Jump to content

Menu

Willson Hill or Derek Owens or Clover Creek for Physics ??


Recommended Posts

What grade?

 

My dd is using Wilson Hill for Honors Physics right now and the course is well done, led by Mrs. Christie Jester and using the textbook by John Mays, but WHA's approach is to take physics first, followed by chemistry and biology after that.  Then take AP Physics in the senior year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Clover Creek was an incredible experience for my daughter in ninth grade. The instructor, Jetta Seboly, provided her with a very solid foundation in physics. Also, this was the first subject my daughter found to be very challenging, and Jetta helped her to grow tremendously in regard to study skills. She is a fantastic teacher who really cares about her students and fosters community within the class. My daughter will tell you that while physics is not her favorite subject, this was her favorite online class experience.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From what I can tell, all 3 are fantastic options. I watched Mrs. Jester’s class last year during the open house. She is a high energy, enthusiastic teacher who kept the class moving quickly. Based on my dd’s year with DO for math I can believe the positive reviews. Next year I have two taking physics. One loves the WHA format with two live classes a week and is signed up for Mrs. Jester’s class. The other likes live classes, but wants to limit his time in live meetings. I’m hoping to get him into Clover Creek. DO is completely self paced so that might be a better option for some kids or circumstances. Sorry I don’t have any btdt advice, but thought perhaps my thought process for course selection might help.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is what we did.  My son, who is a Mechanical Engineering major, took Jetta Seboly's Clover Creek Physics in 10th grade.  Then, we followed up with DO Honors Physics in 12th grade.  I just don't think that engineering majors can have too much upper level math or physics.  

 

Just an idea.  

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is what we did.  My son, who is a Mechanical Engineering major, took Jetta Seboly's Clover Creek Physics in 10th grade.  Then, we followed up with DO Honors Physics in 12th grade.  I just don't think that engineering majors can have too much upper level math or physics.  

 

Just an idea.  

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda

 

Just curious, what was the difference between Clover Creek and DO honors physics? Aren't both of them algebra based? Or is it just difficulty level? Mine has plans to do two years of chemistry so I doubt we will have time for 2 years of physics.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My daughter did Derek Owens's Honor Physics this year, she is in 9th grade. She is mathy. We chose Derek's class because she could start it in the summer and finish by Christmas...reducing her load when her ballet season is typically harder.

She LOVED his class.  I got a tutor for her just before each semester test to make sure there was nothing she missed and she always amazed her tutor with what they had covered.

I can't compare him to other physics classes, but his honors class involved extra time, but it never seemed unreasonable. And being able to go at her own pace was great for us.

 

I really wish we had signed up for his Alg 2 class so she could have done it starting in the summer too. Sigh.

 

Right now, I plan for her to take Chem and then biology her 11th grade year. 12th grade we'll decide when we get closer....see which way she is leaning. But I don't think there is enough additional topics to take his honors physics as a followup to Clover Creek or WHA.  They all seem the same from what I understood.

 

Edited by mom2hunangirls
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to respond a bit about why we did 2 Algebra based physics.  I know that it was overkill.  But for THIS student, I just felt that he needed a bit more review of the Physics concepts to make sure that those skills were solid.  So that when he switched to a calc based physics, that he was still not struggling with the physics concepts.  We did the same thing for Calc.  He took the DO's AP Calc, but we didn't take the AP test.  And then this fall, as a freshmen, he started with Calc I with all the other freshmen engineering students.  He has thanked me OVER and OVER.  He even said just yesterday, that many of the engineering students are having trouble with Physics 1 this semester because this IS a Calc based physics and the engineers are having trouble meshing Calc and Physics.  But since he took 2 physics classes in high school and DO's Calc and then again back in the fall as a beginning freshman, his skills are solid and he seems to be tutoring folks.  

 

I also made this decision after talking with several engineering professors as we toured many colleges during his junior year of high school.  I did not make this decision lightly.  

 

For some of these upper level concepts, for some students, we need to let them "marinate" on the concepts for a while to get those skills solidly in their long term memory.  

 

I know I would not have done this with ALL of my students.  But for this one, it is paying off big time.  That is why, when we plan for the up coming year, we really have to pray about it and think deeply about that kid.  

 

Hope that helps!

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to respond a bit about why we did 2 Algebra based physics.  I know that it was overkill.  But for THIS student, I just felt that he needed a bit more review of the Physics concepts to make sure that those skills were solid.  So that when he switched to a calc based physics, that he was still not struggling with the physics concepts.  We did the same thing for Calc.  He took the DO's AP Calc, but we didn't take the AP test.  And then this fall, as a freshmen, he started with Calc I with all the other freshmen engineering students.  He has thanked me OVER and OVER.  He even said just yesterday, that many of the engineering students are having trouble with Physics 1 this semester because this IS a Calc based physics and the engineers are having trouble meshing Calc and Physics.  But since he took 2 physics classes in high school and DO's Calc and then again back in the fall as a beginning freshman, his skills are solid and he seems to be tutoring folks.  

