Condensing RSO Chemistry?

[Hobbes]

Sorting out science for next year - my 9yo (4th) has asked for chemistry and botany and she hopes for experiments and read-alouds. I've looked around at as many chem samples as I could find and the most appealing to me/most likely to fit with our approach seems to be RSO Chem Level 1. However, it's a full year's worth of lessons and I'd really like to only do chem for 1/2-3/4 the year as an elementary intro and then switch into a simple exploration of botany as we begin planning and preparing for our garden next spring. 

 

We do 'official' science max twice a week with 7yo and 9yo together and for about an hour each time.

 

Has anyone condensed or only used part of RSO Chem? Are there sections that are obvious possibilities to cut? Is it worth it to use RSO if I do that? There is currently a 30% off sale...

 

ETA: clarity

Edited May 25, 2017 by indigoellen@gmail.com

[nixpix5]

Unit 1 covers what chemistry is and unit 2 overs atoms. You could probably go through those faster.

 

Unit 3 covers the chemist's alphabet...so period table, atomic numbers, and all of that stuff.

 

Unit 4 starts looking at some elements in depth and unit 5 covers molecules and their rules (bonds, electrons etc)

 

Unit 6 introduces matter and unit 7 deals with various reactions.

 

Your doing 2 labs per week at full schedule. It really is a year curriculum but if you want to just do a gentle Chem intro you could focus on atoms, molecules, and a few elements and then do the reaction labs. I think it really builds on itself though so doing it all your student might get more out of it.

 

It is a really neat curriculum! You could always do a shorter botany unit and cut out some of RSO. Chem 75% and Botany 25% might be more do-able.

 

I know it is hard to decide with science. It is my favorite subject so I always bite off more than I can chew :)

Edited May 25, 2017 by nixpix5

[rebbyribs]

Several of the labs were things we had already done as part of physics or earth science - like floating and sinking, air takes up space, making rock candy crystals, water expanding when it freezes. We'd also already talked about the parts of an atom and the states of matter.  A few other labs are cooking projects that you might have already discussed in day-to-day life - like why popcorn pops, why oil floats on water (or vinegar), and that meringues are full of air.  Another lab is about capillary action, demonstrated by food coloring making its way up a celery stalk.  That one could easily be saved for your botany unit.  Overall, my 7yos and 10yo have enjoyed it this year.  If it still seems like too much after cutting out whatever projects you've already done, I agree that the big section on the first 18 elements of the periodic table could be pared down.  Instead of doing all the hands-on activities and the notebooking project, you could just read and enjoy the pictures in The Elements (https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Visual-Exploration-Every-Universe/dp/1579128955)

[Hobbes]

Unit 1 covers what chemistry is and unit 2 overs atoms. You could probably go through those faster.

 

Unit 3 covers the chemist's alphabet...so period table, atomic numbers, and all of that stuff.

 

Unit 4 starts looking at some elements in depth and unit 5 covers molecules and their rules (bonds, electrons etc)

 

Unit 6 introduces matter and unit 7 deals with various reactions.

 

Your doing 2 labs per week at full schedule. It really is a year curriculum but if you want to just do a gentle Chem intro you could focus on atoms, molecules, and a few elements and then do the reaction labs. I think it really builds on itself though so doing it all your student might get more out of it.

 

It is a really neat curriculum! You could always do a shorter botany unit and cut out some of RSO. Chem 75% and Botany 25% might be more do-able.

 

I know it is hard to decide with science. It is my favorite subject so I always bite off more than I can chew :)

 

This is exactly the kind of input I was looking for, thank you so much! I agree about making botany the shorter of the two - I'm just planning to tie it in with gardening, do some bean sprout experiments, indoor plants, cut them apart and draw/label them, etc. 

