What are you using for 7th grade science?

[michaeljenn]

We have given Apologia General Science a fair try... and my daughter HATES it.  I am at a loss as to what to use.  I have looked at Abeka, BJU and Elemental.  I would love to hear what you are using!!!

 

[3girls4me]

My daughter is in 6th but we are planning bju for next year. I hear Mrs. Vick's 7th grade distance learning dvd's are great!

[ScoutTN]

My daughter is in 6th but we are planning bju for next year. I hear Mrs. Vick's 7th grade distance learning dvd's are great!

Are you thinking the life science class?

Edited September 20, 2016 by ScoutTN

[2_girls_mommy]

This year mine is doing Science in the Age of Reason. I like it sooo much better than Apologia. Or maybe I am just ready for a break because co-op has been doing Apologia for the last few years. It is for grades K-6, but I like how it has short readings and questions instead of loads of them like Apologia. It is just the right amount of science for us this year. We are adding the Usborne Science Encyclopedia and online links alongside. I am having her do any definitions, write up her experiments using the four WTM science questions, draw diagrams. etc.

 

[Amateur Actress]

Things to try...Heart of Dakota

http://www.heartofdakota.com/rtr_hearts-for-him.php

 

Christian Kids Explore...Chemistry, Physics

https://www.brightideaspress.com/shop/christian-kids-explore-physics/

 

Beautiful Feet

http://bfbooks.com/History-of-Science-Study-Guide?sc=21&category=-121

 

Noeo

http://www.logospressonline.com/chemistry-iii/

[SilverMoon]

.

Edited May 23, 2023 by SilverMoon

[mc26]

My 7th grader this year is using Oak Meadow Earth Science, my 7th grader last year used RSO Biology 2.  Totally different kinds of students, happy with both choices so far.  

[sixpence1978]

We have moved onto ABeka 7th grade science this year after realizing how much we disliked Apologia General.  It isn't perfect, but at least it doesn't make us hate science.

[...................]

We started out with Apologia Physical and it was just absolutley overwhelming to my dd.  She was working pretty hard and still failing tests.  I had a thread discussing ideas with the ladies here and they did mention that I could modify the tests to be much more reasonable, but in the end I decided the text was just too difficult for my dd both in learning style and readiness.  I looked at General but I felt it would not solve the problem.

 

So, we went back to Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day with the Notebooking Journal.  My dd can do many of the experiments and she gets creative with the assignments- she draws things and makes pamphlets, and slideshows, and other creative things that shows her learning. 

 

However, if you really want a textbook, I think the Abeka 7th grade is very reasonable, enjoyable to read, inviting in the size and shape of the physical book and colorful.  I actually read it for fun :) The Abeka tests are killer though, and I have heard that if you use Abeka Science, you should just use the Quizzes as the test grade, rather than using their tests, which are overkill.  :)  

[BatmansWife]

We are using Real Science 4 Kids, the Focus On middle school books.  I have them all, so my plan is to cycle through them a chapter at a time.  That way it's not one topic at a time....but kind of like her new Building Blocks series.  

 

ETA: I should also say that this plan of mine will continue through 8th grade too.  

Edited September 20, 2016 by BatmansWife

[michaeljenn]

We started out with Apologia Physical and it was just absolutley overwhelming to my dd.  She was working pretty hard and still failing tests.  I had a thread discussing ideas with the ladies here and they did mention that I could modify the tests to be much more reasonable, but in the end I decided the text was just too difficult for my dd both in learning style and readiness.  I looked at General but I felt it would not solve the problem.

 

So, we went back to Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day with the Notebooking Journal.  My dd can do many of the experiments and she gets creative with the assignments- she draws things and makes pamphlets, and slideshows, and other creative things that shows her learning. 

 

However, if you really want a textbook, I think the Abeka 7th grade is very reasonable, enjoyable to read, inviting in the size and shape of the physical book and colorful.  I actually read it for fun :) The Abeka tests are killer though, and I have heard that if you use Abeka Science, you should just use the Quizzes as the test grade, rather than using their tests, which are overkill.   :)

 

 

My daughter completed several of the Apologia books:  Anatomy, Astronomy, Zoology... I have considered just letting her do the Chemistry/Physics and the Botany with the notebooks.  I think this may be the route we go.  She is a VERY young 7th grader, so I think she truly needs time to mature before we dig deeper into science.  I really don't want it to be torture for her at all.  

