Mis-matched Quilt

The girls started this quilt yesterday afternoon, around 2:00pm.  They wanted to make one that did not match.  This is it!  They said it was their "ugly" quilt. lol.
The door to Bethany's room was kept shut and we were told not to come in until they were finished.  They finished sewing the binding with GREEN THREAD while watching the Duggars tonight.
Bethany asked, "What if we run out of green thread?"
"We'll switch to orange!" said Rebekah.  =)
They plan on taking it to camp this summer, and Rebekah said it would be the talk of the cabin!  =)

And yes, they completed their schoolwork.  Both days.  =)
Soooo proud I am!!!!!
My Mom's quilts.  She's the one who taught them when they were little.  

Physical Science, Module 4, The Wonder of Water

Click for Videos we watched for Module 4   
Play  Quizlet.  Just scroll down and click on Physical, then scroll to find the Module you want.
This module (chapter) was about the properties of water.  We had already learned that water is made up of molecules consisting of two atoms of hydrogen gas, and one atom of oxygen gas.
This experiment 4.1, The Chemical Composition of Water, showed it again, but also showed us experimental error.  This experiment typically must not work well all the time since Dr. Wile specifically went into detail about this.
Indeed, we had way more hydrogen gas than oxygen gas.  We were attempting to show there was twice as much hydrogen as oxygen in water.  I'm sure if we had waited longer, we would have begun to see a bit more oxygen.
Here is a better picture at a fellow homeschooler's blog. (scroll to the bottom)

Experimental error occurs for different reasons, some being an error on the part of the experimenter.  Dr. Wile gave examples of two scientists who did not wait to submit their experiments to peer review (other scientists) before publishing their results on Cold Fusion.  Results that indeed were in error.

Polarity of Water (exp. 4.2).  The hydrogen and oxygen atoms have slight positive and negative charges, like the north and south ends of magnets.  Rebekah combed her hair quickly, then held the comb near a thin stream of water.  The comb picked up stray negative electrons in her hair and became negatively charged.  This negative charge on the comb attracted the positive charges on the hydrogen atoms in the water molecules.  The water molecules turned so the hydrogen atoms pointed toward the comb, slightly curving the stream of water toward the comb.
All these worked better:
This one uses a balloon.
This one says use a nylon comb.
This one says it works better in low humidity.  It rained the day we did this experiment. 

Experiment 4.3, Water as a Solvent showed things that water could and could not dissolve.  Water can dissolve table salt because of the molecules in salt that contain sodium (Na⁺) ions and chloride (Cl^-) ions.  Ions were once atoms that had no net electrical charge, but now have either a positive or negative charge.  The electrically charged molecules in water are attracted to these ions and surround the negative and positive ions, pulling the salt ions away from each other.  The salt molecules are no longer visible in the water, though they are still there.

Experiment 4.4, Comparing Solid Water to Solid Butter.  Water molecules that are close to each other will hydrogen bond because of their negative and positive charges.  This is evident when two drops of water on a tabletop join into one larger drop.
In nearly every substance in the world, molecules are closer in a solid substance than when it is liquid.  For example, a square of solid butter will sink in a glass of melted butter.
But when water freezes, its molecules move further apart, allowing it to float.  When water is solid, it cannot hydrogen bond.  When it is liquid, the molecules are free to move and to hydrogen bond.

Experiment 4.5, Water's Cohesion.  I'm sure many kids have tried floating a paperclip on water.  This demonstrates the cohesion of water.  The polarity of water molecules combined with hydrogen bonding tends to keep water molecules close together when it is a liquid.  Adding a drop of dish soap (contains sodium stearate) breaks the water's cohesion.  This ingredient has molecules that are attracted to water. It forced the water molecules apart, breaking the hydrogen bond, and made the paperclip move across the water before it sank.
Try it with a clean bowl of water sprinkled with pepper.  =)  My kids said these were swimmers getting away from a shark. ~~^~~~~^°~~  swim, swim!!!  =)
(We should sing "Baby Shark" here now. ♪♫♪)

WOW!  God sure knows what He's doing!  All this... in something most take for granted.  Water.

The awesomeness of God!

Evolutionists just don't know what they're missing.  And it's not a link!

a friend wrote on facebook:

He who thinks by the inch and talks by the yard deserves to be kicked by the foot.  =)

Sooo Thankful!

