Science Choices

[wehave8]

I'm looking for science for an 8 year old boy.  Third grade next year.

 

I think I've narrowed it down to:

 

1. Mystery Science

2. R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey

3. Elemental Science

 

Please vote AND add comments.

 

Pam

 

[Mergath]

I would probably use RSO as the primary science program, and supplement with Mystery Science. Mystery Science is fun, but imo it's not a complete science curriculum.

[SilverMoon]

I have a rising 3rd grader that thinks activities are a necessity, but I'm not familiar with any of your choices. We're strongly leaning toward Mr. Q's life science and adding living books. The activities are in the teacher guide, so she won't notice if I skip one that I'm not up to but she'd think is awesome. Or perhaps I could just put the TG on her shelf too and let her run them herself. :P

 

Looking at samples of the programs you linked with my 8yo in mind...

1. This looks like just activities and projects?

2. Seems busy, very textbooky/workbooky. Work work.

3. Supply kit is a bonus! There's reading, writing, lapbooking, notebooking, activities, memorization. So it's a choose your options from a buffet type of curriculum, but all those parts are on the schedule. The required books are all encyclopedia type books, DK, Kingfisher, Usborne, and VanCleave experiment books. Optional living book list.

 

I guess if stuck between those three I'd lean toward 2. I think 3 could be tweaked to make it easier for a kid to run themselves, but it feels like too much, and I wouldn't want to base a whole year on the snippet reading of encyclopedias. 1 could be patched into anything to make it more hands on, but as a spine it would overwhelm a mom who doesn't like projects much themselves, since it doesn't look like something an 8yo could run by themselves.

[wehave8]

I would probably use RSO as the primary science program, and supplement with Mystery Science. Mystery Science is fun, but imo it's not a complete science curriculum.

 

 

I have a rising 3rd grader that thinks activities are a necessity, but I'm not familiar with any of your choices. We're strongly leaning toward Mr. Q's life science and adding living books. The activities are in the teacher guide, so she won't notice if I skip one that I'm not up to but she'd think is awesome. Or perhaps I could just put the TG on her shelf too and let her run them herself. :p

 

Looking at samples of the programs you linked with my 8yo in mind...

1. This looks like just activities and projects?

2. Seems busy, very textbooky/workbooky. Work work.

3. Supply kit is a bonus! There's reading, writing, lapbooking, notebooking, activities, memorization. So it's a choose your options from a buffet type of curriculum, but all those parts are on the schedule. The required books are all encyclopedia type books, DK, Kingfisher, Usborne, and VanCleave experiment books. Optional living book list.

 

I guess if stuck between those three I'd lean toward 2. I think 3 could be tweaked to make it easier for a kid to run themselves, but it feels like too much, and I wouldn't want to base a whole year on the snippet reading of encyclopedias. 1 could be patched into anything to make it more hands on, but as a spine it would overwhelm a mom who doesn't like projects much themselves, since it doesn't look like something an 8yo could run by themselves.

 

These are great thoughts to consider!  VERY helpful!!

Thanks for the input.

 

Pam

[FawnsFunnyFarm]

We really enjoy RSO!

[Guest]

K12 as an independent. Just let him on the computer. Skip the kit and science gets done with no work on your part. Bada-boom!

Honestly, none of your choices are turn over to the child and walk away.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wehave8]

K12 as an independent. Just let him on the computer. Skip the kit and science gets done with no work on your part. Bada-boom!

Honestly, none of your choices are turn over to the child and walk away.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I don't care for all the projects (it's a time thing for me), but I didn't mean I wanted something to hand over to him and walk away.

 

I want projects for him and I will do them with him.  They're just not my favorite part of schooling.  :)

 

Pam

[FawnsFunnyFarm]

RSO's activities are pretty painless. We sometimes have messes but for the most part they are easy on me and the kids devour them.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I did not like RSO's activities AT ALL.  I only used the Earth and Space.  It started off having one make a weather station out of paper plates and plastic cups.  It did not work and was frustrating and required me to buy packages of stuff I don't use normally.

 

I never used Elemental.  I never heard of the other one.

