R.E.A.L Science - Earth & Space

[jenL]

I'm considering using this for my son next year (2nd grade). I really think he'll enjoy the experiments, but for some reason I'm hesitant about the one page of "information" they provide. I figure I can take it further by getting library books for additional reading though. It seems like an easy, open and go type of program, which I really like right now.

 

If you use it (or have used it), can you tell me the pros/cons?

 

If you have another science curriculum you love for 2nd grade, I'm open to researching that too.

 

Thank you, ladies!

[angelmorris]

I loved that it was open and go. I loved that it had a lot of experiments and I loved the book recommendations it gave.

 

In the end though I went to apologia because it just didn't cover anything in enough depth for my kids. It always left them asking more questions than I had answers for and left me searching for the answers. We just don't have that problem with Apologia.

[Staceyshoe]

I haven't seen the Earth & Space so take this with a grain of salt. I have the REAL Life Science and Mr. Q Life Science. Mr. Q covers A LOT more info than REAL Life Science. If you're concerned about REAL not having enough info, you might want to look at Mr. Q. (It's also open-and-go with projects and such, but is an e-book.)

[Ali in OR]

We are using RSO Life--haven't seen Earth and Space. I've been thinking that this would be perfect for about 2nd grade. It's not enough for my 4th grader. My first grader does fine, but the writing would fit a 2nd grader better. Definitely supplement with library books. We do enjoy the activities.

[arcara]

My 2nd grader is using R.E.A.L. Earth Science this year. We love it! It does provide more info on the experiment pages. Usually there is something that you read aloud when you introduce the experiments. I really feel that my dd is learning through the experiments. I feel that she's getting plenty of info for a 2nd grader!

 

Remember, you can do the "try before you buy" for a few weeks. If you don't like it after that, you can get something different then!

Edited January 20, 2010 by arcara
add info

[Mommy22alyns]

We're using it now and I just don't like how little info there is. The experiments are okay, but I want something with more reading actually scheduled in. We won't be continuing with R.E.A.L. for chemistry.

[ondreeuh]

We use Life last year, and it lined up really well with the DK Nature Encyclopedia so we read the ency pages on each topic and that rounded things out very easily. I thought the experiments/activities were great and I eagerly bought Earth & Space for this year. I can't find a good reference book to line up with it, so I lined up all the Magic School Bus books recommended and we read those. Honestly though ... I don't think the experiments are as interesting as the ones in Life. Many I crossed off because it's stuff we've already done or is too much work to prove a simple point. The referenced websites aren't very good (which isn't their fault) so I felt like I was just reading Magic School Bus with a few relevant RSO experiments thrown in. I think RSO needs more actual teaching, or it needs to be lined up with a good Encyclopedia that can be used throughout instead of asking the parent to hunt down a bunch of books that may or may not be much use.

 

That said, I'll probably do some more this year just to fill the void since the Singapore Science 3/4 I'd bought to replace RSO is probably a better fit next year. I'm definitely not doing all the planet stuff though. Zzzzzz....

[dcjlkplus3]

We used this for 2nd grade. I liked it, but we did not finish it and it was all my fault. I would stop when we didn't have the right supplies for experiments. We LOVED the reading list and were able to get most of the books at the library. I counted it as a good year, we did A LOT of reading, but very few of the expeiments. There is not a lot of actual information in the text, you really do need to supplement witht he reading list, but my 2nd grader was able to read most of the books on the list with very little assistance.

[Truscifi]

We're using it, and it is not enough. We supplement with living books from the library each week. I am looking at other options for next year.

[Woodland_Mom]

I'm currently using this for my 2nd & 4th grade boys. We really like it! The information page for each topic is very nice, but I don't think it is intended to stand alone.

 

The curriculum is very much open and go, but you will need to get books at the library each week or have a nice stash at home on the shelf. We purchased a few general resources, but I enjoy going to the library, so getting the books has never been a problem for us.

