Scuff Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 DD8 wants to do chemistry next year. She wants something with real chemicals and fun stuff like that. What's a good elementary chemistry that allows them to still do "real" chemistry experiments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Hmmm. It depends on the kind of experiments you mean. We're doing a combo of RSO Chem and McHenry's Elements for chemistry next year, and it will be pretty solid for elementary, but I don't know exactly what your dd wants--using vials and burners, or experiments using the chemicals in household forms, or something else? McHenry's Carbon Chemistry is the next step up after Elements.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 We did some chemistry this year (and there's some posts about it on my blog). I don't think you really do what kids might think of as chemistry experiments in elementary school. Sure, you can mix up some stuff and test acids and bases and make a few things go fizz, but most of elementary chemistry is what are atoms, what are elements, what are states of matter, how does states of matter change, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 My ds really liked the Real Science 4 Kids chemistry pre-level. Most of the lab activities focused on making reactions and observing different things very carefully. The text focused on learning about atoms, molecules, acids and bases, and reactions etc. My ds wanted to do more activities so I got him VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid. It's a basic activity experiment book. We haven't really scratched the surface of it yet, but it looks like a ton of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 My ds asked for the same thing, right after I had finished planning astronomy/earth science, so I told him he'd have to wait. I'm thinking of doing one of the GEMs units, probably Chemical Reactions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 Yeah, she wants test tubes and mixing stuff. We just got our HST order and she was quite disappointed that the "fun" stuff wasn't for her. Thanks for the suggestions. I guess I have more research to do. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) We started RSO this year. We didn't get very far because my son got "stuck" on the periodic table. He couldn't get enough. We both really enjoyed it. Making marshmallow atoms was a big hit. I'm adding in RS4K this year(basically because I was curious about the curriculum). As far as blowing things up, he went to several Mad Science classes, which he loved. No mess for me :). Edited July 15, 2012 by Stuart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandymom Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Have you looked at Mr. Q's Elementary Chemistry? While test tubes are look cool, it really gets pretty boring just doing that. Mr Q's has two lab activities a week (36 weeks total). Some involve "mixing things" (you can certainly use beakers and test tubes...I think he recommends beakers for some of them), but there are also some other really fun labs, like a Mentos explosion, tie-dying a shirt (when learning about solvents), making ice cream, ect. While we haven't used it yet, my kids have been perusing the labs and are chopping at the bit to get started with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Janice Van Cleeve's chemistry book Molecules to Atoms (we did 3 books of this PLUS everything in J v C's). Chemistry Bits is a good price for what you get and the man is very sweet. (I can't get my durned cut and paste to work ... google Universe of Science). This does not look like some rinky dink toy with some colored baking soda in it. Grow some crystals (kit or homemade). Look around at Home Science Tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xuzi Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'm looking into chemistry for my soon-to-be 8 year old too. Has anybody used the Adventures with Atoms and Molecules that SWB recommends in the 2004 edition of WTM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xuzi Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Bump. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Can we revisit this thread? I also have a young one looking for "real" chemistry, she's already carved out her lab space and is just looking to me to get it stocked. But I need a plan first! I am particularly interested in the answer to this question: I'm looking into chemistry for my soon-to-be 8 year old too. Has anybody used the Adventures with Atoms and Molecules that SWB recommends in the 2004 edition of WTM? Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Rachel~ Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I have been wondering about this too. My 8 year old has requested 'experiments' and is hoping she can follow along with her (almost) 13 year old brother's Apologia course LOL. I was looking at the recommendations in TWTM for third year Chemistry... and those books are not precisely easy to get (well not all of them) :glare: I did consider the Chem C500 kit from Thames and Kosmos, but I think I want something a little more comprehensive. Because, well, like I said, she wants to do the middle school one :) So I shall be waiting to see what others suggest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemac Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 We are/were using NOEO Chemistry 1. We're taking a break now but might come back to it when the school starts again. It has some literature and lots of experiments in it. It's very open-ended and very easy to tweak. I read that Sonlight Science is great. That's next on my shopping list. If you can find classes with lots of labs/experiments, that might be easier on you too. In our community they have RockItScience and MadScience. The interaction and discussion in such class settings is invaluable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ApronMama Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 We started with Adventures, but the experiments are boring if your student is looking for "real" chemistry experiments. For chemistry last year we focused on working through the periodic table with "Fizz, Bubble, Flash" but it's still not burners and non household chemicals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonia Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I'm planning for chemistry right now. We're going to start out with a few weeks of "Fizz, Bubble, and Flash". Then we're going to use the Magic School Bus chemistry kit. When I was first looking at things I narrowed it down to a few kits and had dd (age 8) look at them. She picked the MSB kit. Now that it's here I'm really liking it. We're still following the formula in WTM - I'll have dd fill out an experiment page and look up definitions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 We are/were using NOEO Chemistry 1. It has some literature and lots of experiments in it. It's very open-ended and very easy to tweak. . :iagree: We loved Noeo Chemistry 1!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Rachel~ Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I had definitely thought about Fizz, Bubble and Flash. Since I actually have that one ;) Keep the suggestions coming, I know I am checking out all the ideas ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 We spent 6 weeks making and remaking silly putty, trying to discover a recipe that would make the most pliable and the highest bouncing putty. There is a basic recipe on the internet, and then you just alter the ingredients - different kinds of glue, different quantities of Borax. My kid loved comparing the stretch with a big ruler, adding a bit more of this or a bit more of that for the next batch. The bouncing tests were also great fun. Some changes he made caused the putty to shatter. All this information he organized in a notebook. And at the end of the project, I helped him make a bunch of graphs. For example, as you increase the borax, how does it affect the pliability? It was a great chemistry project! Ruth in NZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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