www.virtualhomeschoolgroup.com---is this a good option?

[sadiegirl]

I found a link to this site thru a previous post and I am wondering what those of you that have used it think about it. I am looking for an online science for 8-9th graders. I was thinking of using Apologia Biology. We used Rainbow science last year but my boys were not crazy about it and I need help teaching it. I am not sure if we should do General Science or Biology. They both love science and I am not good at teaching it.

 

This site looks like a possible option that might work.

Any comments?

[holdoll]

The VHSG has been a tremendous blessing for our family. It is a free ministry to home schooling families. The Apologia Biology class runs continuously. I believe there are three classes running right now. You can jump in at any module and continue until you come back around to where you began. So if you start at module 6, you would continue through the end of the book and then back around to modules 1 - 5 and be done. It's the only class that runs like this as it doesn't matter the order. The classes are "live" with a teacher or you can choose the recorded class to work at your own pace. Both options are still eligible for open office hours with the instructor.

 

Of course, they offer much more than Biology. Our daughter took Chemistry and Physics with VHSG and did outstanding. She plans to enroll in the Saxon Advanced Mathematics this Fall. I also noticed they have some Kindergarten classes, Language Arts and TOG.

 

The best part is it's FREE. For several years they had a donor who paid for the servers and online classrooms. Now it's strictly donation based as people feel led. Very low key. The instructors all volunteer for no remuneration.

 

Mrs. Tammy Moore the creator of VHSG, is a godly Christian woman who is committed to the students. She is also a home school mom and wife who gives up much of her time to do this.

 

PM me if you'd like more info.

[Susan C.]

My dd did biology w/VHSG last year and loved it. We will be doing chemistry this year.

 

You cannot come into the biology when they are doing modules 5-8, they are a unit. I think they are on module 6 right now. Maybe module 9 will start about the beginning of the school year?? You can come into the middle of the book in biology except for the four modules mentioned above.

[holdoll]

Oh I am sorry for the misinformation. Mrs. Moore has always said you can jump in at any module. I'll double check with her.

[Susan C.]

I was a little vague... you can come in at module 5, but if you don't, you need to wait until module 9 to come in. So treat modules 5-8 like one uninterrupted unit.

[holdoll]

Our dd checked with Mrs. M and she cleared up the confusion for us:

 

"They can if they play catch up. They will have all of module 5 VoiceThreads and the first two lectures of module 6 to do so that they will not be lost. If they are not willing to catch up, they need to wait until we hit 9."

[sadiegirl]

So, approximately when will the class be doing unit 9? We usually begin our classes the second to third week of August.

[holdoll]

I don't know. You'd have to check with Mrs Moore on the website.