Science curriculums

[staceyshoe]

I have my curriculum picked for most subjects, but I haven't really heard of any single-subject curriculums for science. Am I missing something? What is everyone using?

[Shelsi]

I'm just now pulling my ds out of school next week so I'm still pretty clueless. However I've been trying to get my curriculum together and I've decided to use Real Science 4 Kids. I've looked through the sample chapters and I just love that they teach chemistry at such an early age. It makes perfect sense to me to start with the "smallest" science and build up from there. My brother is getting his PhD in chemistry right now and he thinks it's a great idea too.

Plus it looks like there's a ton of experiments. I admit I'm a science freak so I wanted something that was full of hands on things.

My ds also likes to watch Sid the Science Kid on PBS and I think we might do some of those experiments as well.

[AAK]

We use the Real Science 4 Kids. My fourth grader is doing Physics level 1. It is perfect for us. You could cruise through the curriculum pretty fast if you wanted, but we are doing a relaxed pace. We do 1 or 2 chapters a month with the labs and then we expand on it a bit. Here is a link:

http://www.gravitaspublications.com/

Amy

[Daffodil103]

How old are your dc?

We just switched to http://www.eequalsmcq.com/ for my 8yo. So far, loving it! I plan to continue with the Earth Science after Life Science. We ditched BFSU
http://www.amazon.com/Building-Found...0736467&sr=8-1 Loved the concept, not easy to implement for me. I didn't have enough time to do the program justice. Still highly recommend it & will be using it occasionally for ideas.

[Madame Pomfrey]

We've always enjoyed the GEMS curriculum units. They're all based in inquiry and they teach like a fun adventure.

Lucie

[ChristaN]

Originally Posted by AAK

We use the Real Science 4 Kids. My fourth grader is doing Physics level 1. It is perfect for us. You could cruise through the curriculum pretty fast if you wanted, but we are doing a relaxed pace. We do 1 or 2 chapters a month with the labs and then we expand on it a bit. Here is a link:

http://www.gravitaspublications.com/

Amy

Amy, Having seen some comments on Amazon about this curriculum having a Christian foundation, I wonder if you feel that is the case? Comments have indicated that the author excludes or deemphasizes evolution and/or gives equal scientific credibility to intelligent design and creationism.

[Shelsi]

Originally Posted by ChristaN

Amy, Having seen some comments on Amazon about this curriculum having a Christian foundation, I wonder if you feel that is the case? Comments have indicated that the author excludes or deemphasizes evolution and/or gives equal scientific credibility to intelligent design and creationism.

I would very much like to know this as well. I thought this was a secular science program.

If it isn't then what on earth is? I know that many HSing families are religious but I'm pretty shocked that there aren't many science curriculums that are evolution based.

[lach]

Originally Posted by Shelsi

I would very much like to know this as well. I thought this was a secular science program.

If it isn't then what on earth is? I know that many HSing families are religious but I'm pretty shocked that there aren't many science curriculums that are evolution based.

I always thought it was secular too. But I guess I haven't seen it. I've heard good things about Pangia Press's R.E.A.L. Science. That is supposed to be 100% secular.

[AAK]

Originally Posted by ChristaN

Amy, Having seen some comments on Amazon about this curriculum having a Christian foundation, I wonder if you feel that is the case? Comments have indicated that the author excludes or deemphasizes evolution and/or gives equal scientific credibility to intelligent design and creationism.

So far, I have only used the Physics curriculum, but I haven't seen anything "Christian" in it. I am glad I didn't read about the Christian foundation before I bought it, as I may have changed my mind. However, if you go to their site, you can actually view the entire book before buying. If the only problem is the exclusion of evolution I would probably supplement. However, I would really want to see how it is worded if the author tries to balance the viewpoints. I think it is a great discussion/debate for older (high school) students, but not for elementary.

Amy

OK, I just checked the site and you don't get to view the entire book anymore! You used to. . . I guess some people probably abused that priviledge, but I thought it was nice. I went through the entire chemistry and physics level 1 before deciding which we would do this year. I have not gotten a Christian vibe from either of them.

[dotnetdiva]

Here's a handy chart on secular science programs:
http://www.hsfreethinkers.com/curricula/sciences

I ended up teaching evolution to my 4 year old myself, it went great!

We started science officially this fall, and are using Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (not listed on that chart). If we do science classically this spring (haven't decided if that makes total sense to me yet), I got Pandia Press R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey lined up.

[dotnetdiva]

Real Science for Kids by Gravitas Publications promotes Intelligent Design, says so in their FAQ, so I could never use it. If you look the author up, she speaks at ID conferences.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_W._Keller

[lach]

Originally Posted by dotnetdiva

Real Science for Kids by Gravitas Publications promotes Intelligent Design, says so in their FAQ, so I could never use it. If you look the author up, she speaks at ID conferences.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_W._Keller

Yikes, thanks so much for finding this. I guess I always assumed it was secular. It was at the top of our list of science curricula to look into: R.E.A.L Science it is, I guess!

[Shelsi]

Is it safe to say that ID only "comes up" in the biology portion? I'm just wondering if I could still do the chemistry and physics and then maybe do the biology from R.E.A.L Science, kwim? I really like how Real Science 4 Kids is set up with chemistry and such.

[lach]

I was googling around, and a very old thread in this forum came up and someone linked to this:

http://www.hsfreethinkers.com/curricula/sciences

Thought it might be helpful.