Anyone use the Science Matters series by Singapore?

[kailuamom]

My dd has an opportunity to do a co-op that will be using the Science Matters series. We have not used it before. Looks pretty good from the website. Anyone have any insight?

 

Thanks!

[WishboneDawn]

We'll be using it when my kids get to that point. I'm going my my great faith in anything Singapore. :D

:bigear::lurk5:

[KAR120C]

My dd has an opportunity to do a co-op that will be using the Science Matters series. We have not used it before. Looks pretty good from the website. Anyone have any insight?

 

Thanks!

We used Biology Matters the year before last, and then stretched out the last couple (ecology) chapters to make the basis of a Marine Biology course this past year... and then next year we're using Physics Matters with a particular focus on the Electricity and Electronics section.

 

They're really well-written texts, with lots of good information and good organization. The biology labs are very doable, although some require some fairly specialized materials.... and you do mangle a number of houseplants... LOL I bought little seedlings of petunias for that part - much cheaper! And there were a few labs we adapted a bit. The physics labs so far look a little more expensive, but again, adaptable.

 

I do not plan to do the chemistry labs at all because I do not have the background to determine which ones have safety and disposal issues... one of them involves chlorine gas, so I know there are issues - I just don't trust myself to find them all! If we do that book on our own, I'm replacing the labs with a book called The Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments. It is very VERY specific about both safety and disposal.

 

One thing I really liked about Biology Matters - and something not everyone will appreciate, so I feel compelled to warn you - is the really complex workbook questions. There was one in one chapter.. I think it was on circulation... where in order to have the whole answer, the kid had to refer back not only to the circulation chapter but also to a few others, including later chapters in the text. There was a hint in the circulation chapter saying something like "to understand the route that the blood takes, see the chapter x, y, and z, on respiration and excretion and something else", but if you didn't do that, the question in the workbook was completely baffling. This is the most extreme example, but Singapore science books are like that. It is by far my favorite aspect -- you really have to read thoroughly, pay attention, and make connections that aren't spelled out for you. But if you're not expecting it, it's easy for your first reaction to be "this isn't fair - you never told us that!" It is complicated and it requires a lot of the student, but that is absolutely on purpose and consistent in all the Singapore science books we've used.

 

I think I've written a longer review somewhere in here.... I've tagged this thread with "Singapore Science" which should turn it up along with some other previous threads you might enjoy.

[kailuamom]

Thanks so much for all the great insight!

[WishboneDawn]

It is by far my favorite aspect -- you really have to read thoroughly, pay attention, and make connections that aren't spelled out for you. But if you're not expecting it, it's easy for your first reaction to be "this isn't fair - you never told us that!" It is complicated and it requires a lot of the student, but that is absolutely on purpose and consistent in all the Singapore science books we've used.

 

 

I've been noticing this with ISfIM. My daughter's not to pleased with that and not accustomed to it - I wish I'd used MPH with her. I'm tickled pink however as she REALLY needs serious work on just this kind of skill.