ByGrace3 Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Supercharged science is at the homeschool buyers co op, and with the potential for 45% off, I am considering it. Any reviews? Anyone used it? We have done a free online class and my kids loved it. What about religious issues...we are young earth...any conflict? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 She is totally secular and tries to avoid it being an issue. I just read that on the website the other day while I was looking for something else! I have the Silver level Science Mastery Pack (it was the highest level she had at the time), and we haven't done much with it (my fault), but if the online class access works for you guys, then I wouldn't hesitate to do it. The price seemed high to me, but I have no idea what the going rate for that kind of stuff is either (poor, starving student here). I love what we have - just about everything is in there, I was going thru the kits yesterday in fact. The kids are going to build the Hovercraft to go with our ES Physics unit right now. I'm not so good at gathering stuff up - so I'd personally probably be apt to get the same pack I have again! LOL!! I'm just bummed that I am homeschooling and moved away from where she did her camps. Darn it, my kids could have gone while I was at work!!! Here is her quote: "Is this program from a creation or evolution viewpoint?" Neither. The Science Mastery program covers neither creation nor evolution. I have carefully structured these science classes and projects so that everyone may utilize and enjoy them. You are welcome to add supplemental material as you see fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Thank you! I wonder if the e class comes with the materials??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 It didn't look like it did come with materials, which is why I thought it was expensive (for me). Not that I don't think her teaching is worth the $$ - it is, she is fabulous and if you ever get the chance to meet her in person, DO IT, because she is just as fun as you think she would be! I just happen to still be that poor, starving student (sorry, i'm wallowing - i'm in a pickle this week and in hindsight shouldn't have gone curriculum shopping, but I couldn't tell my ex was going to quit his new job either, and I had been gifted money to buy curriculum) and I can't spend that much just for lessons. I need "stuff" too - because my schedule sucks so much I probably wouldn't ever get to the online lessons either! :p When the Mastery stuff says it come with everything, it does. Heck, one bag has a soldiering iron and multimeter in it!! I love to soldier.... love it. I loved metal shop.... Oh, ANYWAY.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherH720 Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 We used it for the 2nd half of last school year. My boys (3rd & 5th grade at the time) enjoyed it. I personally like video instruction programs, as long as the instructor is engaging and passionate about their subject. So I definitely liked that about it. I also agree with her on getting kids to get excited about science by doing instead of reading. Her philosophies really speak to me in that regard. She is definitely secular. If you're young earth, I'd steer away or carefully select her stuff on astronomy. The price is a consideration. At the time the monthly fee just included access to the site...I still had to purchase all of the supplies for the lessons. I found it difficult to navigate the text information on her site. I like a printed teachers manual I can read thru, highlight, and that gives me clear steps & information. You can print her stuff, but again that adds to the cost of the program. But still, her site seems...hmm. How to describe? Chaotic, maybe. It's information overload for those without a scientific background, imo. My boys also struggled with keeping a science journal, which is the basis of her program. I'm sure if we stuck with it it would get easier. Overall, it's still a program I keep in mind for them, perhaps another year or so down the road when I've gained more confidence as a "teacher." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherH720 Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 BTW, she's developing a dvd program you'll be able to buy outright instead of a monthly fee to the site. I'm not sure when it's to be released or what all it will entail, but I know it's in the works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I totally agree on the website - her passion is with teaching the kids, not web design!! The DVDs would be something I would like, and since we are just starting our way thru what I have, the timing would probably be right. I will have to keep that in mind for later, we have enough "stuff" with what we have and this mega K'nex kit to keep us busy for over a year I think. Probably longer. :blushing: Except I'm light on Chemistry stuff. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 Hmmmm a DVD program would be interesting... I have never considered it before because of the price, but 45% off puts it on my radar at least..but only if it is awesome! And easy to use...science is the one area we struggle to do consistently.... Ad my kids love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 It worked well for us for a year (I posted a review here) because: I have a motivated, science-loving daughter who was willing to watch things on her own, is a self-starter, and can teach herself things or ask questions. I have a husband who, though disabled & sick much of the time, can answer questions at least sometimes. He's the one she gets her science genes from. I have a husband who can pick up needed supplies and keeps various things on hand and likes to roam around Radio Shack and hardware stores--so my daughter could make a list of supplies needed, and when he was able, over the course of a few days, he would pick things up for her. I tried it again this year, but my daughter ended up losing interest and we did other things. She used it for a couple of months, then we did some books, and now that it's science fair time again she has used the site a bit....but I wish I had just bought it during the months she wanted it, instead of paying for a year. I told her from now on, we'll just do a month if/when she wants it (she'll be high school next year anyway, and I want something more structured since she might go on in science--just for my own comfort level as a totally non-science mom!) That said, at 45% off, it might make the price more doable. Supplies--no, you don't get supplies for the online version. HTH some! Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 The experiments are awesome. Just seriously awesome. And now 2 years later, I can honestly say it has been the best retained year of science that we have done. We originally left it this year because Aurora didn't have any earth/space science modules, which has since changed, and we weren't getting around to science often enough to justify the cost, which we have now changed with scheduling in dedicated science time. We are going back to Supercharged Science for next year, and I'm actually not even sure what we will do for physics the following year, because the boys have learned so much physics from this program, I can't find anything outside of algebra-based textbooks that they haven't already covered. If you can afford the cost, get the supplies, and like hands-on science, IMHO it is one of the best, if not the best, science out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 There are 100 reviews up at Schoolhouse Review Crew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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