Wednesday is our day to go out.  Piano lessons, and any errands for the week. (with hopes we don't have to go back out because we forgot something!  =)
Rebekah is driving really well now, and I let her drive everywhere we go.  So does Travis♥.  The only times she doesn't is if it's after 9pm, or if we're running late for something.  =)
After all our errands Wednesday, we went to pick up Travis from work.  He was working in town that day.  He was putting away the last few things, and then said he'd like to drive.  I was a little surprised, because he likes to let Rebekah drive all she can.  I asked him why he wanted to drive, and he said, "I don't know.  I just want to drive this time."
We left, and just a minute later, I felt something... like we'd run over a cardboard box...
"What was that?"
Suddenly, Travis had no power steering!  We were turning, and it became very difficult to steer.  The battery gauge was low.  What had happened?
The alternator belt had broken. [We later found out something(s?) else was/were broken/not working as well, but I forgot what.  We now have another van! 5/12/10]  We called Travis' Mom to come pick us up, and he got the van turned around and we headed to my brother's who lived near there.  The van overheated and we had to pull over for awhile.  We finally made it to my brother's house and Travis' Mom arrived soon.  I'm so thankful for family!
And I'm VERY thankful this didn't happen while Rebekah was driving!
We had left the house around 1:50pm that day, and this was around 5:45.  She had driven to Grandma's, her cousin's house, the bank, piano lessons, US Cellular, Walmart, the library, then to get Travis.
I think the Lord knew Travis♥ should drive then.  =)

Deer! =)

Saw this deer near my brother's house yesterday.  =)
Shelby's camera w/ zoom lens. 

Do-It-Yourselfers

The other day, Rebekah wrote on facebook:
"just learned a lesson...NEVER try to replace a basketball goal backboard with your sister...it's not a good idea. lol"

I commented:
"You should only try to replace a b-ball goal backboard with another backboard. Not your sister! =D"

Bethany made this! =)

With a $1.00 bill.

Rebekah made this! =)

From an old jean skirt and a pink bandana. 

Physical Science, Module 3, The Atmosphere

►Videos we watched for Module 3 
►What we did 2012-13
Play  Quizlet.  Just scroll down and click on Physical, then scroll to find the Module you want.

3.1 Atmospheric Pressure

The atmosphere around us is pressing on us from all sides all the time.  You don't really feel it, but it's there.
This experiment shows that the air in the glass and the air outside the glass is pushing down on the water.  We colored the water blue to make it easier to see, since we had a red candle.  But the red candle kept burning out in the melted wax, so we switched candles, and the only other candle I had just happened to be blue!
At the beginning, the air in the glass was the same as the air outside the glass.  As the candle burned, it used up the oxygen in the glass.  With less oxygen, there were fewer molecules, and the air in the glass could not exert as much pressure on the water as before.  This caused an imbalance.  The pressure outside the glass was greater than inside the glass, which pushed the water up inside the glass.  It only went up so far since there was still a lot of nitrogen in the glass.  The water "made up" for the lost pressure of the oxygen, making the pressure inside and outside the jar balanced.




Our atmosphere is in two general layers, the Heterosphere and the Homosphere.
Heterosphere - The upper layer of the earth's atmosphere, which exists higher than 80 kilometers (50 miles) above sea level.  The composition of the air in the heterosphere depends on the altitude, which causes changes in temperature at different levels.  The concentration of air in the heterosphere is low, therefore we say the air is "thin" in the heterosphere.
The heterosphere is divided into two layers, the thermosphere (the region of the atmosphere between altitudes of 80-460 kilometers) and the exosphere(the region of the atmosphere above and altitude of 460 kilometers).

Homosphere - The lower layer of the earth's atmosphere, which exists from ground level to roughly 80 kilometers (50 miles) above sea level.  The homosphere has about the same composition of gases, regardless of where you are in the atmosphere.
The homosphere can be further divided into three layers - the troposphere (up to about 7 miles above sea level), stratosphere (from about 7-30 miles above sea level), and mesosphere (from about 30-50 miles above sea level).
In reading the text, you will see that the temperature changes with elevation.  Although the troposphere gradually gets colder with higher elevation, the stratosphere actually gets warmer.  This is because of the greenhouse gas (ozone) that is present in the stratosphere layer.  The energy of the gases in the stratosphere is higher than the energy of the gases at the top of the troposphere, causing the molecules to move faster.
Temperature is actually a measure of the energy of motion in a substance's molecules.
 
