Anyone using or have used Chemistry Matters from Singapore Science?

[Quiver0f10]

Or any of their high school science courses? How teacher intensive is this? Could it be done fairly independent? Are there many labs and how doable are they? I'd love to hear your experiences with these programs.

 

Thanks!

Jean

[MaryM]

We used the Singapore "O" Level Chemistry and the text was quite good and can be done rather independently. Lots of "thinking" problems that are excellent. The labs are virtually impossible to do unless you have the luxury of your own lab. I tried to assemble everything and managed a few but scrapped that in favor of ModelChem Lab online instead. Do be aware that there is more industrial chemistry in the Level""O" book at least, than in a US book and a few topics in US books are not covered. (Can't recall what they were now.)

 

I truly love the Singapore science books because they really build the skills of thinking like a scientist! It all depends upon your goals though as to how stand alone they will be for your student.

 

HTH!

 

Mary

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks! One question, I was just looking online and I don't see a teacher's book for the chemistry student text?

[MaryM]

When I used the Level "O", it automatically came with an Answer Key which is about all that they gave the teacher for support. BUt it worked fine! Good luck!

 

Mary

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks again!

[Miss Marple]

I agree with Mary. I love Singapore science. However, be aware that the "O" level book is no longer available. I have searched everywhere including bookstores in Singapore. I do have a copy of it, but we purchased the new Chemistry Matters for my co-op class because the other was not available. I'll be making my own labs from other resources.

 

There is no teacher guide or answer key for the Chemistry Matters text. The workbook does have a tm with key. I will simply build my own answer key. I don't have a problem with this because I've had plenty of college level chemistry. But it might be difficult for someone else. If you can find it, I'd suggest the "O" level with key.

[Quiver0f10]

I agree with Mary. I love Singapore science. However, be aware that the "O" level book is no longer available. I have searched everywhere including bookstores in Singapore. I do have a copy of it, but we purchased the new Chemistry Matters for my co-op class because the other was not available. I'll be making my own labs from other resources.

 

There is no teacher guide or answer key for the Chemistry Matters text. The workbook does have a tm with key. I will simply build my own answer key. I don't have a problem with this because I've had plenty of college level chemistry. But it might be difficult for someone else. If you can find it, I'd suggest the "O" level with key.

 

 

This is good to know, thanks. I would definitely need an answer key and wouldn't be able to make my own.

[chelsea in TN]

I have chemistry matters - and really wanted to use it but I do not have time to make my own answer key. And to be honest after all these years I would have to do too much studying on my own to make one :)

 

I have opted for Bridge math from the Rainbow Science people.

Spectrum Chemistry from the same company with the labs included and all equipment and chemicals!!

 

High School Chemistry from the Teaching Company correlated with the spectrum chem. topics.

 

I have kept the chem matters book though. As always the singapore science books do such a wonderful job explaning topics that I figure it will be a wonderful resource should we need it.

 

HTH... Not what you wanted to hear I know....

[Catherine]

I don't know if the Chemistry course has the workbooks; for Bio there were 2 for the year, and 2 teacher workbook guides with answers. These were definitely the most useful aspect of the course-lots of critical thinking questions and problems to stimulate looking at a particular set of facts in a different way. One example was to write out the course of a red blood cell in one complete round trip from the heart through the body and back to the heart.

 

The Bio lab book came with a copy of answers\solutions and a lab guide that I did not order-perhaps it comes with each lab book. The Bio labs were useful and perhaps more doable at home than Chemistry labs would be. We extracted chlorophyll from a leaf (very cool!), dissected preserved organs (order cheap from Carolina lab supplies or homesciencetools), sketched a dissected kidney, demonstrated diffusion, etc.

 

I love Singapore's critical thinking approach to math and science. HTH.

[Quiver0f10]

I have chemistry matters - and really wanted to use it but I do not have time to make my own answer key. And to be honest after all these years I would have to do too much studying on my own to make one :)

 

I have opted for Bridge math from the Rainbow Science people.

Spectrum Chemistry from the same company with the labs included and all equipment and chemicals!!

 

High School Chemistry from the Teaching Company correlated with the spectrum chem. topics.

 

I have kept the chem matters book though. As always the singapore science books do such a wonderful job explaning topics that I figure it will be a wonderful resource should we need it.

 

HTH... Not what you wanted to hear I know....

 

This would be my choice if it wasn't so expensive! I would like to use Rainbow with my 7th and 8th graders and spectrum fo rmy 10th. For now I have Apolologia for them and am praying about which course to go with.

[Quiver0f10]

I don't know if the Chemistry course has the workbooks; for Bio there were 2 for the year, and 2 teacher workbook guides with answers. These were definitely the most useful aspect of the course-lots of critical thinking questions and problems to stimulate looking at a particular set of facts in a different way. One example was to write out the course of a red blood cell in one complete round trip from the heart through the body and back to the heart.

 

The Bio lab book came with a copy of answers\solutions and a lab guide that I did not order-perhaps it comes with each lab book. The Bio labs were useful and perhaps more doable at home than Chemistry labs would be. We extracted chlorophyll from a leaf (very cool!), dissected preserved organs (order cheap from Carolina lab supplies or homesciencetools), sketched a dissected kidney, demonstrated diffusion, etc.

 

I love Singapore's critical thinking approach to math and science. HTH.

 

 

There is a workbook with chemistry, but the practical ( looks like lab) book has no key either. I think this would be over my head LOL.