Advice on physics please?

[Laurie4b]

I have two ds's in high school. They take all the same classes to keep it simple.

 

Ds9th is a math/science kind of guy thinking that he would like to head into engineering. This year, he took biology and environmental science. Last year, he took physical science.

 

Ds 10th is not a math/science kind of guy. His strengths are writing and music. He's taken bio, chem, and environmental science. He's never taken physical science.

 

Next year, no one is offering science classes in the area, so some homeschool moms are trying to pull something together.

 

Is Conceptual Science a high school level course? Or is it the equivalent of the physics part of a physical science course? I'm thinking that maybe ds 10th needs this background. Would it add anything to ds 9th, do you think?

 

Other moms in the area are thinking about using Thinkwell at home and looking for someone to do labs for us once a week. What do you all think of Thinkwell? Is it rigorous enough for a ds headed into engineering or some kind of science?

 

Thanks for sharing your experience and opinions!

[Janice in NJ]

Are you talking about using Thinkwell Physics? The lectures are great, but it is a calculus-based program not a typical high-school algebra-based program. You would have to tweak unless your kids are going to have the math to do all of the problems. :001_smile:

[Ruth in Canada]

Conceptual Physics (by Hewitt) is not enough for Ds9th, but might be ok for DS10th. You could do CP with both this year and follow up with an AP level class for Ds9th later.

 

Yes, CP is a high school course (actually, there are two versions--HS and university). But--both are not intended for kids who will go further with science. There's not much math.

 

Our math/science capable kids have used conceptual level classes for grades 7 and 8, followed by higher level courses in high school.

[Storm Bay]

Conceptual Physics (by Hewitt) is not enough for Ds9th, but might be ok for DS10th. You could do CP with both this year and follow up with an AP level class for Ds9th later.

 

Yes, CP is a high school course (actually, there are two versions--HS and university). But--both are not intended for kids who will go further with science. There's not much math.

 

Our math/science capable kids have used conceptual level classes for grades 7 and 8, followed by higher level courses in high school.

 

 

We're going to use the university Conceptual Physics for my dd who is going further in science; she wants to major in biochem. My brother, who teaches Physics at a Canadian university, said it would be enough for her in this case. She will do AP Biology & Chemistry courses, though, and take math through at least some Calculus before she finishes high school. Of course, is she decides she likes Physics, she'll have to do a math based Physics course such as an AP course eventually.

[Laurie4b]

Are you talking about using Thinkwell Physics? The lectures are great, but it is a calculus-based program not a typical high-school algebra-based program. You would have to tweak unless your kids are going to have the math to do all of the problems. :001_smile:

 

Hmm. That doesn't sound like it would work. Ds 10th is doing precalc this year, but as I said, doesn't like math and it's not a strength. Ds 9th is only algebra 2. I don't know that they should tackle calculus level physics. Hmmm. So is the math in the lectures, or is the math in a separate book? (I don't know how Thinkwell is set up at all!)

 

Now wondering whether my high school physics included calculus... We took calculus senior year and that was when we took physics. (No choices there if you were on a certain track.)

 

Thanks for the info!