9th Science options if student is not ready for Biology?

[Kendall]

Two of my older children have been ready for Biology in 9th, one needed another year to be strong enough academically to handle Biology.  With that one I did Conceptual Physics.  Then we did Bio,Chem, Physics. I'm looking ahead to next year for my current 8th grader, in part because it will affect some of what we do in science this year.  She also will need another year before tackling Biology.

 

What are my options for 9th grade science?  She will be doing Algebra I in 9th also.  The options I have thought of are:

 

Conceptual Physics

Earth Science/Astronomy

Some kind of Living books Bio or Physics or Chem or a combo (have any of you done this?  If so how would you transcript it?)

 

In 10th-12th we will do Bio, Chem, Physics

 

Do you have any other suggestions for 9th?

 

Thank you

[katilac]

Physical Science used to be very common in 9th.

[lmrich]

Physical Science is a typical 9th grade science.

[Mom22ns]

I agree with Physical Science or "ICP" Integrated Chemistry and Physics as it is often titled now. Giving an intro to Chemistry will have her more prepared for Biology. Be careful though, some Physical Science and ICP courses will have algebra as a pre-requisite. Others will work doing them concurrently.

[Hunter]

I took Earth Science in the 9th grade. There was only one class of the most advanced students that took Biology in 9th. These students were required to have taken and received top grades in Algebra 1 in the 8th grade. There were maybe 2 classes of students from our entire grade, that were selected to take Algebra in 8th grade.

 

9th grade college prep was Earth Science and Algebra 1. Most homeschoolers now consider these to be 8th grade courses.  :001_huh:  Rush, rush, rush to where? I now see more, not less, students starting at the local junior colleges, instead of direct entry into a 4 year college at 18. I haven't seen any positive results to accelerating the default scope and sequence.

 

I've noticed that scope and sequences that do physical science in 9th grade often go geography in social studies, and include a chapter or two of earth science in the physical science text. Some general diploma options do Physical Science and Biology as the only science courses, as the physical science covers earth, chem and physics. Earth Science is often the first of a four course scope and sequence.

[Kendall]

Thank you everyone.  I am going to start looking for a physical science text or plan.

[stephanie]

I'm so glad you posted this! After spending over $300 trying to figure what Biology curriculum would work for ds14, he just doesn't seem ready for some of the concepts. Of course right now he's going over cellular topics so it's not so interesting to him. Presently, he is using Time4Learning Biology and is taking notes as he watches the video, the does the activities. I'm supplementing with LifePac labs dvd for the Labs that I don't feel I can do. However, he still just seems to be memorizing certain terms, but not really grasping what they mean. He isn't strong in his Chemistry knowledge so the topics on the cell are causing him to glaze over a bit..lol.

 

I'm interested to know, did you find something that would work in terms of Physical Science or ICP? I'm also considering a more Living Books approach to Biology for him and we can work through it together.

[Chris in VA]

Just wanted to put in a plug for Environmental Studies. I did a Miller-Levine text with ds (though not in 9th grade) for a semester, and we found it enjoyable and just enough. You could do a combo year of physical science in the fall and enviro in the spring. It's nice to pair the enviro with a Master Gardener's certification. 

[Kendall]

I haven't looked for a text yet, other than to find this thread:  There may be other threads that would be helpful

 

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/485040-what-publisher-for-integrated-physics-and-chemistry-for-9th-gr/?hl=%2Bintegrated

 

 

Thanks for mentioning the Environmental Studies.

 

I have considered some kind of living books science and then going into Biology, Chem, Physics.  So not instead of Biology,etc. but before.  I have no idea how to go about it or how to transcript it or what my goals would be.  

[bobbeym]

DS took Earth Science/Astronomy in 9th grade, at his request because he knew he wasn't ready for Biology yet.  We're doing IPC in 10th grade and will do Biology next year in 11th.

[4wildberrys]

I like the Conceptual Physics idea. My son did Apologia Bio in 9th, and I wish we would have waited. I spend oodles of $$$ on Conceptual Physics for 12th and we ARE going to use it---but frankly I see it as a great course for 9th and WAY too easy for 12th! He knows a lot of this stuff...well, actually most. But Apologia Physics is a joy-sucker for ds, so I did get the Problem Solving wb. You could do Conceptual Physics and then perhaps add a couple of the Tiner books with study guides from Memoria Press to supplement a couple of additional topics, like Chemistry.

[TechWife]

My son did a general science year in 9th, biology in 10th, chemistry in 11th and will do either physics or forensic science in 12th.

[Julie in MN]

We did some of Apologia's Physical and a lot of Teaching Company lectures (Physics in Your Life, which tells how DVDs and microwaves and such work, and Beyond the Edge, which was a little more of a stretch, about concepts like perpetual motion and absolute zero). I was fine with that even for ds who is mathy will likely end up in the sciences. Some form of "easy physics" is common for 9th in my area, even at the college prep schools. The only down side is that it limits your options for cool elective upper sciences vs covering the big 3.

Julie

[M&M]

We are using Dive ICP for my 9th grader. So far it is a good fit. What I like most is that you have the option to use a textbook or not to use one.