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Apologia Marine Biology (questions)


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(I initially posted this in K-8, then realized it should probably be in here)

 

I wonder if I might bend the ears of anyone who has used this...

 

Dd13 has expressed interest in using the Marine Biology program... and the last thing that I want to do is squish an interest... but I'm a bit concerned.

 

1. It's listed as a 11/12th grade course; she's going into 9th.

 

2. It says that a student should have taken a "first year biology course" already; she hasn't.

 

3. It's (obviously) written from a Christian, and I believe YEC, perspective; we do not fit this profile.

 

There was also mention of math skills on one website - I can't remember what it said.. something about "Algebra II" ? She hasn't done Algebra yet.

 

Now - we aren't concerned about 'credits' or anything. That doesn't begin until the 10th grade for us. This is purely because she's shown an interest. I wouldn't expect her to do this alone - I'd do it with her. I've not done a "first year biology course" either though -- so can someone tell me why they suggest that? We're both coming at this with empty biology buckets. ;)

 

If we need to do a little extra 'looking things up', that's fine. If this is more like trying to jump into the 2nd level of a language course without even knowing how to say "Hello" -- that could be a problem.

 

She does NOT want to do the basic biology course that they offer - it's the marine that's caught her eye. Oceans, marine life, how's it all work, what's done there, etc. I'm really not seeing a whole lot of other programs that are similar to this - if you do know of something that might be a bit more age/grade appropriate, please give me a link to check it out. (it has to be something we can order - not an online course.)

 

I've never seen the book before...I did look at the sample module here and... it doesn't look that difficult... I like the 'conversational' style and I think dd13 will as well. In the sample module there, I really don't see anything that screams "You can't do this! You need other courses first!"

 

I do see three very obvious 'in your face' bits about the age of the earth and anti-evolution. (I don't mean rude by 'in your face' - I just mean obvious.) If it's always that 'out there' -- the author seems to go "I'd like to take a minute blah blah blah" or stuff.. makes it obvious... if it's always like that, we can just skip over that stuff.. or look up info to counter it with our views, whatever.

 

Oh one other note: we'd be getting a good microscope and the kit with the specimens on slides, but not the dissection stuff. She doesn't want to be cutting anything open - can't say as that I blame her. We can always go online and look for some videos/animations of dissections if need be. Apparently there is also a cd with videos/etc on it too; we'd order that as well.

 

Anyone care to share their experience with it?

 

Thanks! :)

Edited by Gwenhwyfar
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It's been three years since my oldest did the course, but I would say yes, you need Bio first (wouldn't have to be Apologia Bio). This book assumes basic Bio knowledge regarding marine life and goes deeper from there. It went far deeper into Marine Bio than my oldest expected it to, but he did well with it. If you weren't tied to a schedule, perhaps you could get a Bio book and when you come across things that don't make sense in Marine Bio you simply go back to Bio for that part? (just pondering a solution)

 

I can't remember on the YEC aspect enough to comment on it. My boys have been brought up knowing both theories of how we got here (and many aspects of each theory) to where I don't worry about it in any book (Christian or secular). I think it's good if they know both ways considering the US population is divided in their beliefs. I don't recall any test questions that dealt on the issue, but my memory isn't perfect. Test questions, in general at least, dealt with the topic.

 

I don't think not having Algebra would be a difficulty for 99% of the book.

 

My oldest didn't do the dissections. He has cleaned fish and oysters/clams before. It was good enough for his needs.

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If you weren't tied to a schedule, perhaps you could get a Bio book and when you come across things that don't make sense in Marine Bio you simply go back to Bio for that part?

 

Oh we could certainly do that - we could get library books or look up our missing bits online.. we're not really on a schedule, no.

 

I wish I could get my hands on the book and actually flip through it.. I'm gonna send out an email to our local hs group and see if anyone owns it, but I doubt it. There's not many families in the group with kids older than mine - there was one with a bunch of older teens, but they moved away this summer. I figure it's worth asking though.

 

I'm torn - I really don't want to squash her interest, as she isn't exactly in love with science.. or school work in general. ;)

 

But I also don't want to end up with something that we can't make heads or tails out of... we really would be doing this together, because I never took any biology classes myself... dd13 actually thinks that's pretty funny. :tongue_smilie:

 

The sample module wasn't complicated to read.. I wish they had more to view, from farther into the book...

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Is she interested in the biology of marine life, or in reading about the different fish and animals of the sea? If she just wants to read about sea life, there's lots of great books you can get from the library, and put together your own course which won't require knowledge of biology. You can also look at this book:

 

https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=79

 

It's also from Apologia, so YEC, and I have no idea what the reading level is like since it's geared towards elementary students. This might be too basic for her, I don't know. It just seems to me that an advanced biology book, which is what their marine biology is, would be fairly challenging without any biology background.

 

I'd talk with her more about what she'd specifically like to learn, and then decide which way to go from there. :)

 

I don't know if you live near the shore, but you may also want to see what opportunities there are for getting involved in volunteer work with a marine biology lab, or marine animal rescue, or aquarium. I think it's great that she's expressed an interest, and you're following up. :)

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