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BJU or Apologia Biology?


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I was set on using BJU for science , we had used it 1st grade through 6th, until 7th grade Life Science. It was just too much, too dry, too boring, too overwhelming. We switched to Apologia and have enjoyed General and Physical Science.

 

I was set on continuing with Apologia for biology until recently. My IRL local homeschool moms are not speaking well of Apologia Biology. They say it is too "lose", not visual enough, not complete enough, does not offer enough explanations, too boring, too much dry memorizations.

 

But, they also say BJU is too overwhelming. They all agreed they would have preferred to use BJU and those with younger dc will use BJU rather than Apologia in the future. So, now I am torn. Do I get BJU and start it this summer so we can move slower? Since BJU has anatomy in it, unlike APologia, could I take 2 years to do biology then move into chemistry for 11th grade (either Apologia or BJU)? Could use some input!!

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Having used both, I personally prefer BJU. However, I really think that both will accomplish the task. It is strictly a matter of which the student feels more comfortable with. We do use the dvd's from BJU with the book. I think it makes it much more doable.

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I am just finishing my second child on Apologia Biology. Both of them really liked it. We love the conversational style. My oldest is graduated, he did Apologia all the way through. We ducked out for eight weeks in his senior year and tried BJU Physics, but it was overwhelming, so we switched back to Apologia. My 10th grader will not even consider anything other than Apologia for science. Both of my kids are creative and liberal arts types.

 

My sil used PACES Biology at a co-op and really liked it.

 

Yes, the BJU book has anatomy in it, but if you look at BJU science books, they are rather large, and at least over here (where we usually do finish Apologia books), we wouldn't finish BJU books. Apologia does have Anatomy as their second year Advanced Biology course.

 

I did get a little frustrated with Apologia not having dvds, but they have some now. I went over to BJU for more teacher instruction, but it was very tedious and time consuming. We use virtualhomeschoolgroup.com for our biology this year. It is a free online class. My daughter loved it. We plan on doing the chemistry next year with them.

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Basically they said it was not possible to teach BJU biology "properly" and get credit for it without either the dvd set ($400) or online ($200). The lady kept going on and on about how most homeschoolers couldn't possibly teach the subject. It just made me mad! I needed a vent earlier and didn't think I could write a proper post. Now that I've had a bit of time, I can discuss it without sounding snarky. She kept saying the course would not count as credit if we didn't use the "complete" program (dvds, or online). THere was a bit more too it, but that is the basics. Like I said, customer service is important. I felt this lady was bordering on rude and condescending.

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Wow, that would make me angry also. It would be true in my case (I wouldn't be able to teach it properly without help), but I wouldn't want a stranger telling me that over the phone.

 

I've been debating Apologia vs. BJU for a while now and am interested to read these kinds of threads.

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They didn't even know you! I've gotten that type of response several times in emailing/calling various curriculum providers, and it gets my goat every time. As if homeschool moms are universally unable to teach science! I worked for 15 years in science before homeschooling, and I do know a few things. That said, I would not attempt BJUP with just myself as the teacher unless I adequate time to prepare and teach it properly, which I'm not sure that I ever will.

 

Apologia disappoints me because doesn't go as deep as I'd like and the homework/exams don't go far enough IMHO, but it's doable for a busy mom, and certainly sometimes the best science is one that gets done. I've run across several homeschool moms lately who just let science slide in high school to almost nothing but 4-H.

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Basically they said it was not possible to teach BJU biology "properly" and get credit for it without either the dvd set ($400) or online ($200). The lady kept going on and on about how most homeschoolers couldn't possibly teach the subject. It just made me mad! I needed a vent earlier and didn't think I could write a proper post. Now that I've had a bit of time, I can discuss it without sounding snarky. She kept saying the course would not count as credit if we didn't use the "complete" program (dvds, or online). THere was a bit more too it, but that is the basics. Like I said, customer service is important. I felt this lady was bordering on rude and condescending.

