Halcyon Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We will probably use it as an add-on/fun read for science and history. The reviews on Amazon seem to indicate that you MUST buy the teacher and student guide or the book is not useful. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Lurking (can't find the emoticon on my iPad) I would like to know too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We just finished the first Unit of Aristotle, so my experience is limited to the past couple of weeks . . . but my answer at this point is that it depends on why you are using it. If it is your main science, the Guides really help a lot. They do offer extra activities, discussion points, etc. for each lesson. If your purpose is mostly history/science supplemental, and tying together history and science, you are probably fine without them. I'd think they are absolutely essential in a classroom/co-op, but not so much for one-on-one with your kid. The thing is, there is not a whole heck of a lot of science in Aristotle - it really is mostly history of science/history of knowledge. It's really interesting, and a great background for more formal physical science studies, but there isn't a lot of meaty science to actually *do*. I think the next book (Newton) obviously has way more going on in terms of actually learning & doing science projects & demos. I think the Quest Guides would be more important at that point - assuming that they are good, solid activities. FWIW, we got the Milestones of Science kit from T&K to correlate with these books, and there is virtually nothing that correlates until the Newton book. So, I guess we're all set for *next* year . . . IMO, 5th grade is a great time to do the Aristotle book. It is challenging but not out of reach, it helps them learn to navigate a text and strategize about dealing with all the pictures/sidebars without getting distracted. We are having awesome discussions about the text. The Guide activities are adding something, but not so much i couldn't live without them. Sorry, I don't feel like that is a very definite answer. In your case, I would probably skip the Quest Guides for the Aristotle book, but plan to pick them up for the Newton book if it becomes more central to your science studies at that point. We're doing Aristotle 3 days a week, and do other science two days a week. We'll probably do 2 or 3 of the 5 units, then take a break and do Botany in the spring. So it's not the only thing we have going on in science. It would be kinda light, otherwise. OTOH, it would be a fantastic supplement to go with Ancients history studies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Thank you all for your wonderful answers! We would be using this as a fun addon to history and science, so it sounds like we can do without the guides, for now at least. I can't wait to order it (but need to wait until next month--just in case any No/Low Spenders are lurking on this thread, I am being good!! Really!!! :D) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Thank you all for your wonderful answers! We would be using this as a fun addon to history and science, so it sounds like we can do without the guides, for now at least. I can't wait to order it (but need to wait until next month--just in case any No/Low Spenders are lurking on this thread, I am being good!! Really!!! :D) :lol: I was just looking at my "wish list" this afternoon, but I have already gone over budget this month - which, come to think of it, was your fault for alerting us to the HO books for cheap on Amazon!!!! So I'm not allowed to spend any more till February . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 :lol: I was just looking at my "wish list" this afternoon, but I have already gone over budget this month - which, come to think of it, was your fault for alerting us to the HO books for cheap on Amazon!!!! So I'm not allowed to spend any more till February . . . . Ha! I DID post about that, didn't I! But at least I didn't post it in the No/Low Spend Challenge thread!! :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arborite Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 The student guide has some very good activities every few chapters. I select the winners and leave the make-work behind. The teacher guide is scripted for a classroom teacher ("Display the overhead from Unit 3. Point out to the students that blah blah blah.") It is gathering dust on the shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Do they still have the deal on the publisher's website for an educational discount? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We did 1.5 of the books last year as a read aloud and enjoyed them. No guides, no fuss. Just enjoyed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Do they still have the deal on the publisher's website for an educational discount? Oh, I'd love to know about this! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cschnee Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 We love, love, love the Student Guides! I find the TG very useful too. We started Aristotle in grade 5 and used it in tandem with some of the Stop Faking it books, GEMS guides and an AIMS guide as well as lots of documentaries and Brainpop. We are almost finished with Newton and while I had every intention of using the Stop Faking It books again, we don't have time and instead use Adaptive Curriculum, docs and Brainpop. We also took a side trip back in time to the Renaissance using an Interact Guide and Google Earth.I think a lot more is retained when you do the actvities and experiments in the SG. We use the SG as a scrapbook, putting all we have done related to the chapter in it. We just pulled the Aristole SG out yesterday because we were watching something where Hero was mentioned and we remembered that he was featured in our book. I think there is a lot of science in Aristotle; astronomy, scientific method, simple machines, density and buoyancy. Lots of math too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Oh, I'd love to know about this! Thanks. The original thread was http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/186055-joy-hakim-science-booksteacher-guides-50-off/ And it contains information and ISBN numbers, and instructions The publisher's site is https://selfservice.randomhouse.biz/bizcf/acmart/index.cfm I don't know if anyone has tried recently, but it worked for many in July 2011. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 We love, love, love the Student Guides! I find the TG very useful too. We started Aristotle in grade 5 and used it in tandem with some of the Stop Faking it books, GEMS guides and an AIMS guide as well as lots of documentaries and Brainpop. We are almost finished with Newton and while I had every intention of using the Stop Faking It books again, we don't have time and instead use Adaptive Curriculum, docs and Brainpop. We also took a side trip back in time to the Renaissance using an Interact Guide and Google Earth.I think a lot more is retained when you do the actvities and experiments in the SG. We use the SG as a scrapbook, putting all we have done related to the chapter in it. We just pulled the Aristole SG out yesterday because we were watching something where Hero was mentioned and we remembered that he was featured in our book. I think there is a lot of science in Aristotle; astronomy, scientific method, simple machines, density and buoyancy. Lots of math too! Well, we've only finished the first unit, which has mostly been talking about creation stories, calendars, and Greek theories of what matter is made of. Some really great math, yeah! But so far it's mostly been history/background that helps lay the foundation for understanding science - so totally valuable! But I guess doing it this past two weeks has felt a lot more like "doing" history than "doing" science. I'm glad to hear/see that it picks up some soon - I'm excited about the simple machines, density, and buoyancy activities coming up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spetzi Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I just thought I'd chime in that the student guide seems better for the Newton book than Aristotle. I don't have a teacher's book. We all really enjoy the Hakim books, but there are so many, many sidebars it can make it tough to know what to read when. Some of the sidebars explain the concept right then and there, others just give interesting facts or comments. The graphics are very nice and we really like the first two books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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