Accelerated MS/ HS Science Plan

[MamaSprout]

We did Physical Science (DO) this year, and it was great for dd. Next year we'll do an Intro Biology, finish Algebra 1 and start Geometry. She'll be by age be a young 7th grade-ish. I'm alarmed at how quickly this would put her through classes, but would something like this be feasible/ recommended?

 

Since I don't plan to graduate her early, I need a science plan. We have small college that offers DE to kid's with good SAT scores. Is this reasonable? If I have a plan I don't spend as much time looking at curriculum, so help me out, please!

 

Mr. Q Chem/ Geometry (Jacobs 2nd) 8th grade-ish

Clover Creek/ Algebra 2 (Dolciani) 9th  grade-ish

AP Bio (BYU Online)/ PreCalc (Brown+ maybe part of AoPS- topics are a little different) 10th grade-ish

DE Chem/ DE Calc (1&2?) 11th grade-ish

DE Physics/ DE Stats 12th grade-ish

 

Thanks

 

 

[wapiti]

I don't have a comment, but perhaps the course sequences of Kathy's kids might be helpful:  http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/161440-mit/?p=1559496

 

Here's what my son did for science: (all our science was done at home)

 

Grade 7 & 8: Rainbow Science

Grade 9: Spectrum Chemistry

Grade 10: algebra-based Physics (Giancoli)

Grade 11: AP Chem (Zumdahl) & AP Physics C (Halliday & Resnick)

Grade 12: AP Bio (Campbell)

 

My daughter did this: (same texts)

 

Grade 6 & 7: Rainbow Science

Grade 8: Apologia Biology

Grade 9: Spectrum Chemistry

Grade 10: AP Chemistry

Grade 11: AP Physics C

Grade 12: AP Biology

 

They both took the SAT II chemistry and physics tests at the end of their AP years in those sciences

 

Edited May 21, 2016 by wapiti

[EKS]

I would use Spectrum over Mr Q.  And actually, after having used Spectrum this year, I felt that it was heavy on computation and light on conceptual development.  If I could do it over again, I'd use (and actually did use as a supplement) a Zumdahl text (either World of Chemistry or Introductory Chemistry: A Foundation) and only use Spectrum for the labs.

[MamaSprout]

I would use Spectrum over Mr Q.  And actually, after having used Spectrum this year, I felt that it was heavy on computation and light on conceptual development.  If I could do it over again, I'd use (and actually did use as a supplement) a Zumdahl text (either World of Chemistry or Introductory Chemistry: A Foundation) and only use Spectrum for the labs.

 

Would there be a benefit to using Spectrum for labs over something like the Microchem kit?

 

Would Zumdahl be do-able for a student who hasn't taken Algebra 2? She'll probably do the first four chapters of Algebra 2 (which are mostly Algebra 1 review) during her chemistry year while she's doing Geometry rather than doing the algebra review pages in Jacobs.

[MamaSprout]

I don't have a comment, but perhaps the course sequences of Kathy's kids might be helpful:  http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/161440-mit/?p=1559496

 

 

This is actually what I was kind of working from (I have it printed in my file of notes), but I don't see DC doing two AP sciences in one year. I could be wrong, though!

[EKS]

I prefer the Spectrum labs because they are so very well thought out and there is a lot of background information included.  The Microchem kit is good in that the materials are all there and well laid out but it has more of a cookbook quality to it.  With the Spectrum labs, you feel like the guy is talking to you and the science is at the forefront at all times (as opposed to the recipe, if that makes sense).

 

As far as I can tell, the only thing in high school chemistry requiring Algebra II is pH calculations, and you just need to know how to deal with logarithms for that.  Honestly, most of the math needed is of the prealgebra variety.  If you're willing to give your daughter a short lesson on exponents and logarithms when the time comes, she should do just fine.  For a younger student, you might want to go with World of Chemistry as its layout is a little more accessible than the Introductory Chemistry, which is intended for college students (nonmajors).

[MamaSprout]

I prefer the Spectrum labs because they are so very well thought out and there is a lot of background information included.  The Microchem kit is good in that the materials are all there and well laid out but it has more of a cookbook quality to it.  With the Spectrum labs, you feel like the guy is talking to you and the science is at the forefront at all times (as opposed to the recipe, if that makes sense).

 

As far as I can tell, the only thing in high school chemistry requiring Algebra II is pH calculations, and you just need to know how to deal with logarithms for that.  Honestly, most of the math needed is of the prealgebra variety.  If you're willing to give your daughter a short lesson on exponents and logarithms when the time comes, she should do just fine.  For a younger student, you might want to go with World of Chemistry as its layout is a little more accessible than the Introductory Chemistry, which is intended for college students (nonmajors).

 

Good to know. I was always under the impression that the Spectrum labs and text were integrated. So if I did use Spectrum, would you recommend using it as a spine and then assigning readings and/or written work from the Zuhmdal text? Or the other way around; fit the Spectrum labs to the World of Chemistry text? Does it matter? I've spent 30 hours putting together biology for next year... I'd like to keep chemistry a little simpler. Thank-you!

