Physical Science CONCERNS!

[BarbinTN]

First, we have done Science via homesat for 3 yrs, this being our 4th. DD

informed me a couple weeks ago that she doesn't read the textbook b/c Mr. Harmon

tells her everything that's in the book. She has had 3 tests & scored 96, 100,

100.

 

Secondly, I have opted not to buy ALL THE LAB stuff cuz since it is an old

version I could not get it all in package. I had several hundered dollars of

stuff when trying to buy it separately. I almost did Apologia Physical for this

reason even though it looks to repeat much of Earth & Space. I opted to do Labs

with a friend using Apologia instead of the Labs in BJU.

 

So, now we are in week 7 next week of BJU & have done no Labs. My friend

informed me that she is prob going to do Apologia General fearing her dd isn't

read for the "math" required of Apologia Physical. I opted to skip the BJU Lab

Manual since we were going to use Apol labs. However, in looking over BJU Lab

Man & Apolo Physical I fear she is missing all the calculations!!!!!!!!!

 

Was this an unwise decision? She likes it but I wonder if she likes it b/c she

isn't reading or doing labs???? Does it matter if she doesn't read the material

& aces the tests? Is she going to miss the heart of the program by not doing

the labs?

 

What should i do? I will be in the same quandry next year w/Biology cuz it is

the older version/labs & all???

 

Thx,

Barb

[Teachin'Mine]

What grade is she in and what math has she completed?

 

ETA: If you are doing only the Apologia labs and not the text, you are missing the calculations. The labs are generally just to demonstrate some concept

while the calculations are learned and practiced in the text. I wouldn't recommend skipping the math aspect as it makes for a good foundation for chemistry

and physics.

 

Based on what you've said about the class and the little she has to do to get high grades, I'd be very concerned.

Edited August 14, 2011 by Teachin'Mine

[BarbinTN]

She is doing Alg 1 this year & is quite savvy n math. We have used MUS all along w/the exception of PreAlg with BJU. She LOVES Mr. Harmon.

[Melissa in CA]

I'm in a hurry and, quite honestly, didn't read your original post thoroughly, but what *I* would do is this. Get your hands on a BJU Lab Manual. I have the older version too, and I know there are many people out there selling their older versions. I spent about $100 on the lab materials, I did have some already though. BUT, having said that, you don't have to do ALL of the labs! They are also shown in class. Get your manual, pick and choose which labs you would like your dd to do, and just do those. Also, I used the new BJU Physical Science list from homesciencetools...even though I have the older version many of the same labs are performed. I would look at said list....which I believe tells you what labs each item is used in...and only purchase items that are used in several labs. Forget about those high priced items only used 1x-2x...just watch those labs on the DVD.

 

I personally would not choose Apologia's labs over BJUs. :tongue_smilie: BJU is just a better high school level Physical Science (my opinion, of course). Like you said, in comparing BJU and Apologia, Apologia's Phy Sci is like BJU 8th grade Space & Earth. BJU is definitely more of an Integrated Chemistry and Physics science...I personally wish they would change their course name because "physical science" is getting a bad rap in colleges nowadays.

 

As for acing the tests without reading the book. Mr. Harmon is thorough. If your dd is getting it without having to spend the time reading it, I say good for her. But, she may not always be able to do that. ;)

 

One more thought... I don't know about your state, but in CA a student only needs one lab science....which is usually Biology....and only needs a total of two science classes to graduate. I figure the more lab sciences on my ds's transcript the better, but you could always skip the labs this year and do Biology and Chemistry labs instead. Just a thought. OK...gotta goooooo!! Forgive the grammar/spelling mistakes!

[Rhonda in TX]

I agree with Melissa that you do not need to do every lab. We are doing BJU Physical Science this year (the new class, with DVDs) and I chose 8 labs for us to do at home. Mr. Harmon recommends doing at least that many. I basically looked at the schedule and chose to do the labs that are scheduled on weeks without a test. My reason for choosing that way has to do with the way the new class is scheduled, so you would probably want to choose a different method.

