R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey- Life (level one) (R.E.A.L. Science -Read, Explore, Absorb & Learn Science) - Softcover

Terri Williams

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0976605708 ISBN 13: 9780976605706

Publisher: Pandia Press, 2010

Synopsis

You will find R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey (RSO) to be unlike any other science curriculum available. It is written specifically for home and small classroom use. Packed full of serious science and loads of fun, it is an incremental program that gently builds on itself and incorporates mathematics, scientific method, and science terminology. Created with the science novice in mind, you don t need any science background to teach RSO. Each book of RSO level one is a complete one-year science curriculum. Each topic in the RSO series of books is presented in an entertaining story-like format and is followed by hands-on activities along with background science information, parent instructions, labs, reading lists, journaling ideas, and websites. We strongly believe children benefit from using scientific method at an early age. RSO level one infuses scientific method and age-appropriate mathematics in every course. Students learn how to speculate, hypothesize, experiment, and conclude. Observation skills are developed through sketch drawings and written descriptions. Analytical skills are encouraged through comparing, forming questions, and interpretations. Students make age-appropriate calculations, plot results, make graphs, and diagram information, just like R.E.A.L. scientists! RSO Life (level one) is appropriate for 1st to 4th grade. The course is divided into three sections: the human body, the animal kingdom, and the plant kingdom. Students study the major body systems through making models and doing tests on their own bodies. Classification and the five kingdoms of living things are studied as students make an animal kingdom book. Animal kingdom labs include examining real worms, mollusks, arthropods, and butterfly metamorphosis. Students learn about the plant kingdom through looking at the makeup and function of seeds, flowers, leaves, stems, and roots. Each topic and/or subtopic will include 1 to 3 lessons complete with lesson story, labs, reading, and other activities. Each topic will take anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks to complete. Remember your child will also be having a whole lot of fun. Also included in this scope are laughing, playing, digging, exploring, reading, singing, and begging for more RSO!

About this title

Review

We enjoyed the pace of RSO in the past. We used the first half of the Life curriculum twice per week on our own and the second half was done once a week with a small co-op group. Both were great learning experiences for my kids. The many hands-on labs were a big hit. Each topic contains a notebook page to introduce the topic and several labs. This is what attracted me to this curriculum in the first place. Science is one of the topics that I strongly believe should be as hands-on as possible. I don t have to work at getting my kids engaged. They hear science lab and they re there, zooming to the table or the garden or wherever things are set up. Features I love about RSO: *It can be used with kids of varied ages so I don t have to have a separate curriculum for my 6 year old and my 8 year old. In fact, RSO is geared towards 1st through 4th grade. I have successfully used it with a kindergartener as well. *The lab experiments are easy to prepare for. Most of the items are household items or easily acquired via a trip to the store. The few items that you need to order are listed at the beginning of the book so you can prepare in advance. *Many of the lessons can be done outdoors. My kids love to learn outside. *RSO lists go-along books and websites if you want more resources to reinforce learning on a specific topic, they re right there in your RSO binder. So, if you don t mind getting your hands (literally) dirty, doing experiments with your kids, having your curriculum ready to go, with the lessons building upon each other, then RSO might be a good fit for you. --Creekside Learning

Edition details

• Publisher: Pandia Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0976605708
• ISBN 13: 9780976605706
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 328
• Illustrator: Terri Williams