The first home school science course in Connect The Thoughts, for students ages 11-adult. What is science? What must the student understand to really grasp science, before embarking on a profound study of its details? Learn the basics which most science studies never cover, while performing many hands-on experiments, and answering thought-provoking questions. Take the first step into a true understanding of science! A self-contained course, no text book needed. Tests, answer guides, and a comprehensive teacher's guide are included! A remarkable, comprehensive and creative starting point toward a real understanding of science. The course specializes, as do all CTT courses, in developing the students understandings and ability to think and form their own ideas and opinions. Structured to be fun and challenging, and to increase the students vocabulary and understanding of geography, as well as of science. Quotes About This Product

At age 17, our daughter, Heather, was teaching dance at two studios, working as a certified Pilate’s instructor and opening shows for national artists as a performing dancer.  Is there any connection between these accomplishments and her completing CTT?  Without a doubt. Five years ago, I began home schooling Heather. She had been attending a private school with a poor curriculum and I saw the opportunity for educational excellence being wasted.  And, while Heather loved her academics, she was also extremely interested in the arts and wanted to pursue these interests more seriously than just a few hours after school. The biggest challenge we faced in our first year of home schooling was finding a quality curriculum.  I was able to piecemeal together fairly- good courses from numerous sources, yet there lacked richness and continuity in the overall program. At the start of our second year, I discovered CTT through one of our curriculum sources.  I read the course description for Pre-History and Science Basics and instantly knew this was our answer.  I called Steven to order the materials and thus began our four- year journey, which would not only educate Heather, but our entire family, including my 93 year-old mother-in-law who had majored in history in college and found the material fascinating. From Pre-History through American Civics and Science Basics through Chemistry, Heather worked furiously and consistently building her knowledge base and understanding.  This was the point where I really saw her individuality and personal creativeness soar.  She had been teaching and performing dance already for quite some time, but this is where she broke away from the pack. The CTT process and method of learning provided an understanding of life and personal control over her environment, which allowed her to develop confidence and certainty of her place in the world and how she could contribute to make it better. She was empowered to challenge herself to excel in the areas of her own interests.  Compare this to both public and private schools, where their curriculum is “god” and senior to the student’s own ideas and interests.  Our daily scheduling revolved around Heather’s activities of choice, never around school itself. Her personal interests and goals were always the hub around which her life revolved.  Thus, school provided a purpose and she could always find a practical application in her studies to her daily life. One of our favorite courses was Biology and Human Health, to which, because I am a nutritional consultant, I added a unit on nutrition. The films on this course were particularly outstanding and we all studied them alongside Heather, as we did nearly all of the stellar films in the entire curriculum. The CTT curriculum succeeds at exposing the student to a wide range of views and knowledge and some of the greatest scientists and historians that have existed.  Both my husband and I studied Carl Sagan in college and could not have been happier to have Heather do the same.  It succeeds in engaging the student in the learning process and applying this knowledge to their personal life.  In fact, it is so successful in this aspect, that my husband and I both have re-discovered personal goals and purposes of our own, which have been lying dormant and unfulfilled, which we were able to re-kindle through this empowering educational process.  This is an aspect of home schooling that is over-looked yet desperately lacking in our current society. Kudos to Steven for providing this opportunity to children. Though I worked furiously to provide social outlets and opportunities to accompany the home school setting, Heather nonetheless occasionally said she wished she had experienced a normal high-school setting simply for the social interaction.  That is, until she accompanied her friend’s younger brother to his first day of high school.  That night she told me she was so happy she never went to a public high school and thus ended the delusion that she had missed something vital in her life. To the contrary, she constantly comments on how much she loves her life, her work and her scope of knowledge. And last but certainly not least, the joy I have experienced from being able to spend so much quality time with my daughter and getting to know her so well throughout these five years has been worth its weight in gold.  No evening or weekend activity exists that could take the place of this daily sharing of life and the dedication that a parent exhibits to their child through this home schooling process. It is the foundation of our commitment and love and stronger than anyone but a home schooling parent could know. I consider myself the luckiest mom in the world.  My everlasting gratitude to Steven for giving me this gift.  He is a very special friend. With love, A.B.     My daughter has been studying the Connect the Thoughts curriculum for nearly 3 years. She is nearly done with the science courses and 2/3rds of the way through the history program. For me, this curriculum is a dream come true. As a home schooling parent, it has become obvious to me that a good curriculum is the hub around which the successful home schooling program revolves. One can be a superb teacher and have an excellent relationship and great communication with a child, but with a weak curriculum, both parent and child soon become discouraged and frustrated. For the one and one-half years of home schooling we did prior to finding the Connect the Thoughts program, I was constantly searching for good books, materials and curricula. While there is a lot on the market, the majority of it, in my opinion, is poorly written, insufficiently researched or boring. Connect the Thoughts is a home run. Not only has my daughter gained a basic college level understanding of the sciences including geology, oceanography, meteorology, biology, chemistry and physics and the entire time line of history, geography, government, religion, philosophy and art, but she can also think on her own, form her own conclusions and research any subject imaginable. She has become an independent student. Additionally, the curriculum is so fascinating, our entire family is learning along with my daughter, including my 91 year-old mother-in-law, who lives with us and greatly enjoys the materials. She reads everything she can get her hands on. From Homer to Shakespeare and tidal waves to black holes, no stone is left unturned for Connect the Thoughts graduates who, I believe, will make a difference because they can understand problems and envision solutions. The Connect the Thoughts curriculum is making this world a better place. My deepest appreciation to CTT for caring enough to research and author these amazing materials. A.B., home schooling Mom Steven Horwich deserves a round of applause from all the parents and students who have had the good fortune to use his materials, which obviously required much time and great attention to detail to produce. I especially like the selection of DVDs and videos included in the courses, all of which I watch, along with my daughter, whom we are home schooling. In college, I read the book, Intelligent Life in the Universe, by Carl Sagan. It tells the history of the universe from the Big Bang to the formation of planets to the development of life. I used this book as a framework for the physics, chemistry and biology I studied in college and the science I have studied since. It all fits together into one grand story. I was thrilled to see the set of ten Carl Sagan videos in one of my daughter's courses. I watched them many times. I am so happy my daughter and I now share this understanding. This is just one of many examples of how the materials have enriched our lives. I think it is very positive for my daughter to see her parents' great interest in the same materials she is studying. It gives her the idea that learning is a lifelong pursuit, not something limited to only the first years of life. To me, this is one of the most important things that can be accomplished in school. Let's hear another round of applause! J.B., Home schooling Dad The science course (Upper School Science I) helped me in various surprising ways as well: I never quite understood what I could study in science, and what I did learn in science would never come in handy in my daily life. But when I did this course, I realized how often we use science everyday! And I got the BASIC concepts of science, without getting into excruciating details. Now I'm extremely interested in scientific things. You have made home schooling easy, interesting and fun! S.G., 15 year-old student

