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Science Sequence and Integrating Science \ IB or IGCSE?


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I came across this older post and wondered how to integrate science study so that a student could study all four science in a year (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics). If someone else has done this, how did you do this. I am looking for concrete examples. 

 

Anyone have experience with using books from "Key Stage 4" Cambridge University Press. If so, what did you think? Would these texts be a good homeschool fit? I am thinking IB texts rather than IGCSE-any insight?

 

If it helps, I am looking at 9th grade next year with a student interested in STEM.

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I came across this older post and wondered how to integrate science study so that a student could study all four science in a year (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics). If someone else has done this, how did you do this. I am looking for concrete examples. 

 

Anyone have experience with using books from "Key Stage 4" Cambridge University Press. If so, what did you think? Would these texts be a good homeschool fit? I am thinking IB texts rather than IGCSE-any insight?

 

If it helps, I am looking at 9th grade next year with a student interested in STEM.

 

The IB diploma is two years and typically starts at age 16.  The IGCSE is typically studied between ages 14 and 16.  So, you would typically study the IGCSE then the IB (or other qualification).

 

I taught Calvin IGCSE Biology from a standard school text (not Cambridge).  It worked fine for bio - we could do a lot of the experiments at home.  I'm not sure how the other lab subjects would work.

 

In the IGCSE system, the standard sciences are bio, chem and phys.  Earth science is part of geography.

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We use IGCSE Complete Physics and IGCSE Complete Chemistry at home during grade 9-10, after that we will use something geared to our exams.

Dd is not in a STEM track, but is considering studying Biology after homeschool.

 

Our edition of IGCSE Complete Physics contains a lot of mistakes in the answerkey.

Luckily for us, we know somebody who is able to help us.

 

Both IGCSE texts work with 'core' and a 'extended' sections / questions / exercises.

In the Physics text the extended stuff is still core in our opinion.

In the Chemistry text it is sometimes too much for our context.

 

The Physics practicums were almost not to do at home.

I replaced them with practicums I found on the internet (in Dutch) or Youtube videos.

The Chemistry practicums were slightly easier to do as we owned the kosmos C3000 box already, but here too we replace some practicums with video's.

 

As we use the books during more then one year we don't do each science each day.

The whole 'one hour per subject per day' is uncommon in our school system. So our schedule looks different every day :)

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