AP Science

[AdamsFamily]

My dd is in the 6th grade. I am looking at making significant changes to our curriculum choices next year. I thought I had settled on Apologia sciences, but now I am not sure that will be a good fit. My dh and I both have science backgrounds, and our dd does well in sciences. I would love for her to get a STEM degree. I would also love for her to take AP science courses in high school. From my research today, Abeka, which we have used up to this point, and BJU are great choices for prospective STEM majors. Neither company seems to offer AP classes, though.

 

For those of you whose dc have taken ap science classes, what curriculum did you use in middle school and high school? What did you use for AP classes? Which specific science courses did you use each year from 7th to 12th? We are switching to Saxon Algebra 1/2 next year. I don't think she will have any trouble keeping up with it even though we are switching from Horizons and skipping Saxon 87.

 

Thank you for your help!

[creekland]

My middle son is currently a freshman doing a neuroscience or brain & cognitive science major intending on either research or pre-med. He's also currently getting a 4.0 (often with the top score on tests) at the U of Rochester... so I'm satisfied with what we used. ;)

 

7th - Apologia's General Science

8th - Apologia's Physical Science

9th - Apologia's Bio (first book)

10th - Apologia's Chem (first book)

11th - Apologia's Bio and Chem (2nd books, first half of Chem) + Microbio 211 at the Community College

12th - Apologia's Physics (both books), finished Apologia's Chem (2nd book), Campbell's Bio (AP level)

 

For math he did:

 

7th - TT Alg 1

8th - TT Geometry

9th - TT Alg 2

10th - TT Pre-Calc

11th - Stats AP - I forgot the name/author, but a search might come up with it - he got a 5 on the test

12th - Calc - full year - using Thinkwell (repeating this in college and getting a very easy A)

 

We did not opt for AP tests in science or math due to wanting pre-med. He did AP Stats, Psych, (both 5s) and 3 cc classes (all As) and it was sufficient to get him where he is now. He loves it there. If I had it to do over again I'd have likely picked up the AP book for Chem for his junior/senior year as I did for his senior year with Bio, BUT he hasn't needed it to do well in college. He still has an A in the class, but is not quite as "on top of the class" as he is with his other classes.

 

FWIW, the 2nd Apologia Bio book (Anatomy & Physiology) he's said has been more in depth than his intro Brain and Cognitive Science class with anatomy aspects. He feels that prepared him very well for all things anatomical. He also feels very well prepared for all of his subjects (I have asked specifically). It's just "me" wondering if he should have done more in Chem... not him wishing he had.

[AdamsFamily]

Thank you for sharing this!

[Gwen in VA]

My older two kids did well in college. (cough, cough). And my younger is continuining the trend.

 

Math -- My kids have scored ridiculously well on all math parts of standardized tests, so this sequence works!) Last year I have even received phone calls from dd1 (in a Ph.D. program in engineering) thanking me for using the Dolciani Algebra 2 book!

 

Algebra 1 -- Dolciani's Algebra I

Algebra 2 -- Dolciani's Algebra 2

Geometry -- Jurgensen, Brown, and Jurgenson's Geometry

Precalculus -- Brown's Advanced Mathematics

Calculus -- always done at CC or local 4-year school using some Stewart text or other (we currently own 5 since they all have used different editions!)

 

Science -- We did lots of AP's to help the kids get into top colleges. Ds2's college accepts NO transfer credit, so his AP scores merely helped him get in. Older kids' college gave generous credit for AP scores but if you were a science major you only received general credit for the AP score and still had to retake the class, so ds1 (math, philosophy and econ major) received credit for his 5 on the AP Chemistry exam but dd (chemistry and art history major) only received general credits from her 5's on the physics and chemistry.

 

Do remember that different colleges treat AP scores very differently. My kids each entered with over five AP scores, and we would do that again in a heartbeat!

 

Campbell's Exploring Life

AP Chemistry using Chang's Chemistry

AP Physics B using Giancoli's Physics

[creekland]

I'm a little surprised that more folks haven't chimed in here as many of us have kids going into different aspects of STEM degrees and many are doing well with it - super well actually.

 

My middle son is headed pre-med, so we specifically tailored his education that way. Oldest went into Accounting/Business, so his was slightly different and not really STEM. I'm a Physics major myself and hubby is a Civil Engineer, but none of our sons wanted either path... (sigh)

 

In short, there are many options of things you can do and paths to get you there. The best curricula are those your student learns well from and can show it on various tests. Definitely head toward Calculus while still in high school, but consider having your student repeat it in college as many do better that way (some have no need - decide then, not now). Definitely cover the main sciences in AP depth whether you choose to take the test (usually helpful) or not. The only reason we opted not to for some courses was to save the $$ since I knew my pre-med guy was going to retake the courses in his 4 year anyway. We spent the $$ on those he was more likely to be able to use for credits.

