Conceptual Chemistry text & Chem Alive DVDs questions

[RhondaM.]

The Conceptual Chemistry Alive! looks like something my 16 yr old would enjoy.

 

How is the student text? Do you like it? Is it colorful, written in an interesting way? Or dull and dry?

 

The DVD seems to come with both 2nd and 3rd edition..are there any major differences between the editions besides that one is cheaper? :)

 

Do we need the student guide? Lab manual? Are the labs doable at home?

Easy to get supplies for???

 

We are NON science people ...we really need it laid out for us. I like Spectrum because it has all the supplies and the book looks interesting...but I think ds would really like the Conceptual Chem. Alive DVDs.

 

Thanks,

RhondaM.

[Ruth in Canada]

My 12 year old is thoroughly enjoying this book and the DVDs. Both are very lively and, although they are supposedly aimed at university students, I think they are actually a bit more appropriate (in tone) for younger students. (My 12 year old is enthusiastic about science and a bit ahead in math.)

 

I can't tell you about editions. We don't have the student guide. I would have bought the teacher manual or whatever it is that would have given me answers to the even questions but Pearson Canada wanted to charge me 3x what Pearson US is charging homeschoolers. We don't have the lab manual because we are not focusing on labs--although we may do some at the end of the year. He'll do at least another year of chemistry later on so we'll focus on labs then.

 

My biggest concern would be: this is not a standard high school chemistry class. There's far less math. If he's never going to go farther with chemistry than a "chemistry for poets" type class at the university level, this is fine. If you think he might need to take standard chemistry at the university level, this may not be enough preparation. (Well--actually we are doing conceptual chemistry first and then AP level chemistry--so I suppose one could go from conceptual chemistry to standard university level chemistry, but my 15 year old has found it a bit of a leap and will take at least 3 semesters to do it.) This is why I like using this book for junior high kids who are ready for more serious science than they are usually offered--it sets them up well for the more math-intense high school classes later. On the other hand--if standard high school chemistry isn't in the cards for your son, or if you can take another year to do that, "Conceptual Chemistry" is very interesting.

[Storm Bay]

My 13 yo will be doing this at 14, and she's going to major in science. However, she'll have to do AP Chem later when she's had more math. But I don't think that would be necessary for an aspiring arts major, plumber, etc.