 

I also made this decision after talking with several engineering professors as we toured many colleges during his junior year of high school.  I did not make this decision lightly.  

 

For some of these upper level concepts, for some students, we need to let them "marinate" on the concepts for a while to get those skills solidly in their long term memory.  

 

I know I would not have done this with ALL of my students.  But for this one, it is paying off big time.  That is why, when we plan for the up coming year, we really have to pray about it and think deeply about that kid.  

 

Hope that helps!

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda

Thank you. That sort of make sense. It would actually apply to my child- he needs time for material to "marinate". That is why we did 2 years of algebra 1 with different publishers- it worked.  Did you include both physics courses on the transcript? How did you name them - Physics and Honors physics or something else?

 

Thank you again.

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm considering Derek Owen's Honors Physics for DD.

 

I'm wondering, how many videos on average do the students watch each week? And about how long are the videos?

 

DD works well with having someone teach her the math, but she also needs to have a textbook for reference.

On Derek Owen's website, he states that the textbook is no longer required, but can be purchased if the student needs it.

Is the textbook difficult to find?

 

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am trying to figure out what I am missing.  As far as I can tell, DO, Clover Creek and Wilson Hill are all algebra based physics.  Why would one do 2 of those classes?  I am not trying to discount that option or be flippant, just curious.

The DO Honors Physics would be a step up from the Clover Creek material (but not huge) and may be appropriate for students not wanting or ready to do AP Physics.

 

In general, I think IMHO that a future STEM major should look at AP or equivalent Physics material after Clover Creek.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ds is taking Derek Owens Honors physics this year. He watches the videos and does the accompanying work in the workbook. He then does the worksheets and turns them in electronically (with the camsnapper app). I am not sure how one could consider the two semester class two separate classes. Am I missing something?

 

He recommends a couple of textbooks if you want one. We have Giancoli on hand but haven’t glanced at it.

 

It is math heavy. My next kid in line isn’t as strong in math. We will look for something lighter or conceptually based.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm considering Derek Owen's Honors Physics for DD.

 

I'm wondering, how many videos on average do the students watch each week? And about how long are the videos?

 

DD works well with having someone teach her the math, but she also needs to have a textbook for reference.

On Derek Owen's website, he states that the textbook is no longer required, but can be purchased if the student needs it.

Is the textbook difficult to find?

 

Thanks!

 

I can't answer your questions about the videos, but we are considering DO's Honors Physics for my DS for the fall.   There is a syllabus online with a weekly schedule (32 weeks), and I did go ahead and purchase the textbook he recommended (Giancoli 5th edition).   There were multiple inexpensive used copies available on Amazon.   Even if it turns out he doesn't need the textbook, I like to have it available.....and I'll probably re-sell it when we're completely finished with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We also plan to do DO Hon Physics for next year too (11th grade ds strong in math). This just b/c he will be concurrent Calc and I think AP Physics C should wait until after Calc. Your reviews and thoughts on DO Physics are great. I'm still feeling good about my curriculum choice for next year, but also hearing about its math-heaviness, thinking it also won't work for my next in line. Thinking Clover Creek for her.

 

Great thread - keep the thoughts coming.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am guessing my daughter spent at least 3 hrs a week on it. But she completed it in 6 months.

The syllabus he gives is a good balance, but it isn’t light.

Mr Owens took right at 48 hrs to grade papers which worked out well for us. I just planned her days with that in mind.

I have a friend that has even received a personal video response when he was stuck. For my dd he sent additional general videos to answer her questions.

We never had the text book. His workbooks had plenty of info for her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...
On 2/19/2018 at 4:19 AM, brendafromtenn said:

Just to respond a bit about why we did 2 Algebra based physics.  I know that it was overkill.  But for THIS student, I just felt that he needed a bit more review of the Physics concepts to make sure that those skills were solid.  So that when he switched to a calc based physics, that he was still not struggling with the physics concepts.  We did the same thing for Calc.  He took the DO's AP Calc, but we didn't take the AP test.  And then this fall, as a freshmen, he started with Calc I with all the other freshmen engineering students.  He has thanked me OVER and OVER.  He even said just yesterday, that many of the engineering students are having trouble with Physics 1 this semester because this IS a Calc based physics and the engineers are having trouble meshing Calc and Physics.  But since he took 2 physics classes in high school and DO's Calc and then again back in the fall as a beginning freshman, his skills are solid and he seems to be tutoring folks.  

 

I also made this decision after talking with several engineering professors as we toured many colleges during his junior year of high school.  I did not make this decision lightly.  

 

For some of these upper level concepts, for some students, we need to let them "marinate" on the concepts for a while to get those skills solidly in their long term memory.  

 

I know I would not have done this with ALL of my students.  But for this one, it is paying off big time.  That is why, when we plan for the up coming year, we really have to pray about it and think deeply about that kid.  

 

Hope that helps!

 

Blessings,

 

Brenda

 

Brenda--I'm curious. You said he did the two physics classes to be better prepared before he did calculus based physics. Did he do calc based physics in high school or not until college so that he just had a good solid conceptual physics basis before he went to college?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...