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I don't think that would be easy. I think it could be the spine for a history of science, and I think it can be a supplement to a lab science class, offering context and historical perspective.  It outlines the foundational writings in different fields of science. But it's not really about lab-based modern science. 

 

We will use it in a non-lab science literacy/history of science course. But I'm not sure how you'd turn it into a lab course.

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For SWB's book, think The Well Educated Mind, but for the Great Books of science.  It has sections on the Ancient/Medieval beginnings of science, the beginning of the scienctific method, geology, biology, and cosmology.  Like the WEM, it does a nice job summarizing and outlining the main issues and developments in each area of science. Then it summarizes and contextualizes a few canonical works for each area.  So it's not a straight-up history of science, and it's definitely not textbooky.  It's a guidebook to major scientific writings, mostly historical, as WEM is a guidebook to Great Books of other genres.

 

We won't read most of the primary sources next year in 8th grade! But we will use the very nice, succinct chapter text to help set a context as we meander through the history of science.  Our actual source readings will be a little - simpler? more age appropriate? than Aristotle, Newton, and Hippocrates. But as always, SWB really nails the succinct, well-written introduction to a complex field of study.  

 

ETA: This is also why I think it would be hard to do as a lab science - the first section is pre-scientific method, so no labs there.  You could do observations, like Aristotle did, I suppose. The second is about the development of the scientific method, any old lab could be added there I suppose.  The third - geology - is mostly about the development of big theories, like plate tectonics.  Typical geology labs wouldn't be that relevant.  The third, biology, looks at evolution & genetics, you could add labs there.  Cosmology? I've never figured out how to do at-home labs about that.  Anyway, so maybe you could add labs, but it would feel kind of contrived, I think.  And definitely wouldn't fit into any of the typical high school lab science boxes.

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My ds used it as a supplement in his middle school years.  He read it through chronologically (a book a year), more as a "science history" supplement.  He loved reading, though.  I thought they were excellent books.

 

This response is for the Joy Hakim books.  They are definitely more of a "history of science" set of books.  Very readable.  We did use them during the middle school years, but the information is relevant for any age.

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This response is for the Joy Hakim books.  They are definitely more of a "history of science" set of books.  Very readable.  We did use them during the middle school years, but the information is relevant for any age.

 

Agreed.  For the second two Hakim books, I think you could totally design a physical science lab course around those two books, whereas with SWB's book, turning it into a lab science credit for high school seems much less straightforward.

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Agreed.  For the second two Hakim books, I think you could totally design a physical science lab course around those two books, whereas with SWB's book, turning it into a lab science credit for high school seems much less straightforward.

 

I haven't seen the second two books (even though you didn't ask me!). Are they similar to the first book? I own it and find it difficult to read. It seems disjointed.

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Yeah, the writing style and the really busy pages can be a readability issue, for sure.  People seem to either love it or hate it.  In terms of content, the second two books have a *lot* more science in them - which makes sense, given the time periods covered. We did the first two books in 6th grade, and may do the 3rd book in 8th grade. It's more challenging for sure.  But between the two, all the major scientific discoveries (in the physical sciences) are covered, so you could add labs, kits, etc. to turn it into a lab-based course if you wanted to. I think it's a good option for 7th-8th grade physical science.

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I have them sitting on my shelves and we have never gotten around to them. I think we are going to do a standard biology with labs for 9th grade. I want a really simple Biology book that I can use as a spine and add some living books to and maybe some specific units on genetics, cells, etc. that are interesting to my son. Not sure how to do this though. Look for a thread asking this very question sometime soon. :-)

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I have them sitting on my shelves and we have never gotten around to them. I think we are going to do a standard biology with labs for 9th grade. I want a really simple Biology book that I can use as a spine and add some living books to and maybe some specific units on genetics, cells, etc. that are interesting to my son. Not sure how to do this though. Look for a thread asking this very question sometime soon. :-)

 

I am doing something simple for my dd.  I am using the Oak Meadow book with the LabPac Biology labs.  I am also doing some virtual labs here and there, and will do some labs out of the text that are easier and interesting.  I have the Thames and Kosmos kit for Genetics.  I will also throw in videos from Discovery Education to break it up for her a bit.

 

I went much more elaborate for Ds' biology, but feel this will be adequate for dd.  We were supposed to do it this year, but got side tracked with anatomy and wound up making a whole semester course out of it.

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