 

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I have used up to three subjects per kid per year of their curriculum, they are usually very helpful. But, they do hold the company line about the dvds (and about using their materials for all subjects). Another reviewer that isn't asssociated with BJU puts it this way, that the books are NOT designed to stand alone, they are designed for a teacher to teach from them (they sell to Christian schools). This holds especially true for math, science, and probably foreign language. That means that the teacher would need to fill in the gaps that the text does not have. As for a credit, I can't believe she said that, as parents, we get to decide what makes a credit (unless you are enrolled in their academy).

 

Apologia is written to serve as a stand alone, the text reads like a lecture and everything you need is there. They have a helpful companion CD, and now, a few DVDs.

 

I have read past threads of people on here using DIVE for BJU science successfully.

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I am trying to make this difficult decision now, as in this week. If we chose to do BJU, then I want to buy it "yesterday", get it here "tomorrow" and start lesson planning that very day. We are finished APologia Physical. I would want to start BJU biology NOW and go over the summer. I do not want to rush that text. My original plan for Apologia was biology 9th, chemistry 10th, adv. biology 11th, physics 12th. IF we did BJU, then we could take all 4 years to do 3 years. I don't know, it is driving me nuts! I wish there was something in between Apologia and BJU. I don't feel that Apologia is "enough" but BJU might very well be too much. I need a happy medium between the 2.

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Guest Barb B

The one thing I think with apologia is - don't you have to do apol. bio. and apol. advanced bio. to equal what some textbooks do in one year? That is one reason I have stayed away from it - there didn't seem to be enough years in high school.

 

What the bob jones gal said would make me made. It just isn't true - she is trying to sell the dvd is all. I have the book - you can do it at home.

 

Barb

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Have you considered using something like the DIVE cds with either book (or the other options that work with DIVE)? They aren't the $400 and $200 option like BJU. They are $50 and we have been using the Chem ones this year. Well worth the money. We plan to use them for Biology next year - although we'll be using the Campbell biology book with it.

 

Heather

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I have read past threads of people on here using DIVE for BJU science successfully.

 

We did this and it worked well, I think. My daughter really liked the BJU text! I had her do labs at a Christian School and, while they did not exactly line up with the DIVE/BJU, she learned and had fun so I was pleased. We both thought that Biology was a lot of work but not too much, kwim?

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No. I did BJU biology and now am doing the second Apologia biology. The two Apologia books together contain way more than the BJU does. Now BJU does have more than the first Apologia book. Its more like the Apologia and a good health course so you can get the body systems.

 

Linda

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Dd is doing Apol. Bio I and Chem I right now, and plans to do Bio II and Chem II next year, and the marine bio after that. Even if Apologia isn't as hard as BJU, surely doing two or three years of it will give her a solid foundation in biology. And she loves Apologia; that's worth something, isn't it?

 

Couldn't you do Apologia and then get some supplementary materials to shore up what you find as its weaknesses?

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I found BJU on Ebay and bought them and then tried to order the DVD's--they didn't have any more, and would not have any more to send out until the NEXT YEAR!!!! So I tried teaching it without them.

 

There was WAY TOO MUCH INFO for us to process and we could not memorize it all...and we had no idea of what was important and what was just added in to round it out, so when the tests came, we were sooooo frustrated because we couldn't possible learn ALL OF IT for the test.

 

Long way of saying, if you don't get the DVDs I wouldn't suggest you use the program.

 

We moved to Apologia. High school biology teachers do not teach the whole textbook--they pick and choose, moving more quickly over one thing and slowing down for another. The author of Apologia does that for us. He expects the student to do all 16 chapters and know everything that is in each chapter. It makes it much easier for the non-science mom. It is true that he does not do anatomy in Bio I, but his General Science book touches on that, plus Bio II covers it if you feel you need it. Our health book (Wisc. requirement) covered it, too. My dd had college biology, and she said most topics covered a wee bit more than Apologia Bio I, but she was very prepared for the class.

