mom4peace Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 My DS9 and I have been using the American Chemical Society's Middle School Science lessons, and we're both delighted. The lessons are easy to use with labs that don't break the bank. They're inquiry based, meaning the lesson starts with question-asking and observation, moving to experimentation and terminology. I know that's not the classical norm, but I think for the logic stage it works quite well. Extensions into living books could be done, although I've not systematically looked into that. What I have done is create a materials list (and review) of the program. Now if only I can find something similar for Earth Science for this fall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I downloaded this program last February, to use later. Thank you for compiling this ready-to-go list of supplies ! You are kind to share with us ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gailmegan Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I also downloaded this a few months ago. I have only glanced at it, but it looks really good. I can't wait to check out your list and review. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliya Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Thanks! Looks like a great resource. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaniceO Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I looked it over and am wondering if this is easy to do for a science challenged parent. I am looking for chemistry for my 6th grader next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enough Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Awesome! Is your son a new/mid 9 year old, or close to turning 10? I, too, downloaded this a while ago thinking I would save it for later, but it looks so good that I'm considering using it with my 8 (soon to be 9) year old this fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 This looks great! I wish I had seen this earlier in the year but I can still use some of it with my older dd and definitely save it for my younger dd. Thanks for sharing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Mom4Peace - Thank you for your very informative blog!!! I love your high school biology and will be using it with my son at some point. We will be doing ACS Middle School chemistry this year and I'm looking forward to it! Capt Uhura My DS9 and I have been using the American Chemical Society's Middle School Science lessons, and we're both delighted. The lessons are easy to use with labs that don't break the bank. They're inquiry based, meaning the lesson starts with question-asking and observation, moving to experimentation and terminology. I know that's not the classical norm, but I think for the logic stage it works quite well. Extensions into living books could be done, although I've not systematically looked into that. What I have done is create a materials list (and review) of the program. Now if only I can find something similar for Earth Science for this fall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 My DS9 and I have been using the American Chemical Society's Middle School Science lessons, and we're both delighted. The lessons are easy to use with labs that don't break the bank. They're inquiry based, meaning the lesson starts with question-asking and observation, moving to experimentation and terminology. I know that's not the classical norm, but I think for the logic stage it works quite well. Extensions into living books could be done, although I've not systematically looked into that. What I have done is create a materials list (and review) of the program. Now if only I can find something similar for Earth Science for this fall! Thanks for sharing this. My two boys are crazy about chemistry. I should let them to this with grandpa who has a Ph. D. degree in chemistry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4peace Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Janice, Yes, I think a science-challenged parent would be fine with this program. There's plenty of information for the instructor, including a few pages of additional information to fill in some details and cover a bit of extra information. It's very user-friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4peace Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Enough, He's turning 10 next week, so that would've made him a mid/late 9. The ability to think abstractly is necessary to really "get" the molecular level, and that ability develops at different times in different kids. My 9-year-old is generally working beyond his age, but he isn't the most adept with his hands. If he could manage the physical aspect of the labs, I'd guess most 9 year olds could. The math is minimal, but understanding density is key. If the math's not there yet, the ability to understand that a shoe box of feathers is lighter than a shoe box of cement (and that a pound of feathers would take up much more space than a pound of rocks). More stuff/mass in the same amount of space means something is more dense. The math could be left behind or done by calculator. Hope that helps. Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enough Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Enough,He's turning 10 next week, so that would've made him a mid/late 9. The ability to think abstractly is necessary to really "get" the molecular level, and that ability develops at different times in different kids. My 9-year-old is generally working beyond his age, but he isn't the most adept with his hands. If he could manage the physical aspect of the labs, I'd guess most 9 year olds could. The math is minimal, but understanding density is key. If the math's not there yet, the ability to understand that a shoe box of feathers is lighter than a shoe box of cement (and that a pound of feathers would take up much more space than a pound of rocks). More stuff/mass in the same amount of space means something is more dense. The math could be left behind or done by calculator. Hope that helps. Sarah Thank you so much for the reply. Not sure if my DS is ready for this curriculum yet, but I love your blog- bookmarked it! