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