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I am looking for a chemistry book for my daughter.  She does not care for science  so won't be majoring in the science field in college. She has already take Astronomy at the community college which meets transfer requirements in the physical science area.  She will need to do the lab component since she only has one science with lab completed on her transcript.  I have narrowed it down to Conceptual Chemistry by John Suchocki (4th ed) or Exploring Creation with Chemistry (2nd ed).  Do you feel one of would be better than the other? (Thinking about course descriptions submitted to colleges).  I am not strong in science either so she will be self-teaching for the most part.  Thanks so much for the help.

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IMHO, the Conceptual Chemistry course is very simple, much like the information covered in a physical science course.  Lots of words, but not much information.  If you want her to take a full chemistry course, the other has much more information.  It's tougher, of course.  The book is written to the student.  There are free lessons, quizzes, and tests online at www.virtualhomeschoolgroup.org that can be accessed with registration into the at-your-own-pace (AYOP) chemistry course.  If this is for next fall, you could try to get her into the live classes there so she could interact with the instructor; registration is usually Aug. 1 and fills quickly.  Labs can be done at home, or you could register her for a Landry Academy chemistry intensive if you are satisfied with what is covered.  For that matter, Landry has a full-year online chemistry course that uses Spectrum Chemistry; I believe the lab kit is included in the price, but you have to buy the book. 

 

 

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I used Apologia's 2nd edition with my oldest who was not interested in science. It was a good fit and he got through it fairly painlessly. I think that course offered a nice balance of science, math, and understanding. There are plenty of practice problems and the tests are easy if the practice problems are done. It is easy to implement.

 

If I were doing Chem with that same child now, I would look at Jay Wile's new Chemistry program before I bought the old Apologia though.

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I used Apologia's 2nd edition with my oldest who was not interested in science. It was a good fit and he got through it fairly painlessly. I think that course offered a nice balance of science, math, and understanding. There are plenty of practice problems and the tests are easy if the practice problems are done. It is easy to implement.

 

If I were doing Chem with that same child now, I would look at Jay Wile's new Chemistry program before I bought the old Apologia though.

 

So what is Jay Wile's new Chemistry?

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I remember seeing Power Basics chemistry and thinking it was very simplistic.  Unless your dd has dyslexia or other learning issues that cause her to need a book written at a lower reading level, I would go for one of the other texts mentioned in this thread.  

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Maybe Friendly Chemistry? The labs are kitchen science - easy-to-find materials, but still labs.

 

Friendly Chemistry is indeed on the easy side and can even be used in middle school, but we went with it this year for high school because mine didn't have the math needed for the other choices. We are adding in Great Courses DVDs, the DIVE Video labs with write-ups (older used that, so we already owned it), and I'm requiring her to write up each Friendly Chemistry lab and do a short research paper.

 

I feel like it's a solid high school credit. Mine don't have to provide a textbook list, and my course description basically lists the topics covered to show completeness. Works for us!

Edited by G5052
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I am really liking the PAC Integrated Physics and Chemistry course for my 9th grader.  I wish I had found it last year and had him do it then because he is finally getting excited about science.  It doesn't have any advanced math, but lots of concepts, formulas, biographies, and background information that he frequently cannot wait to share with us.  We'll switch back to Apologia Biology next year, likely, but really love PAC IPC for whetting his science appetite.  

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Have you taken a look at Georgia Public Broadcasting Chemistry? I am using their physics course right now. I bought the cd that has teacher resources on it for just $35 and it had both chemistry and physics.

 

All that you need aside from $35 for the cd and what is available on streaming on the GPB website is some type of lab program.

 

http://www.gpb.org/chemistry-physics

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It seems like Power Basics is a remedial program.  How would this look when writing course descriptions?  She wants play soccer so I am wanting to keep her NCAA eligible.  

 

That's a good question, especially because of the NCAA. My understanding is that the science should be at a sufficient level but it's just presented in more simple language. 

 

I remember seeing Power Basics chemistry and thinking it was very simplistic.  Unless your dd has dyslexia or other learning issues that cause her to need a book written at a lower reading level, I would go for one of the other texts mentioned in this thread.  

 

I would consider using this text for a student who had little interest in science and was not motivated to maintain attention through very long chemistry textbook readings. My older dd's were fine with Apologia but I doubt my next one would be able to maintain enough interest to get through the wordiness of Apologia, for example. She has solid reading skills but I might use this anyway, in combo with Teaching Company DVD's, to just get 'er done.

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Have you considered a lab science at the CC? See if another one would transfer, but if she's already done one science class there--perhaps you want to do another and get science out of the way for her? (My son is still deciding majors, but it looks like the minimum required is 7 credits/2 science classes, one with a lab--and he'd love to already have that out of the way I know!)

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Have you considered a lab science at the CC? See if another one would transfer, but if she's already done one science class there--perhaps you want to do another and get science out of the way for her? (My son is still deciding majors, but it looks like the minimum required is 7 credits/2 science classes, one with a lab--and he'd love to already have that out of the way I know!)

She will need to take a biology class (or a class that falls in that area) at the CC to transfer if she goes the CC route. (She completed biology+lab at the local public school before I pulled her out) I just want to keep the doors open in case she wants to enter college right out of high school. The astronomy class taken at the CC fulfills a transfer requirement in the physical science area.  She will take the lab that goes along with astronomy when she can get in one.  She is low priority to register so most classes are full by the time she registers.  I am just thinking she needs to do chemistry to build her transcript.  Next year she will probably do physics at home.  Again, I am looking to keep her NCAA eligible.  She is currently doing the 2nd edition of Apologia Chemistry but is not fully getting some of the math.  This surprises me since she is strong at math.  She is finishing College Algebra at the local CC and is doing amazing job.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dr. Wile authors great books, but his chemistry course is math-heavy.

 

Conceptual Chemisty by John Suchocki seems to be a great book with free online videos to support the lessons. 

http://conceptualchemistry.com/offers the free videos if you sign up as a homeschooling parent.

He has also launched a new website that offers the same videos but has built in grading on quizzes for $30 a year: www.conceptualacademy.com 

 

 

Good luck!

Edited by Pemberley
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