3.2 The Effect of Changing Temperature on MoleculesWe had a sink of icy water w/ two frozen 2-liters in it, and a sink of very hot water that I'd heated on the stove.
The kids held an empty 20-oz bottle in the icy water for a few minutes to make the air cold inside the bottle.  This slowed down the molecules.  Then they put a balloon over the opening and put the bottle into the hot water.  Immediately the air became hot in the bottle as the molecules moved faster and bounced against the sides of the balloon, inflating it a little.  Then when they put it back into the ice water, the balloon and the bottle contracted.
A lot of people know things expand when they are hot, and contract when they are cold, but they may not know it is the molecules moving faster or slower that causes it.
See this experiment at DonnaYoung.org.

Later as the 8th and 9th graders were writing their lab report, JohnDavid was playing around with the bottle.   He discovered if he put the bottle straight down in the ice water for a minute (upside down), then put it straight down in the hot water, the expanding air made bubbles escape from the bottle even though he did not tilt it.  After a minute, he put it back into the cold water, and as the air contracted, it pulled water up into the bottle a few inches.  =)
Yay, discovery!
A little more discussion about how temperature changes affect the behavior of molecules.  =)

Even though we've learned that cold molecules contract, we know that water expands as it freezes, enabling it to float.  God knows what he's doing, doesn't he?
Imagine if the ice contracted, so that it didn't float.  The ponds and lakes would freeze solid, killing all the life in them.  Oceans would be frozen from glaciers and sea ice sinking to the bottom.
I've challenged the kids to discover whether equal amounts of very hot or icy cold water will make a larger ice cube. 
Try it.  Fill 2 plastic cups halfway to the exact same amount using very hot and very cold water.  Use a measuring cup for accuracy.
Leave a comment here and tell me what happened! 

LIVE WEB FEEDS: Eagles and 3 Eaglets; Owls and 5 Eggs

►Eagles
Live feed of eagles in their 6-foot nest in Norfolk Botanical Gardens in VA.  The parent eagles take turns keeping the three eaglets warm and feeding them.  One or the other will bring food at different times, and the eaglets eat every 30 to 40 minutes.  Some of what I've seen them eat today has been fish according to the Q & A on the live feed website.
The eaglets were born March 11, 13, and 14.  They will stay in the nest around 80 days when they will take their first flight.

A pic w/ my camera of the babies being fed. →

3/14/10 eaglets are 0, 2, and 3 days old ↓


3/17/10 eaglets are 3, 5, and 6 days old ↓


Here's a shot of the eagles' location in Norfolk Botanical Gardens. ↓

FAQs
From eggs to birth pics and videos.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

►Owls

Live feed of barn owls in a nest box in San Marcos, California.   pic of the nest box →
Barn owls Molly and McGee are tending to these 5 little eggs which should be hatching any day/time now.  (Scroll down on that site to see the estimated hatch dates.)  I've heard they can take from 11 to 20 hours to fully hatch.  It starts with a small hole that looks like a black dot, and Molly will turn the egg hole-side up.  I see her checking the eggs often.

Here's McGee outside the trap door. ↓

Owls are nocturnal, and McGee comes at night to bring Molly food.  I saw him bring her a mouse last night!  She screeches to call him.  He usually starts coming around 7-8, PST; 10-11, EST.  He comes several times each night. 
At night, it is a little harder to see.  The 'night shot vision' comes on, and everything looks black-and-white.  If you leave it on at night, be prepared to awakened with screeching.  Barn owls are screech owls, after all.

Here's Molly, tucking the eggs under her. →

(pic w/ my camera)

More info about barn owls 
News coverage video
3/20/10 Q & A with Carlos Royal 
I've been keeping 2 tabs open all day so I can check on both of these!  It's so awesome the way God designed animals with instinct.  They know exactly how to raise and train their little ones.
(If only I could say the same.  Good thing I have God's Word to tell me how!)

New!

