BlsdMama Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I've been planning on going with Spectrum this year, but recently noted someone posting that it is light? Care to comment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I don't find it to be light at all. Just my .02. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Please search old threads over the past few years. You'll see it is only one person calling Spectrum 'light,' with dozens of others, including ones whose kids attended MIT and Stanford, saying it was an excellent first-year chemistry course. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I think I'm going with it next year, and I specifically picked it because it was NOT considered light. It looks to me to be very solid..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) I have posted about Spectrum before. When ds was first using it, I was concerned b/c of just how little time it was taking him. (literally, about 30 mins/3days/wk + labs) I wasn't confident that he was getting enough depth in coverage. I added in Plato chem (also a very minimal time commitment). Whether or not Spectrum was enough on its own for ds, I can't really say. It made me feel better when we added in the Plato. :tongue_smilie: I can say that w/Spectrum and Plato, ds has had a very easy transition into AP chem and has maintained an A+ all yr in chemadvantage's course. FWIW, I don't think our oldest dd would have done well w/Spectrum. She does not fill in any details or make leaps in connections like ds. She needs everything explained explicitly and in-depth. Ds can learn from more implicit info. So, for him Spectrum might have been fine on its own. Edited March 4, 2012 by 8FillTheHeart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtotkbb Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I've wondered about this also. My accountability group - which is known for being particular about curriculum it considers worthy of high school credit regardless of the publishers claims - told me Spectrum was an accepted High School worthy credit for CP. They did explain that if we want honors credit we would need to add additional readings/labs - which I already knew. But, then I began to read a few reviews that felt it was light. I've been researching the question for about 2 weeks and it does appear from reading older posts that Spectrum is your basic high school Chem class but if you are expecting readiness for SATII or AP tests then there will be more that is needed. Since we are going into Spectrum w/ the expectation that dd will take a second class for Advanced Chem we've pretty much decided it will fit the bill. I do plan to have a ps Chem textbook on hand if further information is needed or desired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingedradical Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 It isn't light. The only question is whether it is honors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmgirl70 Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 As I am on my third high schooler, I have finally come to the conclusion that the best curriculum is the one that fits you and your student well, that will get done and that will engage. I wish I would've learned this earlier and worried less about what was considered light or rigorous. I might've made a couple of different decisions that would've been more beneficial to my oldest in particular. We're doing Spectrum this year. From looking it over, it seems a solid program and it's my best guess right now that it'll work for us. Hope you find it a good fit for yours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 As I am on my third high schooler, I have finally come to the conclusion that the best curriculum is the one that fits you and your student well, that will get done and that will engage. I wish I would've learned this earlier and worried less about what was considered light or rigorous. I might've made a couple of different decisions that would've been more beneficial to my oldest in particular. We're doing Spectrum this year. From looking it over, it seems a solid program and it's my best guess right now that it'll work for us. Hope you find it a good fit for yours! This is excellent advice especially for science which can get short-shifted if we feel pressed for time. We chose to go deeper than Spectrum, but without outsourcing the class. It is a substantial time and resource commitment on my part, even though I knew what I was getting into. I think it's the right decision for my particular student, but I am also fairly sure that come January I may be a wee bit tired and will be begging Eight to send me her Spectrum set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teeterbunch Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 I've commented on our experience with Spectrum here... http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/484772-remember-i-said-i-would-post-about-what-i-wish-i-had-known-about-spectrum-chemistry/?p=5142174 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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