 

Before you begin useing the program, make a box of all of your science supplies. There are experiments to do nearly every lesson, so having everything handy make the program doable.

 

My kids have learned lots and always look forward to our science time.

[amsunshine]

We are currently using RSO Life (my dds are currently in 1st and 2nd), and I would be hesitant to use their materials again. We are heavily supplementing it with lots of library books, the RS4K text, MPH Diversity, Schlessinger videos and BrainPop. I liked a number of the lab activities, but not enough to recommend the program as a whole. As others have said, it doesn't have enough information for each topic. Also, the black and white pages are just not that appealing or interesting.

 

That said, I've been looking for a good elementary earth/space science curriculum for next year and there seems to be very little out there (in terms of a secular program, at least, which is what we are looking for). I've pretty much given up and my tentative plan is to just put together my own curriculum with a good spine or two and a few "open and go" Science in a Nutshell experiment kits. I guess I feel that if I am going to heavily supplement the materials (as I tend to do, anyway), why spend the money on the materials in the first place?

[Osaubi]

I am using Mr. Q Earth science and RSO Earth science for a co-op. I am also using Great Science Adventures Earth science in another co-op.

 

Mr. Q has some pros: He doesn't dumb down the information. My kids enjoy and look forward to it every week. The cons: No visual pictures to help understand the information. Because of that I feel like I have to find something to suppliment to help understand the material. I am not to fond of the cartoons. I don't like the ratio of the inforamtion for example 2 chapters on space, and 6 on weather.

 

RSO Earth pros: 1 page of information is easy to understand. I like the teacher's pages to help explain the experiments. They have a list of library books, and websites for you to visit. There is usually more than one expermient to help solidify the information. My dd4 still remembers the layers of the earth b/c we made a pizza. The cons: Some of the experiments are daunting. Some of the info feels drawn out too long for my kids.

 

Great Science Adventures Space pros: Lots of information on multiple levels. I love that some of the history behind space is included in the information. There is simple experiments for every lesson. There is a section to do more if you or your kids want it. The cons: lots and lots of cutting out. I am revising all of the graphics to fit on one page as a worksheet instead of the way they recommend. The only thing I will have to cut out is the mini books.

[jenL]

Thanks for all the responses!

 

As several of you mentioned, I was worried it wasn't enough, and I'd have to supplement a lot. Ds likes living books, so I guess that would be workable... Hmmm... I need to think on this. With really good planning of when to put books on hold at the library, I could probably make it work?

 

I wonder if sticking to SWB's WTM suggestions would be just fine instead of needing a curriculum?

 

As you can see, I'm still confused! :tongue_smilie:

[Osaubi]

Maybe Living Learning Books or Noeo science both use living books for their curriculum.

[KathyBC]

We liked it. We read the overview. No one's attention wandered since it didn't take very long. We did the experiments. The lab sheets were excellent. We didn't do every topic, only those that were appealing. I'm satisfied with what they learned and the enjoyment we had.

 

I can see how for a different family it might not be deep enough. For our family, I fully expect the kids will continue their habits of watching MSB and Discovery Channel et al, reading library books and exploring their world. (None of which cost extra.) They will see all this material again. It never occurred to me that I could buy curriculum for *any* subject - especially science - that would be so complete as to never add any information from another source.

 

Use the program that appeals to you and your kids since that is the program that will get done.

Edited January 21, 2010 by KathyBC
Tone sounded snarky. Hopefully it's better now.

[amsunshine]

I wonder if sticking to SWB's WTM suggestions would be just fine instead of needing a curriculum?

 

 

 

This is exactly what I have tentatively concluded for earth science, at least. I think I was trying to make it more complicated than it had to be by getting a set curriculum and then heavily supplementing. I'm focused now on getting a good spine to work from, lots of supplemental books and videos, as well as some fun experiment books/kits.

[momto2Cs]

This is exactly what I have tentatively concluded for earth science, at least. I think I was trying to make it more complicated than it had to be by getting a set curriculum and then heavily supplementing. I'm focused now on getting a good spine to work from, lots of supplemental books and videos, as well as some fun experiment books/kits.

