Introductory Chemistry: A Foundation - Kit

Steven Zumdahl's Introductory Chemistry: A Foundation is one of the most comprehensive chemistry programs we've seen. This is partly because it's an AP/college course, and while you can use it with high school students (many do), be aware that comprehensive also means more difficult than the average chemistry program.

How Does This Work?

The core of the program is a lengthy (over 600 pages) student textbook that begins with chemical reactions and proceeds to more complicated material. Zumdahl emphasizes problem solving, explaining that chemistry isn't mastered by rote memorization but by learning how to make connections and interpreting evidence.

Plenty of in-text questions help students internalize what they've learned and put their problem solving skills to use, and there are a fair amount of full-color photographs, diagrams and other illustrations. The book is text-heavy, but Zumdahl is an engaging writer and uses frequent analogies to which teens can relate.

An Instructor's Annotated Edition includes the full text of the student book in reduced form with plenty of teaching notes and extra information in the margins. There are also answers to all equations, ideas for demonstrations, and answers to in-text exercises. For more complete answers to student text exercises and math problems, there's an accompanying Solutions Guide.

Because chemistry is more about doing and observing than about reading and memorizing, Introductory Chemistry in the Laboratory is a lab manual with instructions for experiments and lab work. Each demonstration/experiment is thoroughly explained, with diagrams as necessary, and plenty of questions to answer and places to write notes. There's also an extensive introduction concerning the requisite equipment and how to stay safe in the lab.

This set also includes a reference card, a Math Review CD-ROM for getting students up to speed (chemistry is math-heavy), a test bank including tests and answers, and a number of teacher supplements for Zumdahl's World of Chemistry course. There's a lot of material here, but it's all self-explanatory and easy to use.

Our Honest Opinion

Introductory Chemistry: A Foundation has been touted on the Well-Trained Mind forums as a good option for high school. And it is, particularly if your student is interested in chemistry or wants to be a scientist. Otherwise, it's probably a bit of overkill, though because it's so well presented and thorough it might make chemistry attractive to students who otherwise wouldn't care.

For those who dislike Exploring Creation with Chemistry by Jay Wile, this is a good alternative. Unfortunately, the set is rarely sold as a single unit, and you'll likely have to piece it together from different sellers online. The one drawback in comparison to Wile's course is that Zumdahl's program is intended for classroom use, and the lab work may not be an option for everybody.

One drawback for some will be an asset for others: Zumdahl's text is secular, and while he doesn't spend much time on origins or ideology (especially in comparison to Wile), his presuppositions are obviously evolutionary and non-supernatural. This is still a great chemistry course, and if you can get it and your kids are up to it, it's a good option.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.