I am so excited to tell you about the Fascinating Chemistry course from Fascinating Education.
Fascinating Education offers excellent online science courses for teens. They currently offer several courses: Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, Logic of Medicine. These courses are interactive and help students build a solid foundation in their knowledge of science. These courses were developed by Dr. Sheldon Margulies who has taught science courses for over 30 years and trained 2500+ medical students in the science of how the brain works. His programs have won numerous education awards.
Fascinating Chemistry
Fascinating Chemistry
Online Course
18 Lessons
Quizzes
Labs
For grades 8 – 12
1 year subscription
Retail $79
Fascinating Chemistry uses an online audio visual approach to engage students and keep their interest while they learn the scientific methods and principals of chemistry. The courses are mobile and all you need is a subscription and a computer or smart phone or other interactive device that connects to the online course on the internet. These courses are designed for highschool age students, but can be used for middle school age students too if they have had some of the higher math training used in the course.
In Fascinating Chemistry, students will learn the four ways that atoms bond to each other to create molecules, and how these bonds help determine the properties of the end result molecule. Students will learn how these special molecular properties explain a wide range of aspects of the everyday world we live including concepts as varied as: air, temperature, diamonds, rubber, how water freezes, gasses, nuclear energy, food, metals, weather, and more.
The course outlines 18 main lessons with multiple mini-lessons in each. Lessons take approximately 45 minutes or less to complete, not including tests and additional labs.
Lessons include:
Lesson 1: Intramolecular Bonding
The Periodic Table of Elements
Bohr Model of the Atom
Electrons, Protons, Neutrons, Nucleus
The Strong Force
Intramolecular Bond
Lesson 2: The Ionic Bond
Law of Entropy
How Ionic bonds form molecules
Reaching a lower energy level
Polarity
Ionic bonds
Pauling’s Electronegativity Chart
Atomic Numbers
Lesson 3: The Covalent Bond
Covalent Bonds
Gases
van der Waals forces
Lesson 4: The Polar Covalent Bond
Giving away electrons
Polar covalent bonds
Intramolecular bonds hold atoms
together.
Intermolecular bonds hold molecules
together.
Polarity of a molecule
Dipoles
Lesson 5: The Metallic Bond, Part 1
The Metallic Bond
Metals in the Periodic Table
Transition metals
Electron shells
Block groups of the Periodic Table
Electron configuration
Lesson 6: The Metallic Bond, Part 2
Molecular movement in a metal
Metallic strength
Hard or soft?
Temperature and translational movement
Heat Conduction
Lesson 7: Heat
Sensing cold
Hypothermia
Heat insulation
The Leidenfrost Effect
States of water
Heat capacity
Latent heat of fusion
Vaporization
Steam
Lesson 8: Air Pressure
The boiling point
Air pressure
Barometer
The strength of air pressure
Measuring altitude
Temperature and pressure
Lesson 9: Properties of Water
Oil and water
Micelles and soap
Viscosity
Surface tension
Density
Displacing water
Salt water versus fresh water
Lesson 10: The Mole
Comparing equal numbers of molecules
Lower the freezing point
Weighted average
Converting grams to moles
Converting moles to molecules
Converting moles to grams
Percentage weight
Empirical formula vs. actual formula
Lesson 11: Gases
Coulomb’s Law
Kinetic energy
Ideal Gas Law
Electrolysis
Concentration vs. density
Standard temperature and pressure
(STP)
Partial pressure of gas
Lesson 12: Solutions
Molarity
Molality
Mixtures
Freezing point depression
Colligative property
Phase diagram
Boiling point elevation
Acids and bases
Types of acids
Neutralization of acids and bases
Calculating pH
Lesson 13: Chemical Reactions
Activation energy
Catalysts
Balancing equations
Stoichiometry
Coefficients
Equilibrium state
LeChatelier’s principle
Phase diagram
Equlibrium constant
Solubility product constant
Lesson 14: Orbitals
Subshells
Slots within subshells
Energy levels within slots
Probability clouds
Aufbau Principle
Hund’s Rule
Pauli Exclusion Principle
Ionization energy
Lewis Diagrams
Hybrid bonds
VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair
Repulsion)
Molecular shapes
Lesson 15: Molecular Geometry
Lewis Dot Diagrams
Lewis Dot Diagram Predictions
Filling the Valence Shell
Formal Charges
Forming sp3 Hybrid Bonds
Carbon sp2 Hybrid Orbitals Current
Sigma and Pi bonds
Nitrogen sp3 Hybrid Orbitals
Oxygen sp3 Hybrid Orbitals
Beryllium difluoride
Boron trifluoride
VSEPR
Molecular shapes
Diamonds
Isomers
Lesson 16: Electrochemistry
Oxidation State
Redox
Voltage Cells
Reduction Potential
Calculating Potentials
Voltage
Current
Car Battery
Electroplating
Aluminum Oxide
Iron Rust
Fuel Cells
Lesson 17: Polymers
Formaldehyde, Phenol, and Bakelite
Ethylene and Polyethylene
Strengthening Polyethylene
Natural Polymers
Nylon
Rubber
Lesson 18: The Nucleus
Solar energy
The Strong Force
Neutrons
Making helium
Making heavy elements
Binding energy
The Sun’s fuel
Final Problems
Lessons and Student Dashboard
The student dashboard is easy to navigate. From the dashboard you can choose the lesson video, or lesson text script, or the test. After you complete the test, it grades the test and gives the option to retake or continue on to the next lesson.
