Jump to content

Menu

Who used Supercharged Science?


JenC3
 Share

Recommended Posts

Dh and I are ramping up science for our science loving dd who will be 9 at the end of Sept. She is attending quite a few science camps this summer and we are seriously considering SS for the fall and ds 6 will join in as able as well. We thought of doing this together as a family a few times a week. Has anyone done this program? What did you think?

Edited by JenC3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really liked it for my 11 yr old but ended up canceling it after a few months because she would only do the experiments for fun and refused to learn the science behind them because it involved reading. She's taking a speed reading course right now (visual learner), if it works I will revisit SCS next year because it is a good program.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We really enjoy it and the experiments are top notch. Seriously, the experiments have spoiled all other science programs for us.

 

I don't know if we will do Supercharged Science again next year though, because it is so expensive and we just aren't getting around to it enough. When we get to it, I am always thrilled by the quality, but in the early years there is so much focus on basic LA and Math skills I just don't have the time I would like for science (even though ds is a science nut). It seems like a lot to pay for how much we are using it. If I had time to do more science I would definitely re-visit it. Maybe you won't have this problem since you have older kids?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a monthly fee so you can cancel when you need to. *My boy did what they called a robotics lab for like $30 worth of wires and motors and such. *We reused them and did a bunch of the experiments. *The program itself is, as you've probably seen, 30-something a month.

*

The parts we explored were great hands on projects that had my kid hooking up wires to little motors and using a tiny screwdriver and he absolutely loved it. *I'd tell him to go pick a video off the robots page and watch it and count out the parts we need from the science box (Rubbermaid). *From then on it was teamwork. * My guy's little or else he could have done it himself. *

 

Our projects were a little wobbly because it was our "craftsmanship" for example when you glue together some water bottle lids to a cd to make a large set of wheels you know it's not going to be as smooth as a store bought kit, but that adds to the charm. *At one point we kept slinging a clothespin across the room with a little motor. *Fun times. *We tried stuff that worked. *We tried stuff that didn't work. *(our variations, not the videos themselves).

IMO you have to plan to dedicate the time to make it worth the cover charge. *We're taking a little financial hiatus but we will return. *

 

 

Then he started bugging me to "do pouring science". * *

 

I'd say try it. *While you're trying it make it worth your while by adding the supplies for frequent experiments to your grocery list*because months go by quickly. *Plan on paying for a few extra items on your shopping each week like a box of brass paper fasteners. *

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wanted to like it. There are parts I love about it. The experiments truly are wonderful. The problem was that I didn't have the time, money, and stamina to gather the insanely long list of supplies. I know she says the stuff is everyday stuff most people have on hand, but I never did. Even something dumb like tennis balls and golf balls, I did not have. So I had to buy them. And they are not cheap! And then we would do the experiments. And then I'd be stuck with all that stuff.

 

I think it is worth a try because it might work out for you.

 

:iagree::iagree: I really truly did LOVE the experiments - and the videos that went with them. My science-loving ds 7 did, as well!! What did us in, though, was two-fold.

1) The cost. I hate to say it, because usually we don't have a problem with cost. However, the price of the monthly program is already pretty steep - when you add to that the cost of supplies for each unit, the price-tag becomes a real "better get our money's worth" deal.

2) We weren't getting our money's worth, I'm afraid. I think if my ds was a few years older, and able to navigate the system on his own better & get more out of what he is seeing, then this would have been great. Unfortunately, I had to do almost everything with him - which meant it didn't get done as often as it should. So, we were paying too much & using it too little (our fault, of course, but that's how things go sometimes!!).

 

Other notes:

The site is fairly difficult to navigate and it isn't set up very well for tracking progress.

 

Reiterating - cost for supplies can be STEEP - I got all the supplies for one of the units at once when we started (so I could make sure to do it! :)) and it cost something like $50. This was on top of the $30 per month for the program, and it was for only 1 unit (we didn't have much of the stuff on hand). She does say, however, that you don't need to do ALL the experiments - just pick & choose wisely!

 

She has a 3-5 year mastery program with box kits & dvds out that I absolutely plan to save up money for and use in a couple years.

I really did LIKE her, and how she taught, and her love of science. The experiments & videos really WERE great. My son liked it all as well.

 

Older kids who are able to do much on their own will probably get a lot more out of it than younger kids who have more troubles in the large amounts of reading.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wanted to like it. There are parts I love about it. The experiments truly are wonderful. The problem was that I didn't have the time, money, and stamina to gather the insanely long list of supplies. I know she says the stuff is everyday stuff most people have on hand, but I never did. Even something dumb like tennis balls and golf balls, I did not have. So I had to buy them. And they are not cheap! And then we would do the experiments. And then I'd be stuck with all that stuff.

 

I think it is worth a try because it might work out for you.

 

 

:iagree: We tried it for 2 months. Dd only got to do about 4 experiments since I only add to the school budget 2x a month, so she'd decide to do "X Experiment" and then would have to wait until the end of the month before I could buy all of the materials.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reiterating - cost for supplies can be STEEP - I got all the supplies for one of the units at once when we started (so I could make sure to do it! :)) and it cost something like $50.

 

It must be the experiments my dd is choosing because we've bought almost nothing since we started last summer. If we don't have something, she experiments and tries to make an alternate object work. I tell her to make lists for me of what she needs but maybe she'd rather just find something to work than write it down? LOL! We did buy some little motors that are $2 or $3 each for her to experiment with making hovercrafts (but she also did one of the hovercrafts that didn't require a motor too). And we bought grapes when we did plasma grapes, but we could eat those. The other things we've had around.

 

She has a 3-5 year mastery program with box kits & dvds out that I absolutely plan to save up money for and use in a couple years.

 

I didn't know this!

 

Older kids who are able to do much on their own will probably get a lot more out of it than younger kids who have more troubles in the large amounts of reading.

 

YES! I'd have never personally used this with little ones because science is not my thing. The experiments would never have gotten done, and I don't like to read off the computer to my kids--I like to read books while snuggled on the couch! But for an older student who can (and will) do it all on his or her own, it's wonderful. I've only helped my dd when adult supervision was needed, and a few times when she wanted an answer that she couldn't find on the site, we'd go on the internet together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I r

2) We weren't getting our money's worth, I'm afraid. I think if my ds was a few years older, and able to navigate the system on his own better & get more out of what he is seeing, then this would have been great. Unfortunately, I had to do almost everything with him - which meant it didn't get done as often as it should. So, we were paying too much & using it too little (our fault, of course, but that's how things go sometimes!!).

 

Older kids who are able to do much on their own will probably get a lot more out of it than younger kids who have more troubles in the large amounts of reading.

 

YES! I'd have never personally used this with little ones because science is not my thing. The experiments would never have gotten done, and I don't like to read off the computer to my kids--I like to read books while snuggled on the couch! But for an older student who can (and will) do it all on his or her own, it's wonderful. I've only helped my dd when adult supervision was needed, and a few times when she wanted an answer that she couldn't find on the site, we'd go on the internet together.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:This is just too expensive to do with youngers no matter how much they love & understand science. It is designed to be independent and really is better for the logic stage student. The experiments are SO cool, but I think ds will just have to wait for them in the later units (we will probably only make it through unit 7 if that, this year).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for everyone's opinions! I'm actually looking at doing the science mastery program. I think monthly fees and all that won't work. I want to pop in the program and do the experiment. I'm also looking at explorations in science program as well. I just know Apologia elementary hasn't been meaty enough for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...