I recently blogged about my science situation or lack there of and received a response from Jay Wile at Apologia. He linked me to a new free elementary curriculum website. However, I am not able to access it from the U.S. I thought I would post it here for those living outside the U.S.
I'd love to hear feedback from anyone able to access it.
Blessings,
Melissa
http://reflectionsfromdrywoodcreek.blogspot.com/2012/01/science-quandary.html
1st Glance, it is looking pretty interesting... It is designed to be a 1 year program doing science either every other school day, or 2x a week depending on how much you like science (there are "challenge" lessons if you are doing it every other day). The elementary students of the family do it together, with in general an experiment to start, then some things to read, and then notebooking/questions with 2 options depending basically on age/writing ability/your judgement.
Looks like it has 6 main sections of 15 lessons each... the 6 sections being based on the days of creation.
hth some! (Guess there is some advantage to being in Canada!)
Thanks Suzukimom! I just received another comment from Mr. Wile stating....
"Melissa, I am not exactly sure when it will be available in the U.S. I first want to see if it is useful to homeschoolers. If it is, then I have to decide how to produce it, etc. Also, since I am no longer with Apologia, I am currently not allowed to produce curriculum for use in the U.S. That restriction will eventually go away, however."
So for those of you able to access and possibly use this science curriculum, it may be helpful to provide Dr. Wile with feedback.
Blessing to you all,
Melissa
http://reflectionsfromdrywoodcreek.blogspot.com/
Bookworm
Member
I'm glad Dr. Wile is still around and will eventually be able to produce more work. I really, really, really miss him from Apologia. It's a shame he not only had to leave but can't serve homeschoolers here.
pollysoup
Member
What happened that he is not able to serve homescholers in the U.S.?
I don't know the details for this, but can talk in generalities.
Often with some professions, when you are hired for a job, there is a non-competition clause that is in effect for a while after you leave a job (especially if you leave by your own choice, but often no matter whose choice it was.)
So, for instance, I had a job that involved creating computer software for use in programming Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC's). A part of my employment agreement was that for 5 years after my employment with that company, I would not be legally able to create or work on software from a competing company, or create my own software that would be competition... ie, software for programming PLC's - for 5 years. I could write other software - say a game or something. Don't remember what the penalty was (a huge amount of money I imagine...)
I also know that inventors when they sell their rights to their product can not make competing products for a time, or someone that owns a company and sells it can't make another company. Sometimes this is only a restriction in that geographical area.
So - with that knowledge - I assume that part of the agreement for the publishing of his Apologia texts - or part of an agreement when he left them - is that he can not publish any textbooks (or maybe just science textbooks) in the U.S. for a specific period of time. That is just speculation on my part, but with the precidence well established.
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