Omma Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 My ds is finishing up BJU Life Science as a 7th grader. My dd is doing BJU Science 6 as an advanced 5th grader. We are going to try Classical Conversations next year (cycle 2), which will cover Ecology, Astronomy, and Physics for my dd, and Origins of Science and studying scientists for my ds. To me, it looks like the 4th edition is far improved over the 3rd, but my ds wants to continue doing BJU Science online...in which case he would have to use the old 3rd edition (but with Mrs. Vick, who he really likes). He loves science and even though he doesn't know what he is getting into with Challenge A next fall, he still wants to do a BJU online science class. My dd says she would be fine skipping Life Science to do Earth and Space instead (which looks more interesting to her). Has anyone compared the 2 versions? Should I just hold off on science until we see what the workload is truly like for CC (or start the new one right away in June like my ds wants to do...he also likes the blogging feature that BJU online offers). Thanks for any input! Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omma Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Oh well, I think I kind of answered my own question. I was able to do some scouting around and the new edition looks QUITE improved over the old one. I like the idea of having the dueling scientists throughout the book (the secular scientist vs the biblical worldview scientist). In addition, climate change is covered. I think I could use this science for 9th grade, combined with Challenge B in Classical Conversations, which covers aspects of Creation vs. Evolution w/ Defeating Darwinism. The Next Generation Common Core Standards for Science call for discussing evolution and climate change. Following some of the new options for scheduling science in the high school years, it appears that it would be fine to have one year be: Earth Science/Evolutionary Science/Environmental Science or some variation thereof! :lol: Then I would have my son do Physical Science, Biology, and Chemistry the other 3 years. Hopefully, that will be acceptable to colleges. What does the hive think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyMama Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 :bigear: Listening in - I'm still trying to figure out what we should do for 4 years of high-school science. I figure Biology, Physics, Chemistry - ummm, what else? She wants Marine Biology one year, so I suppose that's fine? I guess one year is for those who want to persue an AP or college level science? :confused1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I cannot speak for the new edition; we used the 3rd edition Earth & Space. It was one of our favorite courses that we've done in all these years of homeschooling. I've posted about it a few times. We did not use the online or dvd option. I think it would make a fine course for the freshman year...especially if you add in the science from CC. You could definitely adjust the course title. :) Most colleges want to see biology, chemistry and/or physics, and at least a 3rd lab science (some prefer 4 lab sciences). BJU's E&S has LOTS of labs...very good labs...in it, so it would fit the bill (I'm assuming that you do at least some of these at home even if you are using the online option). I see you have probably changed your mind about your daughter taking E&S in 6th. But just in case...I considered using it with my son in 6th grade...but I'm glad that we stuck with BJU's order. We did Life in 6th, E&S in 7th, and Physical in 8th. BJU definitely ramps things up from Life to E&S and then even more in the jump to Physical. This son is scientifically gifted, but he would have found E&S a little much in 6th grade. Just my 2 cents! :) HTH! Jetta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyMama Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I've often looked at the BJU sciences and wondered if they could be done "independently" only because my DD likes to work this way with science (hence our Rainbow choice). I'm concerned that she would be frightened off by the "meatiness" of it all since she's not very in love with science! Reading threads like this just piques my curiosity even more. I love the look of the new edition of Earth Science (4th ed) but without an online class option, I don't know that she would get much from it. I've heard that BJU science needs to be "taught" - ie by a science teacher ;) lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I've often looked at the BJU sciences and wondered if they could be done "independently" only because my DD likes to work this way with science (hence our Rainbow choice). I'm concerned that she would be frightened off by the "meatiness" of it all since she's not very in love with science! Reading threads like this just piques my curiosity even more. I love the look of the new edition of Earth Science (4th ed) but without an online class option, I don't know that she would get much from it. I've heard that BJU science needs to be "taught" - ie by a science teacher ;) lol I've heard that also which has made me stay away from considering it right now. I'd like to be wrong. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omma Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 Thanks, everyone, for your replies. Jetta, glad to hear that BJU's Earth & Space was such a great course for you. Would love to hear a bit more about what made it so special...maybe I should do a search! Also, I appreciate your comments about 6th graders and E&S, just in case I started to reconsider (lol)! I feel better about the possibility of using it now for 9th grade. What I will probably do is wait to see what the actual workload is like for CC this fall...I could even try to hold out and see if BJU has their Dec. sale of an online class for $99 again. And I do have a hodgepodge of science books around here that I could piecemeal together for my dd to possibly try and match with CC(some AIG old edition books on God's Design for Heaven and Earth, Considering God's Creation, and even MFW to go with 1850 to Modern). The other choice is that I could re-lease the DVDs for BJU Life Science that her brother used this year, for $199. Hmm...still researching and thinking! But I would say that I think BJU Distance Learning DVDs/online is particularly fantastic for science. We never tried using it without the DVDs, especially since I do not have a natural science bent at all (just ask my dh!!! :lol:)...although I am learning now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourtneyBrooke Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 We are halfway through BJU E&S online, and used Life Science last year. I cannot say enough things about this program. In 6th grade, my DD hated Science. Dreaded it. Then we introduced Mrs. Vick and life Science and now she says she wants to be a scientist. We are definitely sticking with BJU indefinitely. (We purchased the $99 deal, and just do our courses Jan-Dec instead.) Yes, E&S would be intense for a 6th grader (but my daughter started it at 11, so it's doable) but I would not do it without a teacher- either a science-minded parent or the online/DVD version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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