Elemental Science Chemistry with older 5th grader?

[bethben]

I would like to do chemistry with ds who will be 11 next year. Would Elemental science be too "young"? Anything else?

 

Beth

[tinkgumby]

I'm doing Elemental Science Chemistry with my two sons, the older of whom was born in August 2000 - so not too much younger than yours. I think it's enough, especially if you do some of the optional activities. There is quite a lot of in-depth information there!

[debbielong]

I am doing ES Chemistry with my third grader and we absolutely love it.

 

I would say that the materials are appropriate and sufficient for an 11-year-old. The Usborne Internet-linked Encyclopedia, especially, is plenty dense for an older student. Most of the links available through this text are more appropriate for the older student anyway. You would just have to pick and choose which ones you wanted to do.

 

Off the top of my head, here are some items I would tweak if I were doing this class with my 11-year-old:

 

 

• instead of narration pages with cut-and-paste pictures, I would have the student write the definitions on 3x5 cards which I would store in a 3x5 card binder
  
• skip the pictures (except maybe the picture of The Periodic Table)
  
• at least double the number of definitions, pulling words from the Usborne book
  
• add more biographies (which you'd have to find)
  
• If you use tests, you'd probably want to beef up the existing quizzes
  

Or, another option could be to use the program, as is, and just do it in half a year. Huh. You know what? That is a really good idea:). Leave the program as open and go (but still skip the pictures and still check out additional Internet links) and just do it fast.

 

Or, now that I really think about it, ES Chemistry, as is, is probably more science than I did with my oldest when he was eleven!

 

So, I guess it just depends on the student and the family - lol!

[Pata]

I think it's possible to do Chemistry for the Grammar Stage with a 5th grader, but Physics for the Grammar Stage would be better. The teacher's guide does include a few suggestions on how to beef up the program. You can see that section in the sample on the website. Also, just in case you don't know our Logic Stage Bio program will be out this spring and would be perfect for your 5th grader.

[bethben]

He just hasn't done anything with Chemistry in his random science years that we have right now. I didn't follow TWTM and I think he would like chemistry this year. So, if not elemental science, what would I do?

 

Beth

[Pata]

You can take a look at Ellen McHenry's The Elements, I've heard very good things about it.

[TheAutumnOak]

We are using Elemental Science, but Biology for my 10yr old son (5th grade)...I think it is fine...Not sure what the chemistry is like exactly, but the biology seems to be okay for that age group...

[SilverMoon]

My fifth grader has been doing ACS Middle School Chemistry (free for the printing). I have no complaints so far. :001_smile:

[Moniksca]

I'll be using it next year with a 5th grader, I think it will be fine. I bought it to use this year but we ended up doing earth science instead. I also have Ellen McHenry's The Elements as well, I'd like to get them both in if I can.

[Moniksca]

My fifth grader has been doing ACS Middle School Chemistry (free for the printing). I have no complaints so far. :001_smile:

 

This looks great, thanks for the link!

[Poke Salad Annie]

My fifth grader has been doing ACS Middle School Chemistry (free for the printing). I have no complaints so far. :001_smile:

 

Thank you for the link to these lesson plans. They look very nice!

[stripe]

Don't forget the Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments! ;)

[Katie.Louise]

I am in a very similar situation. I bought ES Chemistry to do this year with my girls. I have 7th, 5th, and 2nd grade dds. I couldn't really get into the flow of ES. I liked some of the books that are required, but I really don't like the Usborne Encyclopedias. The boxes of text drive me crazy. My girls may not mind. I think they have nice illustrations, but I would rather have a narrative type text to explain the concepts, not just pieces of information. I am spending my break trying to get our science planned out.

 

I agree with Stripe's post about The Golden Book of Chemistry. I have this downloaded (it's free) and it looks very good for explaining the concepts. We may not be able to do all the lab setup, but we can surely find experiments in other books to teach the concept. So we are going to use this as our spine, and wing if from there. I will use WTM methods for our study. Do you have SWB's science audio? It really makes me feel like I can do it without a curr. or guide.

 

I am also going to use:

*Adventures with Atoms and Molecules (ES requires this)

*Fizz, Bubble, and Flash (it has some good info and exp)

*The Mystery of the Periodic Table (has historical info of the elements and who discovered them)

*I also like the Eyewitness books on Chemistry and Matter (I think these might be good for narrations too)

 

I am not saying Elemental Science is not a good guide, I am sure it is. I just wanted to do it with books that I like and not have to tweak it too much. So I feel I can just do it myself. SWB's audio gives me the confidence to do it.

Hope this helps,

Katie

[bethben]

I'll have to listen to the audio. I'm just not that great without a curriculum that tells me what to do. Somehow, if I pay for something with a schedule, I tend to stick with it. Trust me - I've tried. I'm just a little flighty that way. I've even made up a whole schedule for a certain topic. Just can't seem to stick with it.

Beth

[alexia]

Don't forget the Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments! ;)

Wow, thank you!!!

I just printed out the book they are great!!!

[AngelBee]

I plan on using it with my 5th grader in just a bit. I believe it will be a great fit with a little tweaking.

 

I own it, just haven't started it yet. So i have looked through it quite a bit.

[Samiam]

I did just that this past year.

 

Started it last January, so 2nd half of 6th grade.

Finished it this past December, so 1st half of 7th grade.

 

Sure, it was a bit easy for him. But he still learned!!!! ALOT!!!!! He comprehended it. He was able to fully relate to it.

 

He had no prior Chemistry exposure at all. Chemistry can be sort of a abstract science, with the elements that are not always visible, the whole molecule/proton/electron thing, the periodic table.

 

I didn't need it to be difficult for him. I wanted it to be fun and enjoyable.

 

I didn't beef it up at all. For us, at least at this point, Science is an extra. In part years, it wasn't always even done, or completed. But this program was done every week, completed, and learned from!

[AngelBee]

I did just that this past year.

 

Started it last January, so 2nd half of 6th grade.

Finished it this past December, so 1st half of 7th grade.

 

Sure, it was a bit easy for him. But he still learned!!!! ALOT!!!!! He comprehended it. He was able to fully relate to it.

 

He had no prior Chemistry exposure at all. Chemistry can be sort of a abstract science, with the elements that are not always visible, the whole molecule/proton/electron thing, the periodic table.

 

I didn't need it to be difficult for him. I wanted it to be fun and enjoyable.

 

I didn't beef it up at all. For us, at least at this point, Science is an extra. In part years, it wasn't always even done, or completed. But this program was done every week, completed, and learned from!

Really great points.