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How much harder is Biology than Physical Science?


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Say you're using the same publisher and comparing apples to apples.

 

How much more difficult is Biology?

 

A lot of kids here do Biology in 8th, and hopefully our "co op" (more like a mini a la carte academy) will probably offer Biology and chemistry. They do nof offer a strong middle school science

 

So. My dd will either take Physical Science at home or Biology there...

 

ETA / being with a class is EXTREMELY motivaing to this girl. So it's worth considering.

Edited by Calming Tea
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The thing to consider is that you'll need a life science credit in high school so if you take biology in 8th grade you might have to take AP Bio or Anatomy and Physiology or DE Bio to meet the requirement. That's fine if your kid loves bio, not so great if they hate it and want to be done after one year.

 

If you're allowed to count 8th grade science for university requirements then this won't matter.

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Great points, I know Mike you're right but...still had to ask :P

 

Chiguirre....Yes.....I had not considered that. But We plan to do 10th and 11th at home, take our state exam, and then transfer to CC.  It's preferable to have Chemistry and Bio done before transferring so that when she takes it again she will have "pegs" to hang her college class info on.  

 

SO, she could do Bio in 8th, Chem in 9th and then what in 10th? 

 

....It may just be better to do Physical Science at home in 8th (as is my current plan) and wait till next year to do Biology at the Homeschool Academy.  

 

It's just that she LOVES live classes once or twice a week and a real teacher to meet with...I know she will put her heart and soul into it if there's a class and teacher, where as if it's online, it'll be better than doing it alone, but definitely still a struggle to motivate herself.

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If she'd love to do biology at the co-op and she would only be lukewarm about the physical science at home, I would let her do bio. 

 

Don't base your decision on what you *think* you're going to do down the road. Things change. If she's excited about something now, do it now! Make the best decision for each year, as it comes. You just cannot predict what will happen even two years out. There are too many variables. Doing something she'll enjoy will never be a waste of time.

 

ETA: Here's a positive variable, bec. I know it's hard not to worry about future years.....  What if she finds she really likes biology?  She'll be all set to take an honors or AP bio class in high school!   :)

Edited by yvonne
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Thank you Yvonne,

 

You are so right. I'm copying this and putting it in my planning notes!!!!

 

I totally agree with Yvonne. Go with where her interests lie and she is motivated. Then watch her grow in areas that may surprise both you and her. She can always find another science class in high school if it is needed especially as she discovers more of her own interests.

 

Our son will be taking Marine Biology next Fall at our local CC where he also took Chemistry this year. He thrives in working in classrooms with other peers as well. The funny part about Chemistry was I simply wanted him to just 'survive' it since it was my nemesis while in college. Talk about projection! Well, he ended up doing so well and enjoying the subject matter that he now looks forward to taking more chemistry.  :D  ;)

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I don't think biology is any more difficult.  It probably is more vocabulary intensive and some of the biochemistry/molecular biology stuff may be a bit abstract, which, for some kids may make it more difficult.  Having interest in the subject will go a long way in making things easier.

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The funny part about Chemistry was I simply wanted him to just 'survive' it since it was my nemesis while in college. Talk about projection! Well, he ended up doing so well and enjoying the subject matter that he now looks forward to taking more chemistry.  :D  ;)

 

This was us for Physics! I loathed physics in high school. I wanted my dd to just take it, survive it, and get it over with. She _liked_ it!  Who'd have thought?!  She's looking _forward_ to chemistry in the fall now. Is this my child?!

 

Same thing happened w/ speech & debate.... I signed all three of my kids up for an eight week, once a week, summer debate "camp" bec I thought it was something they should have before leaving high school. My dd, when she realized (the night before the first class) that I'd signed her up, too, was given to much wailing and gnashing of teeth. She came skipping out of the first class, all smiles, chattering away about everything they'd done. They all liked the camp so much that they all wanted to do debate, & I had to scramble to find a club for them. My boys wish they'd discovered it before sophomore year.  I would never in a thousand years have thought they'd not just tolerate, but love, speech & debate!

Edited by yvonne
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