bttrflyvld Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 So I'm doing some research on science this week and came across elemental science. It looks very interesting. I'm not sure what to think about it. It's not really a traditional text book. More of a lesson guide I suppose. Their schedules look nice. Especially all the extra hands on stuff. How does is compare to other programs? I'm trying to find a program that is hands on fun and both educationally sound with out all the boring text book reading (like public school). For the earlier grades it looks like fun. I wonder how well the older grades are. Can anyone give me any ideas of how well the program has worked for you and if you'll continue to use it? Is it open and go or do you need a lot of teacher prep time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 My kids and I used the last part of logic stage earth science after it came out in the spring last year, and everyone enjoyed the course. Even my science hater confided that he was enjoying Elemental Science. This year only my 7th grade dd and 4th grade ds are using Elemental Science. The high school boys are using Apologia Biology but I made modifications so it's close to how Elemental Science works. ;) I sprung and purchased the science kit that goes with ES, and rearranged the weeks of it and Apologia to keep all the kids on the same topic. It's still pick up and go. Most of the supplies we need are in the kit or easily available. This week I needed to send the kids out to find a few worms. Everything else was in the kit, except the paper towel. My 4th grader reads everything and then fills in the information for his lapbook. My 7th grader does her reading, vocabulary, and sketch before writing a short report. Science is done in an enjoyable fashion. I just wish she had a highschool level out. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bttrflyvld Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 We really like it and are using it for the second year ( grammar stage though). It is very open and go except the supplies for experiments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bttrflyvld Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 If you're wondering about the older-than-elementary years, you might have better luck on the Logic board ... have you cross-posted there? And have you done a search on Logic for Elemental Science? I do know that there was some recent buzz about combining Elemental Science and Real Science Odyssey, but can't find the threads at the moment ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bttrflyvld Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 I'll have to look into that thread. I'm curious about all grades, including the grammar stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 We have used the grammar stage chemistry program and the physics program. I absolutely loved the way it was set up. Once I got into the swing of it, it was very teacher friendly. I liked that she had all of the 'stuff' spelled out for what we would need each week. My son loves science, so I don't know if he is a good judge or not... But he ran off with the teacher's manuals and books so he could 'redo' the program on his own. (He does this often... He likes to 're-live' his curriculum. I always take that as a compliment and not a negative reflection of my teaching. :lol:) I will say that I was an epic fail on the physics experiments. Even though the TM listed everything I needed, I just could not manage to get all the parts and pieces for the experiments pulled together. This was my problem and not a problem with the curriculum. I did find videos (on-line and library) to support the lessons, plus we went to a local science museum that had a physics exhibit. :D I don't know if a kit is now available for physics, but it would have been lovely. (I normally don't like pre-made science kits, but so needed one with this.) Retention was very good. I bought the chemistry books before they came with the quizzes, but I bought them later when they were available. We did a few quizzes, then they got misplaced and I forgot about them. I found them when we were near the end of the program. I decided to use them as a final review, but DS remembered nearly everything - including the experiments. We are doing another science program right now, as I wanted DS to take an outside class this year and the only thing I could find was science. But I do plan on using ES for the logic stage when we start science at home again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 After 20 yrs of homeschooling I can honestly say (for us) ES is the one science that will get done because of the ease of use and the fast lessons...10-15 mins. It is an open and go curriculum. Basically you have a notebook page for the week and an experiment page for the week. For 3 days you read a short page or two in the designated book(readings are short) and you write a sentence or 2 about what you read on the notebook page. You can then draw a picture to go with it or use the already drawn pictures in the book. One day a week you have an experiment that uses household items for the most part. The experiments are usually quick and they work. Write the info on the experiment page. On Friday you might have an ongoing project to work on or there could be suggestions for more reading or other experiments you can do. That is it...extremely easy. We did Grammar stage Life Science last year and besides the fact that it actually got done each day all year, it was enjoyable. This year we are using Earth and Space science, but just the space part. Since it is geared for 2nd grade they expect a little more with narration then last year, but that is the only difference. Same layout. Next year we either plan on finishing the Earth science part or doing the Chemistry. I will be continuing with ES through the Logic years either as a stand alone science or paired with another science curriculum (just because we like science). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 After 20 yrs of homeschooling I can honestly say (for us) ES is the one science that will get done because of the ease of use and the fast lessons...10-15 mins. It is an open and go curriculum. Basically you have a notebook page for the week and an experiment page for the week. For 3 days you read a short page or two in the designated book(readings are short) and you write a sentence or 2 about what you read on the notebook page. You can then draw a picture to go with it or use the already drawn pictures in the book. One day a week you have an experiment that uses household items for the most part. The experiments are usually quick and they work. Write the info on the experiment page. On Friday you might have an ongoing project to work on or there could be suggestions for more reading or other experiments you can do. That is it...extremely easy. We did Grammar stage Life Science last year and besides the fact that it actually got done each day all year, it was enjoyable. This year we are using Earth and Space science, but just the space part. Since it is geared for 2nd grade they expect a little more with narration then last year, but that is the only difference. Same layout. Next year we either plan on finishing the Earth science part or doing the Chemistry. I will be continuing with ES through the Logic years either as a stand alone science or paired with another science curriculum (just because we like science). This is so helpful! Thank you! I think we might try ES this spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I just started ES for the first time this fall, and so far I like the pre-planned work, projects, and readings. Works for us. It's not too much and not too little. Oh... I'm using it with my 2nd grader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 We are doing the grammar stage biology and really enjoying it. We supplement with books from the library on each topic, but I love the framework and that it's done for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassy Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 ... ES is the one science that will get done because of the ease of use and the fast lessons...10-15 mins. :iagree: We've thoroughly enjoyed Biology, Astronomy and Physics. You can make as much of it, or as little, as you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I've gone back and forth about posting, but you have no dissenters so I'll chime in. It did not work for us at all. The science was way too light, most of the first grade experiments were things we had done around the house for fun in K4. It does follow WTM recs for science, which are mostly reading and writing about science in the early years and I understand that philosophy, but many of us on the boards also feel this is not nearly enough and that science is the weakest part of WTM. ES was way too much cut, paste, & reading and not nearly enough experimenting, discovery, & doing IMHO but YMMV depending on what you hope to get out of your science studies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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