Which Biology - please help!

[Virginia Heather]

Wow!! I had no idea! I just assumed that you get to keep the dvds (especially at that price!)-- it just never crossed my mind that I'd have to return them at the end of the year! The price tag (for multiple courses and multiple children) really does add up then, doesn't it?? Still, BJU 7 sounds like a worthwhile product and exactly what we need as science, up to this point, has been very hit or miss in our house!

 

Now, if I were to choose the online version, would that require ds to be plugged in at the same time every week? The savings would certainly be nice, but the flexibility of a dvd would likely nudge me in that direction.

 

And thanks so much for your help-- preparing for junior high and high school is a whole other ball game from elementary!!

[Mom22ns]

That was very helpful. I can't wait to get it in my hands, but that was excellent information. Thank you so much for taking the time!

 

The way you are implementing it is similar to how we implement PH Physical Science this year and it has worked so far. It is my plan to continue our current track next year. We sometimes add a Khan Academy video for topics I have trouble explaining clearly and we do the end of chapter questions after each section. I also put labs in immediately after the section they illustrate, instead of at the end of the chapter. However, these are little style differences. We are planning to do all the same major elements.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to go through this.

[Sweet Home Alabama]

From the preface of the book:"Each concept heading serves as a focal point for a module, and the module's text and illustrations converge on that concepts with explanation and, often, evidence. For example [under sensory receptors] the text and illustrations introduce the general principles of sensory reception and transduction, using the human sense of taste as an example." So I think the concept part is the framework on which the information will explained.

 

According to the preface, the connection modules are to motivate the students by connecting biology to their own lives "for example, health issues, economic problems, environmental quality, ethical controversies, and social responsibility."

 

Evolution: " ...students study the structure, function, and behavior of organisms in an evolutionary context." There is a great deal about evolution in this book.

 

How will I teach it? I will have her read a section or two in the book depending on length. Then I will discuss the highlights of what she read using the Instructor's Lessons in the Teacher's Resource CD. Then I will assign questions from the Study Guide that deal with what she just read. Then we will use the questions in the Chapter Review and Study Guide as a review for the test, after all sections are completed. We will do most of the essay questions orally, saving 1 or 2 for a paper and/or a test question. Then we will do the labs (not looked at any of the labs yet, if these don't work I will use the labs for BJU high school biology) and finally take the test. Hopefully, I can throw in a few cool videos that are also in the Teacher's Resource CD.

 

I don't see how you can teach this without reading ahead of your student if you don't have much biology or chemistry. The Lecture Notes at least must be understood so you can guide your student. Like I said, my 7th grader read part of it and understood it easily but you still have to be there to either answer questions or point them to a reference book. It will take time -- I am teaching logic (which I never took in school) and it is getting done only because of the Teacher's Guide and my researching ahead of time what I don't understand.

 

As far as the lab book, my copy ships 2/15 so I can't answer you question until then. We do ALL the labs in BJU Life Science though and only use the Investigation DVD when our lab fails. So, we will be doing lots of labs with this too.

 

Sorry this got so long but I hope I answered some of your questions.

 

All I can think to say is, "Wow." I don't know if I am more impressed or overwhelmed!:lol: This sounds just like the way Miller-Levine is organized but at a higher reading level.

 

Thank you so much for typing this out. I TRULY appreciate this!!!

 

If you are willing to give us an update on the lab book when it arrives, that would be great. Several of us are following these biology threads, and all the info coming in is very helpful. I hate not being able to hold these books in my hand....

 

I asked if I could get text books through ILL here, and the answer was, "No." Gotta hate that. So, I am thrilled that all of us are researching and sharing the things we find out. Thanks again!

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Wow!! I had no idea! I just assumed that you get to keep the dvds (especially at that price!)-- it just never crossed my mind that I'd have to return them at the end of the year! The price tag (for multiple courses and multiple children) really does add up then, doesn't it?? Still, BJU 7 sounds like a worthwhile product and exactly what we need as science, up to this point, has been very hit or miss in our house!

 

Now, if I were to choose the online version, would that require ds to be plugged in at the same time every week? The savings would certainly be nice, but the flexibility of a dvd would likely nudge me in that direction.

 

And thanks so much for your help-- preparing for junior high and high school is a whole other ball game from elementary!!

 

 

I really don't know anything about the on-line version. I'm sorry I can't help you with that. You might do a search on BJU on-line lifs science or maybe start another thread. You can also look at BJU's web page or call them directly.

 

I chose the DVDs because I'm "afraid" of computers!:D:lol: They do funny things when I least expect them, and then dh is at work and can't help!:001_smile: