Non-Textbook Chemistry?

[Crimson Wife]

I'm trying to figure out what to use next year in our study of chemistry for a 2nd grader who's working at a late elementary/early middle school level. For biology in K and earth science/astronomy in 1st we've simply done unit studies with books from the library & experiments from Janice Van Cleave's Science for Every Kid series. But for chemistry I'd like an actual curriculum to follow as I'm not as confident about my ability to teach the subject. I'm not interested in a traditional textbook approach like Apologia or BJU.

The 3 programs that I'm considering so far are NOEO, R.E.A.L. Science, and Christian Kids Explore Chemistry. I would really appreciate hearing from families who've used these programs with an advanced/gifted student.

Thanks!

[mcconnellboys]

All the smart chem kids I know here have done Ellen McHenry's programming and loved it. Rainbow Resource carries both her Elements intro and her carbon chemistry follow-up.

[Rita]

We have enjoyed Real Science 4 Kids

Blessings,
Rita

[Corraleno]

I second both Ellen McHenry and Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry.

I think the RS4K bio and physics books are a bit weak, but the chemistry books are very good, IMHO (the author is a chemist).
http://gravitaspublications.com/book-13/

I also love Ellen McHenry's stuff, and she has some great free downloadable science resources.
http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/id25.html

Jackie

[ElizabethB]

We're really enjoying RS4K. I have a bio degree and didn't understand the chemistry classes I took as well as the bio classes, especially organic Chemistry. I'm learning things from the book, too! :blushing:

It's amazing how much of it applies to other things we read. Just last week we were reading about weather, and the knowledge of molecules was very helpful for her understanding of several weather related topics that would have been very hard to explain otherwise (it was a complicated weather book, she loves the subject, and also checks the weather about every 20 minutes!) It was also helpful for explaining the water cycle.

[Karin]

For Chemistry, RS4K (aka Real Science 4 Kids) is the hands down winner. There is a textbook, but it's very good. There are experiments. We have Level I & Level II. Level I is for grades 4-6 and fit for my younger two this year. My 14 yo is doing Level II (grades 7-9) but it's too easy for her; however, she's planning to major in chemistry and wants very in depth information beyond the scope of most middle and high school texts. However, she asked me to buy it, and is doing it as a review before we move onto high school chemistry next year.

My eldest did do non-textbook chemistry, but she loves it and didn't need my help for the reading part. We tried Noeo and it was a dismal failure for us because it was too Charlotte Masony for our style--we just didn't get around to it. IMO, RS4K is much better done when it comes to Chemistry. Some haven't liked her biology, but we have the latest (2008) edition and are just starting it, so I can't give an opinion on it yet.

[Crimson Wife]

The Ellen McHenry "Elements" looks interesting, I'll have to try the free first chapter with my DD to see how she likes it.

[LisaDSB]

I've been doing chemistry this year with my 1st & 3rd graders (both EG). We used Real Science 4 Kids as a spine and I supplemented with a lot of living books, experiments and activities (including the chemistry games I downloaded from Ellen McHenry's site, which are a lot of fun). I got all three levels of RS4K, although we haven't really used the level 2 that much, and my youngest has really been doing more of the level 1 stuff than the pre-level.

We added in books like the Mystery of the Periodic Table and a study on Marie Curie, among many other things (I tend to oversupplement :)). It's been going really well, and hasn't seemed too "textbook-ish".

HTH

Lisa in Ontario

[JeanM]

I'm planning to use the Ellen McHenry program next year with my ds who will be in 2nd grade. We did the free first chapter last week, and ever since then he's been asking if I've ordered the rest of the program yet. So it gets the thumbs up from me, although we haven't done more than the first chapter yet.