Advanced chemistry, but a little kid

[Guest lindseycr]

Hi! My (almost) eight-year-old is REALLY into chemistry. Between really amazing iPad apps and some good library books, plus Apologia's elementary chemistry & physics text, he's learned quite a bit about it. We've also got a copy of "The Mystery of the Periodic Table" (an awesome book) for his upcoming birthday. I think he would get really excited about a more advanced chemistry text, such as the ones I used in Chem 1 in high school. I promise, I am NOT pushing him on this--he truly likes chemistry to this degree. Does anyone know of a good chemistry text that a kid with fourth-grade math skills can do, yet still truly has the kind of chemistry formulas found in upper-level texts? I've seen reviews of texts online say it is very helpful to have completed algebra II before beginning. Maybe I'm asking for something that is impossible, but since I only sort of remember what we did in high school chemistry, I'm not sure where to begin.

[duckens]

I don't know what Apologia covers, so I apologize if any of what I recommend is too tough or too simple for what your budding scientist needs.  I don't have any specific chemistry text to recommend, but here's what I would look into.

CURRICULUM AND OTHER ACADEMIC SUPPORTS:
1) Organic Chemistry Model Set - I love this set, and I still have mine from Organic Chem 2 decades ago!  I have used my set to have my dd (age 6 at the time) and her friend to make some basic molecules.

2) Ellen McHenry's The Elements and Carbon (Organic) Chemistry - Everyone raves about these curriculum.  They are of Middle School level, which would be before most kids have had algebra.  Or, as a homeschooler, skip the math part.

Disclaimer: I have not used these curriculum, but  this is what I would look into.  It would give my child exposure to Organic Chemistry before college.   Ask a specific question of the Hive of those who have used the McHenry Curriculum to see if it is a good choice for you.

3)

- I love Crash Course!  These are free youtube videos that cover Chemistry topics.  Did I mention they are free?

4) Khan Academy: Chemistry-  Also free.  Supposedly at a beginning high school or college level.

Or, if you are richer:

5) Great Courses: Chemistry and Organic Chemistry.  The Chemistry is actually on sale for $100, down from $374.

6) This PDF on Chemistry around the house.

7) This list of chemicals around the house

 

8) Hands On Chemistry - I haven't used it, but according to the reviews, other homeschoolers have, and liked it.  (I stumbled across it looking for the textbook referenced in #7).  One parent spoke of using it to teach a middle school son.  Another parent spoke of his/her 8yo reading it for fun.  I would ask the Hive if anyone has used it and liked it before dropping money on it.

9) Get a General Chemistry Set and start doing experiments.  See what you can apply from what you learned in last year's Apologia.  I don't advocate specifically this set, but there are good ones of this caliber out there.

FILLING IN THE GAPS:
10) For fun: Nova Video: Hunting the Elements.  And David Pogue is hilarious!  Only 2 hours.

11) For fun: The Kid Should See This  This is a fun website of kid-cool videos on all topics.  Do a search for Chemistry.  I watched "The Spectroscopy of Stars" and "Testing Fireworks."

Unrelated: See the video on Dominoes and Physics  MUST SEE.

12) For fun and context:  Chemistry Now - website for chemistry in our everyday lives.  Buckyballs to Cancer Screening.  Geared for adults, so make a judgment of how much your child will understand the topics.

13) Discuss the Nobel Prize.  Discuss it now. 

Nobel Prizes are awarded for exceptional contributions to Science (or Literature, Economics, Peace).   It is the highest award one can receive in a field of science.  Usually they are awarded for a lifetime of work, so most Nobel Prize Winners are very old.

Only one "project" for Chemistry wins each year; up to three researchers on the project can share the award.

Because the Nobel Prize is so rare, we watch the Chemistry research of the winners to shape and understand our world and our future. 

[kiana]

Caveman Chemistry is used for a "chemistry appreciation" course for math-phobic college students, and the last time I looked it was available as a free download. It probably isn't something you could hand to him, but you may find something useful in it.

[Laura Corin]

I don't know if this would fit, but I found RS4K Level 1 to be surprisingly sophisticated, without involving much maths.  Calvin enjoyed it when he was about eight and went on to do a full high school biology course at eleven (to give you an idea of level).  

 

The RS4K courses are rather short, but the chemistry is meaty (I'm not a fan of the bio or physics).

 

L

[Hunter]

What is the Mr Q. Advanced Chemistry like?

