SamanthaCarter Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 So we've been using Elemental Science chemistry for over 2 weeks now and I'm pretty much hating it. It's terribly disjointed and set up in a very boring, tedious way. It's a little too much writing and hunting for pages for my third grader. He asked specifically to do chemistry this year, and I loved the idea of Elemental Science, but now that we are working with it, I feel it's just not well executed. I don't like having to find the answers for him because they aren't obvious in the reading, which I'm having to do. I feel he's learning nothing but to lose interest in science!! Can you suggest something for an 8 year old very interested in chemistry, but not with the writing and study skills needed for Elemental? More open and go? I don't mind experiments, especially if I can buy a supply kit to go with the curriculum. Newby here! Please be kind and don't abbreviate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Real Science Odyssey Chemistry level 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I like REAL science Odyssey as well; another option is Real Science for Kids (umm, they may have renamed their program, seems last time I looked it was Focus on... (so Focus on Chemistry) but I may be misremembering.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black-eyed Suzan Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 We are loving Ellen McHenry's The Elements. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonia Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 We really liked the Magic School Bus Chemistry Kit. Everything but some basic household things are in the kit. I combined it with ideas from The Well-Trained Mind - writing out the steps to the experiment, looking up definitions, and drawing diagrams. My daughter would do one of the experiments, fill out an experiment page and I'd choose a few words for her look up (usually taken from the MSB experiment card) in the encyclopedia and make a definition page. She had a lot of fun that year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 The Elements. It is mostly open and go, but you will have to get the materials for the experiments yourself (no kits) and you do have to photocopy or print out the reproducibles like element cards, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Another vote for real science odyssey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curlymom Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Another REAL science odyssey fan here! We did the same as you - started off with Elemental Science and it just wasn't working. The presentation In RSO chemistry is a lot more fun and my kids were not fans of all the writing required in ES. Now that we are about half way through RSO I've been incorporating a little bit of the Elemental Science, because we have it and my son wanted to do more experiments, but RSO is definitely a self contained curriculum since you don't need to buy any additional books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 Thanks for these suggestions! I'm looking at Real Science Odyssey right now and I can get a pdf of the first unit to try out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Grandpa taught my boys with Real Science Odyssey when my dc were in second and fourth grade. It was very successful and they enjoyed it a lot. It was the right amount of work, even for my second grader at the time. I have the book for sale. PM me if you are interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaT Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 RSO Chemistry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathie in VA Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 These are good options. Another one is Noeo Science: Chemistry http://www.logospressonline.com/noeo-chemistry/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathie in VA Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 oop double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ksyfumedland Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Another vote for real science odyssey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 For experiments, we are greatly enjoying these. There are simply student response sheets for each experiment. Ingredients used are common household products...a lot of corn syrup, cooking oil, alcohol, food coloring and water. http://www.carsondellosa.com/products/0742427463__Hands-On-Chemistry-Experiments-Resource-Book-0742427463 http://www.carsondellosa.com/products/0742427471__Hands-On-Chemistry-Experiments-Resource-Book-0742427471 We are using these as our primary texts. The last two are series. Also, Bill Nye videos. I have a schedule written out that I need to type up on my blog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 ScienceWiz has a couple of chemistry kits. They are nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satori Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Real Science Odyssey is always a good choice, but for Chemistry, we've been using Mr. Q Science - Chemistry. For some reason my daughter likes to read the quirky chapters better than me reading aloud a paragraph and doing some hands-on stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 We love the Apologia elementary science books. Just bought the Chemistry and Physics book to start soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 We are fiddling with Adventures with Atoms and Molecules (as recommended in WTM) and then will move on to Ellen McHenry's the Elements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share Posted October 27, 2014 Thank you everyone for your help on this, especially JadeOrchidSong, who sold me the book. RSO Chemistry turned out to be just right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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