If DD doesn't do a college science class next fall

[Dmmetler]

What might be a good alternative?

 

I'm really wondering if we need to wait, because she's had such a hard time emotionally for the last month or so, and is only starting to get some equlibrium back in moving to the entomology unit and backing off on math and doing more hands on, fun stuff there as well. Furthermore, she still wants t apply to her dream school, which will add another level of stress.

 

But, I am kind of at a loss for what to do next if we don't. I suspect that AP environmental might be more stressful than actually taking a college class due to the "one exam to rule them all" thing, since she apparently DOES experience test anxiety when it "counts". She has done reasonable high school level bio, chem, earth/space and conceptual physics, mostly using undergrad non-major textbooks and virtual labs with the occasional kitchen table one except for bio, and has worked through college majors levels books in herpetology (general and LOTS of specific topics, including auditing several classes) vertebrate anatomy, general biology and microbiology, with a good amount of college lab and field work. She's done basically anything related to environmental science or ecology on EdX and some on Coursera.

 

I've always had her do one track of core science (the usual high school stuff) and one of the stuff that interests her, and she often does 3-4 science classes plus her own research this year. Right now, she's just doing Entomology and herpetology, which is unusual, because she finished Geology in the fall.

 

She doesn't have the math to do more advanced physics or chemistry at this point.

 

I really feel like I'm running out of stuff to put on a plan of study-but if she doesn't feel ready for "real college" at 11, I don't want to push her into it, either. I think she somehow sees taking a college class as crossing a line she can't go back from-giving up any chance of being a "normal kid".

 

Aarrrgghhhh!!!!!

[kiana]

Genetics? She should be able to handle it if she handled microbiology. 

 

Plant biology? Zoology? Ecology? Oceanography? Astronomy? Meteorology? Evolution? Non-majors biochemistry? 

 

I mostly went down the courselist from my undergraduate and picked out the ones that were mostly taken by non-majors, or the bio ones that didn't require as much math/chemistry. I can find the textbooks they use for any of them if you're interested. 

[hellojwolford]

Genetics was my first thought too.

[Mike in SA]

Same here.  Anything bio-related would be great.  Has she looked at the various OCW courses?  It wouldn't be necessary to master the material - just gaining further exposure could be beneficial.

 

We're having DS do astrobiology next year.  It requires some physics, chemistry, and bio, but the "conceptual" courses are plenty.  That course (it's actually a Springer book called "Cosmic Biology") looks like a real blast.

[lewelma]

I agree with genetics. 

 

Also, how about more detail in ecology: population ecology or community ecology

Or more detail in evolution: population genetics or molecular evolution

 

[Dmmetler]

Genetics would be good-she's done quite a bit with snake breeding and morphs. I think we'll also going to do some aquatic bio/Icthyology in the same way we're doing Entomology. There are a lot of nice places here to do aquatic bio work, and it also dovetails with her frog work and water quality research she's done with her mentor.

 

If she decides to take a college class, that will work, too, but at least it gives me a place to start gathering materials.

[daijobu]

Astronomy?

[chiguirre]

How about Anatomy and Physiology? Trinqueta is signed up for Landry's class next year. These are the textbooks:

 

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0803622562?keywords=0803622562&qid=1454375649&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

 

http://smile.amazon.com/Anatomy-Coloring-Book-Wynn-Kapit/dp/0321832019/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454375687&sr=8-1&keywords=9780321832016

[Lawyer&Mom]

Oceanography/Marine Biology. Our local high school offers it as a college level course open to freshmen, so clearly it can be done with rigor and without much math.

[hellojwolford]

I just saw a Great Courses series on organic chemistry in the catalogue with "special sale issue for new customers" on the cover. It's a 36 lecture series on sale for $54. (Sale ends 2/11/16). I don't know if it's any good but I thought of you when I saw it.

[Staceyshoe]

For the past 2 years, I organized a group of local homeschoolers who have highly to profoundly gifted kids, and we hired a scientist to teach science to our kids.  It's been an amazing opportunity.  The group is eclectic, small, and takes minimal effort on my part.  The instructor uses college textbooks, and I make it very clear upfront that the kids in the class need to be motivated and able to be fairly autodidactic with a college textbook.  There is wonderful flexibility along with depth of content.  And since the class attracts kids who are very scientifically-minded, it's been a wonderful social fit for ds as well.  I don't know if you live in an area with enough gifted kids to do something like this.  It's been a life-saver for ds.