 

My advice is to buy kits and pick some fun science books with topics of interest or whatever it is you want to cover.  He may also like the Magic School Bus videos.  You could even do a monthly library run to pick out science books. 

 

This kit (along with others from the same company) is the best one I've used:  http://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Explorer-First-Blowing-Science/dp/B000BURAP2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1463605053&sr=8-3&keywords=science+kits

 

The Tinker Crate kits are awesome too.

[Cake and Pi]

We're using Mystery Science now and will continue next year (oldest is 8 and a rising 3rd grader as well).  I disagree about it not being a full curriculum.  Content-wise I think it's more than enough for a year+ of lower-elementary science, especially if you do the "extras" along with the Mysteries and Explorations.  I also pick up books on the topic of our weekly Mystery from the library and supplement with Magic School Bus and/or Bill Nye videos on occasion, but I'd honestly do that no matter what we used for a science curriculum.

 

It's easy, fun, as close to open-and-go as science is going to get, and gets done in our house.  I really dislike projects, but my boys would like a lot more.  Mystery Science is our compromise and we're all very happy with it.  It's also very light on writing which works well for my dysgraphic kiddo and makes it easier to include my 4yo.

[Vintage81]

I'll be using Mystery Science with my 1st and 3rd grade daughters. My plan is to do one mystery per week along with the corresponding experiments and extra reading. If they're really interested in a topic, then I'll expand on it more (videos, library books, lapbooks, etc). The supplies needed for the experiments seem fairly simple, so my goal is to do a lot more experiments than we have in the past.

 

I don't have any experience with the other two curriculums on your poll, so I can't speak to them. But, after researching a lot of different science curriculums, I decided to use Mystery Science because of how open and go it is. With so many other subjects being teacher intensive, like math, reading and writing, it's nice to have something easy and fun to do that doesn't require much planning.

[Mrs Twain]

I have been using Mystery Science for half of this year and will continue using it next year. It is a great program, and my daughter loves it. She is in 3rd grade does it completely independently except that she asks me to help her find some of the supplies for the experiments.

 

I also have her write a journal entry with an illustration about the lesson for the week. She explains it to me and tells me what she learned. This week she learned about different kinds of bridges. The experiment was to design a mini bridge with certain supples (I think she used a piece of paper to make the bridge and books to hold up the ends. The strength was tested by counting how many pennies it would hold. I am amazed by how much she is learning.

 

It would be great for us to get corresponding library books on the weekly topic, but unfortunately I am not that organized concerning the library.

[vaquitita]

I did not like RSO's activities AT ALL. I only used the Earth and Space. It started off having one make a weather station out of paper plates and plastic cups. It did not work and was frustrating and required me to buy packages of stuff I don't use normally.

 

We used RSO earth and space this year and I too found the weather unit dumb. I had looked through it first and pretty much just skipped most of that unit (we had done weather before), but we did the rest of the book and my kids really enjoyed it. This was the first year we actually got around to the hands on stuff regularly. I am planning to use RSO chemistry next year.

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

We were planning on RSO beginning in 1st, but after stumbling upon Elemental Science are now unsure. I think Mysetery Science looks really fun & we will likely use it as a supplement, but not our core curriculum.

[kaxy]

We are doing the free trial of Mystery Science right now, and the projects are very doable so far. I think by adding library books on the topic and maybe a Bill Nye or other video, that helps round it out. Get your free trial to check it out. 

[Catalytic]

If you're still interested, Pandia Press has 30% off their curriculum right now, I bought all the level one science, and I think we're going to do R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Chemistry this year, looks like something my 6yo will love.  I bought the first level 1 History, as well, but not sure if we will use it.

[hands-on-mama]

If you're still interested, Pandia Press has 30% off their curriculum right now, I bought all the level one science, and I think we're going to do R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Chemistry this year, looks like something my 6yo will love.  I bought the first level 1 History, as well, but not sure if we will use it.

 

Do you know how long this sale is going on?

[Catalytic]

Do you know how long this sale is going on?

