Elemental Science or Apologia Y. Explorer

[mjpeter]

Does anyone have experience with both of these? I now have them both on hand, and I've changed my mind about 3 times, lol.

 

This would be for my ds who just turned 7. We started with Astronomy, but he has a hard time retaining everything. Is he supposed to? I'm so confused.

 

HELP? I don't mind if it's secular or not...we use a mixture of the two. :001_smile:

[myfatherslily]

We're using Apologia Astronomy and I don't ask the kids to retain everything:) I am happy that DD knows the planets in order now, can identify them, and enjoys drawing space pictures for fun. I don't ask the younger boys to remember much, of course - they're just along for the ride!

 

Could you use both this year? We started Astronomy in June and will finish by the beginning of October, reading approx. a chapter per week. We would have plenty of time in the rest of the year to use another program if we wanted to.

 

I vote that you start with whichever one looks more fun to you! Does your DS have a preference? If not, which excites YOU the most? Use that one!!

[mjpeter]

Thanks!

 

Any other opinions? :)

[imhim]

I just started ELemental Science - Earth Science - 2 weeks ago - we are in week 3. It is good. There are some experiments. Some projects, too. We do some of them. There is a weekly quiz. No reference to God, so I was wanting to add some Apologia Astronomy - but decided against it, because for 7 yo who is taught the Bible, Elemental Science is probably enough. We learn a lot from youtube, too - my kids loved watching a couple of solar eclipses. Really made an understanding of what I was trying to show them in the Usborne book. I also rented a couple of DVDs about the Earth from the library. Coloring pages, etc... so far so good. I wish I did not have to do the experiemnts - some are outdated, as in you would need 2 mercury thermometers, not the digital ones, and I don't have those - but there is no way around it, kids like experiments.

[Honey Bee]

We are using Zoology 1 this semester, but I am planning on sticking with a four year rotation like Elemental Science. We will use Elemental Science for Chemistry and Physics years and Apologia for Biology and Earth Science years. That way I can keep everyone on the same "topic" as they get older. And Apologia is "biology heavy," in other words, Zoology 1, 2, 3, and Botany are all biology topics and Astronomy is Earth Science, which leaves a void for Physics and Chemistry.

 

Example for grammar stage:

 

Biology - use Apologia Zoo 1, Apologia Botany, and pick up some human body books

 

Earth Science - Apologia Astronomy

- could add Elemental

- could add living books

- or you could add another Apologia Biology (if I really wanted to get through all the Apologia books)

 

 

Chemistry - Elemental Chemistry

 

Physics - Elemental Chemistry

 

Just a thought!

[MrsMe]

Does anyone have experience with both of these? I now have them both on hand, and I've changed my mind about 3 times, lol.

 

This would be for my ds who just turned 7. We started with Astronomy, but he has a hard time retaining everything. Is he supposed to? I'm so confused.

 

HELP? I don't mind if it's secular or not...we use a mixture of the two. :001_smile:

 

Even though they're Young Explorers editions, I still think they're a little bit over a 7 yr olds' head. Let him get what he gets from it and call it good.