Yes, I ordered from the company. Nicol: I wondered about that, but most of the stuff he did see done in public school--just chose to get an F so has to do it all over to get credit!

I have posted my review of Singapore's physical science at my blog http://hopewellmomschoolreborn.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-of-singapore-interactive-science.html Please be aware that I am using this with a chronic under-achieving boy newly pulled out of an under-performing public school!! Your "results may vary" if you know what I mean!

I was looking for more opinions on IWE and got what I hoped for! I, too, have a struggling 9th grader, fresh out of public school. I'm looking at this for next year Thanks,

On Amazon it said these go with BJU textbooks....

I went thru the archive after finding this one and it sounds worth while. I have a standard text book I got for free, but want the teacher's book for grading. I don't want to re-learn physical science to grade it. Let me know if you've tried it. I'm checking out the others recommended in your replies. Thanks!

I'm not against Christian textbooks, but like another poster today, I really wasn't happy with Apologia. It's rigorous and all, it's [again like she said] the tone, etc. What do you use if you don't want Apologia or BJU for 9th grade physical science? I may put up with it for biology next year--not sure.

If you have this can you contact me off list at hopewellmomschool@yahoo.com? I have a few questions! Thanks!

Can anyone who has really used or seriously evaluated BOTH give me some ideas of why one or the other? Starting to buy for 7th grade and science is my downfall!

We use ambleside, but don't always read the Natural history or science. We like hands on science.

I feel for you! This is the second time I took my daughter out of public school--and your post could have been written by me! Is it the god-awful Accelerated Reader tests?? For reading I'd read to her and have her narrate [tell back] to you at bedtime. Just encourage. Also, ignore the grades, but reward the good ones. Teach her to either write a summary or tell you a summary that you write down, then "study" it together before she takes her test. One school had them use post-its at the end of each chapter. 1 or 2 point books are best to start--even in third grade [Our favorites were the Catwings series, but that size is right] Math--let me guess--they don't have to actually learn math facts and they present the stuff in a dizzing format?? My suggestion would be to just encourage her and try to get a copy of the book to keep at home. That gives you time to figure it out. Some schools offer teaching to parents on how to help with math--if yours doesn't DEMAND it!! See if any of the teachers do tutoring after school--that saved us! FYI--when I pulled my daughter out [both times now!] we went straight to Rod & Staff for math and read good books aloud with narration. It takes a while to "deschool". I also appreciate that isn't always an option. Just encourage her and demand the school do their part. Being "that mother" can often get results. For us it meant she got put with the "best" teacher after a horrible year and really did get great help. I will pray for your family. You can email me off list, too, if you have other questions.

We dropped: AO's Natural History selection for this term added Pagoo even though my daughter is 6th grade. The other Hollings books were so great we had to do it! Vocabulary from Classical Roots &/Or Wordly Wise--too schoolish and a struggle to get her to do them. We're doing more CM style vocabulary Dropped: Mara Daughter of the Nile [may try it again] My daughter couldn't get the first chapter straight to save her life. Not worth tears--especially since we are reading a lot of other titles in history that she understands so well. Most of the so-called "hands on" history ideas. Too babyish, don't add enough--whatever. We'll do the ones we like. I have teacher's manuals for Winter Promise and Truthquest ancients for middle schoolers. Plenty of ideas. Added: PE!! Aerobics and yoga My daughter added Sign Language on her own Added Miquon for fractions What we are loving: Doing a book of the Centuries and "Drawing With Children"--our best time of the week!

Rod & Staff 4 right now [daughter is just out of public school and hopelessly lost from bizarre fuzzy math] and Miquon to help with fractions right now. When we homeschooled a few years ago Rod & Staff was all we needed.

Ok, I'm ordering it! Thanks to all--I think science, both chemistry and "other" are now together! Thanks for all the help!

Although I got some excellent help from my earlier post on Chemistry for 6th grader, I was wondering if anyone had examined/used both of these and could tell me which has more to "hands on" and more "meat" in general. My kid loves science! Also, with Real Science is the Teacher's Manual a necessity? I wasn't into science so of course both my kids love it!!

1. Anyone just plain not like this series? Why not? 2. Is it too "little kid" for a 6th grader? [The 7th grade one looks mind-numbing to me, but I never cared for science!!] 3. Are the experiments or activities worth it? 4. How much could my 6th grader do alone? If it helps we are interested in Botany and Zoology--ocean animals. I've heard nothing but praise, but the samples I've looked at don't give me enough of a "feel" for it. There isn't any bookstore in our area that has it to look at. Thanks to everyone who responded about chemistry a little ways back.