Sonlight Science--another thread!

[Mommybostic]

I have another thread started about math programs, but I didn't want to lose the science conversations in among the math conversations.

 

I am dropping k-12 for science after we finish this year, and so now I'm floundering a bit. I see several of you talking about Sonlight on here and I like the look of it.

 

My son is 11, so I am looking at Science 6. He LOVES science, and does very well at it. He loves experiements, cool facts, the whole thing. I noticed Science 6 is Geology, Biology and Physics. I like that. My only concern is that by covering three different (and very diverse) scientific communities, it will not delve very deeply into any one subject. It's a lot of money to spend if I have to add tons of supplemental material.

 

I'd love to hear from some folks who have experience with the program.

 

Thanks again! Sorry if I'm planning too early for next year, but some of the programs I'm considering are kind of pricey, and I'm going to order them a little at at time.

 

:bigear:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I have another thread started about math programs, but I didn't want to lose the science conversations in among the math conversations.

 

I am dropping k-12 for science after we finish this year, and so now I'm floundering a bit. I see several of you talking about Sonlight on here and I like the look of it.

 

My son is 11, so I am looking at Science 6. He LOVES science, and does very well at it. He loves experiements, cool facts, the whole thing. I noticed Science 6 is Geology, Biology and Physics. I like that. My only concern is that by covering three different (and very diverse) scientific communities, it will not delve very deeply into any one subject. It's a lot of money to spend if I have to add tons of supplemental material.

 

I'd love to hear from some folks who have experience with the program.

 

Thanks again! Sorry if I'm planning too early for next year, but some of the programs I'm considering are kind of pricey, and I'm going to order them a little at at time.

 

:bigear:

 

We did Sonlight 5 and not only did I think that it did a good job of covering the topics, but my kids enjoyed it and clearly learned a lot. I was really excited about having science covered by going on to Science 6.

 

Unfortunately, I have been disappointed in it. The first book scheduled is a book that refuted evolution. I'm not disappointed in that position, which didn't surprise me, considering the source. But I was disappointed in the book used, which struck me as going up against straw man arguments and in the number of weeks that it was scheduled. Weeks and weeks and they were still on this same book (which my quick reading sons had finished on their own the first week). I also felt that because there wasn't anything that presented the stance of evolution that my kids were likely to get blindsided by arguments that they hadn't been allowed to think through.

 

I do like the TOPS experiments and the kids to like the Cool Stuff 2.0 book. But all in all, I've felt like Science 6 was a let down after Science 5.

 

YMMV. I think I was predispossed to like 6, having liked 5. But it just didn't seem challenging enough for my kids' abilities.

 

I haven't decided if we'll go back to the Sonlight schedule when we get all our books back from the packers. I may have to do some heavy revision with the schedule. For the last month, they've been doing reading and summarizing (similar to the WTM science method) since we've been in transit and I didn't pack all the science books.

[Mommybostic]

My son LOVES science. Can you move things along on your own if it stays with one topic too long? Where is the geology and physics? Isn't that listed also, not just biology? My son just finished Science 5, so I would don't want too many gaps. I'd like to see him study earth science and life science, geology, biology, etc. Obviously he won't do all of this in one year, I just thought this looked like a nice, complete program--very thorough. How "adjustable" is it?