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Sweet Home Alabama

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Posts posted by Sweet Home Alabama

    Dog bed recommendations

    in The Chat Board

    Posted · Edited by Sweet Home Alabama

    Our current dog is the second one to use the dog bed we have.  She has torn the cover with her claws when she dreams.  Also, the insert absolutely stinks.  She loves to swim in the creek, and even though we wipe her down almost dry, the stink is unavoidable.  She is a long-haired golden retriever mix, so she's a big dog.

     

    The bed she is using came from LLBean about 18 years ago.  I could get another one from them- I have coupon dollars that would help offset the cost, thankfully!  I would also consider others.  I would like a bed that has a washable cover and a waterproof/odorproof insert.  Our dog is about 80 pounds, and her bed is about 2'x3'....so rather large.  

     

    Would you all make suggestions for dog beds that I can research?  Keeping the cost down is a benefit, of course, but getting one that is of good quality that will last is too.  

     

    Thanks so much!

     

     

    ETA:   The cover needs to be durable because of the hard dreaming our dog does.  Keeping our dog's nails trimmed is a must because the dreaming.  Our first dog had doggy dreams, but she never "ran" so hard in her sleep as this dog does!  It is unbelievable how active this dog is in her sleep.

    Science Shepherd question

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted · Edited by Sweet Home Alabama

    Jane, we followed the syllabus that Dr. Hardin printed in the Parent Companion (I think). It is in one of the books, anyway. We did all the text except the anatomy/physiology chapters. Also, we only read/discussed the creation/evolution chapters. I would have prefered to do the entire book as written for all discussion and tests,but we saw early on that it would take more time than we had in our school year to do that at the rate we were working through the text.

     

    I have not seen any other syllabus for this course. I know that The Potters School uses this text for pre-AP Biology. I don't think they show the syllabus on their site, but you could email the teacher(s) to ask questions. I've done this before for classes I was interested in. They are generally very helpful.

    Apologia Advanced Chemistry reviews, please

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    Please review this course for me.  Ds would be taking Alg. II at the same time.  Is this ok?  He has been talking about geology as a major which is heavier on chemistry and physics than biology, so I'm changing gears.  He completed the first Apologia Chemistry book in 10th grade this year.

     

    For the moment, I'm thinking we'll do this (or something similar) for 11th, and an algebra-based physics in 12th.  (He used Hewitt's Conceptual Physics in 9th).  I'm also thinking about spanning biology over 11th and 12th so that we work that in.  

     

    Along with other college-prep courses we're planning, this will be a really full schedule for ds.  He'll have Alg II in 11th and hopefully pre-cal in 12th.  

     

    For the moment, I need feedback on Apologia Advanced Chemistry.  If not this, what?  You all know that I don't want to teach science!  ;)  I don't think BJU chemistry gives us the taste of AP. I'm not trying to necessarily do an all out AP class.  I think ds needs more of an honors level.  I think doing AAC at home would be a good balance.

    I like Thinkwell Biology! Would you all help me understand my options?

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    Oh no!  I thought I had a pretty good plan!  Ds and I really liked what we saw with Thinkwell even if his lectures were college level.  The teacher did such wonderful job explaining!  The drawings really engaged ds who really thinks in those terms.  It looks like such a good fit based on the sample we watched.  I want Thinkwell on a high school level.......Who would that be???  

     

    Part of me wants to be rebellious and still use Thinkwell.  I say that with humor.  What text would match up with these videos?  

     

    How bad would it be to still use Thinkwell for EXPOSURE...

    Have him research individual topics from the TOC and do labs on the topics?  On a high school level.

     

    Please tell me if this is foolish.   

     

    I like Thinkwell Biology! Would you all help me understand my options?

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted · Edited by Sweet Home Alabama

    Joules, thank you!! Thinkwell comes in regular biology and AP. We would use the regular version. My son took Conceptual Physics and Apologia Chemistry in 9th/10th grades. Would you think this is enough background?

     

    Ok... I've seen the cost ($150) for the subscription with the added cost for notes and tests on the Thinkwell site. We don't have enough monthly Internet to stream. This is why I'm more likely to go with the CDs from Amazon ($70). Amazon's description says that I would still get a code for online activities.