 

This is what we plan on doing next year. I'm getting the Kingfisher Young People's Book of Planet Earth and the one on Space for spines. From there, I can add in projects, videos, supplemental reading, etc.

[Jenny Piaaree]

I am doing RSK Earth and Space this year with my dd. She is 9, so really on the old side for the program. Nevertheless, we are enjoying it. It is certainly not enough on its own, but I don't think it is intended to be done on its own. We have used some of the books off of the reading list, and many more that follow the topic from my library. The websites listed are also good. I explored a lot of them before the school year began and pulled up some really useful material and experiments. We have also done several, but not all, of the included experiments.

 

So all told, if you don't mind doing the legwork, this is a nice program. RSK doesn't have any materials for older kids. If they did, I would consider doing it again.

[kalanamak]

We liked it. We read the overview. No one's attention wandered since it didn't take very long. We did the experiments. The lab sheets were excellent. We didn't do every topic, only those that were appealing. I'm satisfied with what they learned and the enjoyment ..

 

This is us. There are many many earth and space books out there, and I found them almost all used at Half-Price books or through Amazon. I have a stack by bed, and twice a week they are our bedtime reading. I'm happy with what kiddo has learned. For us, the workbook pages were just right: more and my wiggly guy would have gotten wigglier, less it wouldn't have looked like a neat challenge in the first place.

I supplemented my teaching with Earth: A Biography (BBC video) and Weather, also a BBC production.

Regarding RSO, I think they get harder with each year. I got the chem book at the damaged in the mail sale, and it definitely harder than earth/space, which is turn is less babyish than level I bio.

[nukeswife]

I'm actually using parts of Earth and Space as well as parts of Life for my 3rd and 6th graders. That's right all the way up to a 6th grader. Sure the info page is light,for a child that age, but it peaks his interest and then when we make our library trips he searches for books on things from science he wants to know more about.

 

We love all the experiments. I know someone mentioned that they wouldn't do all the planets, but those were some of our favorites. The Jupiter experiment where you make the storms of Jupiter in a dish was awesome.

[kalanamak]

ACCCCK, a old thread that I already posted ON!!

Edited November 22, 2010 by kalanamak

[plain jane]

ACCCCK, a old thread that I already posted ON!!

 

:lol: Did you at least give the same opinion the second time? ;)

[ondreeuh]

I was disappointed in Earth & Space. The summaries (the one-pagers) were so light that it was hard to retain anything from them. Some of the activities were OK, but I felt like most of them were just crafts that didn't lead to any greater understanding. Basically I felt they were not worth all the time they required. I paired up Magic School Bus books for a good portion, used many library books and websites, and we skipped many of the activities.

 

I do like that they incorporate the scientific method, and kids get experience making predictions, recording results, and drawing conclusions. I thought the Life Science was much more interesting though.

[ondreeuh]

LOL - I just realized that I responded to this thread back in January! I suppose this is why people dislike when members bring old posts back from the dead.

 

At least my response was the same.

[kalanamak]

 

I do like that they incorporate the scientific method, and kids get experience making predictions, recording results, and drawing conclusions. I thought the Life Science was much more interesting though.

 

And RSO chem is the best of the three.

[Woodland_Mom]

I used R.E.A.L Earth & Space with my ds and it was great.

 

Pros

 

• Open and Go
  
• Great Book List to take topics further
  
• Easy, but interesting science experiments and hands-on activities
  
• Materials list
  
• Easy to find materials
  
• "Info Page" to to introduce the topic for each unit.
  

Cons

 

• No color pictures (but this can be eliminated by pulling out an encyclopedia or other book on the topic)
  
• Can't think of any other cons!!
  

My bottom line--this is an easy to use science curricula for elementary students. It is ideal for someone who is looking for plenty of experiments and hands-on activities and for anyone who desires to use living books for their science studies.