See the links in the sidebar. 
"Links for Kids & Teens"

Physical Science, Module 2, Air

►Videos we watched for Module 2  
►What we did 2012-13
Play  Quizlet.  Just scroll down and click on Physical, then scroll to find the Module you want.


humidity - The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.
absolute humidity - The amount of water vapor present in a unit volume of air, usually expressed in kilograms per cubic meter. Absolute humidity does not fluctuate with the temperature of the air. 
relative humidity - The ratio of the actual amount of water vapor present in a volume of air at a given temperature to the maximum amount that the air could hold at that temperature, expressed as a percentage. Warm air can hold more water vapor than cool air, so a particular amount of water vapor will yield a lower relative humidity in warm air than it does in cool air. (That doesn't mean there is less vapor, though.)

If there is a certain amount of water vapor in the air, and the air gets warmer, but the vapor doesn't change, the relative humidity will be a lower number percentage-wise.  It is actually still the same amount of vapor; it is just less percentage than the air is able to hold.
That usually doesn't happen - usually if the weather gets warmer, since it is able to hold more vapor, it does accumulate more; then the air feels more humid.
Evaporating sweat actually cools a person down, but when it is humid, sweat does not evaporate as quickly.   We did Experiment 2.1, Evaporation and Temperature with 2 cheap aquarium thermometers, room-temperature water (left out 30 minutes), and cotton balls.
We placed one thermometer in a glass of room-temperature water, which was our standard.  We placed the other thermometer between 2 (very slightly squeezed) cotton balls dipped in the same water, and placed the second thermometer between them.  In a few minutes, we noticed the temperature of the second thermometer had started to go down. After about 10 minutes, it had gone down several degrees.
So perspiration really does cool you down!  Just not as fast in humid weather.

Experiment 2.2, Oxygen and Fire  Today the kids learned about oxygen and fire.  Fire needs oxygen in order to burn.
Cousin C lit a candle and put it under a large glass jar.  It burned 1 minute, 13 seconds before burning out after it had used all the oxygen trapped under the jar.  C put 2 c. peroxide into a 2-liter, and A poured in a package of yeast.  Rebekah immediately covered the opening of the 2-liter with a balloon.  The peroxide and yeast bubbled and created oxygen, filling the balloon.  The bottle got really warm!  C re-lit the candle and A held the edge of the jar up a little while Rebekah slowly released the oxygen from the balloon into the the jar.

The flame had started  to dim a little before they were able to accomplish this successfully, but as soon as they got the balloon's oxygen going in right, the flame immediately burned brighter than during the first part of the experiment.  After all the oxygen was in the jar, the flame continued to stay bright a little longer.  We forgot to time how long it took this time for the candle to go out, but it was definitely longer than the first time. 
Fire will burn at a faster rate when there is more oxygen.

The air we breathe has about 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% other gasses (0.9% of which is argon). When we breathe in, we breathe nitrogen and argon as well as oxygen!  The oxygen enters the lungs and exchanges with the 'waste' of carbon dioxide.  Nitrogen and argon are relatively inert, making it very difficult to get them to chemically react with anything else.  So when we breathe them, they do not react with our body and we simply breathe it back out along with carbon dioxide.
We did this experiment to show that God knew exactly how much oxygen to put into our atmosphere.
For one thing, if there was more oxygen in the air, forest fires would burn faster and would be difficult to put out.
"The probability that lightning will start a forest fire increases by 70% for every 1% rise in the oxygen concentration of the air." (Exploring Creation with Physical Science, p. 31)
"The speed at which fire burns depends directly on the concentration of oxygen in the air surrounding it." (Exploring Creation with Physical Science, p. 32)
Also, our bodies need a certain amount of oxygen, and God knew how much.  If there was too much, it would make the chemical reactions in our bodies run too fast.

Reading (and finally understanding) science is so fascinating!  All the things that God has worked out just right, because HE'S GOD and doesn't have to do experiments like evolution to get it right!!!!! 

Added notes (not included in our lesson):
~Hyperbaric chambers are useful only for short periods of time since they deliver 100% oxygen.  Because of the pressure, prolonged use can cause lung and ear damage.
~Since fire is attracted to oxygen, you should never stand near and break a window to get away from a fire.  Stand far back and throw a heavy object.  The flame will jump toward the fresh oxygen before it recedes a little, giving a short window of time to escape.

Remember: Fire will burn at a faster rate when there is more oxygen. 

