Considering Chemistry

Well, I had more preliminary things that felt like they needed saying, but Instagram overwhelming voted to Get On to the Books, Already! So here we are. I will just say that following multiple streams of science in the high school years requires a little forethought, not just about which books to use, but how to schedule them, i.e., don't leave all the hard ones for the same year, or overload one year with too many pages worth of reading and not enough time for observation, experimentation, and notebooking. Even if you decide to utilize textbooks, there is no rule that says they must be completed in year or, indeed, that they have to be completed at all. But we'll get those in a bit. Also, definitely do not take it that your student should read *all* the books in this post for a Full Credit of Chemistry or some such silliness. I'm just trying to help people choose by giving options and discussing a few pros and cons. 

If you'd like to follow a more living book approach, there are lots of options, so I'll touch on the few I'm most familiar with here: 

First up is Crucibles: The Story of Chemistry, I have the updated fourth edition, by Bernard Jaffee. This book is subtitled From Ancient Alchemy to Nuclear Fission, and as suggested, it tells the history of chemical discovery through biographical chapters of scientists and discoverers. It is the most systematic coverage of chemistry of the books listed in this post, and yet it is still very readable. This is a fantastic way to learn - through the stories of real people who had real triumphs as well as real failures. It is somewhat similar to The Mystery of the Periodic Table, written for adults. The chronological organization helps the reader slowly build up chemical knowledge and vocabulary. This is a very "CM" title; it is interesting and engaging, and it would be a good fit for a child willing to put in the work of extracting the important concepts, and lends itself well to narration. The main downside is the lack of illustrations or diagrams in the book, so supplementation is needed, as well as lab work, if one wanted to make a lab course using this book as the spine. 

Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Molecules that Changed History by Penny Le Couteur. If you're familiar with Ambleside Online you'll recognize this book as part of their Year 8 science curriculum, but it too is definitely high school level. My eldest three children and myself all enjoyed this book, it is a great living title, covering an interesting mix of science and history, explaining the chemistry of the commonplace. However, when it came to my fourth child, she read a couple chapters over a term before declaring to me that she "didn't understand it, and hadn't learned one thing." A little more probing and we discovered that she did not have the foundation necessary to understand it - she had little concept of atoms and almost no idea of bonds and molecules. It is true that she had read The Mystery of the Periodic Table just two years before in AO year 6, but it seemed she hadn't given that book the attention it was due either. We paused Napoleon and chose a short text to fill those foundational gaps, but all that to say - you might want to make sure your student is prepared for this book if you choose to include it in your school. This title definitely deserves a pre-read, or at least a perusal of the possible problem areas, which Ambleside Online has so helpfully noted here.

That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles: 62 All-New Commentaries on the Fascinating Chemistry of Everyday Life by Dr. Joe Schwarcz. This is an even more "popular science" title than the last and may be a good fit for students whose interests lie elsewhere than in the sciences, but who still need either a wide feast spread before them, or a requirement met.  Conversely, perusal of this book might inspire a student's interest in something they hadn't previously considered and spark new love for chemistry. The biggest downside to this book, in my opinion, is that it is only loosely organized; however the chapters are short and the reading easy, devoid of technical jargon. I have only skimmed this title, and that not recently, so I cannot speak to any inappropriate/objectionable material, and therefore I recommend pre-reading it first, as there may be things to note for discussion or skipping.

Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks. An enjoyable memoir that highlighted the ways Sacks' curiosity and interest in science led him to experiment with and understand the nature of many common elements and chemicals. I felt much respect for his parents while reading this, for the ways in which they both encouraged his interest, and (mostly) tolerated his blowing stuff up. Interspersed with his own life, he highlights the discoveries of scientists like Davy, Dalton, and Curie. This is a great title for picking up important scientific concepts effortlessly. 

There are two things to note in this title: Sacks occasionally gets off track writing. In chapter 19 he describes his first org*sm (at a young age, randomly by himself in a pool). In chapter 22 he casually mentions how his mother (in a midwifery capacity) occasionally drowned disabled/malformed newborns. For sensitive readers, these chapters could both be skipped without detriment to the overall story, but for mature readers, I highly recommend this title. </>

      