     

    When I read (many) threads about Thinkwell here while researching biology, I read about the tests not matching up well with the videos. That has me wondering if it would make more sense to buy something like Kolbe Biology which will use a text with lesson plans, tests, answers, and labs (? Not sure about labs) and match the Miller Levine TOC with the Thinkwell videos. This way we avoid the inaccurate Thinkwell tests and have hand-holding with the Kolbe Biology.

     

    Is this reasonable or overkill?

     

    I'm going to call these companies today and try to figure something out after talking with them as well as from hearing from good folks here.

     

    I've also looked at Biology Corner stuff...lots of great material there, but I don't see answers for worksheets or final exams. I think I would need to subscribe. The material is free, but it has us depending on the Internet again. Not a great idea.

     

    My goal is to use something for biology that I can implement successfully without being experienced as a biology teacher.

    I like Thinkwell Biology! Would you all help me understand my options?

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    Thanks, Mark!

     

    Bumping back up. My primary concern is successfully managing a biology course without having biology experience. The best option is to have a real teacher. If we opt to go it alone, we need a curriculum with excellent explanations and an easy to implement plan.

     

    I love the Thinkwell videos. If you all could comment on the CDs and implementation, labs, etc that would be such a huge help!

    I like Thinkwell Biology! Would you all help me understand my options?

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    I watched Thinkwell biology sample videos, and LOVED them.  Have any of you used the CDs from Amazon?  I would love to buy the 12 month subscription, but with our internet limitations, we just could not stream.  They mention CDs on the Thinkwell website- that you have to buy the subscription, but is there a way to buy the subscription AND get their CDs?  Then maybe we could have access to the notes and tests without having to stream the lessons.  I need to know HOW we would implement Thinkwell on a day-by-day basis if we didn't use the subscription.

     

    The Amazon site has one review that does concern me.  The reviewer states, "The lecturer frequently makes the incorrect statement that breaking bonds releases energy (especially in the videos on cellular respiration).  This is SUCH an incorrect statement and ANY chemistry professor will tell you that breaking bonds REQUIRES energy and does NOT release energy.  The ACTUAL release of energy results from the oxidation of glucose, which results in the transfer of electrons from a higher energy state to a lower energy state, thus releasing energy...NOT from bonds themselves!  I wish Thinkwell hired a different lecturer to record these cellular respiration videos, as the concept of energy being released from bonds being broken gives students a COMPLETELY incorrect idea."  Can anyone speak to this issue???

     

    So, if we went with Thinkwell, I would need labs.  What labs would you all suggest?  Ds did life science in 7th grade which included a lab.  I would love something easy  to implement.  

     

    Would we need a textbook to supplement?  Since Thinkwell is secular, could I "balance" it with a Christian text like BJU?  Seems like a textbook would be an advantage if we only had the CDs and didn't have access to the notes and quizzes from the subscription.

     

    This is the route I am pursuing for the moment.  If this falls through, I think my second choice would be to use BJU with their DVDs.  I showed my son the DIVE sample, and he immediately discerned boredom. I don't think TTC would be a good fit either.  Well, I would still consider it, but I've seen samples, and I think it would be similar to DIVE as far as listening to the teacher.

     

    If all else fails, I still have the Apologia Biology class from my cover school.

     

    These have been the choices I have been considering since my first thread:

    BJU with their DVDs

    BJU with DIVE

    Secular text with DIVE

    Text with Thinkwell

    Text with The Teaching Company

     

     

     

    Biology that I can just hand to my 11th grader...."Here, do this."

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    Thank you for that, Debbie.  

     

    I had a very helpful conversation with the teacher.  At the very end of the conversation she summarized that Apologia is a text that teaches "parts"... the parts of a plant, earthworm, etc... It's a labeling type book.  It does not stress the chemistry behind the biology although chemistry would be a part of her class next year because it is in several parts of the Apologia book.  It helped to boil it down to that.  

