April in WA Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 My current year 7th grader is using Apologia General Science this year. Because of our school district's science requirments, I am thinking about going with the BJP 8th grade science for next year. I have several questions. First, does anyone have definite opinions about which edition is better? I know the newer edition is usually much better than the older but not always. I can buy the 2nd edition much cheaper so that is a consideration also. Secondly, a question about the experiments. I've read that doing the experiments is not absolutely necessary. I realize it's usually best to do them though. Will we be missing out on a lot by not doing them? Would getting the DVDs showing the experiments be a good alternative? If I was to buy all the experiment materials, would it work to do a chapter's worth or so on one day with other families? Finally, a question about the new edition specifically. I understand the Applications pages are in the back of the textbook. Are these reproducible, do you tear them out, or does the student copy them on to notebook paper? Thanks, April in WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 We have the BJU Earth and Space Science 3rd edition. The student activity sheets are not reproducible. The sheets are made to be written on. They are perforated if you want to tear them out. We are not using the experiments and dd is still learning plenty. I do think the student activities do a lot for cementing the concepts taught. We just don't do the activities that require materials we don't have. But many of them can be done with just the information in the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Well we're in BJU 5 and have 6 for fall, have already done 3 and 4. I really like the new editions, so I would think you'd be glad you spent the money for them. However I haven't actually compared them to know how extensive the differences are. Yes, you can pool the activities and do them once weekly, no problem. And yes, I would do the activities, mho. I only went to a cs for a few years growing up, but the activities from the BJU science were quite memorable and instructive! Do you know http://www.homesciencetools.com sells kits for the activities? And really, you might have more than you realize of the supplies you would need. You might check your tm first and see what all you need. In the new editions (don't know about the old), there's a list in the back of the tm with all the things you use and in what chapter you use them. Then you can look in the chapters to see how important those items are, whether you could sub something you already have, etc. But truly, most of the supply kits from HST are around $50, probably just a dab more than the cost of that video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtotkbb Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I don't have the 8th grade Sci book yet, but we are using the new edition for the 7th grade Life Sci and it's wonderful. From people I've talked to that have used the 3rd ed for 8th they found it better than the 2nd. While the text has the Activities section at the back of the student book, they also sell a separate book that is only the Activities. I'm assuming that the 8th will be similar in format to 7th, we read a section and dd completes a few review ? at the end of the chpt then she goes to the Activities section and completes what are called "Ideas" these re-enforce material learned in the reading. Some of the ideas are fill in the blank, some puzzles, some diagrams to label, etc. Then each chpt has 1-3 "class investigations" - these are the experiments. We haven't found it necessary to complete each investigation, but we have generally completed at least 1 a chpt or 1 every two chpts. We purchased the supply kit from http://www.hometrainingtools.com and it's been perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I don't have the 8th grade Sci book yet, but we are using the new edition for the 7th grade Life Sci and it's wonderful. From people I've talked to that have used the 3rd ed for 8th they found it better than the 2nd. While the text has the Activities section at the back of the student book, they also sell a separate book that is only the Activities. I'm assuming that the 8th will be similar in format to 7th, we read a section and dd completes a few review ? at the end of the chpt then she goes to the Activities section and completes what are called "Ideas" these re-enforce material learned in the reading. Some of the ideas are fill in the blank, some puzzles, some diagrams to label, etc. Then each chpt has 1-3 "class investigations" - these are the experiments. We haven't found it necessary to complete each investigation, but we have generally completed at least 1 a chpt or 1 every two chpts. We purchased the supply kit from www.hometrainingtools.com and it's been perfect. The Earth and Space 3rd edition is set up the same as the Life Science 3rd edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeana Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Just out of curiosity, what does BJU offer that AP doesn't? What requirements does your area have that would make AP out? I only ask because my son is doing AP. We live in NZ but he will probably go to University in the states. I am from there and we might move back when the kids are Uni age. He wants to do something with chemistry. They don't have requirements here so it is hard to know what to go by. Thanks, Jeana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
April in WA Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Jeana, I think you are addressing this question to me so I will answer. I live in Washington state which has very loose homeschooling laws. I am almost completely free to educate my children how ever I see fit. Howerever, if I choose to, I can enroll my children under an alternative learning umbrella where I still hold most of the control, but my children can receive a district stamped high school diploma. While I don't know that I care about this in the long run, I am not ready to close the door on it yet. My local district stipulates earth science in 8th, physical in 9th, life in 10th and another science in 11th or 12th. Apologia does not have a specific earth science program and the school district will not let me count physical in 8th. I'm just investigating if I can find a program I can be happy with and make them happy too. It's looking like BJP will do that. Thanks to all the ladies who've answered my questions. I may be back with more. Blessings, April in WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeana Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Thanks April. That kinda clears things for me. I am now contemplating BJUP for science because of your post. It looks good to me. Hope you can make a decision. Good luck. Jeana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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