christine in al Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 I'm sure this is posted all over the place, but I can't find it. Can someone give me the standard science sequence for college bound kids. I need 7th onward. Do some folks mix-up topics every year? the usual math sequence as well would be helpful. ~c. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 (edited) I'm sure this is posted all over the place, but I can't find it.Can someone give me the standard science sequence for college bound kids. I need 7th onward. Do some folks mix-up topics every year? the usual math sequence as well would be helpful. ~c. IMHO, there is no standard for prior to high school. Others will disagree and say that 7th is general science and 8th is physical science. I am not a fan of either, so we don't dedicate a yr to either one. They simply study a broad range of topics throughout elementary and middle school. High school sequences vary. The old standard used to be bio, chem, physics, advanced chem/bio/or physics. Nowadays, many school systems are offering environmental science or earth science as a 9th grade course. My own personal preference for my avg or non-science bound students is chem, bio, physics, and then an advanced course. (chem before bio b/c today's bio focuses on the cellular level and thus cellular processes.) For my advanced science/math oriented ds, his sequence has been quite different. He did physics in 8th, chem and astronomy 1 in 9th. AP chem and astronomy 2 are scheduled for 10th. If the local university will make an exception and allow him to dual enroll, he will take physics and perhaps other upper level sciences there in 11th and 12th and he will take a biology course at home in 12th (he is very much not interested in biology!) ETA: I forgot earlier about the "physics first" movement that is happening in various parts of the country. This link describes it: http://www.aapt.org/upload/phys_first.pdf I haven't formed an opinion on this idea one way or the other.:tongue_smilie: Oh and for math......typical is alg 1, geo, alg 2 (or some do alg 1, alg 2, geo), pre-cal, statistics or cal. There is variance in there depending upon the student and future objectives. Edited July 2, 2011 by 8FillTheHeart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 It really varies by region, by college, by school or homeschooler... Around here, college bound students at the "good schools" take: 7th: Pre-Algebra & Life Science 8th: Algebra & Earth Science 9th: Geometry & Physical Science 10th: Alg II & Biology 11th: Pre-Calc & Chemistry 12th: Calculus & Physics Those on the Honors track or interested in competitive colleges push Algebra up to 7th and do Physical Science in 8th, starting Bio in 9th. That gives more time for dual enrollment or AP later on. There are many electives for science at some of the really good schools, too: engineering exploration classes, microeconomics and macroeconomics, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qcaller Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Stupid question: Is pre-calc the same as trigonometry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine in al Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 I don't even now what some of these are yet, but I'm learning and I'd love to know the difference between these two. Thank you both, Angela and 8fillthe heart. ~c. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 What ever order is decided upon, I would recommend proficiency in Alg 1 before chemistry, proficiency in algebra 2/trig before or at the same time as physics.... Biology is a good place to start if they are in algebra 1, as there is far less math involved - at least at the high school levels. I have our bio book (DS is doing hs biology in 8th this year), and I've noticed very little math that he hasn't already been exposed to in pre-algebra. There may be an equation or two, but they are explained within the biology text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Our chemistry program actually requires Alg II as a prereq. And pre-calc is trig plus some introductory calculus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 I took chemistry the same year as trig - and I do think it would have been easier to take chem after I was done with that year of math - but that was the 'college prep honors' plan at my high school.... I didn't even know I had a choice back then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.