Finally, I want to suggest Theodore Gray's fantastic trio of books: The Elements, Molecules, and Reactions. Again, if you're familiar with AO's Year 6, you might recognize The Elements, but don't let its placement, or the plentitude of photographs fool you - this book (and the other two) was written for adults. In The Elements, Gray looks at each of the 118 elements in turn and discusses their properties, their common (and uncommon) forms, and how they are most often used (or not). There's also a short section at the beginning of the book about the format of the periodic table and how it got that way, that acts as a helpful primer. The second book, Molecules, explores (according to the jacket flap): "the most interesting, essential, useful, and beautiful of the missions of chemical structures that make up every material in the world." But you'll learn some scientific concepts here too, if you wish: he begins with a discussion of how atoms bond to form molecules and compounds, and organic vs. inorganic chemistry. Gray then goes on to explore soaps and solvents, goops and oils, rocks and ores, smells and colors. Parents should be aware that Gray purposely addresses drugs (legal and illegal), sweeteners (natural and artificial), and controversial compounds. Again, this is an adult book, and some of his comments may be unsuitable for younger students, and you may not agree with his conclusions on opioids, Splenda, thimerosal, or CFCs. I recommend pre-reading, at least those sections of most concern. Reactions, the final book, is a recent acquisition of mine, and as such I've not had the time to peruse is very thoroughly, but it purports to demonstrate how molecules interact and change in essential ways, while explaining such chemical concepts as energy and entropy, and how time affects all. In all three books, Gray's enthusiasm for his subject shines through, and I feel like a student could learn a lot more from these books than from your average chemistry text.  Though the same could probably be said about all the books mentioned here today. 

Sidenote: my son will (most likely) be reading Molecules and Reactions, along with Drawing Physics and some labs/experiments/demonstrations for a high school credit of Physical Science. Just thought I'd mention it in case that option appeals to someone else as well. Remember that if your students are looking to apply to college, they will probably need to show some type of lab credit. This doesn't have to be as hard as it sounds! But that's a topic for another post. 

ETA: None of these links are affiliate links - I make absolutely no money off this masterpiece of a blog, lol. They are simply there for your ease - to quickly get a bit more info about a book. I ALWAYS recommend shopping around, buying second hand, and supporting small businesses. <3 

Year 4 science

Last year when I was planning our upcoming lessons, I challenged myself to create a science curriculum with what I had on hand. It was fun to do, and as we are now winding up our school year, it has occurred to me that I chose pretty well, and so I thought I'd share.

Spring and Summer and Fall and Winter in North Carolina Forests 

I've wanted to use these books in our school for along time, but I always chose Burgess books instead. But these were an excellent way to sort of "force" nature study, because so many of the plants and animals could be found right in our yard, so that as we read about them, we also went out to go see them, as much as possible. I liked that these books covered not only birds and mammals, but some reptiles and amphibians, as well as plants, mushrooms, and even discussed a bit of astronomy and geology. Spring and Summer has 33 chapters, and might have done well enough for the whole year, but I liked the other book so much as well that I squeezed both into our 36 weeks. The chapters were an easy read for our ten year old son, were illustrated nicely, and were written from a Christian point of view (published by Rod & Staff). I suspect that even though it SAYS North Carolina, any one living in the Appalachian areas of Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina would find it useful.  

The Friar Who Grew Peas, Snowflake Bentley, and The Boy Who Drew Birds

Next I wanted to include some biographies of naturalists and biologists. I actually purchased the Audubon one, because I'd wanted it forever, but I had the others on hand already. For some students three might have been enough, but I chose six for this year, 2 each term, or one every 6 weeks. If you're not familiar with these picture book biographies, please become so. Each one is a true living book, with a wealth of ideas easily dished up, and beautiful to behold.

Listening to Crickets, John Muir: My Life with Nature, and George Washington Carver

These three biographies are short chapter books, and I included them mostly to 1, keep my boy busy, in a good way, and 2. introduce him to naturalists whose works he would very soon be reading on his own. They did the job, but no need to rush out and buy them.

A Drop of Water, and How to Think Like a Scientist 

Finally, I wanted to include these two books because I just liked them so much. Drop of Water is an amazing book of photography that will inspire you to look a little more closely at a substance that covers 70% of our planet. It also encourages readers to "wonder why" and guides them through a few simple experiments in order that one might see for ones self. Think Like a Scientist is a great first logic book, which is somewhat of a pet subject for me. It is so important to me that my children learn to think logically and soundly, to discern strong evidence from weak, and to argue fairly. My son will not study logic formally for a few years yet, but this book is a great introduction.  

His "work" included nature notebook entries, biography narrations, and the suggested activities from the latter two books, and I think we had a pretty successful year. Check back soon for notes on what is in store for him in Year 5!