• Parent Helps / How-To Books
• Approaches to Education
• Overview of Publishers
• Early Learning / Preschool
• Bible / Religion
• Worldview
• Phonics / Reading/ Literature
• Composition & Grammar
• Handwriting
• Spelling / Vocabulary
• Math
• Math Supplements
• Science
• History / Geography / Cultural Studies
• Unit Studies & All-In-One Programs
• Umbrella Programs that Provide Curriculum
• Foreign Language
• Critical Thinking & Logic
• Art, Music, Drama
• Electives
• Creative Learning
• College and Career Prep
• Testing & Special Needs
• Catholic Curriculum

Friendly Chemistry

A hefty book comes packaged with a number of card decks, charts, score sheet pad, colored fuzzy “balls,” winks, game playing pieces, and a Doo-Wop Board™—a wooden board with cups arranged for learning about atomic valences. Students learn chemistry vocabulary as well as about structures, ions, forming compounds, formulas, reactions, equations, and more. The book includes fairly extensive explanations of these basic concepts plus some problems to be solved and an answer key.

This is not a comprehensive, in-depth course, although students using this course will be exposed to all topics typically taught in a public high school chemistry course. The text part of this book is only about 250 pages of widely spaced text as compared to the typical 300-400 pages of dense type found in other textbooks. The goal of the course is to lay a foundation so that students are prepared for a freshman college level chemistry course, yet keep it from being overwhelming. Consequently, you can consider it a complete course, although it won't be as challenging as courses such as BJUP's or A Beka's.

Those who want to teach a more challenging course, might introduce chemistry to their children with this “kit” at least a few years before they are ready to tackle a challenging course. They can master vocabulary and basic concepts ahead of time, which will then allow them to progress more easily and quickly through a course. Some of the games use a mixture of familiar formats such as Element Bingo, war (with the periodic table and a card deck), and a board game to work on atomic families. But some are more straightforward in requiring students to demonstrate knowledge. A certain amount of basic knowledge, which is covered in the book, is essential before students can even play the games. So you should use them as reinforcement/drill/practice tools to be used along with instruction. However, the hands-on, visual approach to learning that takes place with some of the games and activities will certainly make it easier for many students to grasp concepts, particularly valence structures.

The Teacher Edition features week-by-week lesson plans and lab activity instructions, presented in a three-ring binder. You are given permission to photocopy lab activity pages plus supplemental practice pages in the guide for your group.

[Addition to original review: I reviewed the original program, but as of December 2009, it is in its third edition. Originally, there was a two-hour video to help parents learn how to teach the course. The video is no longer available, and it appears that the Teacher Edition has been beefed up to make it easier to teach. The Hideaway Ventures website notes:
"With this third edition, teaching Friendly Chemistry has become easier than ever. The course is divided into 32 lessons. In the teacher's edition, each lesson begins with teaching tips which include a lesson plan (we call it the "game plan") and detailed instructions and explanations for each component of the lesson. The teaching tips are followed by the text portion of the lesson and then by opportunities for students to practice the concepts presented (worksheet-type pages). Because we strongly encourage practice in understanding the concepts through a variety of means other than strictly pencil and paper, many card games, board games and active play-type games are included in each lesson. A lesson test concludes each lesson. All worksheets are included in the student editions, eliminating the need for you to make copies. Because both the teacher's and student's editions are three-ring bound, course materials can readily be removed and then returned as needed. Each practice page and test is accompanied by keys with correct answers."]