Has anyone used the Story of Science with the Quest Guides??

[StephanieZ]

Has anyone else here taught their kids (or a small class) using the Story of Science (Aristotle) and the Quest Guides (teacher and student)?

 

I'm doing this with a group of six 5th-8th graders starting this week (3 families). I am pretty excited about it but am curious that I can't find any dedicated yahoo or other discussion groups/file shares/etc.

 

Anyone done this and have any tips/tricks to make the year go well? Favorite activities not to miss? Dos and Don'ts? Links to any groups anywhere? (This seems so awesome, I can't be the first hs'er to do it!)

 

TIA!!

 

Stephanie

Edited September 27, 2009 by StephanieZ

[StephanieZ]

Honestly, noone?

 

This is such an awesome resource and so complimentary to WTM/classical ed. . .

 

I don't know whether to feel proud that I found it "first" or just sad b/c I won't have the ideas/feedback of others who have done / are doing this!

[KarenNC]

Unfortunately, I haven't, but am glad to know about the resources and will start thinking about them for our next go round (we're doing 4th grade this year). It looks like these are for middle school, right?

[tdeveson]

This seems like such a good program. I'm surprised no one has used these together.

 

Here's a bump.

[Capt_Uhura]

There was a thread on the Quest guides maybe 6-8mths ago. I've wanted to purchase them but if I recall correctly, some of the things in it worked best in a group and it didn't seem that people were over excited about it. Please post your thoughts on the Quest guides!!!

 

Capt_Uhura

[StephanieZ]

yes, I agree the quest guide seems more appropriate for a group. you could modify it pretty successfully for as few as 2 kids, but it seems to me that 6 to 10 kids would be ideal. With one child, you could get a little out of the guides for sure (the hands on stuff) but the group read/share stuff wouldn't be as fun, tho you could modify it, too if you wished.

 

Other thoughts so far:

 

+ You need BOTH quest guides. student guide is useless w/o teachers. You can copy the needed pages from the student guide for each child easily enough, or could get one for each child if you really wanted to.

 

I have Aristotle, so this is based on what I see in it so far:

 

+ needed materials are mostly on hand already or pretty easy and inexpensive to get.

 

+ there are math and science activities to extend/experience the topics at hand (This week we're using some mathematical technique with 2 yardsticks to measure the height of a tall tree. . .)

 

+ there are also activities that are sort of "read and find out" where kids (in small groups) read a short part of the chapter at hand and answer certain questions. E.g., The one we'll do for Ch.3 has four groups answer the same set of questions on the calendar systems for 4 different civilizations (Babylon, Egypt, China, Islamic) . . . Then you compare notes. . .

 

There are 5 units for Aristotle (each with a Unit Assessment if you wish). Each unit has 7 "lessons" which each cover 1-2 chapters. We are planning on covering 2 lessons in each 2 hour meeting (every 2 weeks). There is also a year end assessment.

 

The TG talks about how you can use the Assessments as traditional tests, open book tests, group projects, etc.

 

Anyway, I am just starting this project but I am pretty enthused. I will know more in a few months!

 

Stephanie

[LanaTron]

Once my kiddos have recovered a little more from the flu, we're going to get started.

 

I have two middle schoolers that will be starting the Aristotle book. I have it planned to do SoS once per week for one hour. Each week, we will cover 2 lessons, and they will do the reading on their own time. When we come together for "class" we will do one activity/worksheet from the guide, then I want them to write a summary on some point of what we discussed.

 

Our first week looks like this:

Read Lessons 1-2

Work p. 3 of the Quest book (this goes with lesson 2)

Write a paragraph (or more, but I'm doing good to get a 1-paragraph summary) on BC/AD v. BCE/CE dating OR myths v. facts.

 

In another 1-hour session the same week, we will do reading and one or two activities from the Milestones in Science kit.

 

I am so hoping that this works out for us! I can't tell if it will be enough work or too much or what. We'll see.

 

I'll try to report back on the quest guides after a little more time has passed, though.