     

    I must admit, I felt that I am not finished researching. After all that I've read about biology here, chemistry is a major part of biology.  It made me wonder if Apologia would be enough or not.  However, I can't deny that the classroom aspect is a huge benefit.  A real biology teacher would teach a strong biology class.  I am certain of that.

     

    Then again, I've also heard many times that high school courses (specifically science, I think) are introductory courses.  At college, these courses start at the beginning.  I simply want to be sure that we cover what we need to cover to expose ds to the concepts he needs so that college science classes are not too big of a step up.  

     

    I have about a month to make a decision.

    • Like 1

    Biology that I can just hand to my 11th grader...."Here, do this."

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted · Edited by Sweet Home Alabama

    SS was practically independent. This is one reason I was drawn to it. The curriculum was written so that a home schooler could accomplish an honors/pre-AP biology at home. I loved how it was scheduled. The lesson plans schedules reading, answering questions, labs, and tests. I helped my dd review the material with the Parent Companion. It was a beautiful set up.

     

    We had problems though. Sometimes the answer to a question was stated one way in the text and reworded differently in the Parent Companion. Also, there were some answers that were completely different between the two. Because I have no formal training in biology, I was never sure what the real answers were.

     

    These issues frustrated my dd. We really wanted this text to work for us. I read several positive reviews here about it. (I also read some not as favorable.) I was still willing to try it.

     

    The Potters School uses SS in their pre-AP biology class, so it can't be too bad. If a biology teacher teaches it, she/he can make all the difference!

     

    SS was going to be the ease of Apologia with the appropriate rigor of an honors class. I wish it had worked out for us. I truly hope you enjoy it.

     

     

     

    Are you saying Science Shepherd is not independent? I was hoping it would be. By the way, I only paid $41 for the OM/Holt book used on Amazon and it looked great. Let me know if you want the link.

    Biology that I can just hand to my 11th grader...."Here, do this."

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted · Edited by Sweet Home Alabama

    Thanks, everyone!

    From all the suggestions here, I'm still looking at BJU/ML and DIVE.

    I used SS with my oldest last year, and it was not a good fit for us. Wish it had worked out. I really wanted it too.

     

    ETA: Forgot to say... I have not looked at OM, but I really don't want to teach the class. My experience with SS made it clear that a real teacher could have made so many questions clear. As it was, my dd and I did our best to figure some things out, but many times we didn't feel like we had resolution for some difficult topics.

     

     

    If I went with ML, what instructor/video would go well with that?

     

    Also, how bad would it really be if we ended up using Apologia. There would be a "real" teacher and lab. I keep telling myself that it wouldn't be that bad.

     

    Please keep the comments coming! Thanks!!!

    • Like 1

    Biology that I can just hand to my 11th grader...."Here, do this."

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted · Edited by Sweet Home Alabama

    We have very limited internet, so we cannot stream. I would consider both Christian and secular. I've considered these:

     

     

    *BJU with their DVDs but hate the expense.

    *BJU with DIVE, but I think DIVE is kind of boring.

    *Miller Levine with somthing like The Great Courses Biology

     

     

    I do not want to teach this course, but we need an instructor! Please comment on the above or make other suggestions.

     

    This student is a walking biology guy, but he is not ready for anything AP. Our cover school will teach a biology class using Apologia biology, but I sort of cringe when I think of an 11th grader using that. Seems like I need something more like honors level. I would like him to be exposed to the evolution arguments so that he is knowledgeable and can defend his Christian creation perspective in college. For this reason, either a Christian or secular text could work. We'd probably need to supplement to bring balance to this topic. We'd also need this to be a lab course.

     

    We cover Conceptual Physics in 9th grade and Apologia Chemistry in 10th grade. This student has completed Algebra I and geometry. He'll have Algebra II in 11th grade.

    Do you like the updated OneNote?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Katy, that would be a help if I could.  We have limited internet data, and we have to be super careful not to lose data due to video watching.  

     

    I'm thinking the version for apple products must be different, because I love it, and have no trouble making sub pages.  Perhaps you can go to the website and watch the video on all the features?  My guess is that will help you find things you haven't used already.

     

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