In what order should we do the PH Science Explorer chapters?

[Hannah]

We have the PH Science Explorer Earth Science, Life Science and Physical science books.

 

We'll be doing them over 3 years (grades 6-8), but I'd like to do roughly 1/3 of each of the books for each of the three years so that we cover all three disciplines in one year.

 

My question now is whether it would be best to do the first 1/3 of each book or the first 1/3 (roughly) of each unit.

 

For example, the Physical Science book has four units that cover

1. Motion, Forces and Energy (6 chapters)

2. Sound and Light (4 chapters)

3. Electricity and Magnetism (3 chapters) and

4. Matter and Reactions (8 chapters)

 

So, we'd need to do 7 chapters this year.

Would it be better to do the whole unit on Motion, Forces and Energy and one chapter on Sound and Light?

or

Choose say, two chapters from Unit 1, one from Unit 2, one from Unit 3 and three chapters from Unit 4?

 

We'd then do the next seven chapters in grade 7 and the last seven in grade 8.

[Sunshine State Sue]

It is my understanding that Earth is the easiest and is intended for 6th grade. Life is intended for 7th grade. Physical is intended for 8th grade.

 

I like the idea of mixing it up, but I'd be a bit leery of the difficulty level for a 6th grader.

 

I tried to use Human Biology and Health with my (then) 5th grader and it became clear very quickly that it was over his head. We tried Astronomy in 6th grade with no problems.

 

I hope some of the other Science Explorer users will share their thoughts. AngieW in Texas is the expert, imo.

 

My 2c.

[AngieW in Texas]

You can do the Science Explorer books in almost any order. I do recommend that you do Chemical Building Blocks before Chemical Interactions.

 

While the earth science books are generally the easiest and the physical science books are generally the hardest, my middle dd actually did Motion, Forces,&Energy and Sound&Light in 5th grade and loved them. She had the math ability to do them.

 

I would not cover part of a unit and then move on to another strand. I would definitely do a whole unit before moving on to another strand. I think it would be very confusing to start up again a full year later in the middle of a unit.

 

When you're using the individual books, everything that you need to know is retaught in each book. When you're using a bindup, and need to know about atoms, that is taught once in the book and then it's expected that you will remember it because the book is designed to be completed in order in one year.

 

So if you want to cover part of each book each year, I would plan to start with the first unit in Earth Science and then do the first unit in Life Science and then the first unit in Physical Science. Then see how many weeks you have left for the school year and figure out what unit (or units) will finish out your school year. I would definitely plan to finish any unit you start rather than stopping any partway through to finish up the next year.

[Hannah]

Thanks for the replies Sue and Angie!