Conceptual Chemistry, Apologia, Friendly Chemistry

[Juliegmom]

Does anyone know how these two compare? I have Apologia which I think would be too difficult for my daughter. I bought Friendly Chemistry which I think might be too easy. I'm now considering Conceptual Chemistry with MicroChem labs. 

Edited May 10, 2020 by Juliegmom

[EKS]

1 hour ago, Juliegmom said:

I'm now considering Conceptual Physics with MicroChem labs.

I assume you mean Conceptual Chemistry.

I know there are a lot of people on here who think that Conceptual Chemistry is great.  I don't.  I think that removing the math makes the chemistry *harder* to understand.  

I really like Zumdahl's World of Chemistry.

[Juliegmom]

Woops! Yes, I meant conceptual chemistry. I edited my post. Thank you!

[Juliegmom]

So does Conceptual Chemistry not cover any math? Friendly Chemistry does include some. 

[Lori D.]

3 hours ago, Juliegmom said:

So does Conceptual Chemistry not cover any math? Friendly Chemistry does include some. 

We used Conceptual Chemistry; it was definitely a better fit for DS#2 than Apologia would have been (which was what STEM-strong DS#1 did mostly all on his own and did fine with). CC does have a bit of simple algebra, when you cover moles, as well as in a few other places as I recall. But there's not a lot of math in it, and it is not advanced math. DS#2 struggled hard with higher maths, and I don't remember the math being an issue for him with CC.

I do not care for the Micro Chem labs**. Instead we used some of the TOPS units + supply kits (Analysis, Solutions, Oxidation, Cohesion/Adhesion) to go along with CC. There are also the videos on the CC website to provide extra help.

All that said, just from looking at the info about Friendly Chemistry on their website, it looks to me like Friendly Chemistry is a bit easier to understand and has more support included.


** = knowing you will ask why we didn't care for Micro Chem, here you go, lol:
- a few of the labs were impossible (for us) to do using the cheap plastic substitutes for real lab equipment that are part of the kit (glaring at YOU cheap plastic pipettes!)
- a few labs were not very clear as to the process
- and a few other labs left scratching our heads as to what we supposed to have gotten out of them

We got through about half of the labs, with a low success rate of either having the labs work, or that the process and results matched up and were meaningful to what we reading about. We jumped ship at that point and stuck with TOPS, which are at a simpler middle school level, but clearer to understand, had a high success rate of working, and helped guide the student through the process with specific questions. 

In fairness, others on these boards have used Micro Chem and seem to like it. It was just not a good fit for us.

Edited May 10, 2020 by Lori D.

[Juliegmom]

Thank you for the suggestions and sharing your experience! 

[greenfields]

Does anyone have a link for MicroChem  Labs Conceptual Chemistry textbook and workbook?

Thanks!

[Lori D.]

37 minutes ago, greenfields said:

Does anyone have a link for MicroChem  Labs Conceptual Chemistry textbook and workbook?

Thanks!

Micro Chem kit -- to use as labs to go along with the textbook

Conceptual Chemistry:
e-textbook version or paperback textbook version
 website (videos to go with the textbook)

There is no student workbook or teacher text for Conceptual Chemistry. There is a lab manual, but it is for teachers with classroom lab equipment and chemical supplies.

Edited May 11, 2020 by Lori D.

[klmama]

FWIW, my (non-science-minded) impression of Conceptual Chemistry was that it was very wordy and didn't explain much. 

Zumdahl's World of Chemistry is very clear, but there are points at which having chemistry knowledge yourself may be important to help the student understand, unless you are using another resource for instruction. 

One option for instruction is Georgia Public Broadcasting's original chemistry series, Chemistry: A Study of Matter.  The teacher materials for that, including printable student pages, can be purchased for just $20; the videos are free online, along with free student pages, but no keys.  The closer look videos with the newer GPB chem series are useful as supplemental instruction, and the toolkit for the newer series has printable periodic tables  (ETA: I just discovered that there are a few atomic weight errors on the periodic tables I linked from the newer series.)  I don't care for the newer series, but I do like the extras.

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by klmama