 

RSO just looks so good and both 9yo and 7yo are eager for experiments, so I figured I'd better get at it. :) 

 

Several of the labs were things we had already done as part of physics or earth science - like floating and sinking, air takes up space, making rock candy crystals, water expanding when it freezes. We'd also already talked about the parts of an atom and the states of matter.  A few other labs are cooking projects that you might have already discussed in day-to-day life - like why popcorn pops, why oil floats on water (or vinegar), and that meringues are full of air.  Another lab is about capillary action, demonstrated by food coloring making its way up a celery stalk.  That one could easily be saved for your botany unit.  Overall, my 7yos and 10yo have enjoyed it this year.  If it still seems like too much after cutting out whatever projects you've already done, I agree that the big section on the first 18 elements of the periodic table could be pared down.  Instead of doing all the hands-on activities and the notebooking project, you could just read and enjoy the pictures in The Elements (https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Visual-Exploration-Every-Universe/dp/1579128955)

 

This is a good point, thank you. I will buy the e-book on the sale, I think, and instead of chopping a whole unit, I'll just remove a few things from some of the units (especially the elements chunk) and go from there, making it a few shorter weeks. Thanks for sharing, that's a great way to trim it down a bit.

[2Peanuts]

I used RSO Chemistry a few years ago. I'd say Units 1-3 are definitely worth the time. They explain atomic structure and the logic behind the periodic table in a clear, kid-friendly manner. (I taught high school chemistry ages ago and the info in those units pretty much mirrored what I taught my 10th and 11th graders.) Unit 4 is easily skippable. It has nice-to-know info but it's not necessary for understanding chemistry. It certainly helps deepen understanding but it's not necessary.

 

I admit that I only got through part of Unit 4 because we started chemistry mid-way through the school year for some reason. Or maybe we went back & forth with other curricula. In any case, I didn't get through Units 5-7 but here are my thoughts on them:

 

Unit 6 (on matter) is probably the most basic and universally applicable of the 3 units. Unit 7 is where you'll experience the bulk of nifty reactions. It also covers the most advanced topics. Unit 5 would certainly help kids understand why water is written as H2O or carbon dioxide as CO2.

 

If you're looking to truncate the program, I'd go with Units 1-3 then 6. That's roughly half the program. If you wanted to add in more chemistry, I'd go with either Unit 5 or 7 next (7 has more experiments where stuff "does something"). Unit 4 is nice to do but not necessary.

 

Of course, take my recommendation with a big grain o' salt since I didn't actually get through the entire program! But I will say that I ran the program with my kiddo and her friends (they were 4th & 5th graders) and they really enjoyed it.

 

 

Have fun teaching this program!

Carol

[Hobbes]

I used RSO Chemistry a few years ago. I'd say Units 1-3 are definitely worth the time. They explain atomic structure and the logic behind the periodic table in a clear, kid-friendly manner. (I taught high school chemistry ages ago and the info in those units pretty much mirrored what I taught my 10th and 11th graders.) Unit 4 is easily skippable. It has nice-to-know info but it's not necessary for understanding chemistry. It certainly helps deepen understanding but it's not necessary.

 

I admit that I only got through part of Unit 4 because we started chemistry mid-way through the school year for some reason. Or maybe we went back & forth with other curricula. In any case, I didn't get through Units 5-7 but here are my thoughts on them:

 

Unit 6 (on matter) is probably the most basic and universally applicable of the 3 units. Unit 7 is where you'll experience the bulk of nifty reactions. It also covers the most advanced topics. Unit 5 would certainly help kids understand why water is written as H2O or carbon dioxide as CO2.

 

If you're looking to truncate the program, I'd go with Units 1-3 then 6. That's roughly half the program. If you wanted to add in more chemistry, I'd go with either Unit 5 or 7 next (7 has more experiments where stuff "does something"). Unit 4 is nice to do but not necessary.

 

Of course, take my recommendation with a big grain o' salt since I didn't actually get through the entire program! But I will say that I ran the program with my kiddo and her friends (they were 4th & 5th graders) and they really enjoyed it.

 

 

Have fun teaching this program!

Carol

That is helpful, thank you! I appreciate the perspective on what to prioritize. I had wondered about just skipping unit 4... that would give us 8 weeks for a brief botany unit (like maybe the plants section of RSO Life ðŸ˜... they are on sale!).

[Trilliumlady]

Where are you seeing these RSO chemistry books on sale right now?

[mamaraby]

Where are you seeing these RSO chemistry books on sale right now?

On the Pandia Press website - http://www.pandiapress.com

[Trilliumlady]

Never mind, found it!