[EKS]

Good to know. I was always under the impression that the Spectrum labs and text were integrated. So if I did use Spectrum, would you recommend using it as a spine and then assigning readings and/or written work from the Zuhmdal text? Or the other way around; fit the Spectrum labs to the World of Chemistry text? Does it matter? I've spent 30 hours putting together biology for next year... I'd like to keep chemistry a little simpler. Thank-you!

 

I was under that impression about the labs being integrated as well, but they really aren't.  The only thing you need to be careful about is that sometimes it is assumed that you have done something in a prior lab.  

 

So it might be best to fit the text to the labs.  Though I should probably mention that when I tried to do this last year I ended up deciding to just use the Spectrum text (even though we prefer secular here) because the planning was making me crazy.

 

I realize that this is probably not as helpful as it could have been.

[MamaSprout]

 I might try the Centripetal Chemistry instead. Since she'll take another pass through with DE, this might work. It looks chatty and pretty open and go. The author is old earth Christian, but the text doesn't have any religious references.

[Arcadia]

Does your daughter prefer focusing on one science a year or spiral through bio/chem/physics over a few years.

 

Also you could do AP stats instead of DE stats as following the recommended text "the practice of statistics" isn't difficult.

 

You can do Clover Creek Physics in 7th/8th grade.

 

I am using all secular texts so we'll do Miller Levine bio followed by Campbell, Giancoli physics followed by Hallidy & Resnick. For chem we might use the Brown text and the Zumdahl text as my kids haven't decide which they prefer.

 

ETA:

We are doing the three sciences over three years, the third year is in case of teenage brain fog. Hubby and I did three sciences over two years concurrently.

Edited May 22, 2016 by Arcadia

[MamaSprout]

She does like doing one official science at a time, more or less. She usually finishes early, though, and does whatever science programs locally we can find.

 

Okay, so this is what it looks like:

 

Physical Science (DO)/ PreA (DO), start Algebra 6th (the year we are finishing)

Hoagland-Campbell Biology/ Finish Algebra 1 (Dolciani) 7th

Clover Creek -or- Centripetal Physics / Geometry (Jacobs 2nd) 8th

Centripetal Chemistry/ Algebra 2 (Dolciani) and maybe part of Gelfand to finish year 9th

AP Bio (BYU Online)/ PreCalc (Brown + maybe part of AoPS- topics are a little different) 10th

DE Chem/ DE Calc (1&2?) 11th

DE Physics/ AP or DE Stats 12th

 

 

 

 

[AEC]

She does like doing one official science at a time, more or less. She usually finishes early, though, and does whatever science programs locally we can find.

 

Okay, so this is what it looks like:

 

Physical Science (DO)/ PreA (DO), start Algebra 6th (the year we are finishing)

Hoagland-Campbell Biology/ Finish Algebra 1 (Dolciani) 7th

Clover Creek -or- Centripetal Physics / Geometry (Jacobs 2nd) 8th

Centripetal Chemistry/ Algebra 2 (Dolciani) and maybe part of Gelfand to finish year 9th

AP Bio (BYU Online)/ PreCalc (Brown + maybe part of AoPS- topics are a little different) 10th

DE Chem/ DE Calc (1&2?) 11th

DE Physics/ AP or DE Stats 12th

 

DD is in a pretty similar situation (rising 7th grader, reasonably ahead in math & science, solid but not grade-accelerating other subjects).  At this point, she's set on doing a math or CS career so we're somewhat biassing towards that.  This is all highlly subject to change down the road, of course, the I think the path looks something like:

 

7th

  Geometry & Alg2 (both AoPS)

  Chem (Chang)

8th

  PreAlg (AoPS).  If she continues to do > 1 year of math per year we'll also add in NumberTheory and/or C&P.

  Either AP Chem or M&L Bio

9th

  Calculas (AoPS + whatever else.  Assume we'll just to calc this year and go as deep as she can wants/to).

  the other science not taken in 8th

10th

  Stats + <something else> for math

  Physics (calc-based).

 

at which point I'd consider her to have covered the basics and we'll go with whatever math & science facilitates her interests.  If it remains CompSci then I'd guess it'll be LinAlg, FiniteField Arith, graph theory or something similar.

[Mike in SA]

Your plan looks perfectly normal, though I do caution jumping into Campbell biology too early. Baby Campbell is ok, but the full version requires a solid understanding of chemistry.

 

You can start chemistry (even at the DE level) with only algebra. We taught older DS chem starting in 5th, prior to completing algebra. He started MIT's online chemistry with precalc, and did fine. He did MIT's bio (using full Campbell) after the first round of chemistry, and it was a challenge.

[MamaSprout]

Your plan looks perfectly normal, though I do caution jumping into Campbell biology too early. Baby Campbell is ok, but the full version requires a solid understanding of chemistry.

 

 

Agreed. We're using Campbell's high school book (Exploring Biology) just as a secondary source to the Hoagland book. It's much simpler than the big Campbell books, but clear and to the point.