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Ohhhh, this looks interesting. Before I down load it all, about how long do you use per session, and how many sessions all told (e.g. what is the overall time commitment)? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4peace Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 There are 38 lessons, and we spend 45 minutes to an hour on each. Some are shorter; others are longer. I don't know how much time we spend on rabbit trails and other discussion. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxing Hare Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Ohhhh, this looks interesting. Before I down load it all, about how long do you use per session, and how many sessions all told (e.g. what is the overall time commitment)? Thanks! Under the FAQ, it suggests that the course be completed in 8-10 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjgrubbs Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 ACS also has a chemistry program geared for slightly younger kids at 3rd - 6th grade: http://www.inquiryinaction.org/ We are planning to start with this one, see how it goes and if I think my 3rd grader is handling it well, move on to the Middle School Program. Just wanted to share the younger version with all who mentioned they were holding off on using the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miselainia Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Thanks so much for these resources. We're not quite there in our cycle (I wish I'd thought to look for them), but I'm excited to try them out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 ACS also has a chemistry program geared for slightly younger kids at 3rd - 6th grade: http://www.inquiryinaction.org/ We are planning to start with this one, see how it goes and if I think my 3rd grader is handling it well, move on to the Middle School Program. Just wanted to share the younger version with all who mentioned they were holding off on using the other. I downloaded this, but have forgotten about it! I think I'm starting to become obsessed with science curricula :tongue_smilie: I had truly forgotten about this one. Perhaps I'll revisit it next year. I'm supposed to be doing Singapore Science MPH 3/4 this year. Please, please let us know how it goes when you do use it (pretty please?). I could always use it for my two daughters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjgrubbs Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 sagira, I will! I seem to fall in love with curriculums that don't have any reviews and I just can't help myself! I'm going to use this along with Beautiful Feet's History of Science this year. I think/hope they will go along well together! And it's another one I couldn't find much on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 My DS9 and I have been using the American Chemical Society's Middle School Science lessons, and we're both delighted. The lessons are easy to use with labs that don't break the bank. They're inquiry based, meaning the lesson starts with question-asking and observation, moving to experimentation and terminology. I know that's not the classical norm, but I think for the logic stage it works quite well. Extensions into living books could be done, although I've not systematically looked into that. What I have done is create a materials list (and review) of the program. Now if only I can find something similar for Earth Science for this fall! Thank you! Thank you! I'm drooling :lol: I love science, and wish I'd been taught this way. Mind you, my child is nowhere near middle school science, but I love collecting these :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
czny Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 I'll try this with ds. Since I have MS in chemistry, I would like to have him grasp some chemistry concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 (edited) My DS9 and I have been using the American Chemical Society's Middle School Science lessons, and we're both delighted. Even the little video demonstrations are worthwhile! ETA: Okay. We did several of the videos today. Last fall we did RSO Chem and also about 2/3 of all five books of Adventures in Atoms and Molecules and J. Van C's Chemistry for Every Kid. I was thrilled to see these vids: 1) there are what I was looking for last fall, and 2) kiddo remembered terms, predicted events, explained phenomenon. I could KISS you for this site. Kiddo learned something! He retained something! It was worth it all! Now then.... is there something like this for physics???? Time to start a new thread. Edited July 2, 2011 by kalanamak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I know this is an old thread, but as I begin to think about next year, I'd love to get feedback on this program. I'd like a general response, but do have some more specific questions: Do you use another resource as a text or just use the program? Do the experiments lend themselves to home use (safe and easily obtainable stuff)? And can you really do it in 8 - 10 weeks or would you suggest a longer period of time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 ck-12 has a ms earth science book -- also free. http://www.ck12.org/flexbook/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Is there anything like this for physics? For kids in 4th-6th grades? Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily in FL Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Thank you for sharing! I have been disappointed with RS4K Chemistry this year, but we are almost through. I was looking for something else to fill out our year in science. I think this will be just what we need. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 CK-12 is a good source for physics students. A number of physics FlexBooks fully equipped videos, audio, images, etc. are available on CK-12 website for enhancing the learning process of physics students. http://www.ck12.org/flexbook/book/1483 Wow, you must have one amazing K-8 student! You might target more apt pupils on the highschool board.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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