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Erin
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I've been searching the net looking at science programs and am starting to become overwhlemed. I am looking for a program to suit dd12 for grade 7.
We have never used a text/program for science before, does anyone have any sugestions that they think are the best of the science available out there?
I notice on the forum here and other chat groups that often many of you will really like a program but ineveitably some one is bound to say 'but I don't like their science and use.....instead.'
So I'm hoping you can tell be the best one to use. I'm also hoping to include the younger children in these lessons if possible or at least spin off for them.
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Erin
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Erin
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I've just been looking at Apologia Science. It looks really good, is anyone familiar with this?
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Erin
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Karen T
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I have used Apologia's Astronomy and we liked it very much. I have not seen any of the other series myself but have heard that possibly some of the biology/life sciences stuff may be problematic b/c he (Wiles) is a strict Creationist, young-earth believer.
My son loved how they wrote about God being the Creator, when talking about astronomy, instead of the typical ps stuff he'd had - big bang etc.
We are currently using All Creatures Great and Small, from CHC, for 7th grade science. It's OK, but I can't say that it's knocked our socks off so far. I loved science myself (majored in it, have a career in it) but I find I don't enjoy teaching it for some reason?
Karen T
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Erin
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Karen T wrote:
I have used Apologia's Astronomy and we liked it very much. I have not seen any of the other series myself but have heard that possibly some of the biology/life sciences stuff may be problematic b/c he (Wiles) is a strict Creationist, young-earth believer.
My son loved how they wrote about God being the Creator, when talking about astronomy, instead of the typical ps stuff he'd had - big bang etc.
We are currently using All Creatures Great and Small, from CHC, for 7th grade science. It's OK, but I can't say that it's knocked our socks off so far. I loved science myself (majored in it, have a career in it) but I find I don't enjoy teaching it for some reason?
Karen T |
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Erin
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BrendaPeter
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I'm also considering Apologia. Has anyone every used Christian Kids Explore Biology or Christian Kids Explore Chemistry?
Thx!
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Brenda (mom to 6)
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Erin
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Apologia Science is going to be $145 Aus!!
Can anyone recommend some good swapboards so I can try to obtain this second hand.
Thanks
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Erin
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TracyQ
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We're using Apologia Astronomy with my 5th grader, and our 8th grader is also doing this. He's also finishing his Rainbow Science, which we use in 7th and 8th grades.Rainbow Science
We love both Apologia and Rainbow Science here. I think they're both very good programs in the younger years, AND the high school years.
Our oldest is doing Biology, but we've covered the Evolution theories with him as well, and want him to understand that no matter what way the world was created, it was absolutely created by God, the Creator. So it hasn't been a big problem here to use Apologia Biology.
Another neat series I found that I really like, AND is inexpensive is God's Design Series. You can see that one here
God's Design Series
You can see great SAMPLE LESSONS and the TABLE of CONTENTS there too. You'll get a good idea of what the science curriculum is like there.
Hope these resources help some anyway. It can be frustrating to find what will work the best for your family. Pray....the Lord will lead you to what's right for your family! 
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Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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BrendaPeter
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Has anyone used CHC's "Life Science" that they recommend for 7th grade? Thx!
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Brenda (mom to 6)
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Karen T
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BrendaPeter wrote:
| Has anyone used CHC's "Life Science" that they recommend for 7th grade? Thx! |
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We are currently using it. As a text book I think it's pretty good but I can't say either of us has been excited about it. For one thing it seems to skip around a lot. So far we've done a chapter on instruments, a chap. on measuring, one on the periodic table and one on cells. There aren't really any experiments included, at least as far as I've read (I admit I have not read the entire teacher's manual yet). It's more read the chapter and then answer the questions. I think we are going to start just finding science kits to do stuff, and then using the text more as a reference.
btw, the book as recommended by CHC is to be used over 2 years.
Karen T
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amiefriedl
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This site:
E=mc2
has a great deal to offer and is quite new. This science guy puts a priority on doing things with a tight budget in mind. He follows a classical approach to learning...
Take a look!
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In Christ the King through Mary our Mother,
Amie
Blessed with an awesome hubby and Mom of ds10, dd7, dd3 and dd 10months.
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Tina P.
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TracyQ wrote:
We're using Apologia Astronomy with my 5th grader, and our 8th grader is also doing this. He's also finishing his Rainbow Science, which we use in 7th and 8th grades.Rainbow Science
We love both Apologia and Rainbow Science here. I think they're both very good programs in the younger years, AND the high school years.
Our oldest is doing Biology, but we've covered the Evolution theories with him as well, and want him to understand that no matter what way the world was created, it was absolutely created by God, the Creator. So it hasn't been a big problem here to use Apologia Biology.
