Not ready for Chemistry

[Oakblossoms]

My 15yo is an Aspie. He is just starting Algebra. He is finishing up Apologia Biology. We never did Physical Science. Should I go back to that or just stretch out a longer chemistry course. He is probably going to do a 5 year high school. He is technically a Sophmore this year. But, we are calling it 9/10:tongue_smilie:

 

Any thoughts for me? I am not planning on doing Apologia Chemistry currently. I am not sure what I will do. I have been looking at the Chem 101 DVD's. I have the Tiner book which I am considering as a starter book. We are more of a YE family. So anything should be friendly to that. We do teach about other theories as we believe it is important. Our 12yo is probably going to major in biology and it isn't fair to get a surprise like that.

 

He may just end up doing a chem class at the CC next year.

[Mom22ns]

What about doing an Integrated Chemistry and Physics? DIVE's ICP requires pre-algebra and gives several options for textbooks to go with it. Dd is using it with PH Physical Science Concepts in Action.

 

She is doing Algebra simultaneously and we did have to spend a little extra time on math, conversions, scientific notation, and significant digits in the first couple of weeks.

 

Another option would be to do Earth Science, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, or any other science discipline besides Chemistry and Physics just to give him another year to get caught up in math.

[clementine]

I probably would do a Physical Science, just to make a well-rounded science education for him. Physical Science should be relatively easy, but still challenge him before he tackles Chemistry.

[Lori D.]

Go with the science your DS is going to get the most out of at this time, and don't worry about what anyone else does.

 

And a tip for writing up your transcripts to avoid that awkward "grade 9/10" thing for this year, and for unusual sequence of subjects -- organize DS's credits by subject, rather than by grade level or year, and then you can write the sciences in any order you wish. A few colleges/universities may wish to also see a "completion date" listed, but unless they request it, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

So, instead of this (which gets messy and hard for Admissions Offices to figure out):

 

grade 9

course . . . credit . . . grade

English 9 . . . 0.75

Algebra 1 . . . 0.66

Biology . . . . 0.50

 

grade 10

course . . . credit . . . grade

English 9 . . . 0.25

English 10 . . . 0.50

Algebra 1 . . . 0.33

Geometry . . . 0.50

Biology . . . . 0.50

Physical Science .0.50

 

 

Try this:

 

Science (with labs)

course . . . credit . . . grade (and, only if needed, completion date)

Physical Sci . . 1.0 . . . . A . . . 06/13

Biology . . . . 1.0 . . . . A . . . 09/12

Chemistry . . . 1.0 . . . . A . . . 04/14

TOTAL . . . 3.0 credits / 4.0 GPA

 

 

Sounds like you've got a great plan! BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

Edited September 6, 2012 by Lori D.

[klmama]

BJU's physical science text (and the DIVE ICP) have significant math expectations. Both require a student to be able to handle scientific notation, significant digits, unit conversion problems, and the international system of measurements (metric system); also, the physics section of the text is algebra-based. If he's not really solid in those topics beforehand (Bridge Math might help), I would find another option.

[Mom22ns]

Good to know!

As BJU math teaches Algebra 1 in 9th, and BJU Physical Science is also written to 9th grade, I thought the science would go along with their math...

 

We are not there yet, but I have to figure out how I can 'translate' Algebra 1 to our (integrated) math ;-)

 

BJU probably covered all of those topics in pre-algebra. DIVE lists pre-algebra as their math requirement too. Both should be fine taking algebra concurrently.

 

For us, MUS doen't cover scientific notation and significant digits until Algebra, so we skipped ahead and did the "science related" math chapters first. After that we've had no trouble.