[MamaSprout]

DD is in a pretty similar situation (rising 7th grader, reasonably ahead in math & science, solid but not grade-accelerating other subjects).  At this point, she's set on doing a math or CS career so we're somewhat biassing towards that.  This is all highlly subject to change down the road, of course, the I think the path looks something like:

 

7th

  Geometry & Alg2 (both AoPS)

  Chem (Chang)

8th

  PreAlg (AoPS).  If she continues to do > 1 year of math per year we'll also add in NumberTheory and/or C&P.

  Either AP Chem or M&L Bio

9th

  Calculas (AoPS + whatever else.  Assume we'll just to calc this year and go as deep as she can wants/to).

  the other science not taken in 8th

10th

  Stats + <something else> for math

  Physics (calc-based).

 

at which point I'd consider her to have covered the basics and we'll go with whatever math & science facilitates her interests.  If it remains CompSci then I'd guess it'll be LinAlg, FiniteField Arith, graph theory or something similar.

 

Thanks for sharing your sequence.

I've heard the AoPS Geometry book is often done after Algebra 2 chapters. I understand it is very difficult.

 

Dd wants to be a math major, but is also very into music, art and languages. We opted away from AoPS so she can have time for exploring other things (and all that music practice time, oi.) It is always hard to find balance. I'm going to hold off from DE courses as long as I can. She's the youngest of our kids, so I know what the quality if of the local DE classes. Some are great, for others, she'd be better off self-studying at home.

 

[Arcadia]

We opted away from AoPS so she can have time for exploring other things (and all that music practice time, oi.)

I make my DS11 take a break and practice his cello whenever he spend too long on math or any other bookwork because of eye strain.

 

I think the recommendation is to look far after every 45mins of bookwork but I tend to forget to remind him so it is more like a break after every 1.5hrs most times.

[MamaSprout]

I make my DS11 take a break and practice his cello whenever he spend too long on math or any other bookwork because of eye strain.

 

I think the recommendation is to look far after every 45mins of bookwork but I tend to forget to remind him so it is more like a break after every 1.5hrs most times.

 

Eye strain is a real concern at this age- maybe it's more screen time? It seems like dd and many of her friends are getting glasses "birthday presents" for their 11th birthdays this year. I don't remember her older sibs having so many friends with glasses in middle school.

Edited May 23, 2016 by elladarcy

[AEC]

Thanks for sharing your sequence.

I've heard the AoPS Geometry book is often done after Algebra 2 chapters. I understand it is very difficult.

 

At least according to AoPS it's fine to schedule after their Alg1 (which goes quite a bit further than most Alg1 courses).

We'll see how it goes, but there'll be no convincing DD to wait for geometry.  She wants to take the AMC10 in Feb, and it requires geomerty, so geometry it is.

[Arcadia]

We'll see how it goes, but there'll be no convincing DD to wait for geometry. She wants to take the AMC10 in Feb, and it requires geomerty, so geometry it is.

My youngest survived into to algebra with intro to geometry concurrently as well as had fun at AMC10 and AMC12 even though he scored near the mean. I don't know if geometry helps for AMC as my boys did AMC8/10/12 for fun and was joking about handing in blank scantron sheets. My kids did use their passports as photo ID for AMC10 and AMC12.

[aly9712]

We have a similar thing going on. Completed Physical Science this year. Rising 7th and will be doing Biology & Algebra 2. Honestly, I figure, she will do Biology again later in highschool and will hold off on a challenging chemistry until later highschool. I'm not so sure she'd do well on the SAT subject Matter tests later, taking these courses so early and honestly, even though she loves Biology, I'm not sure of unneccesary pressures of taking this class formally so young. We finished Saxon Algebra 1 this year so I'm not concerned about math, but we may go back to do some of the AOPS algebra problems this summer. The options there seem limitless. Science, I feel is harder to find. I'd be truly happy if the highschool years (11-12th) could be mentorship or  completely lab based.

[MamaSprout]

We have a similar thing going on. Completed Physical Science this year. Rising 7th and will be doing Biology & Algebra 2. Honestly, I figure, she will do Biology again later in highschool and will hold off on a challenging chemistry until later highschool. I'm not so sure she'd do well on the SAT subject Matter tests later, taking these courses so early and honestly, even though she loves Biology, I'm not sure of unneccesary pressures of taking this class formally so young. We finished Saxon Algebra 1 this year so I'm not concerned about math, but we may go back to do some of the AOPS algebra problems this summer. The options there seem limitless. Science, I feel is harder to find. I'd be truly happy if the highschool years (11-12th) could be mentorship or  completely lab based.

 

I'm less concerned about covering science formally a little early, or even math. Even though we're doing high school level coursework, a lot of it is review. We semi-unschooled science and to some extent, math, for a few years, and she's really already covered most of what's in a HS Biology through the Jay Hosler books, Ellen McHenry, and such.  I've had to dig a little for labs because she's done a lot of those, too. I figure the written output in the high school level course is probably where the challenge lies.

 

She's done a lot with the Murderous Maths, Vi Hart and Numberphile videos. They've given her some pretty good "hooks" to hang Algebra on. I also made her do PreAlgebra twice. I'm mean like that. :0) I can recommend Dolciani for word problems if AoPS doesn't fit the bill.