Chicken Fajita!

Rebekah is now the shortest child

All the kids are taller than I am, and have been for awhile, but now my 12yo boy-girl TWINS are taller than their 15yo sister! How cool is THAT for TWINS!?! 
JohnDavid at 5' 5½" is now 2½ inches taller than I am.  Bethany is taller than him by ¼ inch.  He will catch her soon!!!
Updates here.

Physical Science, Module 1, The Basics

►Videos we watched for Module 1   
►What we did 2012-13
Play  Quizlet.  Just scroll down and click on Physical, then scroll to find the Module you want.

Experiment 1.1, Atoms and Molecules  We did our first Apologia science experiment today from Exploring Creation with Physical Science.  (yes, we just started this book! ...but that's another story)
We were showing that molecules are made of two or more atoms, and we made a molecule!  copper hydroxycarbonate. 
The molecule  copper hydroxycarbonate is made from the atoms hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and copper.
We had cousin C strip about ½ inch off the ends of 2 pieces of insulated copper wire.  Cousin A mixed 1 tsp. baking soda in a glass of water until it was clear and totally dissolved.  Umm, I think Rebekah got out the baking soda, ha.  They all (it kept falling apart) taped the ends of the wire tightly to a 9-Volt battery and put the loose ends into the baking soda water. (without letting the ends touch!) 
It immediately started bubbling, and very soon the loose end of the wire that was connected to the positive end of the battery began to turn sea green.  The green substance was the copper hydroxycarbonate.
Eventually the water turned green too.  We let it bubble for 10 minutes while they wrote down the first parts of their lab reports, then looked at the copper hydroxycarbonate that had formed on the wire connected to the positive end.



The atoms that make up  copper hydroxycarbonate came from different sources.  The carbon atom came from the baking soda.  The hydrogen and oxygen atoms came from both the baking soda and the water (H2O).  Copper was the other atom needed.
The energy in the battery broke down some of the molecules of H₂O back into hydrogen and oxygen, which caused them to bubble because hydrogen and oxygen are gases.  This allowed these individual atoms (not molecules now) to be linked with the copper on the end of the wire and the carbon that was in the baking soda, creating the molecule  copper hydroxycarbonate.
The kids really enjoyed being able to do this together.
Now they just have to write the observation and conclusion to their lab reports.  =)

If I got anything wrong, let me know.  I'm just learning this right along with the kids!  =D

Apologia Middle and Highschool Science - the books, CD's, etc, What are they, and which ones are necessary?

There are several components to the Apologia science courses.
It can get confusing if you don't know what you're looking for.

The Textbook and the Solutions and Tests are all that are really necessary. 
OR the Full-Course CD-Rom.

1.  First is the Textbook, which is self explanatory. →
It's a textbook!  =)

2.  Solutions and Tests (gray book) →

The Solutions and Tests book 1st Edition
includes the following:  (you may be able to find this used. 1st Edition books are white)
--answers to the Study Guides that are in the textbook at the end of each module (like a chapter review)
--module tests, blank for copying if you have more students
--module test answer keys

The Solutions and Tests book 2nd Edition 
has the above, plus:
--answers for Selected Experiments (for example, Biology has 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, and 12.2)
--quarterly tests, blank for copying
--quarterly test answer keys
--answers to the Module Summaries that are in the back of the 2nd Edition textbook, that have fill-in-the-blank questions.  (A very good summary of the module.)

♦You can buy the 2-book set, which includes the items pictured above:(1) the Textbook, (2) the Solutions and Tests book, and (3) a packet of Tests.

♦To read a sample module, click on the desired course, then click on a component to see links to samples.

3.  Multimedia Companion CD-Rom - This is a supplement to the course.  This CD-Rom has video clips and animations that can help students to better understand, or enhance the text.  It also has pronunciation of difficult words.
There are several video clips that go along with each module.
♦To read more, click on the desired course, then scroll down to the Multimedia CD-Rom.

4.  Full Course CD-Rom has the full text (to be read by the student on the computer screen).  This replaces #'s 1, 2, and 3!
This is not a supplement.  It is the full course.
This is a TON of material for the price!  I just like books better than CD's.  =)
♦For a sample demo, click on the desired course, then the Full CD-Rom link. Scroll to the bottom to where it says, To view a Demo, Click Here.

