Review–High School Physical Science in Your Home

I am a science curriculum junkie.  Yes, I admit it.  I love to explore every science curriculum that I can get my hands on.  Most of the products I explore are traditional textbook style programs.  I have recently been able to explore Bridget Ardoin’s Science for High School course entitled High School Physical Science in Your Home.  We have been using this for about six weeks; and, I must say I am impressed.

     The High School Physical Science in Your Home comes complete with the Student Manual, a set of Quizzes and Tests, and a Teacher’s Guide.  It is designed to be a ‘research-based independent study guide for home school families.’ The entire set retails for $79.99 and extra student manuals are available for $24.99.  The course is designed for students in grades 9-12.  In Tennessee, kids can take Physical Science in eighth grade for ninth grade credit, so I am using this with my eighth grader and my 11th grader is reviewing it (he didn’t do well in Physical Science originally). The course is divided into two semesters with a total of twenty-five units covered.  The lessons are designed so that students are given a list of research questions to work on and a due date by which to have them completed.  Students are encouraged to use books, periodicals, the internet, and other reference sources to answer the questions thoroughly.  On the due date, the parent goes over the answers to the questions with the student.  Thorough answers are provided in the Teacher’s Guide.  This ensures students glean all of the pertinent information for each question.  One lab is assigned for each week.  The labs use equipment that is fairly common around the home. A list of supplies needed for each semester is listed in the Teacher’s Guide. For other equipment, lab kits are available for purchase through the website, beginning at $45. If desired, quizzes may be given once every week or so, and, a final exam may be given at the end of each semester.

     For my kids, this different style of curriculum has been a breath of fresh air.  They get quite overwhelmed with huge textbooks, especially in science.  Since it is summer, I didn’t give them a hard due date for assignments.  They typically were able to complete each assignment in 3-4 days which left us a couple of days each week to do the lab and prepare for a quiz.  Quizzes are their least favorite part of anything; but, if I go over the material thoroughly with them each week they are definitely prepared for the quizzes (with study on their part, of course). They have studied a variety of topics so far, including:  The Scientific Method and Air; Atmosphere; Weather; Weather and Climate; and Water.  They are away on a mission trip right now; but, when they return, they will begin a study of Astronomy.

     I have used many different Physical Science curricula over the years.  From a scope and sequence standpoint, this curriculum is comparable to other high school Physical Science courses.  The burden of learning is placed heavily in the student’s court, which is tremendous preparation for college.  Ardoin’s curriculum leaves lots of room for exploration and extension of topics.  Student’s are required to know certain facts about each lesson; but, beyond those facts they learn as much as they research.  I have found that my collection of Physical Science texts have been the most popular books used for my kids research.  It seems that when they aren’t having to just sit and read, they actually like the books.  I recommend this curriculum for any home schooling family that likes more research-based study.  It is thorough and simple to implement.

     My friends at the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been using this curriculum as well as other products from Science for High School.  To read their reviews, click on the banner below.