TOPS Science
by Ron Marson and Peg Marson
Reviewed by Laurajean
TOPS Learning Systems is one product that I have consistently used and enjoyed throughout my eleven year (and still counting!) homeschool journey. And even more importantly, it has been a favorite with my children.
Science is the one subject where I feel the most inadequate (due to my government school training: read-the-chapter-answer-the-questions kind of science!), but I really love this program. It brings science to life for the student - and the teacher, too! It is VERY hands on and interactive. I especially like how they incorporate and encourage language skills.
You could pick and choose several units of interest and that could be your science for the year, or you can use these to supplement your current science program. For example, my fourth grade daughter is using Rod & Staff science. We are currently doing a unit on animal life, so we are supplementing with TOPS Animal Survival. She is having a blast!
Some of the modules have activity pages that can be copied and put in the student's folder, and other modules have activity cards which can also be reproduced and kept in a box.
Range of Topics: These modules cover a wide variety of math and science topics - the metric system, chemistry, plants, animal life, the solar system, electricity, and magnetism are representative of some of the topics covered.
Ease of use: Very user-friendly all the way around. It is easy for the teacher to put together and teach and it is easy (and fun!) for the students to use as well. Everything is well laid-out. One page contains a reproducible activity sheet for the student. The opposite page contains notes, answers, and helpful suggestions for the teacher. It is well-done enough that some students could just take this and go with very little input from the teacher. (My middle son did this with the electricity and magnetism modules - LOVED it!).
Expense: If you are looking for a budget-friendly way to do science, then this is it! Each module costs around $15 (or less), and uses common household, easy-to-find items such as aluminum foil and paper clips. Example: For the Animal Survival unit we are currently in, all I had to purchase was a set of tempera paint (red, blue, yellow, white and black) which I got in the craft section of Wal-Mart for around $3.00; a package of drinking straws - $1.00; and a box of cornflakes - $1.00. All of the other items I had around the house: glue, tape, index cards, metal washers, little jars, string, tape, paint brushes, stopwatch, etc. The TOPS website also has kits put together for many of the units at a very low/reasonable cost. The kits include some of the "harder" to find items such as droppers, lens, and magnets. They are convenient if you don't have the time to collect the necessary items.
Ages: The TOPS people have modules for all ages - beginning with ages 3-4 and on up through "12th" grade. Their website has a complete listing of all of their modules and includes the suggested grade levels. They have one program called Primary Lentil Science that is designed for younger (kindergarten age) children. This could be all you need for your school year - just add some reading and maybe a little bit of basic math. It looks like tons of fun!
Miscellaneous Advantages
- The student pages are reproducible which makes this an even better value, especially if you have several children (and if you are like me - they are all spread out in age!). These are great for co-op type classes as well.
- Although they have modules designed for different age groups, it would be very easy to use these with a variety of students. You would give your older students more work and higher expectations, but a younger one would have a ball doing the hands-on activities!
Here is a great quote from the front of one of the modules:
"Understanding science as process is critical if your students are going to mature as independent learners. Language skills are important to success in all disciplines, and science provides a good context for practice. Higher Order thinking skills are perhaps the most significant, yet most often overlooked. You can take any task to higher levels of thought by careful planning, questioning and modeling. Simple memorization of information is no real advance. To remain at the lowest levels is to encourage future failure." (TOPS Learning Systems Animal Survival, pg J)
Although these materials are not written from a Christian perspective, I have not found anything offensive in them at all. Since I use a Christian text as a spine, I have had no problem at all incorporating these units into our science study.
TOPS science modules can be purchased directly from the TOPS site. Rainbow Resource also carries quite a few of their modules. If you are even considering using this program, then I suggest visiting the TOPS website. They have sample activity lessons that you can download for free, teaching tips, suggestions, detailed info about each unit, plus lots of other neat stuff!
HomeschoolChristian.com resources related to this review:
HomeschoolChristian.com's Science section
Review of Archimedes and the Door of Science
Review of Come Learn With Me series
Review of Discoveries in Science
Review of Lyrical Learning Audio Science Programs
Review of My Name is Gene and Fun With Gene
Review of Sing Along With the Weather Dude
Review of Wild Days, Creating Discovery Journals
Review of Under the Waves
Review of The Story of Mr. Pippin
Review of Becoming Whole: Eating Your Way to Bountiful Health
Find more helpful reviews on HomeschoolChristian.com's Review Page Index!
Reviews represent the opinions of the authors rather than the views of HomeschoolChristian.com.
