DragonFaerie Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 It looks great and I LOVE that it's completely DVD-based. It's more Christian-oriented than I would like but I guess I can live with that. So give me some reviews. Do you love it? Hate it? Why? Pros? Cons? Gimme the scoop! :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keniki Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 It's not dvd, it's cd-rom. The student simply reads the computer instead of reading a textbook. The self-grading is nice if your student is very exact, but a misspelled word is going to be marked wrong. Likewise "heat" is going to be marked wrong if the correct answer is "warmth" or vice versa. Yes, you can go in and override it, but that (to me) defeats the purpose of it grading for me. There's also something about studying on a computer instead of with an actual textbook that didn't work for us. The video clips are interesting and the games can be fun, but the frustrations outweighed the fun for us. And if you buy it and it doesn't work out for you, you did agree when you installed it that you wouldn't resell it, so you are out the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted December 1, 2010 Author Share Posted December 1, 2010 It's not dvd, it's cd-rom. The student simply reads the computer instead of reading a textbook. The self-grading is nice if your student is very exact, but a misspelled word is going to be marked wrong. Likewise "heat" is going to be marked wrong if the correct answer is "warmth" or vice versa. Yes, you can go in and override it, but that (to me) defeats the purpose of it grading for me. There's also something about studying on a computer instead of with an actual textbook that didn't work for us. The video clips are interesting and the games can be fun, but the frustrations outweighed the fun for us. And if you buy it and it doesn't work out for you, you did agree when you installed it that you wouldn't resell it, so you are out the money. Hmmm... That doesn't sound promising. One thing I liked was that you can highlight the passages and have them read to you, which would be great for my son. The point you make about the exact wording issue is why I am not considering the LA program. I didn't think that would be a problem with science. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cheryl in SoCal Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Hmmm... That doesn't sound promising. One thing I liked was that you can highlight the passages and have them read to you, which would be great for my son. The point you make about the exact wording issue is why I am not considering the LA program. I didn't think that would be a problem with science. :-( You can get an MP3 CD reading of the text for Apologia. I'm sure they can't be the only publisher that does this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted December 1, 2010 Author Share Posted December 1, 2010 You can get an MP3 CD reading of the text for Apologia. I'm sure they can't be the only publisher that does this. No, my son has to be watching and doing. He can't just sit and listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cheryl in SoCal Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 No, my son has to be watching and doing. He can't just sit and listen. You use the MP3 with the text so the student reads along in the text with the MP3, not instead of the text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted December 1, 2010 Author Share Posted December 1, 2010 You use the MP3 with the text so the student reads along in the text with the MP3, not instead of the text. Yeah, I don't see that working for us. I'm beginning to think there's just nothing out there for him for science. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kilo90 Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 I bought the 4th grade Science for my daughter last year. Once we installed it and browsed through it, I decided it would be too dry for her. I thought about giving it a try for a few weeks, but since I pretty much know what will/won't work for her, I decided not to start it. And as a previous post mentioned, it was a bummer because that was money out the window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cheryl in SoCal Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Yeah, I don't see that working for us. I'm beginning to think there's just nothing out there for him for science. :( Sorry :( It sounded like you wanted SOS to read the text to him while he looked at it on the computer so I thought it might work. What exactly does he need? Would a text with DVD instruction be enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted December 1, 2010 Author Share Posted December 1, 2010 Sorry :( It sounded like you wanted SOS to read the text to him while he looked at it on the computer so I thought it might work. What exactly does he need? Would a text with DVD instruction be enough? He's not a strong reader so he would do much better with something that at least has the option of reading to/for him, especially since many science words are tough. But he also has the attention span of gnat. He does great with computer-based learning (ie. TT, T4L, Spelling City, etc.) because he loves to work on the computer but too much textbook/workbook/reading makes us both crazy as he just doesn't have the temperament for it. SOS seemed perfect because 1) it is on the computer, 2) it will "read" to him as necessary (and allow him to read what he can/will on his own, too), and 3) it has sufficient material. I was all set to do it until I started reading threads about how dull and boring it is. I wish they had a trial period or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cheryl in SoCal Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 He's not a strong reader so he would do much better with something that at least has the option of reading to/for him, especially since many science words are tough. But he also has the attention span of gnat. He does great with computer-based learning (ie. TT, T4L, Spelling City, etc.) because he loves to work on the