jeninok Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 (edited) Can you handle more questions from me? I am finding this move into higher levels to be quite challenging. Balancing his output ability with his understanding ability might just do me in! Our original science plan has not been working, I just haven't had the time to properly pull it together, and we haven't had any lab type activities. Science is his main interest so I really want it to be the painless bridge from grammar to logic. We have been discussing it this week trying to find a solution. He originally asked for chemistry, but after talking he decided biology would be good, any chemistry at his level is going to have math he isn't ready for, and he really loves animals so life science/biology makes the most sense. I just want science that gets done! Open and go without me having to tweak it all over the place, and painless and not overwhelming with notebooking type sheets for DS to fill out. I am fine with worksheets if they are meaningful. I was going to get NOEO, I like the living books aspect, and the fact that I can order the entire program in one click. But then I realized it is all blank notebooking pages, and I do not want it to be that vague. It is still in the running though if people tell me its best! I think I like elemental Science the best from what I can see of the sample pages, but I don't like having to cobble together the supplies and books. Does the teachers guide come with discussion ideas, or any extra information? Classiquest is written totally to the student, correct? Does it come with any worksheets or reviews or quizzes or ways for me to evaluate without having to do the entire program right alongside him? Actually I just found some of the answers I had been searching for in a related thread at the bottom! I see that Classiquest doesn't have any extra information or discussion for me as the teacher. But it does still seem like a good program. Especially weighing the ability to buy the lab supplies all in one click. Seriously someone just tell me what to buy that will be easiest :) and if it is Elemental Science where do I find the supplies? Edited October 5, 2012 by jeninok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Don't fear the note booking pages of NOEO... The assignments are very explicit. It is very much open and go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 I think I like elemental Science the best from what I can see of the sample pages, but I don't like having to cobble together the supplies and books. Does the teachers guide come with discussion ideas, or any extra information? Seriously someone just tell me what to buy that will be easiest :) and if it is Elemental Science where do I find the supplies? IMHO Elemental Science is easy and doable. :001_smile: The TG does have a few discussion ideas and 'if you want more' ideas. I splurged and picked up the kit with the biology supplies. Almost all the needed stuff is there. I was just looking at the supply list for Monday groaning about needing balloons and marbles, when I checked the kit. The balloons and marbles are included! I keep forgetting that the kit has virtually everything except paper towels, aluminum foil, and supplies that won't keep. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 The Elemental science kit is unavailable right now, I assume maybe it is sold out? Or am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvnlattes Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 We used ClassiQuest a couple of years ago. It did not come with tests or quizzes. Some of the labs included labeling a diagram but there were no other worksheets. As you mentioned there isn't any additional information for the teacher so there were times I spent an hour or two on the internet looking for supplemental information to help explain a topic. I eventually grew tired of this and looked for a more teacher friendly program. I know there are other families on here that like ClassiQuest though, so YMMV. A search of other ClassiQuest threads might give you more insight into the program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 The Elemental science kit is unavailable right now, I assume maybe it is sold out? Or am I missing something? :001_huh: Oh my! I hope it's a temporary situation. The kit has made science so much easier for me this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 I guess we are going to go with NOEO and keep my fingers crossed I don't have to do too much legwork for discussions. I'd much rather do research than run around looking for supplies!! One more question....does it include a good frog dissection lab? He really wants to do that! :glare::tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 I guess we are going to go with NOEO and keep my fingers crossed I don't have to do too much legwork for discussions. I'd much rather do research than run around looking for supplies!! One more question....does it include a good frog dissection lab? He really wants to do that! :glare::tongue_smilie: I don't believe that it does, but you can get a very good one for not much money through homesciencetools.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted October 7, 2012 Author Share Posted October 7, 2012 Thanks ladies! I just ordered NOEO and once again I give silent thanks to my grandparents for buying me a very expensive microscope when I was about 12, it still works perfectly and has all the features I want in one for DS :) I still really like something about ES better, but I really don't want to have to find all the supplies, and spend time running around town. I would much rather read ahead and type up a quiz or discussion questions which can be done while DS works on something else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 I ended up going buying both the Elemental Science Logic Biology and NOEO study guide. We ended up going with the Elemental science, although I am adding in some of the extra hands on activities from NOEO. We LOVE it so far. It is getting done, pain free, and he is learning. It has been really easy for me to implement, even using the DS science encyclopedia as our spine since I already had it on hand. I will be ordering the Usborne and kingfisher this weekend though. I've been using Bozeman Biology youtube videos, NEOk12 and a few things on sheppard software as well since he prefers computer work. I also picked up the Tops radish unit at the used bookstore for 2 bucks, so I plan to use that during the plant unit, and to grow Triops during our invertebrate unit. He is getting lots of outlining practice with the spines and copywork with the vocabulary, and there is no moaning or floor flopping or tears!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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