Does this sound like a reasonable plan for middle school / high school science?

[Jackie in AR]

I posted this info down inside another thread the other day, and I don't think it was seen by very many. I've been reading the posts regarding transcripts and I want to repost and get some more opinions.

 

My boys have used Singapore's Interactive Science 1 this year (7th grade) and they want to continue with Interactive 2 for 8th grade.

 

When I look at the Table of Contents of typical 9th grade Physical Science texts, it looks as though all the topics are covered in Singapore's 7th and 8th grade books.

 

So I'm considering BJU's Earth and Space for 9th grade for them, and waiting for BJU Biology in 10th grade. They'll likely do Chemistry in 11th and then Physics in 12th.

 

Do you think it will be a problem to count BJU's 8th grade science class (Earth and Space) as a high school credit when they do it in 9th grade? Does anyone have experience with this? I emailed BJU and asked about it and, of course, they wouldn't give me a definite answer. I guess I could beef it up a little with some of the readings detailed in TWTM. Does this sound like a good plan? I don't want to get to college application time and discover that they were deficient for 9th grade science.

 

[Oh, and BTW for anyone who did Singapore Interactive 1 this year: I sat down the other night and compared the TOCs for the new Singapore 7th and 8th grade books with the old ones. The topics from Interactive 1 don't carry over exactly to the new A book, and the same is true for Interactive 2 and the new B book. Some of the Interactive 1 topics are in the B book, and vice versa for the Interactive 2 topics and the A book. So you really need to follow the old Interactive 1 with the old Interactive 2; otherwise, you'll skip a few topics and do double duty on others.]

[Claire]

I think 9th grade science is usually general science. I don't know how much "meat" is in BJU's 8th grade science course, but the subject would be fine. General science usually includes overviews of biology, chemistry and physics, so you might want to add that in.

 

On the high school transcript I would probably just put down "General Science", credits, and grade. I would not mention that it was BJU or an 8th grade science program. I am not an expert on high school transcripts, but I think you would not normally include textbook names, etc. unless specifically asked.

 

For biology, chemistry and physics, just be aware that you will need to include a laboratory component.

[Laura R (FL)]

You should be fine because usually only 3 credits of science with a lab are needed in high school. Typically, those would be your biology, chem, and physics classes with lab. The 9th grade science class then would be considered an elective. It looks good, just list the course as Earth and Space Science, make sure you teach it on a high school level, and make notes to that fact to back it up if asked.

[Chris in VA]

It depends on the college you apply to, and on the major your kiddos select. Some do require 4 credits of science, and if so, many do not count General Science, so I would definitely stick with the more descriptive term. Actually, (I think I responded to you before about this), I'd call the course Geology (or Physical Geography) and Astronomy, maybe even dividing the course into semesters (so you would name this as two courses, and give a semester's credit for each). It's more of the education-ese that colleges look for.

Is there overlap in the Singapore and the BJU Earth/Astronomy?

If so, I'd just bag the BJU and go right into Biology, Chem, Physics and then add a full-blown Astronomy or an Advanced (AP) Chem or Bio the senior year.

Also, on the transcript itself, you would not mention BJU. You'd save that for the course description page, if you choose to include it.

[yinne]

Jackie:

 

My 8th grade dd is using BJ Earth/Space Science w/ DVD's this year and you definitely will not have a problem using it as a freshman science course. It is rigorous enough to count for High School. I have a friend who is using it this year with her freshman dd.

 

Yvonne in NE

[Jackie in AR]

It depends on the college you apply to, and on the major your kiddos select. Some do require 4 credits of science, and if so, many do not count General Science, so I would definitely stick with the more descriptive term. Actually, (I think I responded to you before about this), I'd call the course Geology (or Physical Geography) and Astronomy, maybe even dividing the course into semesters (so you would name this as two courses, and give a semester's credit for each). It's more of the education-ese that colleges look for.

Is there overlap in the Singapore and the BJU Earth/Astronomy?

If so, I'd just bag the BJU and go right into Biology, Chem, Physics and then add a full-blown Astronomy or an Advanced (AP) Chem or Bio the senior year.

Also, on the transcript itself, you would not mention BJU. You'd save that for the course description page, if you choose to include it.

 

No, you didn't respond to me before and when I searched for discussion on Earth and Space science (before I began this thread) I didn't find your previous response to someone else, so I am very glad you posted again. Thanks for taking the time!

 

There isn't any overlap between Singapore's Interactive Science and the Earth and Space; that is one reason I'm thinking about sticking the BJU in there for 9th. Another reason is that BJU's Biology is recommended by them as a 10th grade course, and I've read several posts on these boards that suggest waiting until 10th grade to do it.

 

You've given me some things to think about. Thanks, Chris.

[mcconnellboys]

Geology or some geophysical science is commonly used as one of the science options for high school, so I don't think you'd have any problem using this. If BJU doesn't offer a hs level geo course, I would think that you could use their base and just beef it up some. Maybe you can find a hs level geo book at a library sale, etc., inexpensively, and use the index of it to make sure you cover the topics that should be included at a hs level.

[mysterious_jedi]

I was homeschooled with BJU biology in 10th grade (yes, I'm a college student who's nerdy enough to read homeschool boards even though it'll probably be 10 years before I have kids...LOL). I had the dvds. The teacher was excellent. I'm currently a biology major in college!

 

As for scope and sequence, physical science is really just an introduction to chemistry and physics, so if you do both of those, you should be good. (I took physical science, biology, chemistry, and then AP Bio in high school, and no physics. College physics in a couple of years could prove interesting...but I did take Calc, so I'm not too worried :) ).

 

The only thing I've heard (from my uncle, who is superintendent and former math and science teacher at the private school I graduated from) about not taking physical science is that if you don't get all the way through your physics book you may miss something. Also, I think it sometimes depends on what students are ready for; some may take it just so they don't have to deal with chem in eleventh grade, for example.