Different chemistry questions

[wingedradical]

I'm sure these have been asked before but what opinions do you experts hold about what is the best affordable chemistry with lab curriculum available for high school?

 

Unlike the poster below, I want the course to be as rigorous as possible. My student has had Earth Science, Biology with Lab as well as precalc (or will have it by the end of the year). She is considering a career as a pharmacist so chemistry is important, plus she is just good at that sort of thing.

 

I am not very concerned about the religious content of the course. I am a Christian but to be honest, I lean toward theistic evolution. So a secular program would be okay, as would a good Christian one.

 

My main concern is the cost of lab materials. Using a co-op is not an option for us due to location.

 

TIA.

[regentrude]

We used a lab kit from labpaq.com. The labs are very well documented, easy to use, and rigorous (they supply high schools and colleges)

We paid $200 for our kit which was designed for a one year intro course (22 labs); supplies are enough to last for two students. there are smaller, less expensive, kits available as well.

[Dicentra]

Are you looking for just a lab kit or a full program that comes with lab equipment?

 

This is the list of some options for Honours Chem:

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/453617-homeschool-high-school-chemistry/#entry4680556

 

I do know that a rare student is able to take AP Chem as their first and only high school chem course (which would certainly be rigorous!) but it's probably not recommended. Here's some options for AP Chem:

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/453617-homeschool-high-school-chemistry/#entry4680560

 

My favourite text for AP Chem is Chemistry by Raymond Chang. I'm going to be using his honours chem text, General Chemistry, with my dd either next year or the year after. I have it here and I like it very much. It would certainly be rigorous! It's not a homeschool program, though, so doesn't come in a neat package with everything you would need. It's the first entry listed on the post for Honours Chem and if you go to the website listed under "Additional Materials", it will bring you to the webpage of a high school teacher that has posted assignments, labs, and practice tests to go along with the text. You would have to source all the lab equipment yourself, though. I listed all the equipment you would need here:

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/453617-homeschool-high-school-chemistry/#entry4689653

I'm still working on lining up the labs from The Home Scientist's Honours Chem lab kit to line up with Chang and to give a lab experience that covers all the basic wet-lab techniques - I've just been very distracted lately. My bad. :) I'll put that task on a front burner. :D

 

If you want a program that comes with everything you need, I'm afraid it won't come cheaply. I don't have any experience with any of the Christian programs but I have a used copy of the Prentice Hall Chem text coming along with the syllabus from Oak Meadow (I wanted to find out if it was a good secular option for those that might want a full package). I can let you know what I think when they arrive. I think all of the options that are listed at the above links to posts have websites you can visit to find out more about what's included and the costs. If you have questions about a specific curriculum, there's probably someone on the forum who has some experience to share with almost any curriculum listed. :)

 

Honestly, the evolution/creation debate shouldn't have much bearing on a chem curriculum. The only place I can even think of where it might be a problem for someone with a strict young-earth viewpoint is in discussing half-lives and radioactive dating - I'm not sure how the young-earth chem curricula handle this. If you're OK with the earth being old, secular resources should be fine.