I am not a huge fan of quizzes until high school... I just don't see the point.  I know not everyone will agree with me, but I really want to spark some interest instead of drilling to death!  Sigh....  

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

What doesn't she like about it?  Oldest dd used CPO Earth Science last year in 6th grade.  I had planned on studying physical science this year but dd wanted chemistry instead.  We are using Apologia Chemistry (she has a lot of experience with chemistry from studying for a contest, or I would have chosen something else).  If he's up for the math, I'll probably use Conceptual Physics with her younger brother when he is in 7th grade.

[Guest]

We've purchased (used) BJU Life Science for 7th, next year. I am afraid I'm going to feel like it's overkill and be overwhelmed, but we'll see.

[TCB]

My dd in 7th is using Science Shepherd Life Science. We like it.

[3girls4me]

Are you thinking the life science class?

Yes - that's the one. Have you heard anything about it?

[mom31257]

If she's young, I would do BJU 6th this year and BJU 7th next year. Both are excellent! My ds did BJU 6th two years ago. It was a very good year. He did Apologia Physical with co-op last year, and he didn't like it. He's doing BJU Life this year with DVD. He's learning a lot. Our co-op is doing Apologia Biology labs, but I got permission to use BJU and rearrange the chapters to coincide as best I can. 

 

Our co-op is using BJU 6th this year with 6th and 7th. This group has done a lot of Apologia, and this is their favorite year so far. The activity manuals are fabulous. 

[ScoutTN]

PDriskell,

I have been looking for reviews of the new BJU 6th grade teachers, since the much-loved Mrs. Vick no longer teaches 6th.

 

I am thinking the 6th grade class for Dd ( next year when she will be young 12 yo) because the traditional format of the class would be a big adjustment. I expect she could do the Life Science class, but I don't want it to be a bear and take over her school year. Thinking the streaming rather than the dvds, based on reviews here.

Edited September 20, 2016 by ScoutTN

[goldenecho]

I can tell you what we started to use with my 6th grader, which would work for a 7th grader too.   We were trying to match our 6th grade state standards because he was going back in 7th, but a lot of the programs we used had 7th in the age range mentioned.  We did a combination of Byte Sized Physics and Experimenting With the Vikings (whatever of their experiments lined up with what we were learning in physics, since we were studying vikings).   He seemed to enjoy our science lessons, but for other non-related reasons is back in public school now.  We had planned to also do Elements by Ellen McHenry (which is for 8 - 13...the learning is deep but the writing is fun...and funny).  She has a lot of other great stuff.  I really like Science of Egypt by Dr. Daves Science on teachers pay teachers--another great one for history loving kids.  It didn't fit what we wanted to do that year, but Quark Chronicles is literature based, which is another different approach.

 

 

 

 

 

[hhm]

We're not quite there yet, but I'm leaning heavily toward Rainbow Science for 7th / 8th.

[Mrs Twain]

BJU middle school science is very good. I agree that 6th grade could work, but my kids used the old Mrs. Vick lectures so I can't comment on the new teacher. 7th Life science is an excellent course but quite difficult.

[Jennifer132]

We are using Rainbow Science. Haven't started it yet, but I have looked through it and it seems very understandable and hands on.

[Bensmom]

We are using two separate programs this year, BJU Life Science DVD and BookShark Science 7. While Mrs. Vick is great, my ds much prefers his BookShark lessons. It is a conservation, technology and robotics focus. The first lessons are all about robots and technology and have been really fun. My son loved the Robotics book so much he couldn't put it down after the first lesson and read the whole book in his free time on day one! BookShark has four lessons per week with the fourth day consisting of a simple experiment/project. The kit has most of the supplies so there is very little for the teacher to find (such as markers or scissors).

We will continue to watch Mrs. Vick and read along in the textbook, but my son does not enjoy the BJU 7 lessons. BJU packs a lot of info. into each lesson. This is not a "light" program! BookShark is fun and informative, but very light/easy by comparison.

[3girls4me]

Not sure if this has been mentioned in a previous response but I just spoke with BJU and they are recording a new Life Science course for 7th grade, not with Mrs. Vick. I was bummed because we had been looking forward to the combo of Life Science and her as a teacher based on reviews. I asked and they said I have until Feb. 1 to order the dvd's with her still as the teacher. (Keep for 13 months) This may not matter to some and I'm sure the new teacher will be great, by thought I'd mention it just in case anyone was looking forward to Mrs. Vick in particular with this class.