QueenCat Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Has anyone used Thinkwell Biology? If so, what are it's strengths and weaknesses? Thanks, Cathie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwen in VA Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 We just bought it and will start within a few weeks.... so I can't help you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev in B'ville Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Keep us posted on how well you like the Biology program. I just bought the Chemistry program, but won't start it until later (sometime during the summer). I was thinking about the Biology, though, for my son next year. Take care, Bev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary in MI Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Thinkwell is excellent for the lecture portion of a course. My son started biology last month. He's using Campbell and Reece Biology (along with activities on the CD and website) and Thinkwell Biology for the lectures. We'll add in labs as well. We used Thinkwell for algebra lectures as well. I've been very happy with the quality of the lecturers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Hilary, Thanks for responding. I'm glad to hear you like the lectures. Does he do the activities from Thinkwell, or from Campbell? If from Thinkwell, how challenging are they? Thanks, Cathie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary in MI Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I'm sorry for not responding; I didn't see your email until tonight. He's does the activities, quizzes, etc., through Campbell and Reece. They are excellent. He hasn't done the activities through Thinkwell, so I'm afraid I'm not much help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Thinkwell is excellent for the lecture portion of a course. My son started biology last month. He's using Campbell and Reece Biology (along with activities on the CD and website) and Thinkwell Biology for the lectures. We'll add in labs as well. We used Thinkwell for algebra lectures as well. I've been very happy with the quality of the lecturers. Hilary, Which Campbell are you using? The AP book (black) or Exploring? What do you do for lab? Virtual or hands-on? When you add Thinkwell, what is the total budget $$ for your bio program (sorry if that sounds rude to ask)? How did you pick Campbell over Holt and/or Apologia? Thinking ahead... Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryM Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 We used Thinkwell for AP Biology last year and the lectures were excellent. We didn't use the online component for exercises using the book materials instead. Like others, we have used Thinkwell Math programs and did use the exercises for those but found that there wasn't enough review or opportunity to work additional problems in tricky areas. In my opinion, the strength of Thinkwell is in the lectures part! Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary in MI Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 We are using the Campbell AP book. We are going to do both virtual and hands-on labs. We'll use the virtual labs that the PA Homeschooler AP bio. class uses. And, I'm currently researching hands-on labs (we just started bio. and will continue it through next year). I was able to find the Campbell text and Student Study Guide on Amazon for about $30 and $20, respectively, plus shipping. The Homeschool Buyers Co-op just had a group purchase, with Thinkwell Biology at around $60. Great deal. I just checked, and they are having another group purchase probably later this week, which may include Biology: https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/index.php?option=com_epp_offer&Itemid=576 Apologia is not an option for us. I only use secular science. Here's my soapbox--science is science, regardless of ones' personal "world view" or religious background. I gave my son the option of using the Holt book or the Campbell book. After looking at copies of both, he begged to use Campbell, so here we are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 We are using the Campbell AP book. Hilary, Is that the book w/ the black cover? All this Campbell talk had me thinking & researching. After a google search, I learned that Dr. Campbell died a few years ago -- at such a young age. Brilliant man! I read through many of his bios online. Here is an article about him after his death: http://www.newsroom.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/display.cgi?id=903 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary in MI Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Ours has a dark green cover and black spine. I know that the 8th edition has a black cover. It came out in December 2007. I just popped over to Amazon, where there are used copies listed for around $60. As college classes end, more copies will probably be available, maybe for cheaper prices, on Amazon, ebay or one of the college text resale sites. Anyway, ours is Campbell and Reece, Biology, 6th edition, 2002. The ISBN is 0-8053-6624-5. This year our local high school AP class used the seventh edition and I was able to compare the 6th and 7th, finding only very minor changes. As my ds is only 13 and this is a replacement for an honors level book (rather than AP or college level), the sixth ed. is okay. Now that the 8th has been published, if I were looking I'd try to find out which edition colleges are using now (I usually google the subject name and syllabus), what changes have been made, and then buy an 8th or 7th edition, depending on what I found out. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary in MI Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Hi Beth, Thank you for the link about Dr. Campbell. Also, if you do look into the differences between the latest editions of Campbell and Reece, could you post about your results? Even though we have our book, I'd be really interested (and I'm sure others would, too). :) Hilary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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