3Rivers Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 I notice that WP uses "God's Design for Science": Earth in their "Rock Around the Earth" science program. The whole kit and kaboodle is $129. AND YET I notice that one could just get the text book as a stand alone text for the year and be done with it. For those who use kits or programs rather than just spines, why would I buy more and also purchase their TM with a text that is already divided? Is it just to have more quality books, or am I missing something here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohdanigirl Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Well I am not sure if I will have it right, but when you say the whole kitankaboodle...? Do you mean with all the needed materials, books, and instructions. This could be great for someone who may not have time to go out and find every little thing. It can be a real pain. I use the recs in TWTM (Adv. w/ A&M, Elictricity and MAgnatism, etc) and it can be a pain finding all the needed thing, but I have three boys at different age levels and son't want to but kits repeatedly. Also, we live in Mexico which means the extra cost of getting reading books for History and Lit to have on hand. Also, the TM will often expalin the results of whatever science project you are doing. What should happen, why, what it means, and may even define important terms. Also they often give other ideas for a related project, or trying the project with different materials. This could expand the learning process and makes it easier if you are not of a scientific mind. So I guess it is really a personal decision. Hope this helps. Danielle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolchic Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Hi, We used Rock Around the Earth last year but it didnt have a text, so I guess it was a bit different. I usually order the whole thing as it makes my life sooo much easier, LOL..I like having a schedule and I like to have all the additional resourses needed right at my fingertips..:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Jamie, That isn't quite apples to apples. If you went with God's Design you would probably need all three life text to cover one year, at minimum 2 so you are looking at closer to $75 vs. $129 as WP's program is a full 36 weeks. WP also adds in other books, for a more...can't quite find the wording. It is a fuller experience. Not better, not worse, just has more options, more hands on and will dive deeper into the topics that are covered, but it will cover less topics overall. WP generally really appeals to visual, hands on learners. GD used to be black and white and my oldest specifically asked to stop using them because of it. Using WP was a way to get around that issue. Now that GD is more visually engaging the pull of WP would be for those who wanted to go deeper into the specific topics they cover, or for those who prefer a living books approach vs. more of a textbook feel or lastly those who have hands on learners. I don't know about the newer texts, but about half the activities in the old GD were crossword puzzles, fill in the blank forms (like the water cycle) or other seat work. WP uses additional activity books, so that you always have a choice of something to physically do. In the end both are excellent programs, so it is really about learning style and preference. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3Rivers Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 AH! That is exactly what I needed to know. I didn't realize that I would need more than one God's Design book for a year either, so that makes a big difference. We are all definitely the dig-deeper, visually appealling, hands-on kind of folks, so Rock Around the Earth seems like the best choice here. Thank you so much! I'm so glad I asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Jamie, Cool, glad I could help! Each GD books has around 30 chapters. If you only did science twice a week, and did the reading one day and the questions and activity the second, then you could almost squeeze a year out of it, but I think you would really have to work at it. Generally WP has a 4 day a week schedule with both reading and an option of an activity on each day. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulcindy Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 I want to use this for my 11 yo. What I am going to do is just purchase the IG. All the other books are at my library. And the GD4S is cheaper elsewhere then at WP, and the rock kit is half the cost if you get it at Amazon. The whole thing will cost me under $60.00, rather then get the whole thing from WP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3Rivers Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 Good idea getting it elsewhere, too. And yeah, I don't want to have to s-t-r-e-t-c-h a science text and add all the supplemental "stuff". That would be work! LOL And I don't need any more of that. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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