Jean in Newcastle Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 This is his 8th grade year. He has already taken Apologia General Science and Physical Science in previous grades. He got a A- in both classes. In Math, he's taken Singapore up through 6th grade and then Jacobs Mathematics: A Human Endeavor. He got grades from B+ to A in his math all along. He will be taking Jacobs Algebra I this year. He loves both math and science. I wasn't questioning it before but my dh is a bit freaked out that he's taking Biology so early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary in KS Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 No, not at all. My ds took Apologia's biology last year in 8th grade. He was also 13. He did very well, and has discovered that science is his very favorite subjects. This year he's taking Apologia Chemistry as a 9th grader. Your son and dh have nothing to fear! Have a great year! Hilary :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 No. We're doing it with our 7th & 8th graders. They have done general and did just fine in it. Another friend who has an 8th grader is also doing Apologia Bio this year too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galtgrl Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 You're not crazy. We did that last year, when the dds were 14 and 12. The chapters on cells and cellular reproduction (6 & 7) made their heads swim a bit, but they enjoyed it overall. He sounds like a bright boy - he should be fine :001_smile:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 This is his 8th grade year. He has already taken Apologia General Science and Physical Science in previous grades. He got a A- in both classes. In Math, he's taken Singapore up through 6th grade and then Jacobs Mathematics: A Human Endeavor. He got grades from B+ to A in his math all along. He will be taking Jacobs Algebra I this year. He loves both math and science. I wasn't questioning it before but my dh is a bit freaked out that he's taking Biology so early. Not crazy...My son did bio in 8th and advanced bio (Apologia) in 9th. I counted it as Biology and he too and did fair (650) on the SAT 2. I figured he was only 14 and didn't study for the exam...we just did it for experience....He really enjoyed both books and I am not sorry we did it this way. Just be sure your ds learnes the vocabulary from each module. Bio is very Vocabulary focused (at least imo.) HTH Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proudmamma Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 Faithe, Did your son take adv bio without chem first? Apologia says chem is a prerequisite to adv bio. Did you feel like it was fine without chem first? I am thinking about doing this with one of my kids and would love to hear what your experience was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 Faithe,Did your son take adv bio without chem first? Apologia says chem is a prerequisite to adv bio. Did you feel like it was fine without chem first? I am thinking about doing this with one of my kids and would love to hear what your experience was. Yes, against all the other advice we went ahead and did the advanced Bio before Chem. It just made more sense to me to do one topic thoroughly than to go through Chem and Physics and THEN to the Adv. bio. It worked out beautifully for my ds. I also did it this way with my older ds and older dd (#2) with good results. I didn't think the Adv. Bio needed math the way Chem did, so by the time we did Chem, my kids were where they needed to be math wise...same for Physics. HTH, Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 29, 2010 Author Share Posted August 29, 2010 I feel so much better after reading your replies! Thank you for putting my mind at ease - esp. when we're planning to start it in a week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 (edited) Glad to hear you're okay with doing that now. :) It's the next logical step and will allow him time in high school to pursue whatever science he really enjoys with further depth - as in AP or marine biology, ecology, etc.. If he does well, you may even want to consider doing the Advanced Biology - human anatomy - in 9th and he could prep for the SAT II and/or AP test as well. After posting the above, I read the other replies. lol I could have just said that I agree with what's been said already. : ) Edited August 29, 2010 by Teachin'Mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 If you're crazy, I am, too. My 8th grader will be doing BJU Biology with DIVE this year with her older sister. I actually expect her to do better than her sister. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjbucks1 Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 My ds who is 12 (he will be 13 the end of Sept) has worked through the first six chapters of Apologia Biology this summer. He LOVES science, and I am planning on doing science with him year round to allow him to take as many courses as possible (he wants to do this, BTW). I you have a science loving kid, and it sounds like you do, he will be fine:). Have a great year!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proudmamma Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Thanks, Faithe! I have a daughter that is supposed to take chemistry this year but she would much rather take adv bio. I just really feel like she would do better with the chem if she waited till next year, but I kept hearing she needed chem first. I might just go ahead and let her do adv biology then :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Another mom with an 8th grader taking Biology...and doing WELL so far. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 Thanks so much for all the encouragement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 We'll be moving into Biology in a few short weeks. DS is 13 and in 8th. The only thing holding us back is my illness from this summer. I slacked on helping him finish Physical Science. But we're up and moving along at the moment and should be able to begin Bio. by the end of Sept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Hi! My son did Biology in 8th and then Chemistry as a 9th grader last year and is doing Physics this year as a 10th grader. As long as they are strong in math, they should be fine. Biology was a definite step up from physical science and my son didn't enjoy it much. He LOVED Chemistry and is enjoying Physics so far and will do AP in those classes. He loves all the math and their is tons of it. In fact, he said so far physics feels like a math class to him. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 31, 2010 Author Share Posted August 31, 2010 D.A. - It looks like your son and my son will be Biology buddies:) ChoirFarm - Since my ds was begging to do Physics two years ago;) (I said no), it sounds like our sons are much alike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virga60 Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 Both my dd & ds had bio at age 13 and did very well. My only caution is to make sure your ds does a good job on the labs. My son transitioned to public school for a year of high school. They initally wanted him to retake bio, until I brought in the notebook with his work. The quality of the lab write-ups - narrative, no fill in the blank work sheets - won the day! Pray your new school year is off to a great start!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted September 12, 2010 Author Share Posted September 12, 2010 Both my dd & ds had bio at age 13 and did very well. My only caution is to make sure your ds does a good job on the labs. My son transitioned to public school for a year of high school. They initally wanted him to retake bio, until I brought in the notebook with his work. The quality of the lab write-ups - narrative, no fill in the blank work sheets - won the day! Pray your new school year is off to a great start!! Thank you. Yes, I do want our labs to be "real labs" since that is often called into question for homeschoolers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 D.A. - It looks like your son and my son will be Biology buddies:)! Too bad they can't get together for the labs. Dragonrider would love to have someone share his interest in the 'fun' stuff. It looks like Bio may be pushed back another couple of weeks. DS has taken an interest in the reflection and refraction of light waves so we are going down another rabbit trail. This is why we homeschool, though, right? To foster his interest and allow him to go where he wants? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted September 13, 2010 Author Share Posted September 13, 2010 Too bad they can't get together for the labs. Dragonrider would love to have someone share his interest in the 'fun' stuff. It looks like Bio may be pushed back another couple of weeks. DS has taken an interest in the reflection and refraction of light waves so we are going down another rabbit trail. This is why we homeschool, though, right? To foster his interest and allow him to go where he wants? Cool! We start school, including Biology, tomorrow. Of course that means that dd8 threw up all last night and today. . . Ds13 is fine though - so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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