A different DIVE question :-)

[busymama7]

We are looking at using the DIVE program with our co-op next year. We already wanted some kind of option where people could use the textbook of their choice since not all want to use appologia. This looks like it will work(and we dont have to re-invent the wheel) The children would read the lessons at home, watch the DIVE dvds and then come together once a week to do the hands on labs.

 

2 questions: Can the lab kit be shared with 2 or 3 students working together? Also, are there labs for each of the 32 weeks?(minus test weeks) We are looking at a 1 hour class. Is this enough time to complete the labs?

 

Thanks!

[Michelle in AL]

2 or 3 students can share a lab kit, they might be sharing a microscope, but it could work.

 

Is there a lab for every week? There are quite a few labs that the kit covers, but not all of the them. The labs that are considered too expensive are done by watching the CD and completing the worksheet. You can see what labs the kit includes by going to hometrainingtools.com, searching for the kit and then clicking on the link that says included in kit. The lab numbers next to the supplies are the labs that are included in the kit.

 

I have substituted other labs that cover the topic that can be done at home for the labs that don't have supplies in the kit.

[angela in ohio]

2 or 3 students can share a lab kit, they might be sharing a microscope, but it could work.

 

Is there a lab for every week? There are quite a few labs that the kit covers, but not all of the them. The labs that are considered too expensive are done by watching the CD and completing the worksheet. You can see what labs the kit includes by going to hometrainingtools.com, searching for the kit and then clicking on the link that says included in kit. The lab numbers next to the supplies are the labs that are included in the kit.

 

I have substituted other labs that cover the topic that can be done at home for the labs that don't have supplies in the kit.

 

I agree with this. We are doing Biology this year, and I think there were a few labs out of 32 that didn't come in the lab kit. DIVE does have a lab per week, though. I didn't end up getting the kit, because I also swapped some out and added some, though, and we just watched about a dozen or so labs in which the cost outweighed the benefit of doing it hands on imo.

 

Most of the labs run 40 minutes or so, so I think you could do them in an hour if you have some set up/pre-work done ahead and have them write the lab reports afterwards.

[busymama7]

I am sorry for so many questions! But we dont have the materials in hand and are trying to decide if we will use this first and how much the cost will be per student.

 

Are the labs done in class the same ones done on the dvd? Is there a reason then that they couldnt watch the dvd at home and do the labs from the appologia book in class? Or are those the same/simular?

[Michelle in AL]

The best way we have found to do the labs is to do them ALONG with the DVD. I gather supplies and the corresponding worksheet and we do them step by step with the DVD, pausing when needed. There is a difference in actually doing them rather than watching them, but watching alone is beneficial. The labs on the CD are not the same as Apologia from what I understand. The DIVE cd has several AP labs which are rather in depth.

[angela in ohio]

I am sorry for so many questions! But we dont have the materials in hand and are trying to decide if we will use this first and how much the cost will be per student.

 

Are the labs done in class the same ones done on the dvd? Is there a reason then that they couldnt watch the dvd at home and do the labs from the appologia book in class? Or are those the same/simular?

 

We use it with BJU, so I haven't compared it to Apologia. I know that even though it is closely aligned to BJU, the labs do vary at times. As Michelle said, too, some of the labs are AP labs.

[mom31257]

I'm going to use Dive Integrated Physics and Chemistry with my dd next year. I haven't bought it yet, but was concerned that the labs might be expensive or difficult. She is going to use the reading syllabus for BJU's text, but I also purchased an older Apologia text so that I might could substitute some labs that might be easier to do or cheaper to get the materials.