 

And hopefully others will share what they have used to give you multiple options of curricula to check out. ;)

[snowbeltmom]

For those of you whose dc have taken ap science classes, what curriculum did you use in middle school and high school? What did you use for AP classes? Which specific science courses did you use each year from 7th to 12th? .

 

Thank you for your help!

My oldest is currently in 10th grade. Here is a list of his science curriculum through this year:

7th grade:

JHU CTY Honors High School Biology - the spine of this program is Plato's online biology program

 

8th grade:

Honors Chemistry with ChemAdvantage - this class used the Chang textbook. Excellent class, excellent labs. The class, unfortunately is not offered every year.

 

AP Physics B - he was able to take this class at our local high school. He hated the textbook the class used (I think it was College Physics by Serway), and he worked through Physics by Giancoli on his own at home. A very intense year!

 

CTY Genetics - This was a very intense three week summer class. The class used the textbook Principles of Genetics by Snustad and Simmons. The class also included a daily 3+ hour lab. For a kid interested in science, these classes are outstanding.

 

9th grade:

CTY Neuroscience - another three week summer class. Also excellent.

AP Chemistry with ChemAdvantage - this class used a higher level Chang textbook. Again, excellent class, excellent lab.

 

10th grade:

He is conducting research one day a week.

 

AoPS Chemistry WooT: This is an online class that meets every other week. The class is using the textbook Organic Chemistry by Carey.

 

11th grade (tentative plans)

AP Physics C mechanics - we will do this at home since none of the schools in our area offer this class.

 

Advanced topics in biology - basically this will consist of the AP level topics minus the topic on plants - S said one time studying plants was enough.

 

Research

 

12 grade (tentative)

AP Physics C electricity - at home again

 

Cell biology - also at home

 

Research

[Trilliums]

 

For those of you whose dc have taken ap science classes, what curriculum did you use in middle school and high school? What did you use for AP classes? Which specific science courses did you use each year from 7th to 12th? We are switching to Saxon Algebra 1/2 next year. I don't think she will have any trouble keeping up with it even though we are switching from Horizons and skipping Saxon 87.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

 

 

I was a bit hesitant to reply as my son is taking his first AP classes this year plus he is taking them at the public school. He was, however, well prepared for the classes despite his previous lack of science curriculum and his odd math sequence. When he was in grade 6, I was pretty sure he would end up in a science career, but his abilities were all over the place. I worried, a lot. :) If I could have seen into the future and knew where he would be in Grade 10 (this year) I would have worried a lot less. :p

 

Many options exist to prepare students for AP science classes. It does not have to be through a linear succession of planned curriculum. For us, the main factors have been student interest and motivation. I know I worried about planning everything out just right and preparing them as much as possible. In the end though, they are the ones who have to do the work. We can encourage and prod, but the best results for us have been achieved through student driven learning. I do not think any curriculum can do that.

 

 

DS, Grade 10, is now in AP physics & AP comp sci at the high school.

 

Math:

Elementary: We used a living math approach for the most part. Hands on Equations, Zaccharo math books, Murderous Maths, etc.

 

Grade 7: DS worked through half of Everyday Mathematics, grade 6. He hated this. Honestly, computation is hard for him although conceptually he is strong in math. I debated much about how to approach this and we ended up focusing on the concepts.

 

Grade 8: Saxon alg 1/2 and saxon alg 1 He liked this and finally math started to work for him. Once it went beyond drills, he started to soar in math. He worked at his own pace and was able to complete two programs with ease. At this point he also had a new found motivation thanks to MIT open courseware science topics.

 

Grade 9: AoPS Geometry, AoPS & Khan Academy for Alg 2 He loved AoPS and wished he had used it for Alg. 1.

 

Grade 10: Precalc honors at high school. This was a long debate: enroll is ps math or continue with AoPS. He ultimately decided he wanted to experience the pacing of a structured math class. At home he worked very slowly on his math and wasn't sure whether or not he would be prepared for college level calculus if he continued to self study. He has been doing very well in the class (98% on his last test) and it has been a great boost to him.

 

 

Science: We did not use a science curriculum prior to high school. DS watched a lot of MIT open courseware classes, read/listened to various books, read science magazines and discussed issues/interests with us.

 

Grade 9: Honors Chemistry at high school. In retrospect, DS wishes he had taken AP chemistry, but he had never had labs before, never been in a structured science class before and we weren't sure how it would go. Plus, the high school discouraged him from taking an AP class as a freshman ( I can understand why).

 

Summer physics camp at University.

