The Elements of Science kit covers not just chemistry, but physics and biology as well. The kit is designed as an overview of many major scientific principles we encounter daily, including topics like the properties of liquids, heat tests and common chemical reactions. Elements of Science is a good choice for home schooling lessons because it provides an overview of many topics in an early level science class.
Though Elements of Science has experiments in all sciences, its included chemistry experiments earned it a spot on our list of the best chemistry sets.
The Elements of Science kit has 100 experiments in 15 sections. Each section includes several tests, like a unit in a textbook. For example, the section on chemistry covers acids/bases, chromatography, filtration, chemical reactions and other topics. Even though chemistry is only one of the topics in this kit, part of the kit’s goal is to demonstrate how all the branches of science are interrelated. So, while your child is learning about the properties of water, he/she is also picking up the idea that water is a chemical with both physical and chemical properties. All of the experiments in this kit and in any science kit, have a chemistry aspect.
Like the experiments in the Mind Blowing Science kit, the Elements of Science kit’s experiments shy away from abstract principles and focus on real-world applications of science, which increases the child’s interest level by making the activities more fun and more educational at the same time. While the manual will provide a wealth of information, it is in conducting hands-on experiments that kids really begin to absorb an understanding of science.
The equipment in this kit is very basic and mostly consists of measuring, mixing and storage supplies. Most of the equipment is made of plastic or metal, with the exception of one glass magnifying jar. Although the supplies in this kit look cheap at first glance, they actually work well for the kit, and kids might be less intimidated by using plastic versions of classic lab equipment than using more breakable items. The higher-rated sets on our survey come with more equipment than this kit, but we did appreciate that this kit’s equipment is user-friendly for kids.
The Elements of Science kit comes with five chemicals and a few other substances for mixing (like color tablets and colored gels. To complete all of the experiments, you will also need some household items that aren’t included, like sugar, salt and a few batteries. There is a sufficient supply of the provided chemicals to repeat the experiments more than once. Most of the chemistry sets we reviewed call for some supplies and chemicals beyond what is in the box, but for this kit you will be able to find what you need at the grocery store if you don’t already have it around the house.
The Elements of Science kit, like all the chemistry sets on our survey, comes with a detailed experiment procedure manual with step-by-step instructions for all the tests. The manual also contains explanations of the scientific principles behind each test. To maximize your child’s learning from this kit, it is important to follow the instructions in the manual exactly and read the experiment explanations to understand why and how they work. The manual also includes cartoons and other graphic elements that help to explain the science lessons contained in the kit in a more kid-friendly way.
For kids that are having trouble picking up basic science lessons in school, the Elements of Science kit is a great option for enhancing your child’s education at home. The experiments in this kit are simpler than the ones in the advanced CHEM C3000 set, and more similar to the types of tests in the Mind Blowing Science kit (another beginner kit). Compared to the Mind Blowing Science kit, Elements of Science has a lot more experiments and covers a much wider range of topics.