 

FWIW,

Jean

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Well, after talking to HSLDA's homeschool curriculum advisor and Rainbow Resource advisor, and more IRL folks, I chose BJU with Castle Heights. I DID NOT buy it from BJUP. I bought it from Rainbow Resource. LOL! The BJU rep made me mad, thank you very much.

 

I don't know if this a the best choice or not. I do not think there is a "bad" choice or a "wrong" choice here. Both curriculum houses are very good. The visual aspect of BJU is what pushed our decision that way. I will start the program this summer though. If I do not use Apologia as planned (general Biology, Chemistry, Adv. Biology, Physics), I only have 3 more sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) with BJU. But, I have 4 years to complete this task. It will be okay if it takes 3 semesters to complete the course. Only time will tell. You all might see me back here in the fall readdressing this whole thing!!!

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Well, after talking to HSLDA's homeschool curriculum advisor and Rainbow Resource advisor, and more IRL folks, I chose BJU with Castle Heights. I DID NOT buy it from BJUP. I bought it from Rainbow Resource. LOL! The BJU rep made me mad, thank you very much.

 

I don't know if this a the best choice or not. I do not think there is a "bad" choice or a "wrong" choice here. Both curriculum houses are very good. The visual aspect of BJU is what pushed our decision that way. I will start the program this summer though. If I do not use Apologia as planned (general Biology, Chemistry, Adv. Biology, Physics), I only have 3 more sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) with BJU. But, I have 4 years to complete this task. It will be okay if it takes 3 semesters to complete the course. Only time will tell. You all might see me back here in the fall readdressing this whole thing!!!

Bet it feels good to have made that decision! You researched thoroughly and made a decision, so go forward with it and don't look back!

 

BTW, what is Castle Heights?

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Well, after talking to HSLDA's homeschool curriculum advisor and Rainbow Resource advisor, and more IRL folks, I chose BJU with Castle Heights. I DID NOT buy it from BJUP. I bought it from Rainbow Resource. LOL! The BJU rep made me mad, thank you very much.

 

I don't know if this a the best choice or not. I do not think there is a "bad" choice or a "wrong" choice here. Both curriculum houses are very good. The visual aspect of BJU is what pushed our decision that way. I will start the program this summer though. If I do not use Apologia as planned (general Biology, Chemistry, Adv. Biology, Physics), I only have 3 more sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) with BJU. But, I have 4 years to complete this task. It will be okay if it takes 3 semesters to complete the course. Only time will tell. You all might see me back here in the fall readdressing this whole thing!!!

what is castle heights?

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Thanks for the link to Castle Heights. Rainbow Resources said this program came out before Apologia as a bridge between "classroom" experiments in BJU or Abeka and homeschool use. They said it is an excellent program. Home Science tools carry the kits required. There is one for chemistry as well. Cathy Duffy gave it a great review (does she ever give bad reviews?). According to RR, it will make the experiments much cheaper and much more doable. That sounded great to me!!

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I found BJU on Ebay and bought them and then tried to order the DVD's--they didn't have any more, and would not have any more to send out until the NEXT YEAR!!!! So I tried teaching it without them.

 

There was WAY TOO MUCH INFO for us to process and we could not memorize it all...and we had no idea of what was important and what was just added in to round it out, so when the tests came, we were sooooo frustrated because we couldn't possible learn ALL OF IT for the test.

 

Long way of saying, if you don't get the DVDs I wouldn't suggest you use the program.

 

FWIW,

Jean

 

 

:iagree: We did BJU biology without the dvds and it was tough ( I have a BS degree) It is really hard to know what to emphasize.

This year we are using BJU Chemistry with the dvd's Wow! what was I thinking with biology??? Chemistry is ds's favorite class this year.

We used Apologia's A & P in 10th grade (ds wants to be a vet) and enjoyed it.

We will stay with BJU for physics as well (with dvd's, of course)

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