Spectrum 7th Grade Science Workbooks

I am using this book for home school, as a backup to other science education that we cover. While not being equivalent to a "full course dinner" of science, this book to me is the equivalent of a "high quality daily multivitamin" of science, if that makes sense. It is very helpful and provides an easy way to learn and retain the information necessary for a broad overview of the subject, with a lot of specifics included. My son consistently scores very high on any standardized science tests, and I will give this series credit for helping with that. We started with this book in grade 3 or 4, and have continued every year since we found it. My son also likes this book very much, and looks forward to the reading and exercises as a pleasant and enjoyable part of his school day. He likes this book (not so with everything). The stories and workbook questions are very interesting, and stimulate further thought. It's a great resource and supportive material for teaching science, in my opinion. I just hope that they make these books through 12th grade. Edit June 2018: Based on other reviews, I feel that I must emphasis that I previously categorized this book as a "backup to other science education" and a "supportive material," never saying that this is all you need for a science curriculum. Again, it's a vitamin, not a meal. While some reviewers have pointed out that there are factual errors, and of course I would prefer these books to be factually correct, that didn't matter at all in the big picture for us, because we used these when he was younger. We never used this series to "study for science tests." He never tried to memorize anything in these books, he just happily did the reading and filled out the worksheets. This series sparked a real interest in science in a way that made it fun and enjoyable, and that right there is worth way more than the cost of this book. If you are looking to prepare a child for a specific science test, I would find a study aid specific for that test. My son did score very high in science on the IOWA when these books and the Magic Schoolbus videos were a big and fun percentage of his science learning, as well as going to environmental classes at a wildlife refuge and also an organic farm, going to science museums, etc. But I also had him do the study guide for the IOWA, now that I think of it, which may have helped (can't remember what was in it). My son moved on in 7th grade to much harder science classes, and we just didn't have time to keep up with these. He just finished AP Biology in 9th grade and though we don't have the score yet, he'll get an A for his class. He's currently at a 3-week aerospace engineering camp at a big university, which was hard to get into. I'm sure he looks back on these pleasant books very wistfully, and interestingly, he still is helped in science by things he remembers learning from the Magic Schoolbus series, which he watched more than once. We laugh about that. He probably doesn't remember much from these books, but they helped him to decide that he enjoyed learning about science. Edit August 2025: My son graduated from college this spring, Summa Cum Laude, yay! He still loves science. He got college credit for AP Biology (4) and AP Chemistry (5). I can remember that at some fantastic homeschool classes on an organic farm, the teachers confessed to me that "he knows more than we do," about ecology and all of their classes involving science. When I asked him how he knew so much, he said it was mostly from the Magic School Bus series and there was also another good science show on PBS around 2012 that he soaked up. Can't recall the name. I fully believe that this workbook helped very much too, because it's the love of learning that makes the learning really happen. He ended up majoring in software engineering which was his choice and has a great job that he loves, as well as a second part-time job in video engineering for the college sports events, which he sometimes loves even more. While science research isn't a part of his daily life, he has a vast understanding and appreciation of science in general which informs his enjoyment of life, including the entire chronological history of natural science from Dr Christe McMenomy of Scholars Online. That course is a full course meal on the level of a humongous international banquet where it's incredibly amazing and nourishing, yet very hard to chew and swallow fast enough. It's an extremely challenging two year course of study. I learned all of this alongside my son and appreciate science in my 50's and 60's in a way that I totally missed out on in my first four decades. And back again to this book, I loved it and learned from it, too. I even bought the 3rd grade version for my elderly mom to do to keep her brain sharp. This workbook was always a very fun part of our days.

Great additional study material.

Well-designed, well-written, interesting to read and just about the right length of time to engage a 12-yo. Our kiddo is enjoying and completing her work in this workbook to our satisfaction.

Good book with the answer key. Parents and kids have to do some research to cover some subjects.

Good

Helped my granddaughter get through science. The curriculum in class was too fast paced and she was a terrible note taker. With this book we could review the materials at home so she could better understand them. Now she’s an “A” student!

Used with my seventh graders as a support and they were able to work on this independently.

Good

I like this book, easy to use and fun, my kid likes it also.

excellent book

Book is easy to follow and my mid loves to do the work. He even does extra

Spectrum series are my favourite. They are better than the basic practice books. Some chaired in math book are still too easy but overall science, writing books are very good. Just one thing wish they can come up with new edition as existing ones are many years old, still relevant but could be better.

It is American curriculum but I am okay with that. The examples, lessons, information is great so much more then you find in Canadian workbooks. The child learns more. Would recommend.