Sweet Home Alabama Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Introductory Chemistry, 5th edition (Steven Zumdahl) Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments (Robert Bruce Thompson) https://sites.google...ved-assignments What is the difficulty level of this chemistry course? How does Introductory Chemistry compare to The World of Chemistry by Zumdahl? Spectrum Chemistry? Apologia Chemistry? I do need something for a beginner's high school chemistry course, and I'm leaning toward Spectrum or Apologia. These plans just caught my eye, and I'm hoping to get some feedback on them. My student has finished Alg. I and will finish geometry this year. She'll be doing Alg. II concurrently with chemistry. She is not really looking forward to chemistry and needs the course to be engaging and written for ease in understanding. She is an average student making low As and high Bs. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 We're using a more recent edition of the text, but it's probably pretty much the same. I am extremely impressed with Zumdahl Chemistry. It is interesting (really!), clear, and coherent. The format makes it easy to teach from, with examples and then exercises for the student to try right after the examples. The end of chapter problems are tied specifically to each section. There are review problems every three chapters or so. And you can get a student solution manual that has solutions (not just answers) to the even problems. It is truly the best science text I've used in 10 years of homeschooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Home Alabama Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 We're using a more recent edition of the text, but it's probably pretty much the same. I am extremely impressed with Zumdahl Chemistry. It is interesting (really!), clear, and coherent. The format makes it easy to teach from, with examples and then exercises for the student to try right after the examples. The end of chapter problems are tied specifically to each section. There are review problems every three chapters or so. And you can get a student solution manual that has solutions (not just answers) to the even problems. It is truly the best science text I've used in 10 years of homeschooling. Wow, Kai. This sounds wonderful. I hear the name Zumdahl here quite a bit. I appreciate the positive review! I'm at a loss when it comes to science. I need something with a plan (something spelled out for both me and my students) which is one reason this chemistry course caught my eye. I've heard that Zumdahl's World of Chemistry is a standard high school chemistry course with more math than Conceptual Chemistry. What is the math like in Introductory Chemistry? We need a basic beginner course. For reference... http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/432810-chemistry-in-10th-for-one-who-isnt-very-strong-in-science/#entry4403339 Would you be able to make any comparisons with Intro Chemistry to Spectrum or Apologia? The lesson plans I linked to use Intro Chemistry with Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry. What are you using for labs? Seems like I've read that posters generally like the Illustrated Guide lab books. i would love to hear opinions on the Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry if anyone cares to share. Thank you for responding to my question! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I've heard that Zumdahl's World of Chemistry is a standard high school chemistry course with more math than Conceptual Chemistry. What is the math like in Introductory Chemistry? We need a basic beginner course. So far the math is minimal. We are only in chapter 8 or so though. We used Conceptual Chemistry a few years ago, and I *much* prefer Zumdahl. It just makes more sense. Would you be able to make any comparisons with Intro Chemistry to Spectrum or Apologia? I've never used or seen either of them. What are you using for labs? When we did Conceptual Chemistry, we used one of the Lab Paqs, which was good but not great. I'd probably try the MicroChem kit from Quality Science Labs if I were to do it over again. We're not doing a lab this time around, as we're just reviewing chemistry in preparation for the chemistry placement test at the CC my son will be attending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kangato3 Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 How does Introductory Chemistry compare to The World of Chemistry by Zumdahl? I compared these at one time, and the main difference I found was that World of Chemistry readings were broken down into smaller sections, but content was very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Home Alabama Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 Thank you Kai and Kanga! Well, maybe this is one more chemistry possibility for us for next year. Anyone else??? I'd love to know if anyone here has used this syllabus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kangato3 Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I just wanted to add in our experience with Zumdahl. Dd and I had been struggling with PH Chemistry for half the year, when we stumbled upon World of Chemistry. Like the above poster, I was so impressed with how clearly written it is, and how it takes the student step-by-step through example problems. We switched; it was a breath of fresh air, and made the rest of the year so much more enjoyable. I haven't used the syllabus linked above, but I have seen World of Chemistry used TE at Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Home Alabama Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 I just wanted to add in our experience with Zumdahl. Dd and I had been struggling with PH Chemistry for half the year, when we stumbled upon World of Chemistry. Like the above poster, I was so impressed with how clearly written it is, and how it takes the student step-by-step through example problems. We switched; it was a breath of fresh air, and made the rest of the year so much more enjoyable. I haven't used the syllabus linked above, but I have seen World of Chemistry used TE at Amazon. Thanks, again, Kanga! I'm curious why there are two texts so similar: Introductory Chemistry and World Chemistry both by Zumdahl. There must be a reason...I'm glad that you and Kai both had the same response. One question though... were the longer sections in Intro *too* long compared to World? Oh, and would you tell me what you used for labs? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kangato3 Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Thanks, again, Kanga! I'm curious why there are two texts so similar: Introductory Chemistry and World Chemistry both by Zumdahl. There must be a reason...I'm glad that you and Kai both had the same response. One question though... were the longer sections in Intro *too* long compared to World? Oh, and would you tell me what you used for labs? Thanks! I believe World of Chemistry is designed for high school study (thus shorter sections to read at a time). Introductory Chemistry is designed for college use, but probably more for a beginning course for non-majors. I believe Zumdahl's other book, Chemistry, is for AP and/or regular college course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I'm curious why there are two texts so similar: Introductory Chemistry and World Chemistry both by Zumdahl. And just to muddy the waters a little more: I have in front of me yet another Zumdahl text: Basic Chemistry. I picked it up at our local Community College library. I used it to help me prepare a math placement test for our co-op students who wish to take Chemistry next year, so I haven't actually used it. But I do find it to be very engaging and readable. It's a paperback, which makes it much less intimidating than your typical text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 For Zumdahl World of Chemistry or Introductory Chemistry What is better: a teacher's edition or a solutions manual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela in VA Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Is there somewhere to see samples of World of Chemistry? I searched several ways online, but no luck. Thanks! Pamela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 For Zumdahl World of Chemistry or Introductory Chemistry What is better: a teacher's edition or a solutions manual? Most of the time, a teacher's edition is more just an annotated edition of the text. It gives tips on setting up the labs, teaching or lecturing tips, and sometimes it will give the answers to the chapter questions that the student text does not (for example - if the student text has answers for the odd numbered problems, often the teacher's edition will give answers to the even numbered ones). A teacher's edition will not (at least not the ones I've seen and worked with) give worked solutions to the chapter problems. Because it's meant to be used by a public school teacher of that subject (who, hopefully, has a solid background in the subject matter), it's assumed that the teacher already knows how to work the problems. :) A solutions manual is made to be used by the student so that they have fully worked solutions to the chapter problems to help them with any problems they are stuck on or to clarify how exactly to work a problem. So I guess it kind of depends what you're looking for. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I ran across an older thread on Zumdahl editions which might be helpful. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/365370-zumdahls-introductory-chemistry-vs-chemistry-levels/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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