Chemistry for third grade

[Critterfixer]

I know it may be early to be considering third grade chemistry for my second grade boys but since I prefer to build my science curriculum rather than purchase a program I thought I’d get a jump on it.

I’ve got a vague idea of what my goals for elementary grade chemistry would be, but I am concerned that I may expect too much. So rather than ask for a variety of different programs, I wonder if others would be willing to state their goals for elementary age chemistry and how the program they have used (or plan to use) accomplishes those goals.

 

My vision is only a watery image at this stage, so I won’t bore anyone with it until the mud clears. I more or less want to get an idea of what others see, and find out if my picture is distorted beyond all reason.

[2_girls_mommy]

I have chosen to use the Well Trained Mind for our elem. science goals. We used their suggested Adventures with Atoms and Molecules and Usborne Science encyclopedia. We got through vol. 1 with a lot of rabbit trails in a year and a half. I added in a couple of science fairs to dig deep on a couple of topics and to really learn the scientific method. We kept notebooks as laid out in WTM and continued learning other science topics as they came up in SOTW and through scouts and other opportunities. One of my dds also had a chemistry experiment based science class at co-op last year which really helped too. I believed the instructor used a lot of Steve Spangler's website for that. We all learned a lot and are happily moving on to physics this semester.

[Colleen in NS]

I wonder if others would be willing to state their goals for elementary age chemistry and how the program they have used (or plan to use) accomplishes those goals.

 

My goals were for my kids to see basic chemistry concepts demonstrated, for my kids to have fun, for them to learn some chemistry terms, for them to think through what they were observing in the experiment/demonstration, and for them to do some extra reading about chemistry/chemists as their interest led them. I found that the way chemistry study was laid out in grammar-stage WTM, with the Adventures in Atoms and Molecules books, was helpful for this. I didn't feel tied down to completing a curriculum; but we had a study plan to follow.