--There are 2 CD’s with the Full Course.  One is the student text with integrated Companion CD, and one is the Solutions and Tests.
--It does not read the text aloud.  If you don’t mind a computer-sounding voice, you can download NaturalSoft Reader (free) to read the text for you.  Or get the paid version.  I like Paul's voice!  =)

5.  MP3 Audio CD - This is great for any student, but especially poor readers, or for biology students - whew! All those big words!
This is a supplement. Only the main text and the On Your Own questions are read aloud.  Not read aloud are: the experiments, Study Guides, examples (like Figure 1.3, etc) or answers to the On Your Own, which are all in the textbook.  This is only a supplement, however.  Your child would also need to see the pictures and examples in the textbook.
The text is read by a live person who pronounces the words very clearly.  When I put the CD into my computer, a small window pops up.  I can click over to view the chapter "divisions", the little sections throughout the chapter, and click on which one I want.  (It usually starts from where I left off the time before unless I click otherwise.)
I downloaded it to my computer so that I can play it with Windows Media Player.  That way, I can rewind (drag it back) to hear something I missed.
I haven't done this yet, but I think it is supposed to be able to download to an MP3 player.  This would be very nice, being able to curl up anywhere you like to be able to listen.
♦To listen to a sample, click on the desired course, then MP3 Audio CD.  Click on the Audio Sample link to download the sample.


6.  Video Instruction DVD
(These are for the computer; not DVD player - your computer must be able to play DVD's.  Read the description of the Video Instruction DVD of the subject you will be purchasing.)  This is a supplement.

For the sample at Apologia, click on the desired course, then the Video Instruction DVD.  Scroll down for video sample(s).



A former teacher at Apologia offers these as well.  His company is Red Wagon Tutorials. (RWT)
The DVDs he produces have a different look than the ones from Apologia or Finders-Keepers.  Red Wagon Tutorials all have a picture of the instructor's dog on them.  =)

Be wary of the flash drives.  They can accidentally be erased. =\

♦To see an example of the RWT Lecture Notes, click on 2012-2013 Live-Feed Course Information (or whatever year is upcoming), then click on the desired course, and on the left click Class Notes Example.  These are samples of what the student will fill in.  You may have to scroll a long way to Module 1.

♦To watch a sample, click on 2012-2013 Live-Feed Course Information (or whatever year is upcoming),  click on the desired course, and on the left click Class Video Example.   

You may want to skip past the intro, which can be as long as 25 minutes!  Some people like the information though, because the teacher gives instructions to his online class, pacing, test review, and formal lab report preparation, etc. (The printable lecture notes that come on the DVD will tell at the top of each one where to begin viewing for the lecture part.

I know how confused I was the first time I viewed these, so I will give you the lecture starting times for the online samples:

(These start times may have changed since I last viewed them, but you get the idea.)

General Science - 21:30

Physical Science - 23:00

Biology - 27:00

Physics - 26:00

Marine Biology -27:30

Chemistry - 30:00

Human Anatomy - 25:00

(You will need to allow these to download up to these starting points.)

The info below is old, but I am not able to check to see if it is current:

The main thing that the DVD contains (at least the RWT version I have, 1.0):
--32 video class lectures - 2 per module (up to about an hour long after subtracting the teacher's intro, test review, etc.)
--32 audio class lectures (same lectures as the video - I guess some prefer audio?)
--printable Lecture Notes with fill-in-the-blanks that go right along with the lecture.  Your child will have time to write in the answer before the teacher gives the answer.
--printable answer keys to the lecture notes (I don't print them though; he gives the answers in his lectures)
--printable tests (I don't use these)
--printable answer keys to the tests

The instructor of RWT does an online class each year, and these are recorded from the previous year's classes.  He shows websites that he clicks to as he reviews the module.  You only see the websites on your screen; you do not see the teacher during the actual class, except maybe briefly at the beginning.
There is more accountability for the student if they do the online classes, but if you want to actually own the CD-Rom/DVD (much cheaper, and this is what I did), it is available at several links at the end of this post.  

The tests are not the same ones as in Apologia's original Test packets and Solutions and Tests book.  I think the instructor made these for his online class and then included them on the DVD.

