Marine Biology

[Suzannah]

What are your thoughts on Marine Biology in 10th grade, postponing Chem & Phys? I was surprised to hear DS say he wants to do this. He hasn't really expressed much of an interest in ocean life, although I know he enjoys watching Discovery Channel shows like "Blue Planet." Is this something that would be better pursued as an elective? Or maybe as the senior year science class? Just not sure whether to say "It's your choice, enjoy!" or "As your academic advisor I must insist that you follow the regular science progression."

 

Thanks!

[Renaissance Mom]

Disclaimer: I have not yet "been there, done that" so this is just my personal opinion based on a love for learning about marine biology.

 

To do justice to a rigorous marine biology course, he would need to have already completed a high school level biology course. You don't say if he has, but I'm assuming that's the case. Second, you (and he) need to decide on the focus of his marine biology studies -- Does he want to do a general survey of marine life? Does he want to include ecosystem studies (expand into enviro science but focusing on marine environments)? Does he want to include oceanography (HOW the ocean works)? Or does he really just want a good biology survey course using marine critters/plants/cells/protists/bacteria/etc. to learn about the fundamentals of biology?

 

The answers to these questions determine if he should do this in 10th grade or wait until later. If he has a high interest in the overall topic and wants to do a more focused biology course in 10th grade, there's nothing wrong with that. If he does chemistry first, he could really do much more with a marine biology class combining elements from biology, organic chemistry, and microchemistry. If he has physics behind him, he could do an indepth oceanography course.

 

In any event, he will likely need both chemistry and physics to do any advanced science. So if you think he will want to do any other advanced course later in high school, follow a more standard progression. If you think he will do biology, marine biology, chemistry, and physics for his 4 science credits, then I say put them in whatever order you want to put them in -- unless you decide he should tackly marine bio at a higher level and would want to have chem and/or physics first.

 

(Don't you just hate it when someone never really answers your question but just asks more questions?)

[Suzannah]

Thanks for the reply. I asked him and he's thinking of this more as an area of interest to delve into rather than a potential major or career. He will almost certainly continue with chemistry and physics (finishing up biology this year), he just asked if he could do Marine Biology next. We're currently using Apologia and since they have a Marine Bio text I assume I would use that, but am open to other options as well. We would do it as a lab, including dissections. We've covered earth science in the past (2nd grade, 5th grade and whichever of the 7th & 8th grade Apologia books had it) so the structure of the ocean wouldn't be a completely new thing, but of course we'd want to cover it to some extent or the rest wouldn't make sense.

 

Anyway, like I said, I had been assuming we'd do Chemistry next year so haven't really looked into the pros and cons of taking this different order. I like to give my kids a choice in subjects where it's appropriate, but I still have the final say and don't want to allow him to do something that we'll both regret later. On the other hand, I had friends who did Marine Bio in high school and they loved it. All went on to graduate from college and have careers, so obviously it's not going to ruin him. :S

[creekland]

My oldest did what you're talking about and I have no regrets. He did Bio in 9th, Marine Bio (by request) in 10th, Chem in 11th, and Physics in 12th.

 

At the time he picked Marine Bio (Apologia) simply because he thought it would be interesting. He's scuba certified (prior to the class) and, in general, we enjoy the water, so it just appealed to him. During the course he said it wasn't exactly what he thought it would be (more sciency, less fun), but he was still glad he picked it. It also let him know that wasn't "his" direction for a career. ;)

 

He's not in a STEM major, so for science he was just doing what he liked, although I insisted on Physics his senior year. By that time he had already visited colleges and many told him he didn't need Physics if he didn't want it. :glare: They were ok with the three credits he had for his desired major (Business/International Development). Being a Physics major myself, I told him I wanted him to know the basics even if it wasn't his path in life.

[brandigirl]

If I had been able to do that I would have but I can't I am shoveling AP Classes in. If your son can do it why does he not take AP Bio and Marine Bio as an elective.I love Marine Bio and would give anything to take it over AP Chem but I plan to major in Bio with a minor in lit and need all the science I can get.

 

note do not do this if he has not taken bio :)

[Suzannah]

Yes, DS is currently finishing up Apologia Biology. He's in 9th grade and we're just trying to work out the schedule for next year. Without a compelling reason to try a different curriculum, we would use Apologia's Marine Biology, then most likely continue with Chemistry or Physics.

 

But then that brings me to another question. Do Chemistry & Physics need to be done in that order? DS is finishing up Algebra 1 and says he'd like to do Algebra 2 next year, then Geometry, then Trig. Fine, I've heard that some people prefer that sequence, what do I care? But then we learned that there might be an opportunity in two years for him to join a friend in a Physics class taught by a fantastic teacher. If he does Marine Biology this year, then he'd have to miss out on the class unless he takes Chem/Phys in reverse order.

 

I know that this can be done, because I attended a small DOD school that couldn't offer both Chemistry and Physics at the same time and so alternated them each year. For students arriving during a Physics year, they would take Physics whether they'd had Chemistry or not. So I assume it's o.k., but is it more difficult or otherwise less desirable to do it that way?

 

 

 

Why does this kid have to do everything out of order?

Edited March 20, 2012 by Suzannah
typo

[creekland]

But then that brings me to another questions. Do Chemistry & Physics need to be done in that order?

 

No, Physics is not dependent upon Chemistry and there's no reason he couldn't take Physics first as a junior. It's offered to juniors or seniors at our high school and they don't have to have taken Chem first, so I doubt colleges would have an issue with it at all. You could always add a note to it in any description stating why you opted to do it earlier, but, again, I'm not sure it'd be needed.

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

I am in a similar boat, planning my ds 14 /s science out And since we have done some science every year, he found General boring but did read the book. I am making him read PS right now and use the multimedia disc instead of experiments. I am thinking of Starting Biology in the summer and making sure he is ready for Marine Biology. I am not sure if we will just get the slides to go with it, since both require a microscope and we need to invest in a good one. I may tell him he has to do well in Math to be able to take Marine.

Nature's Workshop and a few other science booths will be at the conventtion this weekend so I will be looking for a deal.

After that I will let him choose Chemistry with lab or Physics with lab.

I know the Teaching Company has these High School courses on DVD and may end up doing both, but just one on dvd. It all depends on our situation then.

Edited March 21, 2012 by TGHEALTHYMOM

[creekland]

I know the Teaching Company has these High School courses on DVD and may end up doing both, but just one on dvd. It all depends on our situation then.

 

The Teaching Company Chemistry DVD course that we have (high school version) is more of a supplement and not really a stand alone course IMO.

[Ame E.]

my son is working at the local aquarium half a day a week, and loving it.. He is taking the Apologia Marine biology class, and we bought the Rosenoff DVD to go along with it.. It's a big hit. He's a senior this year.. I would say get chemistry over with and then take the marine bio as a kind of reward class when he's a little older... It's a nice elective for senior year.. On the other hand, if he is extremely interested and wants to do it now or next year, go with the interests of your child, as long as he understands that he has to get in his other required science classes before graduation.

[M&M]

Dd is doing this, she took Apologia Bio last year and is now studying Marine Biology. She is very happy with her choice. It has given dd the perspective and time she needed to want to do chemistry next year.

[galtgrl]

My dd is taking Marine Bio. this year as a non-lab course, and is doing Chem. with Lab at the same time. It has worked out well for her because the two are so different, but she's a pretty organized kid, and she loves science.

 

Just another option (as if you didn't have enough :001_smile:).

 

-Jen