JoyfulLife Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 Does anyone know what are the main differences? updates? or where I can find more information? I'm concerned with new editions since I learned about all the mistakes made with their Chemistry 3rd edition book a few years ago. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monalisa Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 There is a pretty significant sample on the Apologia website. https://view.publitas.com/apologia/general-science-sample-grade-7/page/1 It looks TOTALLY different than the Jay Wile book to me. This one is visually more appealing, although I can't speak to the content. I no longer have my old edition or else I'd dig it out and compare the TOC. You can see the TOC of the old version as well as a one page excerpt here on Rainbow Resource: https://www.rainbowresource.com/product/sku/017414 FWIW, I think very highly of Sheri Seligson, the author, having met and talked with her at a homeschool moms' conference several years back (she was a speaker). She homeschooled all of her kids through high school and is a marine biologist by profession. She is also the author of the Marine Biology textbook as well as the teacher on the Apologia Biology and Chemistry videos (my daughter used the biology videos last year and is using chemistry now). I'd expect it to be a very good book since it is written by her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto6inIN Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 Dr Wile had a blog post reviewing it not too long ago and it wasn't very favorable. I don't remember the reasons why though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monalisa Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 Here is Jay Wile's review. His reaction is mixed, not completely unfavorable. https://blog.drwile.com/my-review-of-exploring-creation-with-general-science-3rd-edition/ 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulLife Posted August 14, 2019 Author Share Posted August 14, 2019 Thank you for the information! I wonder if the 2nd edition is missing any up-to-date science information? the 3rd edition does look more visually appealing but Dr. Wile's comments make me wonder about the overall content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 I've done 2nd edition three times. 2 times with typical learners and then a modified version with my youngest (special ed). On a crazy whim after reading Wile's opinion a few weeks ago, I decided to get 3rd edition and do a general science review with my youngest (and not put it on the transcript). apologia was having a sale and I thought, why not since she is working at about that level due to disabilities. She could use review of material and why not. I'm sure there is something in science content that has been updated from 2nd to 3rd, but the question is whether it is all that big of a deal for the level of the book. 3rd edition has more color. In 2nd edition in the appendix of the text was a section called module summaries. It looked like fill in the blanks from text (but you were supposed to have student write the whole paragraph.) Those summaries seem to now be included in the Student Notebook. Module 1 is still overwhelming in my opinion with amount of material. 3rd edition lesson plan covers it in 10 lesson days that take 2.5 weeks. And it does what I did and says go open book for the first two tests so that the real objective is learning how to take end of module test and the kinds of things to learn to study. I did that in 2nd edition with oldest and middle. and of course youngest it was all about exposure to material. So far in module 1 there are some ways that the 3rd edition author explains stuff that is not flowing as well as it did in Wile's edition. They both say the same thing about a similar experiment (a basic density observation). But I feel like something got copied and pasted in the wrong order. I started to understand what Wile meant with some of the explanations and concepts aren't done at same time. Wile mentions about something with atomic motion and core of earth. I noticed it so far in atoms with density, and atoms in motion in hot/cold water. I do like in 3rd edition how the student notebook is set up to encourage learning how to take notes and all of that. I wouldn't go as far as apologia does and say it is required. I would say it is highly beneficial to use it and for about 1 dollar a school week, it's not bad as a teaching and learning tool. So I do kinda agree and disagree with Wile's review about that. With my oldest, I tried to help her learn how to do notes and lab reports and took the "go figure it out on my own" and just use cheap notebook. With middle, I got a journal/lapbook to help transition to more independently learning style. and I'm glad to use the student notebook journal. I think if I were doing this edition now with my oldest in grade 7, I'd use the student notebook just because the publisher said required. Then in grade 8 and up with that child, I would stop using it and just use regular notebooks. I get it why it is "necessary" or "required" according to apologia. It's about learning how to learn and having that in place so that student doesn't fumble through learning it on own, and having examples to follow for lab reports, etc. It helps with the learning curve of all of that for a grade 7 student. Now of course, there will be some students who don't need it. The audio mp3: (yes I bought the full package with audio and video. ) that's working well because my youngest needs a lot of teaching supports. She has multiple issues. One little weird thing I noticed in module 1 is that the segments of the audio line up with the text breaks but not necessarily the lesson plan day. that is a really minor thing because you can hit pause. kwim? But in week 1 one of the audio segments covered the text from page 5-12 that was split over 2 lesson days. I don't know if that happens often or if this was just one of those things in module 1. really minor. Video: again, not necessary. But it keeps my child's interest enough to know that science class time is starting. So far in module 1 (that's as far as we are right now), we start with video overview and then listen to the text. Definitions are shown. voice over. and then video segments of the labs, and