I personally like the original tests.  They're shorter, but they have more *thinking* problems (like the On Your Own questions and the Study Guide questions) rather than fill-in-the-blank like the tests on the DVD.
►Also the Study Guide (chapter review) at the end of each module is designed to help them study for the original tests in the Solutions and Tests book.

You could choose to use one of the sets of tests as review, or just leave off the extra ones as we do.

♦Even if you used the RWT tests, you would still need the Solutions and Tests for the answers to the Study Guide (end-of-module reviews) and answers to the Module Summaries if you do those (not available in 1st edition textbooks).




I have found there are several places that sell Apologia's materials cheaper than Apologia does, including Christian Book Distributors.  I contacted one site to find out how they were able to sell at these prices, and she replied that they buy in bulk from Apologia, and are able to do this.  I know some like to buy from the original distributor, but I do understand about needing to save money!
One site I have ordered from is Finders-Keepers.net.  There is no S&H for orders over $50.00.

Too much info?  =)

It is a lot to process if you haven't really looked into Apologia before.
If you don't have the money for some of these extra resources, or just don't want to fool with them, there are some options.
►Of course you'll need the Textbook.
►And the Solutions and Tests book.
   [OR the Full-course CD-Rom]
►If you have 2nd Edition, there are Module Summaries in the back of the book for review.  (Answers are in the Solutions and Tests.)
►If you don't want the Multimedia CD (has a few video clips), I have lots of videos posted at Homeschooler's Resources as well as links to other resources.
Links to the science courses are at the top of the blog.

As always, products change.  
Before buying, check the info here against what the seller says.

Apologia Science

"Apologia" - What does it mean?
(pictures are the 1st Edition of Physical Science; links to bookmarks and schedule are to General Science) 
Apologia Science for Jr. High and High School is written by a scientist, Dr. Jay Wile, especially for homeschoolers, and for those whose parents may not know a whole lot about science.  (that's me!)
There is a toll-free number that students can call if they need help.  They'll be transferred to the correct teacher.  =)
1-888-524-4724
I've already called this number many times with questions about the curriculum, and it is now on my speed-dial!  =D

Apologia science is written in a conversational way for the student to understand, so there is no teacher book.  I've heard it seems wordy, but I've read several chapters, and it doesn't seem that way to me.   =)  I especially love that he thoroughly explains the experiments and what they are intended to teach.  I have understood things reading through the first couple of chapters that I never really had before.  After 3 days, my 9^th grade daughter said she no longer dreads science.  YEAH!!!  Two cousins are using it also, and after one day, one told me now she really “gets it” about atoms and molecules.  The cousins and my daughter are all doing Physical Science, so we are doing experiments at my house!  =)
5/5/12 ETA: One of my daughters' friends joined us for science this past year, and she said she never used to like science.  She has asked twice if I'm continuing classes this fall, and her sister will be joining us. =)

Some people call this science “easy.”  Yes, it is very clear, and easy to understand, but not too easy.
Make no mistake; your child will need to study.  Some have even called it “college prep.”  Don’t let this scare you, either.  It is a great course to prepare your child.  It is so clearly presented, they will have an excellent understanding if they read carefully and study well.
I still want to get a couple of the elementary books when I get the money.  Anatomy, and maybe Botany and/or Astronomy.  (10/2011 - I now have Anatomy and Botany!)

This science is taught from a Creationist perspective, and yes, it is mentioned often throughout the book.  That is why the books are titled Exploring Creation through Physical Science/Biology, etc. (I’ve read reviews where some people did not like God being “thrown in all the time”.  I would think from the title they would expect this…)
I do love this because it is teaching my children that God is the reason everything exists, and He knows what He’s doing!  What better way to explain this than through Biblical science!  The teachings not only have thorough scientific explanations, they also help disprove evolution and other misconceptions.  I do not want my kids to be swayed by only being presented one view by the media, which often does not present all the facts...  Too many people believe something because “it was on the news.”  My children should know the Biblical and scientific answers for these kinds of things. 
I’m probably stepping on some toes here!  =)

Another blogger's review.  I like this paragraph: "My daughter used this text last year. While she had been exposed to many science topics through books, short-term studies, classes and workshops, Exploring Creation with General Science was the first time I used a comprehensive program for the entire year. It was also my daughter's first exposure to tests, in-home labs and lab reports. In a way, General Science pulled all her previous science experiences together for a big picture view and preparation for more rigorous study."
All I can say is ditto!  I realized as we progressed into the book (we are now finishing Module 6 of Physical Science), other curriculum are more spiral in their year-to-year approach, whereas Apologia is very thorough within one year.  =)