 

If your daughter is doing okay at this point with just the lectures, I would probably let the book reading slide. However, she needs to be aware that this may not last.

 

Mr. Harmon does the new class, too, and my kids are also really enjoying him as a teacher. :)

[Melissa in CA]

I agree with Melissa that you do not need to do every lab. We are doing BJU Physical Science this year (the new class, with DVDs) and I chose 8 labs for us to do at home. Mr. Harmon recommends doing at least that many. I basically looked at the schedule and chose to do the labs that are scheduled on weeks without a test. My reason for choosing that way has to do with the way the new class is scheduled, so you would probably want to choose a different method.

 

If your daughter is doing okay at this point with just the lectures, I would probably let the book reading slide. However, she needs to be aware that this may not last.

 

Mr. Harmon does the new class, too, and my kids are also really enjoying him as a teacher. :)

 

Rhonda,

 

Not meaning to take this thread off course, but could you tell me how the new BJU science DVD classes are set up? I am assuming that they are no longer like the old 'live' classes with IRUs and students 'calling' in to ask questions, answer them, etc. Are they also still 45 minutes long? Just curious. I've only ever used/seen the old version. :001_smile:

[BarbinTN]

Unfornately in TN we have to have 3 Sciences w/labs with the recommendation being Biology & higher for those 3!!!!!

 

Thanks for encouragement! I'm going to take a gander to see what I can find used.

 

Blessings,

Barb

[BarbinTN]

8 labs is good to know! I haven't read that or see it in my materials. I think my umbrella school said 30% of grade should be labs.

 

Thanks so much ladies for encouragement. I hate to go switching things up 6 weeks into the game!!!!!!! We have ditched most of our DVDS with Science & Literature being the exception. She asked to keep both of these with Science being her 1st choice if she could only choose 1!!

 

Blessings,

Barb

[Teachin'Mine]

It sounds like she should either do the BJU labs, or do the Apologia text. FWIW, she's at the right math level to handle the math involved in Apologia's Physical Science.

[Rhonda in TX]

Rhonda,

 

Not meaning to take this thread off course, but could you tell me how the new BJU science DVD classes are set up? I am assuming that they are no longer like the old 'live' classes with IRUs and students 'calling' in to ask questions, answer them, etc. Are they also still 45 minutes long? Just curious. I've only ever used/seen the old version. :001_smile:

 

They are very similar to the old Homesat classes, except no kids are calling in. I think the video length is the same (science and math are 45 min., everything else is 30), but they will occasionally be asked to pause the program to answer questions, or read something, etc. That might possibly make it longer. DS's Algebra I class is an older LINC class and those things seem to take real time in the class. I'm not sure how that works for classes other than math, though.

 

Geography is new this year and has a totally different setup. Each class is divided into video segments, with notes to go along with it. So, they will be asked to watch 01-1a, then look at some questions, or possibly do a short activity. Then, they go back and watch 01-01b, etc. Some classes are divided into more segments than others. From what I hear, this is the setup for several new classes, so there is talk that this is how it's going to be done in the future. Physical Science is new this year as well and it is not set up that way, so I don't know.

 

HTH! We are very happy with DVD classes so far. DS is really enoying all the teachers.

[Rhonda in TX]

8 labs is good to know! I haven't read that or see it in my materials. I think my umbrella school said 30% of grade should be labs.

 

Thanks so much ladies for encouragement. I hate to go switching things up 6 weeks into the game!!!!!!! We have ditched most of our DVDS with Science & Literature being the exception. She asked to keep both of these with Science being her 1st choice if she could only choose 1!!

 

Blessings,

Barb

 

He mentions the 8 labs recommendation in the orientation of the new class, but I would imagine it would be the same for the previous version as well.

[BarbinTN]

Thx! I think I will pursue trying to do some experiments in the BJU & if we do some Apologia w/my friend, I'll count that as a bonus! Now to find this stuff w/o spending an arm & a leg!

