AnitaMcC Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Okay, I am wondering how to do my 14 yr old (9th grader) Dd's science requirements for high school. She is not a math or science type person. Although she is honors level capable student (placed in honors courses at public high school), she does not want to take such "hard" courses in math or science. We attempted doing Zumdahl Chemistry this year but she became so frustrated in just the first three chapters that we put science on hold. We decided that 14yr old Ds will be doing all of his sciences at jr college starting this spring (if we can come up with the $$ in time). He plans to be an astrophysicist and is ready for college level sciences. Otherwise he will attend next fall with taking chemistry and precalculus at the jr college. Figure tax refund will pay for his tuition-LOL. So what science is recommended for a non math/science student who plans to major in music at college???? We wanted her to take four years of science for high school graduation... maybe we should decrease this requirement to 2 or 3 years? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Hi Anita, Even though other's kids on this forum have taken Zumdahl, my son found it difficult in college..... Any reason you want to do Chemistry in 9th? We had trouble doing Apologia Chemistry in 10th, and put it on hold until 11th.... Biology and Earth Science were easier. Others will probably post about Conceptual Chemistry. There is also a 9th grade Chemistry course that is easier done by Real Science 4 Kids. Also, there have been recommendations for Spectrum Chemistry. I was looking at searches for that a few days ago, because, alas, chemistry is next year for us (in 11th grade). Good luck! Other thought, is there a 100 level chemistry class that is available at CC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnitaMcC Posted November 23, 2009 Author Share Posted November 23, 2009 Hi Anita,Even though other's kids on this forum have taken Zumdahl, my son found it difficult in college..... Any reason you want to do Chemistry in 9th? We had trouble doing Apologia Chemistry in 10th, and put it on hold until 11th.... Biology and Earth Science were easier. Others will probably post about Conceptual Chemistry. There is also a 9th grade Chemistry course that is easier done by Real Science 4 Kids. Also, there have been recommendations for Spectrum Chemistry. I was looking at searches for that a few days ago, because, alas, chemistry is next year for us (in 11th grade). Good luck! Other thought, is there a 100 level chemistry class that is available at CC? Well for Ds it was because he hates biology so he wanted to do chemistry and physics. I convinced him to put physics off to later. Dd just sort of went along with her brother's choice. Ds is taking a Chem 100 course this January (if I can get the tuition together in time). To get into the Chem 101 the prereq is a yr of high school chem or the 100 course. Although the CC did recommend he try to test out. We just opted to not do that with his sciences or math as we feel that these foundation courses are so vital for his career plans to not miss anything. Dd didn't score high enough on her COMPASS test. She could retake the test but she doesn't really want to at this time. But maybe we will go the CC route but just do it when she is in 11th grade and put science on hold until then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 My teen took Conceptual Physical Science (with Paul Hewitt's book of that title) in 9th grade. In tenth, she took Chemistry at home using the text by Ebbing and using the MicroChem Kit. In 11th and 12th, she took classes at the local community college. She took Geology 101 and 102 and then a Rocks and Minerals class. She also took Environmental Science. She would have liked to have taken Astronomy but could never squeeze that class in. Nan in Mass has posted frequently about Natural Science. That might be another course to consider. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Perhaps the problem is not chemistry but Zumdahl--isn't that a college text? Many high school students would not be prepared for the jump to a college text in 9th grade. I hesitate for any parent to consider math and science "lite" on the basis of a projected major in 9th grade. Many students develop unanticipated interests within high school or college. If your daughter is capable of challenging work, by all means give her challenging work! Jane (showing her Draconian tendencies) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 If she's had Algebra, I'd say go with Apologia. The texts are written to the student, and honestly, if I can figure out the Chem, it isn't terribly hard (perhaps compared to other chems). I find the labs to be a bit simplistic, but still illustrative of the concepts. The Bio contains a lot to memorize, but is truly not a super-challenging text. Haven't done any others. We used Astronomy Today and Runkle Geography to make up a Physical Geography/Astronomy year (one semester of each) and did Environmental Science for a semester, too. AT was narrative, and we had the option of making it harder by adding in more math (already in the book, but in a separate section each chapter)--we chose not to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 My non mathy/science son who was a 9th grader last year used Apologia Biology. This year he is doing Apologia Chemistry. It is working great for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atozmom Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 We are considering this for dd for high school. You would have to add in labs however. http://www.pacworks.com/pages/curriculum.html#_ipc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merylvdm Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 One of the 11th graders (now senior) in our homeschool group is also not mathy and plans to be a Kindergarten teacher. She took Ecology last year and loved it. She did the Ecology event in the regional science olympiad for our homeschool team - and won gold (major feat as we are in the same regional as the kids whose parents work at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories). So, I would definitely recommend it for a Science credit!! Meryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in CO Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 After several other attempts this year, we went with the one listed here http://www.pacworks.com/pages/curriculum.html#_ipc We are doing the biology and the anatomy classes. I have my dd do one book a month (there are 6 for biology and 2 for anatomy). She likes the lay out of the books and seems to be doing well with them. Then I add in experiments once a month from the Castle Heights Biology book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicmom Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 even for a non-mathy student. It gives an excellent science background and is presented in a very understandable way (written directly to the student and designed to be both text and lecture in one). If your dd does in fact go on to major in music, she will have had a very good science education (useful in life.) And if by chance she should discover she really loves one of the sciences and changes direction, she'd be well positioned to continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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