Customer Reviews

Real Science-4-Kids, Physics Level 1, Student Text

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having heard rave reviews about this set (text, lab book, language connects) I was excited to teach this curriculum at a homeschool co-op in which I'm involved. (I used to teach physics and chemistry in the private and public sector.) As I have worked my way through the text and labs, I've been surprised at the number of issues that keep coming up. Call me "new fashioned" but let's work in metric (any lab that requires measurement). That's what 'real' scientists do. Call me picky but when she asks the kids to make a graph, she doesn't even get the independent and dependent variables on the right axis (the penny battery lab). She calls for equipment in the materials list but it isn't discussed how they're supposed to use in the actual procedure (the marble lab). Some charts are very poorly laid out (the slinky lab). Explanations are poorly written (the electroscope lab). Even the banana smash lab worked better w/play doh. The cars make a great observable imprint. Why waste a banana? I've had more success w/the Janet Van Cleave book on Physics experiments and demonstrations. The text is ok but lacks any excitement. Paul Hewitt's Conceptual Physics, while for an older crowd, can completely be used for this 3rd-5th grade age group and has wonderful analogies, graphics, and explanations. I've used it to supplement what I've been teaching at the co-op and my 9-11 year olds are doing great with it. My opinion: not worth the money.

I found the Physics, Level 1 book very well written and illustrated. My students really liked the book, too.
I used the textbook for my student's weekly assigned reading.
I also used the Teacher's Manuel that contains excellent additional information and the directions for instructing the students on how to set up one of the 10 different experiments each week. My students used the Real Science 4 Kids lab notes to make their notes which took them through the steps of the Scientific method. EXCELLENT material.

The content is very thorough, maybe too much so. I decided to use this for my 9 yo's science this year. I like the simplicity of the definitions, but they are drawn out for too long. I think less would be more here. I can tell my student is a little bored at times because the subject is not moving along fast enough. Having said that, when we reinforce what we have learned through extra discussion - she recalls the majority of the information (it was not sooooo slow that she tuned out). She does love the sometimes silly cartoon like illustrations. I WOULD and might try another branch of science in this same series, but it is not my favorite.

My 9YO son wants to be aeronautical engineer and decided he wanted to start studying NOW! He needs to study Physics and Chemistry. I searched everywhere for age appropriate books for him and these were the only ones I could find. When we received them, I was thrilled to see they were exactly what we needed. He loves reading them, they are entertaining and easily understood. It's been great revision for me, and I'm learning new things too! It's wonderful to have books from which to teach your kids that are fun. I highly recommend them for kids 7-12.

My son loves reading science books and this is his favorite in the Real Science-4-Kids series. He can't wait to get to high school so that he can learn more physics.

I purchased this for my 10 year old grandson but when it arrived I discovered I had to read it first. Totally fascinating - I might have taken physics in high school if I had known it was so 'easy'. Get it for your youngsters or for yourself.

Alright, so this book was way too young for me, but I have like 17 nieces and nephews under the age of 16. So, their aunt who loves science books does have a legitimate excuse for occasionally buying kids books. I enjoyed reading this book, as I am not great with science, but I love learning it anyway, I figured my even my youngest niece could understand the colorful illustrations meaningful connections relevant to physics. This book is definitely colorful. It is entertaining, and it is worth passing on to loved ones with young kids. I highly recommend grabbing a hold of this series. The explanations are simple, and there isn't much math involved in the first one, at least. If the kid doesn't enjoy physics maybe, you as the parent, will be inspired. After all, it is the content that matters and your level of understanding. Course, that is my opinion. Grab it while you can.

I ordered this book after finding the Pre-level 1 Chemistry book to basic for my Homeschooled 1st grader. This book introduces important concepts in short chapters and the concepts are very well explained. My son enjoys the book and we find ideas on the internet for weekly experiments to help him understand the concepts better. My only complaint is that there are too few equations and too few math equations introduced in this book. If my 1st grader is learning multiplication and division, 4th - 6th graders (which is what this book is geared toward) should be able to handle a little as well.

...first, there is nothing special in the presentation of the information -- not particularly entertaining, interesting or inspirational and not possessing any didactic advantage...second, the illustrations are quite primitive compared to other texts...third, the price is quite high -- teacher's manual plus student text plus lab book is about 200 pages total and altogether cost about $70...and note that still doesn't represent the total cost...the author is also developing what she terms "kogs" -- other study units linked to art, history, language, etc...finally, there are multiple "errata" whose correction requires periodic checking of the "gravitashomeschool.wordpress.com/category/errata" website...I believe there are better alternatives...for high school I recommend Padilla's "Science Explorer" series frm Prentice-Hall...this series of books covers a broad range of topics that allow sequencing to taste...they are well written and well illustrated...they also offer a variety of supplements -- workbooks, lesson plans, lab activities, videos, tests, etc -- plus a well designed companion website...for elementary school, Prentice-Hall's "Science" series is well done and has all the supplentary benefits of "Science Explorer."