Another neat series I found that I really like, AND is inexpensive is God's Design Series. You can see that one here
God's Design Series
You can see great SAMPLE LESSONS and the TABLE of CONTENTS there too. You'll get a good idea of what the science curriculum is like there.
Hope these resources help some anyway. It can be frustrating to find what will work the best for your family. Pray....the Lord will lead you to what's right for your family! |
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So what is God's Design's position on Creationism? Have you used the Life Science? What are your thoughts on the Geology (Our Earth) book? Yes, it's quite confusing. And the strange thing is, each child is interested in different things at different times. Ugh!
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ALmom
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Is the CHC Life Science the pro-life text. If so, we had a great deal of difficulty with it and just set it aside. I am not a science person and could not help with any explanations so our dd was plain frustrated and hated it and science. We felt it assumed a lot of knowledge which we didn't have and there wasn't anywhere in the text or support to get the info. (definitions, etc.) There was a reference to the periodic table but no real explanation about what it was, how to read one, etc. but you were expected to be able to do this. I had vague recollections from my high school chemistry but was still frustrated even looking stuff up in my own chemistry book. It also seemed to jump around all over the place and we never could get a handle on anything. Personally, we hated it and I would never use it again - even though it was Catholic.
We have used Apologia Physical Science, Biology, and Chemistry for our high schooler. It is not for the science bound high schooler but it was the best we could find that worked for our very non-science inclined high schooler. I call it science lite - as there is definitely an agenda and the science is more middle school level. In the Physical Science text, Wile spent a great deal of time debunking global warming and evolution. He did at least distinguish between micro and macro evolution and didn't pound a literal 7 day creation but spent significant time supporting his opposition to one type of evolution. There was also the typical misrepresentation of Gallileo. Biology was less problematical but still there seemed to be a lot missing (plus you really do need to do the microscope labs to solidify the first sections)and it is expensive by the time you get all the supplies. Chemistry was also weak - seemed to be a lot missing and dd finished it already. It worked because we just had to have some science that dd could do on her own and she had no science prior to high school (her teacher was delinquent and frustrated trying to find stuff).
I think the real problem (and the reason so many folks have differing opinions on science texts) is that there isn't a good, solid science text out there (they are either questionable science, promote a Protestant agenda (to varying degrees) or so secular as to be offensive in areas or so deadly dull and poorly written that they are hard to endure). I could not recommend anything we have used without reservations except the Behold and See by CHC (but this is for the 2-5th grade level).
Currently we are using a secular text from Kolbe for our 5th grader - Harcourt Science(it is very busy with colorful pictures but has some great experiments worked into the text but also has some real lulus that we skip (like the genome project stuff and the stories of scientists are typically pc in tone and content). I ordered the Kolbe lesson plans with it so that this stuff was filtered by someone else in addition to me. It is working OK but I cannot enthusiastically recommend it.
For our 8th grader, we are using Cambridge work text Physical Science (from Kolbe). It is deadly dull but we had to do something with a dc who had no formal science up to this point. It needed to be an organized and methodical approach because I cannot just do experiments and offer explanations (I'm just not capable of this in science). I must say that the text is organized and methodical, but no real life applications, no experiments, nothing to draw the interest in. We're bumbling along because of a lack of anything better out there as far as we can find. We just learned from our mistake with our oldest and decided that if she did nothing but learn a science vocabulary that was better than nothing at all.
I want really good science and am a little put out with Aplogia on that point. I'd rather have a very thourough, detailed explanation, with experiments and decide for myself which things we would skip. I'd also prefer a Catholic science (anyone out there ready to write one?)but am not going to put up with a shoddily organized text that just frustrates us both simply because it has a Catholic author.
Oops - sorry about the rant but hope the reviews help some. My suggestion would be to decide what you want to accomplish and figure out what will best help you and realize that anything you use in science will have its problems (probably major). If you have a strong science background, you could use texts that I could not and make them work fine for you. One of my problems with Apologia Science is that I don't have enough science background myself to discuss the lack of science in some of the agenda stuff and sometimes I'm not sure whether or not it really is good science. I consulted a Catholic homeschooler whose dad is a scientist looking for texts and pretty much got the answer that there isn't anything really out there that doesn't have major problems. We try to do our best to pick the problem areas we feel best able to address ourselves and hope and pray.
Janet
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BrendaPeter
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Janet,
I find what you wrote very helpful. Glad to know I'm not the only one who hasn't found anything great yet. I did recently order Apologia's Astronomy for my 5th grader & their General Science for my 7th grader. I've only scanned them, but I so appreciate their CM-style. I thought Wile was very even-handed in his telling of science history. There is no doubt a slant but we'll balance that out with Creator & Creation from CHC.
