Guest Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I am getting very confused. These are the ones I know about: WTM book guidelines (not structured enough for me. Sorry SWB) REAL Science Odyssey Elemental Science (link?) ClassiQuest Science NOEO (does this one count?) Mr. Q's lab What is the difference with all these? Which one has real meaty information but not too much as to overwhelm the student? I think I want to read about a concept, do a project or experiment to illustrate the concept, talk about why it worked, and have the choice of more books. I'll even take ask a question, do the experiment to find out, then learn the concept. I don't even know which is better. AGGG!!! (dh said NLS is too $$$) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Elemental Science is essentially WTM science scheduled out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 What about the others? ANd thank you for the link. I will check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 No one has any opinions on these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Sorry, I haven't used them. You can google for previous threads though. All of those programs have been reviewed over and over on these forums. Do searches such as: noeo site:welltrainedmind.com Or compare them via: rso vs es site:welltrainedmind.com You'll get loads of threads (I know, because I've researched most of those this way before :D). You can also use the tags in this forum, though google will get you more results (not every thread is tagged). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 I'm using RSO Biology with my 1st and 2nd grade boys. I wouldn't call it particularly meaty. I dropped it with my dd when she was in 2nd/3rd grade because I felt like it was too light. Now, I like it's easy to use format and I have more resources available to pull off the shelf when I want to supplement. ClassiQuest is a Logic stage program. I just started using it with my 5th grader, but I haven't used it long enough to be able to comment. I used ES Physics last year. I found myself wishing that it had more real books and less emphasis on encyclopedias. I keep looking at NOEO, because of all the books, but I've never managed to talk myself into it. Which topic are you looking at (biology, earth science, etc)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 No topic in particular. I think I am leaning towards Nancy Larson Science, actually. WTM science is just too darned hard to pull off for me right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
didadeewiththree Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 What is the difference with all these? Which one has real meaty information but not too much as to overwhelm the student? I think I want to read about a concept, do a project or experiment to illustrate the concept, talk about why it worked, and have the choice of more books. I'll even take ask a question, do the experiment to find out, then learn the concept. I don't even know which is better. I have not had any experience with these, but Christian Kids Explore does what you have described. There is a few pages that talk about the concept, then you do an activity, maybe a worksheet you can have them do on their own, or you can do together, and I love that I can teach it to multiple grade levels. I check out more books on the topic from the library and all the experiments are easy to do with stuff we have around the house. It's not overly religiously cheesy either, just a few scriptures written along the sides that may pertain to what you are reading, but nothing overly off topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoGal Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 We are enjoying Real Science Odyssey. It is similar to what you have described. There is usually a page for the parent to read, then an activity (for example: do different exercises and measure your heart-rate) or a model making activity. There are a few questions to ask at the end. You can grab a few books from the library based on what you are learning at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Real Science 4 Kids is one to add to your list, though I haven't personally used it. We are enjoying Mr. Q Life Science this year and I'm planning on continuing on with his Earth Science one next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkid Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I also love Mr. Q science. Fairly easy to implement. First year is free. Subsequent years are one downloadable pdf you can print for as many of your kids as need it. 50% off sale starts after Christmas in January, so each year would be $25 total I believe. See here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay3fer Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) I am intrigued by Mr Q and may try it for Earth Science next year. Believe it or not, the free-ness of Life Science was a minus because I would spend so much printing the $#%! thing it's not worth it. I wish there was a non-free version of life science, but I couldn't find one. I bought and was enthusiastic about Elemental Science, but discovered it really only follows the WTM model in a meta- kind of way, and doesn't really embrace the "living books" approach I'd prefer to take. Here's what I wrote on a previous thread: Bought it, didn't initially love it, tried hard to be enthusiastic (even wrote some poems for it), but crashed and burned out quickly on it anyway.Here are a couple of reasons why, pasted from an earlier thread: This science curriculum "fits" the WTM model only in that it follows the 4-year progression outlined in WTM: life science, earth science, whatever, whatever. (don't want to go pull out the book at the moment) I bought ES and despite my enthusiasm it was NOT a good fit - so much so that we didn't really start. It's a hodge podge of books that aren't really good; nothing exactly like a spine that you sit and read cover to cover. I ended up buying Apologia Zoology 1 (flying creatures) and it's definitely the KIND of thing I want: it's well-written, enthusiastic about its subject, and I don't mind a "God" perspective. I do edit it a bit as I read because we're Jewish and I find the YE perspective a bit strained. HTH! p.s. Thank you, nmbdoug for the information about the 50% off on Mr. Q! Definitely thinking about this for next year now... if only they ship to Canada! Edited December 12, 2011 by Jay3fer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkid Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I am intrigued by Mr Q and may try it for Earth Science next year. Believe it or not, the free-ness of Life Science was a minus because I would spend so much printing the $#%! thing it's not worth it. I wish there was a non-free version of life science, but I couldn't find one. p.s. Thank you, nmbdoug for the information about the 50% off on Mr. Q! Definitely thinking about this for next year now... if only they ship to Canada! The thing is though it's only downloadable...no hard-bound books to print, so no shipping but there is the printing. Some people I know just read it off their ipad or computer screen and only print out the worksheets for the student to complete. We have a laser printer we bought for about $140 with cheap toner so printing for us is cheaper than buying other curriculum. I do wish it was sold as a book at times...seems as though there is no perfect curriculum out there :001_unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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