[Melissa in CA]

They are very similar to the old Homesat classes, except no kids are calling in. I think the video length is the same (science and math are 45 min., everything else is 30), but they will occasionally be asked to pause the program to answer questions, or read something, etc. That might possibly make it longer. DS's Algebra I class is an older LINC class and those things seem to take real time in the class. I'm not sure how that works for classes other than math, though.

 

Geography is new this year and has a totally different setup. Each class is divided into video segments, with notes to go along with it. So, they will be asked to watch 01-1a, then look at some questions, or possibly do a short activity. Then, they go back and watch 01-01b, etc. Some classes are divided into more segments than others. From what I hear, this is the setup for several new classes, so there is talk that this is how it's going to be done in the future. Physical Science is new this year as well and it is not set up that way, so I don't know.

 

HTH! We are very happy with DVD classes so far. DS is really enoying all the teachers.

 

Thanks Rhonda! Without the distractions of waiting for an IRU kid to answer something, etc., and the class still being 45 min, it looks like the student is going to get a bit more instruction with the new classes. Not that there wasn't plenty of instruction with the old version...but you know what I mean. ;)

[Melissa in CA]

Unfornately in TN we have to have 3 Sciences w/labs with the recommendation being Biology & higher for those 3!!!!!

 

Thanks for encouragement! I'm going to take a gander to see what I can find used.

 

Blessings,

Barb

 

Yowza! Well if it has to be Biology...and I am assuming probably Chemistry and Physics afterwards...then this Physical Sci class really doesn't count for much in TN. Knowing that, I surely wouldn't overstress about the labs this year, especially since you've got three more years of stress coming up. ;)

[BarbinTN]

Thanks! Do you think I should invest in the NEW BJU Biology, Chemistry, & Physics as we go instead of using the old? I guess the $$ I would spend on new Biology I could easily spend on piecing a "lab kit" together, right!??

Thx,

Barb

[Melissa in CA]

Thanks! Do you think I should invest in the NEW BJU Biology, Chemistry, & Physics as we go instead of using the old? I guess the $$ I would spend on new Biology I could easily spend on piecing a "lab kit" together, right!??

Thx,

Barb

 

I wouldn't (and won't...I too have them all on DVD from my HomeSat Satellite days). The only one I might be tempted to order new is the Physics, should my ds decide to go that high in Science. He likes science, but he's more of a liberal arts type person so I am not expecting him to go on to Physics. ;)

 

When my middle ds completed BJU Physics the teacher was Mr. Seeley...and no disrespect intended...but he was quite old and scattered brained at times. My middle ds liked him, would call him the "old guy", but the class was confusing for ds and very confusing for me in taking in grades/knowing when things were due/etc. I personally wouldn't use that class again. I don't know if they have made a new Physics DVD class yet, but I had heard a rumor that Mr. Harmon was going to teach the new class. Now his Physics class would be worth investing in, I think.

[BarbinTN]

Thx Melissa!!! I'm gonna pray for wisdom as to which experiments I should do & follow the Lord's lead!!! Now to find the time:o) Actually, taking off today! It's like 75-80 in TN & low humidity!

Blessings & again thx 4 ur x,

Barb

[Rhonda in TX]

I wouldn't (and won't...I too have them all on DVD from my HomeSat Satellite days). The only one I might be tempted to order new is the Physics, should my ds decide to go that high in Science. He likes science, but he's more of a liberal arts type person so I am not expecting him to go on to Physics. ;)

 

When my middle ds completed BJU Physics the teacher was Mr. Seeley...and no disrespect intended...but he was quite old and scattered brained at times. My middle ds liked him, would call him the "old guy", but the class was confusing for ds and very confusing for me in taking in grades/knowing when things were due/etc. I personally wouldn't use that class again. I don't know if they have made a new Physics DVD class yet, but I had heard a rumor that Mr. Harmon was going to teach the new class. Now his Physics class would be worth investing in, I think.

 

Keeping my fingers crossed that this is true. They do have a new Physics book, so hopefully they will have a new class by the time DS is a senior (3 years). My kids love Mr. Harmon.