GreenIsGood2 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 You can see the entire book online here: http://education.cambridge.org/subject/science/cambridge-checkpoint-science/cambridge-checkpoint-science-coursebook-7 I think it looks great, but am I missing something? This is a new publication, but is anyone familiar with previous Cambridge editions? We were looking at Galore Park, but found this. The Math book is on the same site for review also. Thoughts? Thanks!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaNadine Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Upon perusal, that seems like a nice textbook to introduce the sciences, but I would use it for younger students, not for the stated 11-14 year olds. Also, I think it is odd that they have earth science as a subset of chemistry, rather than as a full fledged topic on its own. In fact, I could see using this with a visual learner in addition to the BFSU2 text, and just flip to the appropriate lesson for visual reinforcement of the material covered by BFSU2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenIsGood2 Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 It does seem more age appropriate for a younger child. I am looking at it for a fifth grader. I just can't find a science program she likes. VERY visual! Thanks for the input. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Many of the students who take the Cambridge International curriculum through school are not native English speakers. The back of the book notes that the language is "accessible to students of a wide range of abilities." That may account for the perception that the book is written to a younger student. I have this book and the Galore Park books. I am really planning to go through both and make a comparison, but it might take me some days until I can post it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenIsGood2 Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 Many of the students who take the Cambridge International curriculum through school are not native English speakers. The back of the book notes that the language is "accessible to students of a wide range of abilities." That may account for the perception that the book is written to a younger student. I have this book and the Galore Park books. I am really planning to go through both and make a comparison, but it might take me some days until I can post it. I am looking forward to it. Thanks. I think the pages of the book are designed in a way that my visual learner will be engaged. I have also looked at the Oxford Mathslinks books. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 (edited) Just a few more thoughts on the books for Cambridge International Science (specifically Secondary 1): For Galore Park, you would just need to buy one text (So You Really Want to Learn Science Book 2). Roughly, the first third of the book is Biology, second third is Chemistry and the final third is Physics. For the Cambridge University Press Series, you would need to purchase three texts: Year 7, Year 8, and Year 9. The whole series is new. Year 9 has not been released. I was not able to look at its table of contents. I am thinking that the Cambridge U series is more appealing if you like a spiral approach. Year 7 covers a few systems of the human body then Year 8 covers some different systems. Galore Park certainly seems to have A LOT more detail in its text, but Cambridge U does match up beautifully with the Cambridge Secondary curriculum. The Cambridge U books are endorsed by the exam board, and I do not see Galore Park on the list. Galore Park says that it goes with the UK Key Stage 3 and they are probably not the exact same thing. Maybe someone from the UK would know the difference. I am only familiar with the Cambridge International, and that is the curriculum we plan to follow - heading for the IGCSE exams eventually. If you go here you can look at the Cambridge curriculum as well as the recommended texts (Resource List). You might want to also look at this Cambridge Checkpoint series ; it is also listed as an endorsed series. Personally, I would like to add quite a bit of Earth Science to the curriculum. HTH. I am leaning toward using the Year 7 book from Cambridge. I think it will allow my son to follow the curriculum while still allowing for ample supplemental science reading time. And I like the spiral approach. Edited July 10, 2012 by Penguin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 The Cambridge U books are endorsed by the exam board, and I do not see Galore Park on the list. Galore Park says that it goes with the UK Key Stage 3 and they are probably not the exact same thing. Maybe someone from the UK would know the difference. I am only familiar with the Cambridge International, and that is the curriculum we plan to follow - heading for the IGCSE exams eventually. Under the English system, KS3 covers ages 11-14 and is followed by KS4 which is the GCSE years. The GCSE syllabus is not identical to IGCSE, but the differences are not great. For what it's worth, I taught Calvin IGCSE biology (we did Edexcel) without his having done a formal KS3 programme. We'd done a fair bit of interest-led science, but the IGCSE text book assumed very little previous knowledge. We had looked at some KS3 books but they seemed very bitty and inconclusive, so we jumped straight to the IGCSE. He got an A* on the exam. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Laura, How does a homeschooler take an IGCSE exam? IF we stay in Denmark long enough and IF homeschooling works out for us, I would like my son to eventually take the IGCSE exams. Sorry if this is off-topic...feel free to PM me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Laura, How does a homeschooler take an IGCSE exam? IF we stay in Denmark long enough and IF homeschooling works out for us, I would like my son to eventually take the IGCSE exams. Sorry if this is off-topic...feel free to PM me. You should contact the British Council in Denmark, which will be attached to the British embassy. They usually provide exam facilities in most countries, or will be able to tell you how to do it otherwise. In some countries, British-curriculum international schools will also offer exam-taking facilities. When you contact the BC or a school, make sure to ask which board (exam company) they deal with, as the IGCSE is offered by both Cambridge and Edexcel, and the exam centre will be licensed for one or the other (or maybe both). The curriculum will be similar for both boards, but you will want to use the relevant text book in case there are slight differences in scope. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 It does seem more age appropriate for a younger child. I am looking at it for a fifth grader. I just can't find a science program she likes. VERY visual! Thanks for the input. :001_smile: I think I have settled on 5th grade science, but for us, having looked at the whole sample of 7, I could see this being a good "review of 1-4" with a gentle bump up of level, for us, of at least biology (we last did it in 1st grade) and chemistry (which we did in 3rd as more of a fun hands on kind of thing). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenIsGood2 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 So great to hear all the input! I just find the book to be very visually appealing and a nice overview. I think we are going to combine it with another program to round out the year. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 (edited) Same here! What other science will you use with it? I am pulling that together now. One thing I am thinking about is to use CPO Earth Science but spreading that book out over two years. I am also looking at some Ellen McHenry and living books. But at the absolute minimum, if he completes two lessons per week (4 pages) from the text, he will not get "behind." As a newbie homeschool mom, there is ample peace in that alone:) I don't know if the Cambridge exams are important to you or not, but they are important to us. I am going to teach my son how to use Anki, and have him input relevant science facts from the text (e.g., types of joints). Anki uses spaced repetition and that should help him with long-term retention. I have the workbook and Teacher's Guide on order and can report later on those. Edited July 12, 2012 by Penguin clarity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salwa Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 This is the science text book for my 6th grader. I think only a few chapters will be covered. Hive Mind _ what is in the Workbook and Teachers Resource that is not there in the Coursebook? Is there a e version - would you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Going from memory, the workbook had worksheets correlated with the textbook. Fill in the blank / label the diagram type stuff. I can't recall what was in the Teacher's Resource. We did not stay with Cambridge very long so I never used it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salwa Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Thanks Penguin. Wil try to buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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