aharrington Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 Looking for reviews of these science modules. I am considering these for my son next year - 7th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 Yes. I am very happy with them. Don't have time to write now, but will later. The first one we used was about planets (my husband studies planets for a living) and he was happy with it. I'll give details later. Emily BS Applied Physics, hubby PhD Astrophysics 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 (edited) OK, I'm back. :-) We used all the middle school ones this year (biology, astronomy, weather, and physics). I was glad that we were able to start with astronomy, and specifically planets, because that is hubby's field of study and so I knew we could critique it well. :-) Here's what I like: - there are 33 lessons per module that are mapped out and preplanned (so three a week for 11 weeks + one week of exams or once a week all year + three exam weeks throughout year) - lessons are about 40 minutes; we do projects together in the evening because involving more of the family makes them more fun - tie-ins are added, for example, current articles to read or youtube videos to watch - both good worksheets (not busy work) and simple labs are added in that pertain well to the subject - there is a list of related living books at the beginning that an excited student could choose to read - very independent Here's what isn't great: - I wish she had a better typesetter (minor concern, but still) - there can be a lot of supplies; when I haven't gathered things, I've sometimes just skipped the lab (the course is meaty even without every lab) - while the book Planets by Sobel is very recent, some are older; she does generally have information about things she knows has changed, though Could go either way: - not math intensive; these are definitely conceptual courses! I was a person who had a lousy middle school science foundation but rigorous high school science. What I lacked the most was any sort of conceptual overview. I think these do an excellent job of covering a wide variety of subjects in a way that is interesting and meaningful. Narration is one of the main outputs, so you need to be willing to commit to narration. The guides use secular books but have some optional young earth notes (and a note about GMOs in biology). I've skipped those. Someone who is strongly opposed might even black them out. It is really neat to hear my son talk about physics and to know he gets the big idea, or to understand about a storm front coming in, or to make connections about DNA. Emily Edited May 22, 2017 by EmilyGF 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aharrington Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 Emily - Thanks for the thorough review. I have purchased Biology and really like the looks of it. I am wavering between doing what you did this year or using Biology with Elemental Science: Earth. My son is definitely more math/science oriented but we have yet to find a science curriculum that clicks with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Emily - Thanks for the thorough review. I have purchased Biology and really like the looks of it. I am wavering between doing what you did this year or using Biology with Elemental Science: Earth. My son is definitely more math/science oriented but we have yet to find a science curriculum that clicks with him. I'd say that's true of my son who is using this, since he's 12y3m and halfway through AOPS Algebra. As someone who was always really good at math, I do see the value of more conceptual science. ​I was good enough at math to fake my way through a lot of physics​. I really wish I had bothered to understand big picture ideas before diving into the math. My husband does this and his PhD advisor actually told him not to apply math (through computer simulations) to his research until he could give an account of what a reasonable result would be. He has his students do this, too, now. So I don't think the lack of math is a problem for a middle school curriculum. I just would consider it a drawback at the high school level or even as a secondary course. Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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