Physics for 7th grade?

[Cheryl in NM]

Ds wants to learn about physics. We've used some Apologia science books and we like them, but the physics ones are for 11-12 grade. So I checked at Rainbow Resources and found these. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with any of them or any other physics instruction for a 7th grader.

Power Basics (http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Physics+Student+Workbook+and+Answer+Key/033202/1232058930-579502)

Tiner's Exploring the World of Physics (http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Exploring+the+World+of+Physics/036334/1232058930-579502)

There are some God's Design Books for the Physical World.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[swellmomma]

Does Janice Van Cleave have a physics book? I know apologia elementary books is coming out with a physics/chem book in 2010 which would work then, but in the meantime I don't know. Maybe one of the NOEO physics packages? I think the level 2 one would work for a 7th grader

[Stacy in NJ]

We're using a book called The Secrets of the Universe, Discovering the Universal Laws of Science by Paul Fleisher. I believe Ambleside recommends it for 6th or 7th grade. We're using it along side the Physics portion of The Rainbow. It's out of print but available used via amazon. It's not a text but a "real" book.

Another option would be Exploration Education: http://www.explorationeducation.com/intermediate/overview.html

HTH, Stacy

[bugs]

I have not looked at either of the books you listed. I have looked at the Prentice Hill Science Explorers. PH seems to be pretty good for middle school kids. Right now we're using the earth science books and they have a lot of variety of activities, questions, etc. I bought mine on e-bay (2000 ed) for a fairly inexpensive price. I guess it depends on your student as well.

[Lori D.]

For the physics portion of physical science in 7th/8th grade, we used the physics portions of Reader's Digest "How Science Works", along with several TOPS units and/or other science kits. Below are some to choose from. We really enjoyed "How Science Works", and did a number of the experiments shown in the book, and also used the book as a "jumping off" point to go deeper with library books on topics on interest.

The book and all the kits are secular, though that is really not much of an issue for physics as with biology or earth science -- and especially if you are using a Tiner book to go along to give a balancing point of view.

BEST of luck finding what works for your family! Warmest regards, Lori D.


- Adventures in Science kits (gr. 4-8)
http://www.wonderbrains.com/adventures-in-science-kits.html
www.rainbowresource.com
- electricity
- magnetism
- light
- how things work (simple machines)

Science in a Nutschell kits (gr. 4-6)
http://www.delta-education.com/siangallery.aspx?subjectID=8&subID=5&menuID=68
- Charge it! Static Electricity
- Electricity and Magnetism Cluster
- Energy and Motion
- Flight! Gliders to Jets
- Water Physics
- Clever Levers (simple machines)
- Gears at Work (simple machines)
- Pulley Power (simple machines)
- Wheels at Work (simple machines)
- Work: Plane and Simple (simple machines)

TOPS (gr. 5-10)
http://topscience.org/
- #33 = magnetism
- #32 = electricity
- #42 = focus pocus (light/optics)
- #13 = cohesion/adhesion (physics and chemistry topics)
- #21 = motion


An all in one option from a Christian point of view is Rainbow Science ("The Rainbow" is the middle school level):
http://www.beginningspublishing.com/
- year 1 (gr. 6-8) = physics; chemistry
- year 2 (gr. 6-8) = biology, plus touching briefly on a few other topics


And here's a helpful website with additional information on physics:
Rader's Physics 4 Kids: http://www.physics4kids.com/

[KristineinKS]

Oops, well I just posted about Tiner's Exploring the World of Physics and God's Design for the Physical World on the other science thread. But like I said there, Tiner's book is really good and I've heard good things about the Answers in Genesis series. My son (who's currently in 6th) has started going through Tiner's book on his own, but I had planned to use it in a few months with all of my kids (4th-6th). In addition to the kits listed above, Lego Education (http://www.legoeducation.com/store/?global=usa) has some great products to supplement. My son used a few of their kits last semester in public school and couldn't stop raving about them - they really captured his interest.

[Mama Lynx]

Here we are, halfway through 7th grade, and we haven't started physics yet.

But my plan is to get a subscription to the Bite-Size Physics website, and have him and my 5th grader go through those lessons and videos. Then we'll also watch a Teaching Company series on physics - it's something like Physics in Everyday Life. That series schedules optional readings from Conceptual Physics, so we'll read that too. This all might be a little ambitious, but my 7th grader is very interested in physics. We'll see. I don't know what we'll do for actual experiments, though.

[Tami]

I really like the Prentice-Hall Science Explorer series (http://www.phschool.com/webcodes10/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.gotoWebCode&wcprefix=cgk&wcsuffix=9999) because of all the integration of technology, hands-on activities (Lab Zone CD has activities for every SE title for $30), availability of lab video, Discovery channel video, workbooks, etc. I just love the SE series!

Also check out DSM III at the Delta Education (http://www.delta-education.com/productgallery.aspx?subID=92&collection=Y&menuID=111) website. Newton's Toybox looks really fun!