Posted by Excelsior! Academy on 19:51 Jan 11
In Reply to: Does anyone use Noeo Science? posted by E
I liked it overall. The first 1/2 of the year was a lot of read/sketch/define, but the last 1/2 had many experiments. They even suggest in their teacher's guide that you should do at least 1 experiment a week, and that science is not meant to be a spectator sport.
I thought some of the experiments were simplistic, but my dc loved them all. Many of the experiments were pretty cool, though. We made 1 + 1 does not equal 2 brew. You take colored water and an equal amount of rubbing alcohol and pour them into a measured container. It will not add up to twice the amount. We floated oil in the "middle" of water (and alcohol), poured water down a string, and made silly putty then a bouncy ball. One kit had us make and calibrate then use a scale out of a cereal box. Most of the experiments came from Super Science Concoctions and the Young Scientist Kits.
You could create this program on your own, if you chose. *I* wouldn't because I tend to forget to go to the store in time for the ingrediants and supplies I don't have, thus delaying our science. I liked that it was layed out, all of the materials were there, and I didn't have to think about it. The books for this level were pretty visually spectacular. The book on water was especially cool. Next year we are going to use a nature study approach, but will probably use Noeo again in the future.