Integrated Physics & Chemistry

The curriculum emphasizes direct instruction through narrative text presentation designed for independent study. Students receive explicit explanations of scientific principles embedded within historical stories.

The review states the course is 'designed for independent study' and 'most students should find it very easy to understand and work through the lessons on their own,' with clear explanations of how scientists developed concepts

The curriculum includes systematic review through activity books with various question types and assessments. Students can identify which material will be tested through marked questions.

Activity books contain 'fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, true/false, and brief written response questions' and 'underlined numbers on activity questions indicate questions that will appear on quizzes or tests so students know exactly what they need to study'

The curriculum contains no laboratory work and relies entirely on text-based instruction with supplemental activity books. Laboratory activities must be added separately from external sources.

Cathy Duffy states 'There is no lab work in this course' and suggests using separate lab kits like Thames and Kosmos, noting that 'Adding a lab component is important for any student who intends to go to college'

The curriculum teaches solid foundational content in chemistry and physics, covering individual elements from the periodic table and fundamental physics principles. However, it intentionally reduces mathematical rigor and depth compared to traditional courses.

The review notes the course covers 'a great deal of scientific information' including chemical elements, their properties and uses, physics concepts like motion and acceleration, and provides '700 pages of text material' with 'solid academic value'

The curriculum provides basic teacher resources including answer keys, assessments, and administrative materials, but limited pedagogical guidance for science instruction.

The Teacher's Resource Kit includes 'quizzes, tests, and answer keys' and forms, with a single page explaining course expectations, but the review doesn't mention science content background or teaching strategies for educators

The curriculum's focus on historical development of scientific concepts may address some crosscutting concepts, but specific NGSS alignment is not discussed in the review.

The review mentions the course is 'presented as equivalent to two-years (or two credits) of high school science, meeting the requirements for both chemistry and physics' but doesn't reference NGSS standards

Scientific vocabulary appears to be taught within the historical and biographical context, though explicit vocabulary instruction methods are not described.

The review mentions the curriculum covers chemical elements, their properties, physics concepts, and mathematical formulas, but doesn't specify how scientific terminology is systematically introduced or reinforced