Learning about Elements and Matter

We found that science in our old school was taught in a miserable and inaccurate fashion. My daughter caught problems with the materials they sent home, we did too.

When we brought it up with the principal he was able to see right away that the materials were incorrect and he was embarrassed.. I think mainly because he didnt even know about these materials and that his science teacher, who he trusted, could not see how the materials were incorrect.

I guess its possible that some parents who have not had undergraduate scientific courses (and the graduate level courses I have had for my PhD and my husband has had for his degrees) would not have caught this (or cared? I dont know).

To me, it is central to any educational process that you teach the child CORRECT information the first time around otherwise the child will think you dont care enough about their learning to get it right the first time (to do your own homework, as it were).

One of the topics that the old school fumbled badly is very basic concepts of matter and physics.

We are reviewing this with our science/biology coloring book and I have scanned a sheet in and it is pasted below.



Even with this I need to add discussions and my own figures on atomic structures and the fourth important matter state, being plasma.

Whether you are in the public school system or are homeschooling, you MUST be hypervigilant about the materials that are being taught to your child.

If you buy a science curriculum, you must critically evaluate it and learn along with your child and ask LOTS of questions, make sure it is internally consistent and evidence-based.

For people who choose to buy off-the-shelf faith-based scientific curricula, I have to say that, as a scientist my self, you are not giving your children the best advantages that are available.

Sure, do faith-based history, social sciences, reading, etc.

Just dont kid yourself that the off-the-shelf pablum-heavy faith-based "scientific" curricula will serve your child well if they wish to go on into the sciences, medical world, and other evidence-based activities that require a SOLID FOUNDATION in critical deliberative thought backed up by actual facts that do not require deep-seated faith processing to digest.

You do not have to look any further than the struggles that kids graduating from public school districts who have bowed to theocratic fundamentalists in regards to teaching creationism in their science class rooms have with getting into world class institutions for their undergrad studies.

If you want to get you hands on this book go here.
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