 

EDIT: I saw this thread. It sounds like the math is to hard.

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/376889-has-anyone-actually-used-all-or-part-of-mr-qs-advanced-chemistry/

[8filltheheart]

 Does anyone know of a good chemistry text that a kid with fourth-grade math skills can do, yet still truly has the kind of chemistry formulas found in upper-level texts? I've seen reviews of texts online say it is very helpful to have completed algebra II before beginning. Maybe I'm asking for something that is impossible, but since I only sort of remember what we did in high school chemistry, I'm not sure where to begin.

 

What you are asking for is unrealistic.   Upper-level chemistry formulas require at minimum basic algebra skills. There are conceptual chemistry books, etc, but if he wants to do work with chemical equations, he lacks the math to do so.   Math is what drives upper level chem and physics.

 

Have you seen The Wonder Book of Chemistry by Fabre?   It is available free online.   It is an older book and the translation is rough in spots (I read it with my kids b/c sometimes the translator did not translate things very clearly), but it is a fabulous book aimed at kids your child's age without anything being dumbed down to simple level.  We love the book.

https://archive.org/details/wonderbookofchem00fabr

[Space station]

I second duckens recommendations above. For kids who love chemistry, but don't have the math yet, McHenry's units are the way to go. A kit to model molecules is also terrific. My kids love Crash course and Hunting the Elements. With just those things and some good books about scientists, you could have a great year. Check out guesthollow's chemistry schedule for Otter. She has a lot of great recommendations.

[Guest lindseycr]

Thank you!! I am really appreciating these ideas for sort of intermediate chemistry. Alice/Mad Hatter, thanks for letting me know that high school texts would generally be unrealistic. But I am excited to hear all of these other suggestions! Keep them coming! Since I am not at all interested in requiring him to do any of these, but will instead just have some laying around the house so we can do them if he asks (and I certainly suspect he will), this wide variety of ideas other than just textbooks is helpful, too.

[Kerileanne99]

Have you seen the ACS (American Chemical Society) site for middle school chemistry? It has some great lessons and resources as well:

http://www.middleschoolchemistry.com/

 

The other thing I would suggest are the FREE chemistry video lessons from Georgia Public Broadcasting. They are actual video lessons that even go through the math in context. Watching it may help him to eventually work through the math himself.

Honestly, much of the earlier math he will be able to pick up...it isn't as though he is going to jump straight to p-chem! YouTube have to work with him a bit on things like logorithms sooner than you expected:) he can start on conceptual chem and keepi plugging along.

http://www.gpb.org/chemistry-physics/students/chemistry

 

I think it is awesome:)

But I may be a bit partial as hubby is an inorganic chemist and my degree is in chem and biology...although admittedly my current mommy studies are decidedly more elementary😄

[mommymonster]

Not to derail your post, lindseycr,  but you mentioned your DS used some amazing iPad apps to develop chemistry sense. Can you tell me what they are? 

[....]

I have a 9 yro that's really into chemistry right now.  She's been using Ellen McHenry's The Elements and The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe.  We also did Janice Van Cleave's Chemistry for Every Kid (it's all experiments using household items).  I guess we are just going to continue with Ellen McHenry's Carbon Chemistry in a few weeks (in other words, I don't see the chemistry fad fading away anytime soon   :glare:  ).  We also have a plastic molecular model set...so she can build different molecules for fun.  

 

She can't balance equations or anything, but even at 9, my daughter can do stuff like Lewis Dot Diagrams...finding which orbitals the electrons go into...figuring out if valence electrons are given away or stolen...properties of the elements based on where they are on the periodic table...etc.  

 

Here is an interactive website she enjoys from the University of Nottingham:  http://www.periodicvideos.com  There are videos if you click on the elements.  They're trying to update all the videos, too.

 

Like mentioned, the RS4K books are really good, also - I just wish they were longer.

[Guest lindseycr]

Thank you thank you, everyone! This is a lot to comb through, and that is a great problem to have. The chemistry apps we like are really just periodic table apps. Search for "Theodore Gray" and you'll find three.

[Carrie75]

My third grader was quite taken with Theodore Gray's book The Elements. http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-Visual-Exploration-Universe/dp/1579128955/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406759277&sr=8-1&keywords=the+elements

 

You probably have this, but for anyone else looking for chemistry books this one is so great giving visuals to all the elements is a real fashion. Cheap too!