GEMS vs TOPS Science

[plain jane]

Has anybody used both of these who can compare them for me? Which would you recommend? This would be for an advanced grade four.

 

TIA!

Edited April 29, 2010 by plain jane

[Guest]

We've used both; my daughter preferred GEMS by a gigantic margin.

 

I liked TOPS, liked its use of math and graphing. My daughter, however, objected to the way she was expected to do what seemed to her like an endless string of variations on a single riff in order to collect data and find patterns. So while I think TOPS is really strong mathematically and scientifically, for my daughter the way it is structured, even with room for figuring something out occasionally, was not appealing. Even though there were more open-ended task cards at times, it FELT confining to her, more regimented.

 

GEMS is harder for the parent to collect the materials for and get set up. Once that is in place, however, it is totally kid-engaging. The activities are oriented toward deep understanding of basic concepts, approaching them from a variety of different angles and activities. GEMS is also geared toward having kids experience how scientists think: not just the question-hypothesis-experiment-solution sequence you find in most books, but also toward discovery, trial and error, lateral thinking, and modeling. Many units begin with exploratory sessions rather than structured experiments right away. Unlike TOPS, it utilizes reading (as much or as little as you want); each unit lists an assortment of fiction and non-fiction books that address the topic. There is plenty of writing, from data collection to close observation to looser, more creative writing activities for assessment (for instance, in the unit on chemistry and detection, one assignment was to turn the evidence from various tests the kids did into a confessional story by the suspect; all the data had to fit into the story).

 

They are both, in my opinion, good programs. I would think it depends on how your child works, how much structure he prefers, how independently he likes to work (GEMS is more cooperative in nature), how much he can be engaged by the very simple materials TOPS uses. I can see different kids responding to each program very differently. Hope this helps.

[BridgeTea]

Oh! I was just coming in here to ask the same question. I have thought for a long time I'd be using TOPS, but recently found out about the GEMS kits so I was looking for specifics, also. KarenAnne, thank you for a great overview of the programs.

 

OP, I see you mentioned wanting something for one child. Me too, so I hope you don't mind if I piggy-back some questions on here:

 

Either TOPS or GEMS can be used successfully with one child, then?

 

Can you think of specific kits that need a group instead? (OP is looking at physical science; I need chemistry.)

 

I'd like to encourage my child to explore more, to look for ways to solve problems, or even change up experiments. She loves to read about science and discoveries, but doesn't usually think to go experiment on her own without quite a bit of nudging and encouragement. THEN she has all kinds of fun. She wants to try stuff; she just doesn't know how to begin. It's like she's still searching to get her science legs under her or something. Is GEMS our product?

[Guest]

Both TOPS and Gems can be used successfully with one child -- there were a few occasions using the Gems units when I had to be "the other kid" or engage her in a kind of dialogue playing devil's advocate, but not many. Everything we did was easily adaptable for one.

 

Having said that, though, I'd also say that my daughter worked best when she had my company doing the activities. She could do either one on her own, but they were more fun, and we could think up more questions and do more exploring, with two minds at work. (I consider myself an honorary child as far as science goes because I know so little.)

 

On the other hand, here's a warning to those who have others: littler kids watching may want to join in because it is just so attractive to work with the things Gems does: water, bubbles, slime, models, mud, clay, terrariums, recipes for toothpaste and soda and ice cream, etc. If you do have littler ones, many activities adjust easily to add them in on the basics or a simplified level (or just give them a handful of materials and let them play).

[Dmmetler]

I like AIMS, too-it's very similar to GEMS, and is very kid-friendly.

[BridgeTea]

Both TOPS and Gems can be used successfully with one child -- there were a few occasions using the Gems units when I had to be "the other kid" or engage her in a kind of dialogue playing devil's advocate, but not many. Everything we did was easily adaptable for one.

 

 

 

Again, thank you for the information! This has helped me, and I'm sure the OP.

 

Big experiments that call for much material gathering usually happen on Saturdays around here when the PS friends are over visiting. Or, Mom and Dad pinch-hit during the week.

 

DD is loving human body anatomy right now (she picks her own sciences) but I say, "Bring on the experiments again!" It's not like we can practice on cadavers. Paper body parts aren't quite cutting it for me. I think we'll start with Bubble-ology when she finishes her paper dude in a few weeks. That looks like great fun for summer.

[Guest]

Bridgetea, one thing you might appreciate about Gems given your interest in helping your daughter be more willing to initiate or get into experiments is its emphasis on helping kids formulate questions of their own to investigate. This is usually something that emerges over the course of a unit, but it does help them begin to think of things to try, ways to find answers to their questions (by experimenting, not by going to the library necessarily, although they can do that too), ways to incorporate or use other materials.

 

Another thing I did was put a big collection of bits and pieces in a cabinet for my daughter to use whenever she felt like it: everything from a thermometer to a magnifying glass, lots of baby food jars for mixing things in, vinegar, salt, baking soda, etc., a scale, lenses, straws, magnets, a couple of batteries and all kinds of junk like that. It got really messy but she used it quite a lot when she was around seven through ten or so.

[BridgeTea]

Bridgetea, one thing you might appreciate about Gems given your interest in helping your daughter be more willing to initiate or get into experiments is its emphasis on helping kids formulate questions of their own to investigate. This is usually something that emerges over the course of a unit, but it does help them begin to think of things to try, ways to find answers to their questions (by experimenting, not by going to the library necessarily, although they can do that too), ways to incorporate or use other materials.

 

Another thing I did was put a big collection of bits and pieces in a cabinet for my daughter to use whenever she felt like it: everything from a thermometer to a magnifying glass, lots of baby food jars for mixing things in, vinegar, salt, baking soda, etc., a scale, lenses, straws, magnets, a couple of batteries and all kinds of junk like that. It got really messy but she used it quite a lot when she was around seven through ten or so.

 

Thank you so much. I know others appreciate seeing this information as much as I do.

 

I think Gems will be a good fit for us. She's had lots of books where the intended outcome of a project or experiment was made clear from the get-go. I'm anxious to see how she'll do with a program that might encourage her to ask more questions and play around a little more.

 

I love the idea of having science-y stuff available all the time. We have a "science box" filled with rubber tubing, corks, balloons, magnets, cardboard tubes, and the like. Come to think of it, that box has been around for 2 years with a definite emphasis on physics, but not much else. Time for a good dusting and some rework...