Here is the link for the General Science that Apologia suggests for 7^th grade, but some use it for 8th or even 9th.
The chapters are called Modules.
You can click on Sample Module for the first chapter.
For other grades, go to Apologia.com, click on Products, Science, Jr. High & High School, and click on the course you want.
(The elementary grades are written by a different author, and the best I understand they are mainly one topic per year. There is Zoology 1, 2, and 3, Astronomy, Botany, and Anatomy - not to be confused with the highschool Anatomy.)

Here is another website.  Apologia does not have a schedule; they just say do a module in about 2 weeks. 
Donna Young has a schedule made out.  Yay!  I have to have a schedule!  Under the link I gave here, scroll down and see the two schedule types and descriptions.  On the right, under Schedule 1 or Schedule 2, click on a Module (chapter) to see the schedule.
This schedule has a few suggestions for various experiments.  These are very helpful.
I punched holes and put this in a binder.

Also on the Donna Young website there are printable bookmarks for the student to use (see links on the right of her website).  One bookmark per module (chapter).  The General Science seems to only have bookmarks corresponding to Schedule 2.
The bookmarks have the vocabulary and abbreviated schedule for each module.  I print mine on cardstock (3 bookmarks to a page), and punch holes on the right side of the page so I can cut off the upcoming chapters’ bookmarks one at a time.
The schedule and bookmark links go with General Science, the first edition.  Also note that each grade seems to have different layouts on the website page.  Probably created at different times.
For other grades or editions, go to DonnaYoung.org, click on Science, Apologia Science, and the course you want.  You may need to scroll down and/or click on another tab to find the edition you want.  Each page for each course is not laid out in exactly the same way.


Here is another link that I have found to be extremely helpful.  A homeschool Mom who teaches Apologia Science in a co-op has written this blog.  At the top, just click on Physical Science, or Apologia Biology.  There are links here that show experiments throughout the year with suggestions.
ApplieJuice.wordpress.com


I'm using the books, not the CD-ROM, and I’m using the 1st edition because I can find it cheaper on Amazon than buying new 2nd edition.  =)
With Biology, we used the Audio CDs since I think the kids need to hear the pronunciations as the book is read.  Also... Since the Biology only had Audio CDs available for 2nd edition, we had to use the 2nd edition textbooks as well.  I knew my mildly dyslexic ds would need this!
If you need Audio CDs, before purchasing a 1st edition textbook, check with Apologia to see if any 1st edition are still available.


There are 5 main components to Apologia Science, but you can do it with just the first 2 listed here:
1. The student text book ($65) has questions throughout the chapter called On Your Own.  The answers to these questions are at the end of each chapter. 
Also at the end of each chapter, there is a Study Guide, much like a Chapter Review.
2. There is a Solutions and Test book,($20) that has the answers to the Study Guide. This book also has the tests and answer key to the test.  If you purchase it new, they include a packet of tests separate from the book.  I'm making copies of the tests from my used book. (this is allowed)
3.  There is also a Companion CD ($15) that has word pronunciation, animated illustrations and I think video clips that go along with the text.  I do not have one of these yet.

~OR~ you can get the Full Course CD-Rom ($65) which replaces 1, 2, and 3!  The text is on the computer for the student to read, and the illustrations, pronunciations, etc. are integrated in the text.
--There are 2 CD’s with the Full Course.  One is the student text with integrated Companion CD, and one is the Solutions and Tests.
--It does not read the text aloud.  If you don’t mind a computer-sounding voice, you can download NaturalSoft Reader (free) to read the text for you.  Or get the paid version.  I like Paul's voice!  =)

4.  If you have a child that is dyslexic, you may be able to receive the audio CD ($15) free.  =)
The audio reads the text only, not the tables/pictures, experiments, or questions, so you would still need the student text.
5.  There is also a tutorial DVD for the computer.  (Computer must be able to play DVDs.)  Price varies, depending on where you buy it.  (about $100-150) 


►Read more about each component here.

As always, products/prices change.  
Before buying, check the info.