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Brenda (mom to 6)
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Erin
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Janet,
Thank you so much for your response. You write so well, I always enjoy listening to what you have to say. Unfortunately you haven't managed to conjure up any magical act 
Apologia sounds like it could be a good intro to a text, but yet not one to rely on right through. Alas it is soo expensive for us.
REally the two areas I find lacking on the Homeschool market are science and geography.
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Karen T
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ALmom wrote:
... CHC Life Science ...
There was a reference to the periodic table but no real explanation about what it was, how to read one, etc. but you were expected to be able to do this. I had vague recollections from my high school chemistry but was still frustrated even looking stuff up in my own chemistry book. It also seemed to jump around all over the place and we never could get a handle on anything. Personally, we hated it and I would never use it again - even though it was Catholic.
Janet |
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Janet, we just did that chapter on the periodic table, also, and I completely agree. Fortunately for me, I do have a pretty strong science background, although haven't used the PT in a long time, and was able to explain it after reviewing the chapter. But it definitely wasn't self-explanatory. And your comment about skipping around is my biggest beef with the whole book.
I've just about decided to forget textbooks for awhile. Ds12 is definitely not science oriented but he likes doing experiments/projects. I think we'll do some unit studies for awhile, and then see if there is a particular area he wants to focus more on.
Has anyone seen or used these kits Museum Tour
I came across them when looking at all the catalogs that have arrived for Christmas shopping. They have about 12 different sets I think, and each one focuses on several different things. I got the one pictured at my link (but look at the right side and they show links for similar products - the rest of the kits) for both my ds's (almost 6 and 12) to do together for fun, but the numbers 4 and up are for older kids.
I figured it would be something fun, to get away from the textbook approach we'd fallen into this year in science.
Karen T
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Erin
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Karen T wrote:
| I've just about decided to forget textbooks for awhile. Ds12 is definitely not science oriented but he likes doing experiments/projects. I think we'll do some unit studies for awhile, and then see if there is a particular area he wants to focus more on.Karen T |
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Karen,
This was great for me to 'hear' you 'say' this. After reading Janet's terrific reviews I've been thinking why bother? Why spend my money and expend time and energy on something I don't have faith in.
As you have a science interest, what do you think of just using living books? Although I'd follow a more systematic approach than so far, look at many topics and expose dd12, to them. I've been looking at what I do have. On my shelf (covered in dust) I found a set of World Book Science Encyclopedias. Not very old and they look terrific. I thought I could use these as a spine and branch of when we are interested to do so.
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hereinantwerp
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This year I am using GOD'S DESIGN FOR SCIENCE with my son. I am totally impressed. I have failed at teaching science every single year until this one. This is EASY, easy, easy to use, takes a very short amount of time, the activities included are SIMPLE to complete but worthwhile (even so we don't always do them, which works fine), the content is meaty and interesting. I am SO thankful for it. I just let ds pick the two topical books he was most interested in and he does it twice a week, mostly on his own. HTH!
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BrendaPeter
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hereinantwerp wrote:
This year I am using GOD'S DESIGN FOR SCIENCE with my son. I am totally impressed. I have failed at teaching science every single year until this one. This is EASY, easy, easy to use, takes a very short amount of time, the activities included are SIMPLE to complete but worthwhile (even so we don't always do them, which works fine), the content is meaty and interesting. I am SO thankful for it. I just let ds pick the two topical books he was most interested in and he does it twice a week, mostly on his own. HTH!
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If you have the book, "Our Universe" from the God's Design series, what does it say about Galileo? Also, there is a chapter on Creation vs. Evolution. Could you share with us the author's position?
Thank you!
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Brenda (mom to 6)
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Heliodora
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I hope you all don't mind me dragging out an old thread.
Two of my children are going to be 7th grade level this fall, and they are ready for a more comprehensive science program and I am having the darndest time figuring out which program to get.
ALMom, your post was very helpful. I wonder what you would say now, three years later- if you would have more to add or anything you would change.
I am leaning towards Apologia, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't go with MODG's Concepts and Challenges, which I have never seen, or Kolbe's Holt or Cambridge books. I'm concerned about the Protestant bias, but I don't mind teaching my children a young earth thesis as long as it doesn't close them to other possibilities. Is the Galileo bit the only anti-Catholic bias in the Physical Science? I'm also concerned about people saying that Apologia doesn't really prepare for college level science. Is this just for the highschool texts? My son may very well pursue science further- I don't want to get behind where he would need to be.
I also would love to be the cool mom and have neat labs prepared every week, but the reality for me is that I have seven children and not a lot of time to design things myself. I hear the Apologia is homeschool friendly in that respect.
I'd love to hear some more input on this subject.
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Science Program- Recommnedations pls