 

Grade 10: AP Physics at high school He said yesterday that this was his easiest class. He is a very logical thinker and he loves the subject matter.

AP Comp Science at the public school. He said this is his hardest class conceptually, but he is doing extremely well in the class. I am impressed by the amount of programming he has already learned and he is excited by the prospects of comp programming skills in physics applications.

 

Plans to take Physics, computer programming and calculus at the Univ. for Grade 11. He currently plans to become a physicist, although I wouldn't be too surprised if he ends up with a math degree. He finds both fields fascinating despite his early problems with computation.

 

Enjoy your time. It goes by so fast.

[Jane Elliot]

My dd is in the 6th grade. I am looking at making significant changes to our curriculum choices next year. I thought I had settled on Apologia sciences, but now I am not sure that will be a good fit. My dh and I both have science backgrounds, and our dd does well in sciences. I would love for her to get a STEM degree. I would also love for her to take AP science courses in high school. From my research today, Abeka, which we have used up to this point, and BJU are great choices for prospective STEM majors. Neither company seems to offer AP classes, though.

 

For those of you whose dc have taken ap science classes, what curriculum did you use in middle school and high school? What did you use for AP classes? Which specific science courses did you use each year from 7th to 12th? We are switching to Saxon Algebra 1/2 next year. I don't think she will have any trouble keeping up with it even though we are switching from Horizons and skipping Saxon 87.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

I have 4 dc currently in college; our two seniors and the junior are all STEM majors and are earning 3.9 or better. One of them self-studied both AP Physics C exams and the AP Calc BC exam and earned a 5 on all. I think the others would have done well with AP science exams, but AP wasn't on our radar at that point in time. (Our non-STEM major took his AP exams in the humanities as that was what he was interested in.)

 

We used Apologia all the way through occasionally doubling up on some of the advanced courses. When ds self-studied for the physics exams, he used course repository with Halliday's text after completing the two Apologia physics courses.

 

For math we used Chalkdust for PreAlg, Alg. I&II, and PreCalc; Jacob's for Geometry; and Thinkwell for Calculus.

[FloridaLisa]

I have two STEM majors in college, a freshman and a junior). They both started with Apologia science and then moved on to university-level science through dual-enrollment.

 

For ds:

8th Apologia Bio taught by mom

9th:Apologia Chem taught by tutor

10th: AP Bio through Florida Virtual School

11th and 12th: organic chem I and organic chem II; biology through university dual-enrollment

 

Dd did a similar but different track:

9th: Apologia Bio taught by mom

10th: Apologia Chem by outside teacher

11th: Nutrition at local college

12th: Biology and Chem I through university dual-enrollment

 

We used Saxon math at home and then they dual-enrolled in 11th and 12th for higher math.

 

My kids have not had one problem, none, transitioning into higher level science. I think it's because they are science lovers, came in with good study skills, are willing to work hard/ask the professor/get help from a homework lab, and have a vision and goal which motivates.

 

Lisa

 

ETA: We elected not to do further science or math APs, though they did have APs in other subject areas, as university concurrent enrollment better fit with their college plans and goals. They didn't want to do APs and then end up redoing the classes at university.

[Melissa B]

 

I have 4 dc currently in college; our two seniors and the junior are all STEM majors and are earning 3.9 or better. One of them self-studied both AP Physics C exams and the AP Calc BC exam and earned a 5 on all. I think the others would have done well with AP science exams, but AP wasn't on our radar at that point in time. (Our non-STEM major took his AP exams in the humanities as that was what he was interested in.)

 

We used Apologia all the way through occasionally doubling up on some of the advanced courses. When ds self-studied for the physics exams, he used course repository with Halliday's text after completing the two Apologia physics courses.

 

For math we used Chalkdust for PreAlg, Alg. I&II, and PreCalc; Jacob's for Geometry; and Thinkwell for Calculus.

 

 

Hi Luann,

 

We are using Chalkdust as well and so far like it. Is there any specific reason you did not use Chalkdust for Geometry or Calculus?

[Jane Elliot]

 

Hi Luann,

 

We are using Chalkdust as well and so far like it. Is there any specific reason you did not use Chalkdust for Geometry or Calculus?

 

Not really. We had used Jacobs with our oldest. We had it and liked it, so we stuck with it for everyone.

 

When ds was studying for the Calc BC exam, Chalkdust didn't have anything available that covered it, but Thinkwell did, so we went with that. I hear Chalkdust now has material that covers AP Calc BC.

[AdamsFamily]

Thanks for all of the replies! I think I will start out with Apologia next year and go from there. I live in a small town, and there is a so-so community college here. It doesn't offer much. My dh and I move around a bit, so we may very well not even live in this part of the country once my dd hits high school. Thanks again!