 

It ends today, it's a Memorial Day sale.  (Of course, I bought the Chemistry a few days before it started, sigh)

[SamanthaCarter]

I tried Elemental for my then 8 year old third grade boy. It was a flop. It didn't seem developmentally appropriate - lots of writng and searching through the materials for the information he needed to write. He just didn't have those kind of study skills yet and hated (still does) to write. We did so much better when we switched to RSO, but I didn't like it so much to do it the next year.

 

Last year I outsourced, I'm just not a creative homeschool mom and I find trying to make things hands-on excruciating (for me). Science experiments feel a lot like CRAFTS. CRAFTS! Ugh. LOL. 

Edited May 31, 2016 by SamanthaCarter

[Upptacka]

For those with REAL science odyssey, are the worksheets thoughout the textbook? If so, can they be torn out? I like to keep worksheets in a separate 3 ring binder.

[SamanthaCarter]

You can't really tear out the student sheets from the manual. They do sell a separate pack of three hole punched student sheets that I think is worthwhile, otherwise you'd be putting a clunky manual on the copy machine every time you did science. 

Edited May 31, 2016 by SamanthaCarter

[vaquitita]

For those with REAL science odyssey, are the worksheets thoughout the textbook? If so, can they be torn out? I like to keep worksheets in a separate 3 ring binder.

Mine was perforated so the student pages would tear out nicely

[Catalytic]

I bought everything in eBook version, so I can't help with that.  But, I (having not actually tried it...) LOVE the look of the Chemistry, I think my son is going to have a blast with it.

[happypamama]

I have a rising 3rd grader that thinks activities are a necessity, but I'm not familiar with any of your choices. We're strongly leaning toward Mr. Q's life science and adding living books. The activities are in the teacher guide, so she won't notice if I skip one that I'm not up to but she'd think is awesome. Or perhaps I could just put the TG on her shelf too and let her run them herself. :p

 

Looking at samples of the programs you linked with my 8yo in mind...

1. This looks like just activities and projects?

2. Seems busy, very textbooky/workbooky. Work work.

3. Supply kit is a bonus! There's reading, writing, lapbooking, notebooking, activities, memorization. So it's a choose your options from a buffet type of curriculum, but all those parts are on the schedule. The required books are all encyclopedia type books, DK, Kingfisher, Usborne, and VanCleave experiment books. Optional living book list.

 

I guess if stuck between those three I'd lean toward 2. I think 3 could be tweaked to make it easier for a kid to run themselves, but it feels like too much, and I wouldn't want to base a whole year on the snippet reading of encyclopedias. 1 could be patched into anything to make it more hands on, but as a spine it would overwhelm a mom who doesn't like projects much themselves, since it doesn't look like something an 8yo could run by themselves.

Not replying to SilverMoon in particular, but piggybacking onto her post. . .

 

REAL Science Odyssey is similar to Mr. Q, but the tone is a little different, less goofy than Mr. Q.  I tried Mr. Q a few times, but it never really stuck.  I think the tone didn't appeal to my kids much.  I did buy REAL SO Life for my rising second grader, and I just really like the looks of it.  It's appealing to kids but not too silly, and I like how it highlights the big ideas.  I think my son will really like it.  We may or may not do all of the activities, but I think the information is good, and I think he will enjoy having a little notebook of his own to keep.

 

I'm not familiar with the other two programs, OP, but that's my two cents.

[TheGreenBeanie]

We haven't used Elemental or R.E.A.L., but we have done some of the mysteries on Mystery Science and really enjoyed them. I feel you could use it as a thorough curriculum if you brought in some extra books/materials on the topics, and use their extras. 

We use and enjoy apologia, but since it's topically focused, I bring in other topics by using MS. We're finishing up Astronomy, but I wanted to glance at other topics, so we recently used MS for their Plant Adventures unit. Both of my kids (7 and 9) really enjoyed that. We're moving onto Botany with Apologia next, so we'll probably use MS for topics like weather, animals, etc... The activities are simple, but provide good understanding of the topics. Also, MS is fantastic with their communication. They're quick to answer any questions you or your kid(s) may have and are very receptive to feedback.