teachermom2834 Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 Tell me about Abeka biology of you can. I remember looking at it briefly years ago and not considering it for long because there were better options, IMO. My 9th grader will take it at co-op next year. He is also taking Clover Creek physics. The biology is getting added on mostly because he wants to go to co-op for social reasons and to be able to do some labs that I do not enjoy doing at home. When I glanced at the TOC for Abeka it seems heavy on botany, zoology, human body while lighter on the microbiology than some others. They are doing several dissections which I honestly thought was a bit outdated as far as current high school biology standards. But I am not the most informed person on high school science standards. My thought is that ds can take another biology course later if this isn't adequate. We have good de options available. He is almost certainly headed to a STEM major but I think more along the lines of engineering or math than biology. But if someone wants to tell me that Abeka biology rocks and he is getting a solid course I would be happy to hear that :). Any easy additions we can add to round out the course and make it more solid (if it is inadequate) are welcome too. We are not young earth but we are used to navigating that in our homeschool world so that isn't a huge concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I've used the A Beka biology text (older edition) for years in a local class setting. You have described it perfectly; it is a bit old-fashioned in its presentation of topics because it definitely skimps on cellular biology. But for the purposes of most of my local students, it is certainly adequate. Some who plan to go into a biological field may take another level of bio later in high school (but not all do and they still do FINE in college level biology). For my own two sons that one trip through A Beka bio was enough for them (well, the jury is still out on the younger one--he is asking for a possible marine bio course his senior year). The students tend to LOVE the zoology unit and also seem to enjoy the botany--which may stem from my own personal enthusiasm with plants. We have a running joke about the A Beka textbook in our household...if you want to know a way to die a horrible death such as from an amoeba or worm or virus or bacteria, A Beka will describe it to you in lurid detail. Maybe the newer edition isn't so dire. lol! We use the lab manual, and I find it to be very well done...requiring serious observation and sketching. It has lots of microscope work and yes...quite a few dissections (we do not do them all--but most of them--I substitute a few). My students do an insect collection in the fall and a biome presentation project in the winter. We usually do a tree identification "field trip" and a study of pond life/water, too. So adequate, yes. Terribly exciting??? No...but still a ton of fun when done in a group setting. LOTS of memorization required...but that shouldn't interefere with your son's physics course. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 It will not interfere with physics ;) Looking forward to that tremendously! Thank you so much for your assessment. Great info and I feel better about it now. It will probably be very enjoyable to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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