finlee@home Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 This is our first year of HSing and I went with Apologia Biology because of the rave reviews. My poor DS HATES it!! read, read, read, answer 2 questions, read, read, read, again! This style of istruction is not beneficial to him. He doesnt have real good reading comprehension, and quickly looses interest. Is there anything else that is, perhaps, more visual? more interactive? more exciting? Or, do we need to just give it more time? We are only on cp 2. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920017691.do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Or you could add the DIVE to go along with the Apologia. http://www.diveintomath.com/dive-biology-instructional-cd-rom/ That way you don't have to buy a new text. We weren't thrilled with Apologia Biology either, and this was suggested to me. I'm going to do the DIVE 8th grade science this year for ds. fwiw, you can use several different texts with the DIVE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohru Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 My son didn't like Apologia either. I think Apologia is too chatty and Wiley goes on and on. Some kids just want the information and move on. Works for a lot of students, but definitely not for everyone. After trying Apologia and had it be a fail, I got the Biology 101 DVDs, which ds really enjoyed. After watching the series, he now loves Biology and will use Campbell and Reece's Biology as fun reading. He's using Science Shepherd as the primary course work for credit with lab. It is smoother and more to the point than Apologia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjpeter Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 If you haven't looked into it, my boys have done well with BJU. My oldest will start Bilogy soon, and they have done well with Earth and Space Science and Physical Science. It is a rigorous curriculum. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 i think the home school buyers coop has some video courses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 If you don't want to buy another text then look at the DIVE cds. They will make it much more interesting and be the primary source of teaching. If you are looking to purchase something completely different, check into Shepherd Science Biology. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlee@home Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 (edited) I have looked into, and am very interested in, the Biology 101 series. What does everyone think of this?? What are the pros? cons? My son didn't like Apologia either. I think Apologia is too chatty and Wiley goes on and on. Some kids just want the information and move on. Works for a lot of students, but definitely not for everyone. After trying Apologia and had it be a fail, I got the Biology 101 DVDs, which ds really enjoyed. After watching the series, he now loves Biology and will use Campbell and Reece's Biology as fun reading. He's using Science Shepherd as the primary course work for credit with lab. It is smoother and more to the point than Apologia. Edited August 20, 2012 by finlee@home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlee@home Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 bumping...hoping for input! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori in MS Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 My boys love http://www.virtualhomeschoolgroup.com Biology has continuous enrollment and I believe will be accepting new students for Module 9, which begins in Oct. (only modules 5-8 have to be done in order). Lectures cover the content in the modules, so you only have to read the book to study for tests, which are online. The lectures are interesting with a lot of visual aids and teacher and student interaction. There is also a lab day, game day, and biomystery day for most of the modules. Final exams are taken online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jentancalann Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 bumping...hoping for input! :) We are using it and like it so far. We've only just started, but coupled with Exploring the World of Biology and a local two day lab class (getting them all out of the way in the beginning), I think it will be perfect. We used Apologia Phys Sci last year and didn't love it. I'm very excited about this choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4wildberrys Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 bumping...hoping for input! :) If your DS is a visual learner, Abeka is great! DD DETESTED Apologia! :glare: When I switched her to Abeka for Physical Science---she truly loved it. My ds is just fine with Apologia----dd had started the Biology and we had to quit 1/3 through because she was pulling her hair out not understanding the concepts. DS used it last year no problem and is doing and loving Phys Sci and soon Chemistry. Apologia is NOT for every learning style---not even Dive or Bio 101 (which we used) will fix that. Your best bet is to sell your Apologia Bio book and purchase a more visual program---Abeka is good as well as Ace School of Tomorrow---and even adding in Bio 101. But Bio 101 is NOT a full Biology program no matter what their website says!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohru Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 If your DS is a visual learner, Abeka is great! DD DETESTED Apologia! :glare: When I switched her to Abeka for Physical Science---she truly loved it. My ds is just fine with Apologia----dd had started the Biology and we had to quit 1/3 through because she was pulling her hair out not understanding the concepts. DS used it last year no problem and is doing and loving Phys Sci and soon Chemistry. Apologia is NOT for every learning style---not even Dive or Bio 101 (which we used) will fix that. Your best bet is to sell your Apologia Bio book and purchase a more visual program---Abeka is good as well as Ace School of Tomorrow---and even adding in Bio 101. But Bio 101 is NOT a full Biology program no matter what their website says!!! :iagree: My son watched them and really enjoyed the series. It was a little light to be considered a full course....however we didn't even look at the pdfs. I think it had tests and a schedule and supplemental ideas, but the using the videos alone would not be considered a full course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barybar Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 HI- We went to Prentice Hall Miller-Levine and LOVE <3 it!!!! Char Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 For ideas on how to use Biology 101 go to this thread: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=157884&highlight=Biology+101 And look for post #33 for details. Very helpful for a more "living books" approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3kidswild Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 We did the same thing. Last year was our first year of homeschooling and bought all the Apologia material. My son hated it. We switched mid year to CK 12. Not so much reading, weblinks for more visual aids, and easy to understand worksheets. And IT'S FREE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TengoFive Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Would the audio version of the book help? Did you also get the companion cd-rom? It has much more visual input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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