Question for those using RS4K

[Guest momk2000]

We are planning to do RS4K Physics 1 for 4th grade. Can this be used as a full year course? We previously completed Pre-Level 1 Chem. and Bio. (both of which we did in one year).

I am just wondering how others implement the course. I would like to do one course per year, but am wondering if this would be enough.

[StephanieZ]

I found that the level 1 courses were about 8-12 weeks of material, assuming we're doing all the labs, etc. I think a chapter per week was reasonably easy. The Rs4K covers a good bit of solid info, but I'd want to spend some more time on science over the course of the year. . . but you could use the RS4K as your "spine" for the year and then follow your interests & explore other things with your other science time. Either do RS4K for a couple months to one semester and something else the other semester, or I guess you could sprinkle RS4K over longer but it might be disjointed to do it so infrequently. . .

 

You could do some nature study, or plant a garden, or explore a special interest, or go to science museums/club/etc. . . Or. . .

 

If you want to do just Physics this year, you could add other reading/books/kits/etc. Maybe a TOPS exp't book on light, magnetism, electricity, etc. . .

 

HTH

[AHASRADA]

FWIW, I'm using RS4K Biology for 5th grade this year. I divided up the textbook and workbook, assigning one subchapter/summary/experiment/review per session, 2-3 sessions per week. We will be supplementing with Lyrical Life Science and a Discover and Do DVD from Sonlight. Beyond that, we can always do extra reading in an Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia if we find the need/desire. At least for my dd, I have always found less is more as far as planning for science. I give her a general base to start from, and let her curiosity do the rest. Otherwise, science becomes tedious to her.