AK_Mom4
- Reviewed on Thursday, April 23, 2009
- Grades Used: 3rd
- Dates used: 2009
We really like McRuffy Science. Lots of hands on activities. It moves quickly from topic to topic - building on the previous activities. The teacher's guide is GREAT!! It has scripting if you want it for each lesson and has extra directions for some of the activities. We're looking forward to 4th grade science coming out in the fall.
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sdelennm
- Reviewed on Tuesday, May 13, 2008
- Grades Used: K, 2nd
- Dates used: 2006-current
McRuffy Science is a science program which is written for a school setting, but is easily implemented in a homeschool setting. It is a general science program which covers the 4 main areas of science. This program is written by a Christian author, but is not overtly Christian in nature.
The lessons are divided into units ranging anywhere from 2 to 5 lessons on a topic with the units being able to be switched around to meet other scheduling needs. It is written to be used 2 times a week throughout a school year. These lessons take on average 20 to 30 minutes and are a combination of workbook, readings and experiments. Additionally, games are used to reinforce concepts at various times. At the 2nd grade level, there is occasional suggestions on research to be performed.
The Teacher's Manual is broken into sections, including preparation, objectives, teaching, etc. The preparation section includes any items which need to be gathered and any other tasks that need to be completed prior to presenting the lesson. The preparation time for this science course is minimal (even less if the science kit sold by McRuffy is used). The most preparation time that I had to complete was approximately 10 minutes the night before a lesson. The teacher's manual itself is scripted as to what to say and how the experiments are performed. The teacher's manual is itself essentially open and go.
The student's workbook is colorful with easy to read print. New words and main concept words are in bold print to facilitate learning. Workbook pages for most lessons are 1 page; however, occasionally there are 2 if the lessons requires illustrations. In the 2nd grade material, sometimes there are not any workbook pages due to the hands-on nature of the material.
The main program includes the teacher's manual, workbook and resources, such as games and charts. There is also an optional science kit which has most of the items needed to conduct the experiments and in my opinion is worth the money.
I have found that this curriculum is well worth the money and provides a good rounded science education for younger elementary students at an age appropriate level. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a general science program that combines many ways of learning concepts, such as games, workbooks, experimentation and reading. Additionally, the customer service from McRuffy Press is excellent and they are willing to clarify or answer any questions that you might have.
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