How can a student be expected to study a subject if he has no idea what that subject is supposed to cover? How can he study a subject, unaware of its most basic ideas and rules, the ideas that later, complicated concepts will be based on? The answer is that they CAN'T be expected to study such a subject with any great success. This may be more true of science (and the arts) than other subjects.

Can a student afford to not understand science, in today’s world. We recognize that there are conflicting belief systems out there, some at odds with the assumptions made by the scientific community. At Connect The Thoughts, we think it’s a good idea for the student to understand all of the great forces shaping modern life, which include politics and religion, covered with great care and thoroughness in our history courses, and science. We feel that such information is indispensable to a student’s well-being.

Our science courses are pain-staking, filled with fun and informative exercises in nearly every lesson plan, providing the student a greater sense of science and how it works every day. Science Basics sets the student up for college-level studies in Geology, Oceanography, Meteorology (weather), Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, using simple, easy-to-do, but profound exercises and ideas. The course utilized the unique methods consistent to all Connect The Thoughts Courses, which assist the student study and master materials often believed to be too complex for students at the given age level (Upper School is ages 11-adult, who read fairly well.)

This course helps the student understand science and its value in today’s world. CTT Science for Upper School is a three-four year program, comprised of eight courses. This Basics Course is the first in the program. These courses are BEST done in sequence, but do not need to be. A student requiring a particular course to round out curriculum could use any of our courses. These cover science basics, biology, oceanography, meteorology (the study of weather and of the atmosphere), biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy and space exploration, and a science review and project course which is best done after considerable study in science.

In Science Basics, the student is given a complete grounding in the essential principles of the Scientific Method and the Law of Cause and Effect, and develops the tools he will need to experience the adventure of science. The student is provided an overview of science. The student is shown, through the information offered and by his own experience, that all science is based on the ability to categorize ideas and objects, grounded in observation and measurement. He learns the difference between pure and applied science. He is shown the strength and weakness of logic as a scientific tool. The student studies the principles of structure, form and function as methods of classification.

Once these concepts have been thoroughly experienced by the student through dozens of exercises, the student is ready to look at the “Tree” of science, and investigate its main branches; Life Sciences, Earth Sciences, Physics and Astronomy. This course thoroughly sets up an Upper School student for their future studies in science, providing the needed tools to approach this sometimes daunting subject with authority and confidence.

Tests are provided after significant areas have been studied. Answer Guides come with the course, for the teacher’s use, as well as a teacher’s guide to assist teacher and student in this first serious approach to science. This course requires no additional materials.

Our courses often include films and documentaries (which are NOT provided with the course, but are easily secured in libraries or over the internet.). Additionally, the student will perform literally hundreds of experiments and exercises, as the world he lives in, and the Universe which surrounds it, becomes increasingly comprehensible.

This course is a part of Connect The Thoughts Lower School (ages 9-10) and/or Upper School (ages 11-adult) first semester curriculum.  The full semester is currently available and on sale for a special, low introductory price!  Take a moment to look these over in the CONNECT THE THOUGHTS page, and see if they don't solve a lot of your home school educational concerns!