8th Grade Physical Science - help, please!

[KCR's Mom]

I'm looking for an 8th grade science program for DD, and fear I'm on a wild goose chase. Here are the things we seek:

• Experiments! - she is asking for something where you do the experiments first, then study about them, but anything that's heavy in experiments/labs would be good. Hands-on work is key.
• Experiment kit - I need it to be packaged in a kit, or REALLY easy to prep; I don't have the skill or time to put together a science curriculum or a lab program and hunt down materials.
• Rigorous - so many programs are light, or billed as 6th-8th but really for younger grades. I'm willing to upgrade to a 9th grade program rather than staying with strict 8th grade guidelines.
• Content - physics, chemistry, and earth science/astronomy
• Secular - every one of us has an opinion on this, so all I'll say is that although many of our curricula are Christian, I have tried science programs with a strong religious slant, and they're not right for us. That cuts out gold standard Apologia (which we've tried -- twice), and many other popular programs.
• Interesting - aside from the religious aspect, Apologia was dry and dull and a chore... ugh. Unfortunately, we haven't found much else that's really engaging. Science is exciting - it should be fun!

She likes science, but we're both frustrated that in 8 years, we've not yet found a science program that fits. She craves hands-on and she likes videos. I want her to get engaged and learn. We may start it in January (7th grade) and continue through 8th grade so we can take our time. Again, though, I'm not equipped to cobble something together on my own.

 

I've been looking for weeks, and I've spent the past two days almost non-stop searching the internet and poring over this forum, and every avenue is a dead end. CPO? Perfect, if I hit the lottery. Exploration Education (weak?), Glencoe (maybe... no lab kit, though), Holt (no lab kit), Prentice (dry), K12 (no kit, and no samples to see if the program is a fit), Derek Owens (she hated the video), Ardoin (she'd get overwhelmed having to look it all up).... my head spins, and those are just the ones I remember as having potential at some point.

 

Please, any help would be a blessing. Thanks!

 

[snowbeltmom]

Based on your criteria, Derek Owens seems to be a great fit.  What didn't your daughter like about the videos?

[KCR's Mom]

Thanks!!!! She thought the sample videos seemed a bit dry and talked more about history than science, and I don't see any lab kits or lists of experiments. Hope that helps. :)

[Heather in VA]

Have you thought about DIVE Intergrated Chemistry and Physics? It is not secular but since you mentioned that you do use Christian curriculum I thought I'd mention it. I tend to shy away from 'in your face' Christian curriculum and DIVE is not that. You can use it with Internet links (they call it an Internet Textbook) or CPO which would both be secular textbooks or with BJU, Apologia or Abeka. They have syllabuses for all plus maybe a few more. The videos are lectures and videos of the labs and you can get a kit. 

[KCR's Mom]

Just got home from Thursday co-op, so apologies for the delay. Heather in VA, thank you so much! I had seen DIVE but must have also seen that it's Christian so I put it aside. But looking into it more, it seems to be as you said, not "in your face." And the ICP doesn't go into the age of the universe or creation, so perhaps I could find some kind of secular astronomy/earth science to supplement DD's interest there. I do like that it has a kit, plus videos of the experiments for the experiment-challenged (that's me). It's going on the short list here. Thanks for bringing it to my attention! :)

[Heather in VA]

You're welcome KCR's Mom... I am glad it looks interesting to you. Just so you know for future, we used DIVE Biology. We are Christians but avoid programs that think there is nothing to science beyond age and creation. UGH. Anyway - DIVE definitely is a creation program but it does not discount evolution as  necessary knowledge. We also used it with Campbell's Biology which is a secular college text (they have a syllabus for it and a few other secular Biology texts) which made for a nice balance. DIVE is quite challenging and has high expectations of it's students. They expect well written labs and for the student to take notes during the lectures. My oldest who used DIVE is now a nursing major (2nd year) and flew through her science classes so far (Chemistry, MicroBiology, 2 semesters of Anatomy and Physiology, and a few more I can't remember now). She said she was very well prepared by DIVE with secular text accompaniments. 

[Lori D.]

Well, I would have said Rainbow Science, which hits in every area EXCEPT it is Christian. I believe there is less religious viewpoint in the Year 1 material (physical science -- first half is physics overview, second half is chemistry overview). Year 2 covers biology and some other topics (a little meteorology and a little general science).

 

It comes with all the supplies.

It is very hands-on (a day of hands-on, then a day explaining what's going on).

It is written to the student, so pretty much done independently.

It is designed for grade 7, but many people do both Year 1 and Year 2 in grade 8 for more rigor, and some do both levels in grade 9 for a gentler high school science.

 

 

A secular option is go with a series of TOPS units for hands-on investigation and then back with a text of choice. For our middle school physical science, we used most of the following TOPS kits with Reader's Digest How Science Works, plus a wide variety of other books and websites for the informational portion. Pulling it together was a lot of time for me; the TOPS kits are pretty independent-working for the student; if you used a textbook, it would relieve a lot of the work from you in putting it all together. :)

 

chemistry topics:

#10 Analysis

#11 Oxidation

#12 Solutions

#13 Adhesion and Cohesion

 

physics topics:

#21 Motion

#09 Floating and Sinking

#15 Heat

Electricity (#32= gr. 3-8; #19 = gr. 9-12)

#42 Focus Pocus

 

BEST of luck

[KCR's Mom]

Lori D. - Thank you for the great summary! That is really thoughtful. If only we had a single clearinghouse of such adapted tried-and-true solutions! I'll take another look at Rainbow.

 

Heather in VA - "high expectations of students... well-prepared...." those are selling points for me, further enhanced with the potential to use the program further through high school with biology! :coolgleamA: 

 

I've got some research to do, but now it is more on track, and I truly am grateful -- for everyone's kindness, for the great ideas, and for no longer feeling as if I were doomed to fail at our science curriculum with this last chance before high school! :hurray: