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Topics I includes earth science, weather, physical changes, chemical changes and more.

Topics I is generally taught to children at a second or third grade level.  As with all of our courses, this is only a suggested age level.  There are no prerequisites for this course and both younger and older children successfully complete this course.

If you have a younger child you may wish to consider Topics class for them.  It is designed to be a fun introduction to science for young children.  This material can easily be adapted to a somewhat older child as needed.

You may be asking yourself why your child should take a science class when they haven't completed learning the basics of reading and arithmetic.  The answer is exposure.

Science has an extensive vocabulary of unique terms and situations.  A young child doesn't often hear words such as oxidation, sublimation, seismic, precipitation, density, mass, wave length, crucible, etc.  Some students who aren't exposed to these terms when they are young find science to be much harder than those familiar with the terms and equipment.

It isn't just exposure to words that can make science frightening.  They learn procedures and experiences that will make science easy, safe, and fun.  After they learn the principles behind using an equal arm balance, then learning to use a triple beam balance is trivial.

Topics classes also give an opportunity to drill the basics of safety into their heads.  The little kids think it is cool to wear goggles and aprons like the big kids.  When they are the "big" kids, they just think that's the way it is done.  They don't even whine, "Do I have to wear goggles today?"

Owl pellets are a good example of a procedure which is easier if there was exposure to it as a young child.  An owl eats its prey then regurgitates the indigestible bones and skin in a neat package called an owl pellet.  When little kids are given an owl pellet they respond, "cool, neat, let's find out what's in it."  If teenagers are given an owl pellet and they never had one to pick apart when they were little they say, "oh, gross."  The more you know about a subject the easier and more fun it becomes.

When young students take these courses, they learn vocabulary and procedures and have fun while doing it. 

All of our courses except for Topics I and II have three versions available for purchase.  The standard course is roughly equivalent to what you will find in typical high school labs.  This is the only level of course available for the Topics series.  We have had deluxe courses available in the past, but it seems that the younger students do better with a lab every other week.  There are 14 labs which equates to about one lab every other week of a school year including breaks. 

This course has refill kits available to allow for up to four students total to take the course and divide the cost.  Please click the links to the left to review syllabi and complete parts list for each course.

To order, you will need to click on the order form at the top of every page and print it out.  This is because we need a physical signature on the disclaimer form at the bottom of the order form.  Thanks for understanding that we can not accept online orders. 

Pricing below is the fee per month for nine months except for the short course which is a one time only fee.

Pricing

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