RSO or Elemental Science

[meggie]

Which would you pick? I already have ES Biology but I find it kind of boring and the lack of order drives me crazy. I know I can rearrange the order of the animals we study, but....the whole thing seems boring to me. Boring to Pigby too. He loves sciency stuff. RSO is so expensive though. Is it worth the cost? What is a fun science program? (Trying to not have to put together my own thing. I need something easy to use. We have BFSU, just don't use it right now)

[PIE!]

RSO. We tried both last year. I liked how Elemental Science had good books to read along, and a few of the projects were better. But overall RSO was more interesting and engaging. I figure we could get good books from the library to read along with RSO, so that's what we're doing this year.

[daughterofsarah77]

Love RSO here, after trying a few different things, including Elemental. I love the flexibility...we add library books from the book list that is included, and additional ones I find elsewhere.

Some are assigned as required reading by me, and others are kept in our "book basket."

The expiriments are easy, they work.

[ScoutTN]

We love RSO. We add library books and last year I scribed some for DD when there was too much writing. Nice change from our usual bookishness!

[Ecclecticmum]

We're doing Elemental as the spine, and RSO as the add on. This has caused problems (I am awaiting some WP stuff I purchased, so will probably transfer over to Animals and their worlds instead)

 

Because I "moved" the RSO units (as whole units) around to the Elemental Science index, I think we missed out on vital information, so note to you - don't do that :lol: . Either it was missing information that allows us to easily go through and understand and complete everything, or it was in other units that I have plopped into other weeks.

 

I do like the RSO Labs, and I like the Elemental Science Lapbooks (nice and simple, but fun) so I'll probably just slink over to WP and forget my mishap this year :tongue_smilie:

 

Next year (I already purchased ES and RSO) I will be using them for ideas, but will just start completely from scratch and build my way up.

 

ES I feel is more gentle and flows over the basics of everything, where as RSO tends to concentrate on some very specific species, so goes in a bit deeper

 

Disclaimer: All "in my opinion" and based on Life Science Grammar Stages

[meggie]

Thank you all!

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I use both and find it to be a perfect combination (the best I found after 19 yrs of looking for a great science curriculum). ES gives you the book info and jumping off points and RSO gives you the interesting hands on learning. Add in the two together does not add that much more to the day. I usually did RSO on Friday since it is scheduled as a make up day in ES.

 

I will add that if you could only do one I would go with ES. It takes 15 mins a day 4 days a week. Easy to do....read a pg in book, child narrates, either you write down what they say or they do, color pic and paste. If an experiment is given it is a fast easy to do thing that usually uses house hold items. ES is a science that can be done even on the most hectic days.

 

RSO is mostly labs. It does have a Blurb page that the child (or you) read but for us it was more a summation of what we read with ES. There is also a list of books you can read for RSO but the hunt and find was too much work for us although we did use some as book basket books. I think RSO is more an add on curriculum then a stand alone, but an excellent add on and if possible one not to be missed.