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I am researching Science Fusion.   Can anyone review Science Fusion for me?

 

If I use it, I would be using it with a 4th grader and a 5th grader.   Both students are fairly handy with math.   My 5th grader is quite precocious, and I have a hard time keeping him engaged in science.  (He always wants more, more, more.)     Just from looking at the samples, I am thinking that grade 6 might be more his speed.   Would that be crazy to put a 4th and 5th grader at that level?   If I went with Grade 6, could I use the modules out of order?

 

Also, what exactly do I buy for two kids?  And where do I buy from?   (I see ebooks, print books, teacher copies, etc.   Is there a bundle?)  

 

ETA:

 

Previous Science Completed:

1st Grade:  Sonlight Science A

2nd Grade:   Biology (RSO Biology and Quark Chronicles)

3rd Grade:  Earth and Space (RSO Earth and Space)

4th Grade:  Light Chemistry Year (co-op)

 

We haven't studied any physics yet, so I definitely need to cover the basics there.   I *think* I would like to use "The Rainbow" in 7th and 8th grade prior to high school.    So I need something to cover my time until this.   I am open to ANY recommendations.   

 

Edited by TheAttachedMama
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We've used the middle school modules of science fusion. My dd and I loved it. It's a textbook and workbook in one, so it's full color and you write in it. I liked that she could pick the modules that she thought sounded interesting. I think we completed 3-4 per year. When you buy the modules, you are given a paper code to sign up for the website. The teachers manual is on there. The website is challenging to navigate, it took some time to figure it out. Once I did though, it was great! There are lesson videos, online labs, quizzes, etc... It was worth taking the time to figure it out.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I bought it from Homeschool Buyers Coop. I agree that it setting it up was not intuitive. Each module is under $40 and you get everything you need, so that might make it easier to contemplate trying and seeing how one goes. It might be a bit of a stretch for your fourth grader to go up 2 levels but otherwise I think going up a level is a good decision.

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I just finished up two modules this summer with my 8, 9, 10 and 11 yr olds.  Overall, the program is good.  The setup/online stuff is, as others pointed out, not intuitive.  It took some solid time for me to figure out how to navigate the whole thing.  

 

Obviously, the middle school modules were somewhat above my 8 and 9 yr olds (and to be frank, the 11 yr old, too.  But she has a LD so there's that).  My 10 yr old is very strong in math and when he pays attention, he does excellent in science as well.  

 

Here's how I ran it...

 

My kiddos would read the textbook/workbook individually.  The chapters are not that long and they are structured well so that large blocks of print do not dominate much.  

 

I would write the vocab words for that chapter on the white board and they were responsible for looking them up in the glossary.  Because we only had one book for four kids, they did not write in the book.  

 

That same day, I would present the digital lesson (available from their website ThinkCentral, only after you've been registered as a buyer).  I'd cast it to our large TV, we'd go over it, discuss, etc.  Then, I would assign a lapbook element relevant to the topic.  I created most of these elements, but some I scavenged from various places on the internet.  

 

The next day, we would do the online workbook.  Now, this is the SAME EXACT lesson that's in the printed book, but it's read by somebody different, and I'd cast it to the TV.  We'd discuss as we went.  I might or might not have a lapbook piece.  

 

The third day, we would discuss the review pages and I'd hand out the chapter quiz.  We'd also finish up any lapbook pieces that did not get done.  

 

Lather, rinse, repeat.  

 

I would have liked to have had demonstrations and experiments, and ScienceFusion does have them.  But they were long and often complicated.  At least, too complicated for 3/4 of my kids.  

 

Overall, it's a nice science program.  It gets done.  

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