reason why it doesn't bother me is that I knew before I bought it that it was a textbook. With AE, though, I was led to believe it was a true CM program. So I knew what to expect with RS4K. It is extremely easy to understand, plus there are some really good experiments included.
I told you this was confusing. I have heard lots and lots and lots about AE and I am the only one who has said anything negative about it, so take this with a grain of salt.
Blessings,
Julia
mom to 3(8,6,4)
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Juliainsk
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Some comparisons, please
