Need ideas for 3rd gr chemistry please...

[Pster]

I hadn't considered starting chem with dd till I posted yesterday so I wasn't even "listening" to all the posts about it.

Now I need some ideas to ponder over the next few months about what to look at ....ideas of what to do....

(kids ages: dd7, dd6, dd4 - little ones would be watching too I'm sure)

what have you done for chem for 3rd gr?
what curriculums do you like?
what books have you supplemented with that are "must haves"?

(Jessica - I have your list on file already! ;))

thanks!

[Heather in VA]

I love Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry. It isn't dumbed down and the kids really like it.

[Mrs. Readsalot]

My son and I thought this was great. We recently used it as a quick review before starting a more difficult Chemistry program. I am glad we did.

[ABQmom]

I'll be watching this thread too as I have an upcoming third grader. I'm pretty up in the air about what I will do for Science this year. I used LLB chemistry with my dd when she was in third grade. We didn't like it, so I won't be using that one again.

[Beth in Central TX]

Even though I did not like Living Learning Books Life science or Earth science, I did like their Chemistry program. However, it's mostly experiments.

I probably could have done a better job at supplementing , but I used The Usborne Science Encyclopedia as a reference (mostly for me) and then included writing by using Men of Science, part of the Imitation in Writing series. The Men of Science book covers all aspects of science, not just Chemistry.

I thought it was a good introduction to Chemistry, but then again, history and science are not a priority in the grammar or logic stage for our homeschool.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

Christian Kids Explore Chemistry and I'm loving it as I look through it. It's laid out well and easily done. The experiments are things I can find without any trouble or I have around the house already. I'm going to add Flash, Bubble, Fizz(I think that's the name):confused:to supplement, so we'll see how that goes. But, it all looks really good!

[JudoMom]

I hadn't considered starting chem with dd till I posted yesterday so I wasn't even "listening" to all the posts about it.

Now I need some ideas to ponder over the next few months about what to look at ....ideas of what to do....

(kids ages: dd7, dd6, dd4 - little ones would be watching too I'm sure)

what have you done for chem for 3rd gr?
what curriculums do you like?
what books have you supplemented with that are "must haves"?

(Jessica - I have your list on file already! ;))

thanks!

RS4K Pre-Level 1 Chemistry. My guys were 7,6,4 & 3. They all really enjoyed it and it was easy enough to do.

[Chris in VA]

Just an idea--The Janice Van Cleave books are soo good! I think she has a chem one.
We also liked the simple book about Pasteur--but it's probably too easy for your dd.

[mcconnellboys]

I like the Fun with Atoms and Molecules books recommended in WTM. I also like Elements intro to chemistry, available through RRC.

Regena

[Riverfront Headmistress]

Look in the library for a book _Kitchen Chemistry_.

[Nancy in NH]

My library has two copies, so we didn't even have to buy it. I also found that the library stocks More Adventures with Atoms and Molecules. My kids, ages 7, 8, & 10, are enjoying the experiments. They are simple and the ingredients are easy to find. I am having my 10 yr old supplement with extra reading, some outlining, and diagramming. It is not intimidating and the explanations are clear.

[KYHokiemom]

I started Chem in the fall with ds8, dd7, dd4 using Adventures with Atoms and Molecules as rec. by WTM. We read the intro, sometimes supplementing with library books and Usbourne's Science Encylopedia. We did a vocab. page and an experiment page each lesson (2 per week). The kids loved the experiements, I thought they were ok. As titled, it focuses on molecules and there is little basic chem teaching, so I was a little concerned that the kids were not grasping what Chem WAS. We also took time to discuss scientific method at the beginning of the semester to help the kids think logically through the 'problem' or experiment. (This was from my own head.)This semester I ordered Real Science 4 Kids hoping for a broad yet specific overview. The textbook is very fun and helpful- the kids are grasping the abstract ideas of atoms, molecules, compounds, etc. The experiments are very watery compared to AAM, but the kids like them. I don't like the format for the lab sheets. They are a bit obscure and pointless. (I have a biochem background.) I stumbled on a great book on the periodic table at Barnes and Noble called THE PERIODIC TABLE: ELEMENTS WITH STYLE by Andrian DIngle. We have done some notebook pages on the families of elements.It is a fun book that looks at each element and it's unique character as well as the families of elements. It is silly, interesting and fun. We OK, SO, All this to say :) if I had 36 weeks to go through chem, I would use NOEO science next time. It is all laid out for you and is rich in real books, basic chem info and experiments. It is pricey, though, and that is why I opted NOT to use it in the beginning. If you are willing to put it together yourself and /or want to save some $, I would use Real Science 4 Kids. HTH - Gotta run!

[Sweetest]

I will be doing Chemistry next year with my dd and I am planning on using NOEO Chem 1...I had also considered a shorter program called Elements Intro to Chemistry (found at Rainbow Resource) which is more of a unit study...maybe good for half a year I was guessing.

I decided on NOEO because I like the idea of having everything laid out for me and in one place (unlike this year, ha). I am planning on buying the complete kit but if you can get the books from the library you could probably do it for under $100 if you just buy the guide and experiments...

Obviously I can't vouch for either program (although I have heard good things about both), just some more things to consider :)

[Soph the vet]

We are using God's Design for Chemistry by Richard and Debbie Lawrence. There are two books each with 35 lessons. Many fun experiments. Some material is way beyond 3rd grade, i.e. ionic and covalent bonding. We skip the quizzes at this stage and focus on the hands-on.
Also, there is a very humorous periodic table song on YouTube performed by a homeschool family. Just search homeschool periodic table and it will come up I think.

[GaJeannie]

Christian Kids Explore Chemistry with our dd when she was in 3rd grade. She LOVED it....said she wanted to be a chemist...! Woohoo. Of course, now she's moved on to other aspirations...

HTH,

[Mrs Mungo]

We used a combination of RS4Ks Chemistry and Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid.

[Kristen in NC]

We studied chemistry last year with my then 3rd grade son and 1st grade daughter. We used RS4K Chemistry and Pre-level chemistry. I bought the lab book for the regular level and used the experiments from it for both children. Frankly, I wasn't that thrilled with the labs. The texts were really good though. We also used Fizz, Bubble, and Flash. It was a really great book with lots of good activities. FWIW my dh is a chemistry teacher and he picked out RS4K because he thought it did an excellent job explaining and illustrating the concepts.

[my2kidsmom]

We have really enjoyed Christian Kids Explore Chemistry. The lessons are short. There are unit tests in the book. Most importantly, my dd loves it.

[HollyDay]

Noeo has a nice Chemistry program. They actually have two. Chem 1 is for 1st - 3rd grades and Chem 2 is for 4th - 6th. It is a really neat program and I love it!! We started this year (3rd and 6th) with Chem 2. Dd in 3rd grade loved it and did very well. Dd 6th grade did not do as well. She did not like the single minded focus of the program. She does much better with a BJU style text book (go figure) that changes topics every chapter. Again, I loved it. I will pick it up again next year with dd in 4th grade while 7th grader wades through BJU Life Science 7.

[Pster]

do you know where I can see inside the Real Science chem bks? I haven't found a place online yet. - never mind I did see it

thanks~