Bright Idea Press: Christian Kids Explore Chemistry

30 Lessons in five units
Hands-On Activities: including making model atoms, breaking covalent bonds, and making gas expand.
Chemistry Terms, Notations, and Rules
Unit Reviews
Supplemental Book List
Coloring pages
Comprehensive Glossary
Elements Tables

Answer Keys
Lists for further Biographical Study

This is all you need to teach a strong, basic chemistry course for Junior high and upper elementary students.
Organized and easy-to-use!
Grades 4 – 8, 384 pages.
$39.95 also for $12.95 you can purchase a downloadable student activity guide to make copies for multiple students.

I was eager to get to examine Bright Idea Press Christian Kids Explore Chemistry.  This family owned publishing company has an excellent reputation in the home school community. I have heard a lot about the whole Christian Kid's Explore Science Series written by Robert and Elizabeth Ridlon.
I was not disappointed. Though this is our first foray into chemistry, a subject I know nothing about, the book is well written and very easy to follow. I like the simple explanations and word definitions in the margins. It starts with an introduction to chemistry and progress through atoms, molecules, states of matter and concludes with organic chemistry. While my 5th grade son and I have not completed the book (do to his age we are using it as a reference work to correspond with his earth science studies). We are enjoying reading about the basics of chemistry and doing the "hand-on" activities that go with the chapter we are reading for example for Lesson 18: Salts you do a hands-on experiment to see how acids dissolve calcium carbonate. You will have to get the book to learn more, LOL.
What my son said " The book is very easy to use and understand. I am enjoying the experiments which are easy to do."
Some of the practical skill the book introduces are the scientific method, safe scientific practices and note taking skills (Lesson 4 on the Elements teaches your child to make index cards of the periodic table.)

I appreciate the comments made on the FAQs page to help you make your own decision about where to start the series in your family.

http://brightideaspress.com/

Any products reviewed by me as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew have been given to me free of charge in order for me to provide you with an honest review of the product and/or how I used the product within my family. I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.

Check out: Corps of Re-Discovery Fringe Pouch Kit

I always like a project for my children that encourages their creativity. I like them to have hands-on TV free activities. This pouch by the Corps of Re-Discovery filled those needs very nicely. My son chose to do this project. He really enjoyed doing the project. He is 11 and was able to do the project on his own. We found the instructions somewhat confusing when it came to attaching the fringe of the bag and the drawstring. Other than that the materials for the bag were all included with the holes pre-punched so that he could sew the bag easily. This bag is $11.99 on its own but can also be purchased in a kit with other "frontier" like items.

The Corps of Re-Discovery is a family owned business that specializes in frontier, American Indian, pioneer and colonial craft kits.



Any products reviewed by me as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew have been given to me free of charge in order for me to provide you with an honest review of the product and/or how I used the product within my family. I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.

Book Sneeze Review: The American Patriot's Almanac

The stories in this book are part of what Abraham Lincoln called the "mystic chords of memory." So begins the lead in to The American Patriot's Almanac. The Almanac is a daily source of information about history, heroes and achievements that sum up what American history is all about... What drew my interest to this book is my enjoyment of history. I also wanted a resource that I could go to for quick facts. This 560 page book certainly fills that need. Though a  packed resource the Almanac is very interesting reading. The format is broken up into months starting in January and going through December. Each day of the month for the entire year has facts, stories, biographies, newspaper clips, letters, poetry and trivia from American history.  Important documents like the  Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, The Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation are recorded in their entirety.  The reading is pleasant and enjoyable. The format well thought out. This book would make a great gift for a history buff or for use as a reference book.

By William Bennett, John Cribb
Published by Thomas Nelson/Revised edition, 2010

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255