the "explore more" optional demos/labs. No, I don't think one can do the whole course from just the video. It's an extra. and if it hadn't been on sale and if it hadn't been with the youngest who benefits from it... Quality is mostly good. Today I was not sure on a video segment blocking issue when Sheri was holding the pennies. You really couldn't see the result of the experiment. So that's both good and bad, right? It's good because now you need to do the lab to see it. Bad because you might want to understand what she is showing you. Overall, it is a small thing so far. The lab video segments are more about showing set up to explain the written instructions and not really about trying to be a substitute lab. haven't done tests yet. Answers to On Your Own are still at end of module. There's still a study guide. seems like plenty of new ideas on experiments. The robot hand thing with straws looks like fun. I wouldn't be nervous about using this edition so far. I haven't logged in for book extras yet. I am not able to decide if content is off or anything like that. maybe as the year continues, I can update how it is going for us. I'm using it with a grade 12 student who works about 7th grade level on most things and has diagnosed delays in language ability and lower than average IQ. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulLife Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 cbollin, I also like the idea about the additional student notebook that comes with the 3rd edition. I did not see one as part of the curriculum package for the 2nd, but I guess a regular notebook can be used. Thank you so very much for taking the time to share your review for the 3rd edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 (edited) 18 hours ago, Paradox5 said: I'm pretty sure 2nd edition has a student notebook, too. I recall seeing it at my local store. So can one use the video and NOT do the experiments themselves ala BJU DLO? I also think the 2nd edition had an official apologia student notebook. Before it was released, my middle daughter used the knowledge box central "lapbooking" product for gen sci 2nd edition, but used it more like a notebook (in other words we didn't make it into lapbook folder). In my earlier answer I was not suggesting there wasn't a notebook prior, but instead commenting that I like the set up of the current one for various styles of learning to take notes, and write reports. I don't know how it was set up in 2nd ed so I wasn't comparing changes there. can one use the video and not do the experiments? editing my answer now that my benadryl wore off. apologia does not recommend using the video as substitute for labs, or as virtual lab partner. Although with the videos I've seen so far, one could use her data if needed and just watch. not a path I'd recommend personally, but everyone has a different situation. I don't know if all of the other modules' labs could work like that or not. Edited August 25, 2019 by cbollin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Texas Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 I’m glad to read the comments on Apologia biology. However I don’t share the positive sentiments on the updates. Yes, update the science but this book has taken biology to an extreme. Level. Chapter 4 has 72 definitions! There is no way to remember all of these definitions. It seems more like a college biology. Some of the terms and science is extreme for a high school student who may not even go into science. We only watch the videos, do all the work in notebook. We have found she does a better job of talking and showing the process in sequence than all of it on a page in the info graph. They are wonderful but the book bounces around in the first 6 chapters. You go from microscope, chemistry, biomes and animals to extreme cell discussions that is very involved for high school. The amount of definitions per chapter is overwhelming. The videos should not take the place of reading the book but they are much more understandable and she has added information at times that is helpful and not in the book. I do not have a 2nd addition in front of me and when we did it 10 years ago I just don’t remember it being this difficult. We are just going to plow through it. Really concerned about chemistry now, I bought the whole set already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 (edited) On 2/13/2021 at 10:33 AM, Tammy Texas said: I’m glad to read the comments on Apologia biology. However I don’t share the positive sentiments on the updates. Yes, update the science but this book has taken biology to an extreme. Level. Chapter 4 has 72 definitions! Respectfully pointing out that the original topic of this thread was not the High School Biology book. It was Middle School General Science book. So any "positive sentiments" about General Science edition changes weren't talking about biology. I have not done 3rd edition Biology to comment. Edit to add: other reviewers out there agree with you Tammy Texas that biology 3rd is too much, too fast and too much. so it's not just you. Edited February 14, 2021 by cbollin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My4arrows Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 I have not used the older edition and just grabbed the newest General Science to use next year. The only disappointment I have looking through it is that the text is soft cover like a workbook. I can’t see it holding up well being used daily and by multiple children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 On 2/13/2021 at 1:50 PM, My4arrows said: I have not used the older edition and just grabbed the newest General Science to use next year. The only disappointment I have looking through it is that the text is soft cover like a workbook. I can’t see it holding up well being used daily and by multiple children. oh wow. thanks for update. That's a change from when I bought it in 2019. I have hard cover text. oh collector's item for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauranne Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 I was able to purchase a new 2nd edition for a great price which helps--- but is it too old to use for my 8th grade daughter??? Should I update??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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