Questions about how to move forward into HS

[rachserra]

Hi All! I am hoping that you experienced HS moms can help me. I have two questions as I plan my dd's HS. the first is Science related. She took Apologia Biology this year (8th grade) and loved it. I am not sure whether to move her into Chemistry next year. She will be continuing her Algebra 1 Class over the summer so I think she will be able to do the math involved. I just want to be sure of which direction to go after that. My thoughts were Biology (8) Chemistry (9) Physics (10) Marine Bio or AP Science class (11) then ?

Any help you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

Then on to my next question. My daughter loves reading. I thought about having her read through the SL core 200 But she doesn't really want to do Church History. I have entertained the idea of doing the AP Human Geography class through PHS but havent had any experience with that. I dont really want to put too much pressure on my dd in 9th as the work load increases. But I am not sure which direction to take with history.

My thoughts for History were AP Human Geography or some other World Geography course (need Recommendations) (9) European Hist (10) Am. history (11) civics/ Gov. Econ(12) I would plan Lit to cordinate with history. I love the WTM method of doing History but My dd has done the rotation twice now and wants to move into a different direction.

 

Any help and Ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks!!!

[FloridaLisa]

My dc have done Apologia biology in 9th and moved into chemistry in 10th. Ds1 took AP biology after that, followed by Physics in 11th, and then Chem I and Chem 2 dual-enrolled at the university. That path worked well.

 

Is PHS PAHomeschoolers? If so, ds1 also took the AP Human Geo class. He took it in 10th, the first time it was offered. It is not a difficult class (and is widely reported as one of the *easier* APs). The PAHomeschoolers class was interesting and prepared him well for the AP exam.

 

HTH!

Lisa

[rachserra]

Floridalisa, thank you for your response. Yes it was PA Homeschoolers and I am glad that you felt the Human Geography class was a good fit for the 9th grade.

As far as Bio is concerned. I have heard on this forum that Bio taken in the 8th grade will not be accepted for credit, even if it was the Apologia Bio class w/Lab. How would you handle this? Should I have my dd retake Bio or do an ADV. Bio class and put that on the transcript? I fear that her interest in Bio, and my having her take the class early has been a mistake.

[Nissi]

Here are some possibilities for Science: Human Anatomy and Physiology, any of the 4 AP Sciences, which could take up all 4 years of highschool, or dual enrollment in a college choosing courses that interest her after completing the AP course on the subject.

For History, how about Omnibus courses IV - VI or AP Human Geography, AP European History, AP US History, US Government and Politics, AP Economics, AP world history, etc.

[Musicmom]

As far as Bio is concerned. I have heard on this forum that Bio taken in the 8th grade will not be accepted for credit, even if it was the Apologia Bio class w/Lab. How would you handle this? Should I have my dd retake Bio or do an ADV. Bio class and put that on the transcript? I fear that her interest in Bio, and my having her take the class early has been a mistake.

 

I don't think it was a mistake at all. :001_smile: Both my dc did Apologia Biology w/lab in 8th grade, and I went ahead and counted it on the transcript because it was high school level and because I felt colleges would want to see that Biology was taken.

 

My ds's path was this:

Apologia Bio (8th)

Apologia Chemistry (9th)

Apologia Physics & Adv Physics (10th)

Advanced Biology, using MIT OCW (11th)

Apologia Adv Chem & EPGY's AP Physics C:Mechanics (12th)

 

None of the colleges he applied to batted an eye about this.

 

My dd is doing Apologia Chem now in 9th grade. I will have her do Physics next year, but after that I may have her follow a slightly different path, based on her interests in biology. I think she'd enjoy physiology and marine biology, but we'll see.

 

Anyway, having done basic biology in 8th grade I think opens up opportunities to do more adv science in high school, which always looks good. If your dd has a strong interest in biology, maybe she'd like to do AP bio at some point, or maybe even the MIT OCW, if she likes the molecular aspects best.

 

HTH! :001_smile:

[rachserra]

Thank you so much for the reassurance that I have not screwed up my dd's HS Education.:001_smile: You have given me great suggestions and I feel better and more confident moving forward. Thanks

[FloridaLisa]

I don't think it was a mistake at all. :001_smile: Both my dc did Apologia Biology w/lab in 8th grade, and I went ahead and counted it on the transcript because it was high school level and because I felt colleges would want to see that Biology was taken.

 

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Anyway, having done basic biology in 8th grade I think opens up opportunities to do more adv science in high school, which always looks good. If your dd has a strong interest in biology, maybe she'd like to do AP bio at some point, or maybe even the MIT OCW, if she likes the molecular aspects best.

 

 

:iagree: I couldn't agree more! If your dc is capable of biology, there is no sense in holding off. It just allows your dc to pursue sciences at a deeper level (AP or dual-enrolled for instance) or to pursue sciences not on the typical 4-year track (marine science, environmental science for example).

 

Lisa