Below is an example of Lesson 2 The Ionic Bond and within the lesson this is a segment called The Atomic Number. You can see from this dashboard picture that you can access the Lesson Menu as needed, and a Glossary with definitions on the left. You can also control the play and pause of the video lesson, and the volume, at the base of the video. You can also go back to a previous segment and watch it again, or skip ahead as desired.
The Glossary of definitions is right next to the video so you can pause the video at anytime and look up a word you may not know and read it’s meaning.
Labs:
Fascinating Chemistry offers the option of Labs for high school credit. On the student dashboard, they have an option to “Go To Lab”. Labs are experiments that demonstrate the concept being taught in the lessons. Labs are optional but some states require them for high school credit. Check with your state to see what is required.
My son likes using this course. He says it is not difficult if you focus and take time to listen to what is being said. The teacher speaks clearly and gives good visuals to show what concept is being discussed. He is so excited that he spends a good deal of time retelling me what he is learning.
Taking an online Fascinating Chemistry quiz.
Word’s of my son: “I Love It! It’s fascinating! The teacher is easy to follow and he explains everything very well. I am learning about different kinds of bonds that atoms form. I am in lesson three and learning about the second way atoms form bonds called covalant. The first lesson was an introduction to the program and taught me the structure of atoms with protons neutrons and electrons. The second lesson was learning about ionic bonds, electronegativity, electron affinity, and ionization energy. So far I understand everything he is explaining. The tests are at the end of the lesson. I like that if I get the answer to a question wrong I can go back and retake the test again. I am really glad I am taking this class.”
Fascinating Chemistry
Free Resources:
Video explaining more about Fascinating Education and a lesson in Calcium.
Video Lesson Periodic Table, Atoms, and Inter-molecular Bonding
Try before you buy. Fascinating Education offers free lessons of their different courses. Check out courses and a free sample lesson from each course:
Fascinating Chemistry
Fascinating Biology
Fascinating Physics
Find even more FREE Introduction to Science Lessons.
We highly recommend Fascinating Education courses. I wish interactive curriculum like this had been available for me when I was in high school. This is a great way to inspire kids to love and succeed at learning about science and how it applies to the real world.
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Homeschool Review Crew
Be sure to check out what others on the Homeschool Review Crew had to say about using products from Fascinating Education in their home.
Have you used the Fascinating Education Biology? We will be starting with Chemistry however I noticed that the Biology is from an evolution viewpoint however I’m not sure how “in your face” it is compared to other secular curricula. Of course, macro and micro evolution are two different things and the distinction was not made on in their explanation for the course. This is what was on their site:
How the universe came into being and the events that unfolded after its creation are still matters of debate and uncertainty to many people. Religious views and scientific views differ, and Dr. Margulies does not see his role with these curricula to argue in favor of one or the other. His role is to describe the forces in the universe and how they play out in our everyday lives without addressing how those forces came into being or whether forces are being manipulated by God in some way.
Science views the world one way and religion another way. The origin of man is probably the best example of how the two approaches differ. Dr. Margulies believes it’s important to understand each viewpoint. Acknowledging another perspective does not mean you adopt it. Reconciling scientific opinions and Biblical pronouncements is possible, but has not yet occurred. One thing is clear: without understanding both views, they never will be.