computer but too much textbook/workbook/reading makes us both crazy as he just doesn't have the temperament for it. SOS seemed perfect because 1) it is on the computer, 2) it will "read" to him as necessary (and allow him to read what he can/will on his own, too), and 3) it has sufficient material. I was all set to do it until I started reading threads about how dull and boring it is. I wish they had a trial period or something. I'm confused (sorry, one of those mornings:lol:). If you want something that has the option of reading the text to him how will a text book with an MP3 recording of the text being read to him be different? Is it because it's not on the computer? One can read as much or as little as they want, stop when they want and resume later, etc. I don't like SOS but if it's the thing that looks like it might be possible for him I'd give it a try. You never know, it might work great for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted December 1, 2010 Author Share Posted December 1, 2010 I'm confused (sorry, one of those mornings:lol:). If you want something that has the option of reading the text to him how will a text book with an MP3 recording of the text being read to him be different? Is it because it's not on the computer? One can read as much or as little as they want, stop when they want and resume later, etc. I don't like SOS but if it's the thing that looks like it might be possible for him I'd give it a try. You never know, it might work great for him. It's the thing of sitting there with the book. The computer holds his attention FAR better than a book will. Plus, he'd like the choice of selecting the text to be read aloud (and I like that he MIGHT read some of it on his own). With an MP3, he wouldn't be able to skip to just the words/phrases/sections that give him trouble. What is it that makes SOS boring and dull? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cheryl in SoCal Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 It's the thing of sitting there with the book. The computer holds his attention FAR better than a book will. Plus, he'd like the choice of selecting the text to be read aloud (and I like that he MIGHT read some of it on his own). With an MP3, he wouldn't be able to skip to just the words/phrases/sections that give him trouble. What is it that makes SOS boring and dull? Well, unless it's changed radically, it's basically what the LIFEPAC's are, just on computer. The LIFEPAC's are very boring, fill in the blank, workbook type stuff with all the other quirks that come with it being on the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisak Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 We used SOS science in grade 6. It did not work well at my house. As one of the previous poster said, you have to have the specific answers or it is not correct. I spent more time regrading, changing the schedule, even reading the lesson to understand what my daughter was trying to answer. It was very frustrating. Also, there is no audio, unless it has changed drastically. She has to read the lesson on the computer and she doesn't do well reading so much on the computer. It was not like playing a game or even unscrambling the words on Spelling City. They are not geared alike. I know I have written more comments on past threads about SOS. You might take a look at them. I was allowed to sell my product one time, which I did. Maybe that has changed as well, but when I bought it, we had resale of 1 time. My younger daughter is liking the elementary Apologia series by Jeannie Fulbright. That might be an option. I wasn't aware there were MP3 formats for this, as the other poster suggested. I will have to check into this. My older daughter relies on the MP3 with her high school science. She listens while she has the book opened and is studying it at the same time. It really works well. Good Luck to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenninMN Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 (edited) I THINK, and you would definitely want to double check this, but I think that if you buy the cd version from Christian book or something like that, that you can return the disk after you've tried it. Definitely check first. But it's going to be hard to tell if he'll like it until you've looked at it. I suggested AHA Science on your other thread. They have demos at the site. There's Plato Science, but it's not available as a separate subject at that level. You'd have to go with the all in one. The Homeschool Buyer's Co-op has it. Also, several of the big name public school publishers have etextbooks. These would have him flipping through the pages and clicking the speaker icons. Here's a link to a preview of the Houghton Mifflin 3rd grade book. There are some interactive activities when you click Eduplace. Edited December 1, 2010 by JenninMN To add a link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cheryl in SoCal Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Currently there only MP3's for Apologia's Jr and Sr high school science but they are working on MP3's for the elementary series. I don't recall exactly whhen they will be available though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted December 2, 2010 Author Share Posted December 2, 2010 Thanks everybody. I really appreciate the info and suggestions. I'll definitely have to keep searching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanna1949 Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 We liked it for about 2/3 of the school year, but DD decided she didn't want to use that kind of program again this year. She enjoyed the spelling games and the quiz-bowl (can't remember what it was called) but we had a few tears when test time came around. Like a previous poster stated, if the answer isn't exact, it will be counted wrong. I spent a lot of time overriding. We supplemented with occasional experiments. The program did, however, cover a subject that I was uncomfortable teaching--science! And for that, I'm thankful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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