Plato Science... tests? retention?

[christine in al]

Plato science is looking like a good fit, maybe...

 

 

I have a few questions,

 

ARe there tests? without them, my competitive son will slack I'm afraid.

 

number of lessons and length? I'm wanting to time it to be able to do Story of Science alternating days or weeks.

 

I am thinking MAYBE

Plato Life Science and Aristotle Leads the Way for 7th

and Plato Physical Science and the second Hakim Story fo Science for 8th

 

oh oh,,, and any experience with the differences between regular and advanced Life Science??

 

He does enjoy advanced material. just not mountains of it.

 

Thanks alot.

~c.

[KarenNC]

:bigear:

[melmichigan]

I'm not sure about length, my DD is accelerated in science. There are quizzes and then a test for each section. There are also teacher materials that you can access if you are looking at purchasing from HSBC that can step it up a notch. DD completed Life, Earth and Space, and Physical Science over about 18 months along side a main textbook.

[christine in al]

sorry, one more question.

any labs?

 

This year we are using Calvert and thought is was complete,,, nope, still needed lots of materials for science.

 

I am wondering if I will NEED a microscope for next year.

 

IS everything that Plato does on line, or are there external labs?

 

Thanks. ( a lot)

~christine

[MomatHWTK]

My just turned 11 y.o. is doing the Life Science (6-8) right now. The first few tutorial sections take a few days, but others are shorter. He will often watch the tutorial (chapter style lessons) and then do the application (review) and take a practice test or two on the same day for the shortest lessons. The practice tests split the tutorial subject matter into smaller parts, then there is a mastery test that covers everything. The tests, IMO, are pretty easy. The questions are multiple choice and often you can eliminate two of the four choices as impossibilities. The information learned is solid, it's just that if you are a good test taker you can slide by whether you learned the data or not. (My DS is not a good test taker so he actually learns the information. :))

 

For the grade range we are using, there are no outside labs, just watch and click. I've not seen any of the materials for the higher grades.

Edited January 26, 2012 by MomatHWTK

[snowbeltmom]

I've not seen any of the materials for the higher grades.

I felt that the high school biology course was solid. The high school chemistry class was not rigorous enough for high school, imo.

[melmichigan]

I felt that the high school biology course was solid. The high school chemistry class was not rigorous enough for high school, imo.

 

This is good to hear. DD is doing Biology now, we are still adding a textbook like we did with all the other PLATO classes though. I am really impressed with all the study guides and extra teacher materials, lots more quizzes and tests too! :)

 

OP, if from HSBC, in the teacher materials there are additional tests you can print that can be lengthy and not all multiple choice as they are in the main program.

[christine in al]

love that I can beef it up as interest and time allow.

 

Sounds like a " bases covered" kind of program.

 

Thank y'all.

~christine in al