Sassafras Science opinions?

[My4arrows]

I'm thinking of using it for part of the year next year and wanted to hear opinions.  We'd be using the Geology for all of my kids ranging from 5-11.  I was planning on adding on higher level activities for my older children, but I haven't read the books before to know if the content is good and appropriate for a variety of age groups.

[shand]

We used Zoology for DD5 with the lapbook option and she loved it. We've actually decided to re-read it for 1st grade next year along with Botany but with the logbook instead. The book is written for a variety of ages and while I'm no expert, the content does line up with what we read in the encyclopedias. My biggest complaint is that the dialogue is kinda awkward (not inappropriate, just doesn't seem to flow naturally). This might have changed by Geology as the authors gained more experience with writing fiction, but I'm not sure. Also, instead of information being sprinkled throughout each chapter, it's dumped in a monologue. DD didn't mind it, though and was able to recall most of what we read. 

 

I felt the lapbook didn't have enough to make it a complete science curriculum, which is why we're using the logbook our next go round with me doing the majority of writing for her.. With some adapting like you're planning, it should be enough for your older kids as well. I think it would provide a good start for teaching basic researching skills if you want them to go a bit deeper into the topics.

[Farrar]

Unless they've made another edition or the later books are radically better, I also found the writing to be stilted. The story elements and the science elements weren't well integrated in the zoology book. It was more like, we've arrived at a new place, someone is after us, oh, and by the way, here are some facts about science that someone will stand here and tell us. Nice facts, new person, we're off.

 

I really wanted to like it. I just didn't. I think it works for younger students. I can't imagine an 11 yo being into it.

[twinmomtn]

Maybe the Geology book is better written than the others, but unless they hired completely new writers and editors, I would doubt it. I read volumes 1 and 2 out loud about 3 years ago during second grade, and my girls really liked the story (of course I was editing as I read it......otherwise the sentence structure barely made sense). Then I gave up and refused to do any other volumes. One of my daughters randomly asked the other day if there were more volumes of the Sassafras kids that she could read on her own. I told her there were more but they were so badly written I wouldn't want her to attempt to read them on her own. It's a shame because the idea behind this series is great but the execution is horrible. Awful writing and no editing and science info awkwardly stuck in weird parts of the story.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Unless they've made another edition or the later books are radically better, I also found the writing to be stilted. The story elements and the science elements weren't well integrated in the zoology book. It was more like, we've arrived at a new place, someone is after us, oh, and by the way, here are some facts about science that someone will stand here and tell us. Nice facts, new person, we're off.

 

I really wanted to like it. I just didn't. I think it works for younger students. I can't imagine an 11 yo being into it.

 

Exactly.  And you warned me.  I didn't listen.  LOL

 

I agree it would be fine for k or first grade, but beyond that?  Nope.