I have two girls that will be in 7th and 9th grade. We did Apologia General Science together last year and I loved the curriculum because of the apologetics and learning why evolution does not make sense. However, it was somewhat difficult for my younger daughter. This year we are suppose to do Physical Science and would love to stick with Apologia but I think it will be too difficult for the 7th grader. I prefer to do science together to simplify things if possible. We cannot afford expensive DVDs or online classes, any suggestions?
I've built a complete semester-long online course around the first eight modules of Apologia's Physical Science book (which are effectively Earth Science), including a quiz with a test bank of 200 fully worked examples for each module. I'm halfway through creating a similar course for the second eight chapters (which are about physics). The way it's set up, you can teach the course yourself - which removes much of the cost. If you can find other students willing to participate in the class, you could teach them as well - and maybe involve their parents as instructors. Alternatively, I've adapted the material so it can be run as an instructor-led study - which means it's self-paced and there is no classroom interaction with other students. That way, your children could take the course without worrying about having other students in the class to work alongside. The cost of using our online learning system would be about $24 per student/instructor per semester. The only other cost would be the textbook (2nd edition) and the items needed for the experiments detailed in the book. Just let me know if this would be of any help, and I'd be glad to explain in more detail. A couple of people here used the quizzes and found them very helpful, so you can always check things out with them. I've put a lot of effort into building these courses, especially the quizzes, so I'd like to see someone benefit from them. As for ages, I would think a 7th grader could cope, although I agree that the book is better suited for grades 8-10.
I'm using PLATO Online science with my kids this year. It is on sale with homeschoolbuyersco-op.org until the 5th. They suggest a subscription per child, but, I'm going to let my 8th grade son listen in this year and give his test orally. We've watched one lesson. It was interesting. Hopeful it will work well for us.
Clumsy, how do they do the experiments? Do you have to do them on your own, or do they watch them on-line or what?
I'm sorry but I just got to read these replies. I am interested in the online Apologia course if you have more information. I looked into the other online course with the Homeschool Coop but doesn't look like it's Christian based. I like any science that presents apologetics along with it. Thank you!!!
