Higher Levels of Science - suggestions needed

[justkeepswimming]

Any suggestions for an advanced Chemistry course? I know Apologia has an Advanced Chemistry text - does anyone have any experience with this?  Or, should we look at a community college Chemistry course?  She's worked in college labs before and is antsy to get her hands on all the real equipment again Any other possibilities that I am overlooking for an upper-level, AP/college sort of Chemistry class or text or something?  Online options are welcome too.

 

Physics.  She'll have completed at least the first part of Saxon's Advanced Math this year (which covers "Advanced Algebra and Geometry" topics), and will do the remainder of the Advanced Math and part of the Calc book in 11th (covers "Trig and Pre-Calc"). What text or class for this?  I know Apologia and BJU have Physics, but having zero experience with Physics, I'm not sure what to begin.  I've been told this is a very tough class to teach at home.

 

She will probably choose either Advanced Chemistry or Physics for next year - and then also do Environmental Science as this is one of the fields she is most interested in for college. I'm thinking the Chemistry will strike a more harmonious balance with Enviro. Science than the Physics, but she's tentative about putting Physics off til her senior year...

 

Pretty sure she doesn't want to tackle Adv. Chemistry and Physics in the same year. Right?

 

[Mom22ns]

You might look at some of Regentrude's posts on using Knight Physics. This one is a good place to start. BJU Physics would also be a strong choice if you can use the online (or DVD) lessons with it and want something more homeschool friendly than Knight.

 

If CC Chemistry is an option, go there. Apologia Advanced Chem is not likely to give her much new information based on what she has already done and the CC will give her real labs! She sounds like she would love it!

[SandyKC]

My guys took classes through Marshall University Online http://www.marshall.edu/occhs/ and specifically my youngest took Physics with Derek Owens online.  Derek has both advanced math and physics, and he was very accessible by email and phone.  My DS really liked Derek's teaching videos.  With the Marshall classes, you can really get ahead in college if your child takes their classes in 11th and 12th grade.  My guys finished high school and were sophomores in college! :-D

 

This year dd (10th) is doing both Marine Biology (Apologia) and Chemistry (using 3 different texts).  She is ... ecstatic... to say the least.  Actually gleefully races off to do additional reading/projects for either science subject...   :001_huh:  :001_wub:

 

So. We were talking about options for next year.

 

Any suggestions for an advanced Chemistry course? I know Apologia has an Advanced Chemistry text - does anyone have any experience with this?  Or, should we look at a community college Chemistry course?  She's worked in college labs before and is antsy to get her hands on all the real equipment again (although, we have a lab setup that is fully-stocked enough to give me nervous nightmares about the chemicals somehow growing legs and mixing when I'm not looking... :001_rolleyes: )  Any other possibilities that I am overlooking for an upper-level, AP/college sort of Chemistry class or text or something?  Online options are welcome too.

 

Physics.  She'll have completed at least the first part of Saxon's Advanced Math this year (which covers "Advanced Algebra and Geometry" topics), and will do the remainder of the Advanced Math and part of the Calc book in 11th (covers "Trig and Pre-Calc"). What text or class for this?  I know Apologia and BJU have Physics, but having zero experience with Physics, I'm not sure what to begin.  I've been told this is a very tough class to teach at home.

 

She will probably choose either Advanced Chemistry or Physics for next year - and then also do Environmental Science as this is one of the fields she is most interested in for college. I'm thinking the Chemistry will strike a more harmonious balance with Enviro. Science than the Physics, but she's tentative about putting Physics off til her senior year...

 

Pretty sure she doesn't want to tackle Adv. Chemistry and Physics in the same year. Right?

 

[swimmermom3]

What about ChemAdvantage for AP Chemistry?

[justkeepswimming]

Thank you for the suggestions - looking into everything!!

 

What about ChemAdvantage for AP Chemistry?

 

I did look into this, but it's so expensive.  :(  Buying a micro chemistry set at this point would probably drive me to tears (just because of the sheer amount of chemistry supplies we have on-hand already... I can't imagine spending another $225+ just to buy smaller sizes of what we already have!)  But I've read such wonderful things, it's very hard to not be tempted!!

 

[StillStanding]

I have used Apologia Advanced Chemistry for a tutorial class I thought last year. It is a good textbook and if you are using Apologia right now for Chemistry, and doing well , then you would not have any problems with the second more advanced textbook.

Apologia labs, in my opinion, are so-so. I tend to supplement with microchemistry kits. It is not the same as having real equipment but are a tiny bit more complex that Apologia’s.

http://www.qualitysciencelabs.com/chemistry-labs/

If you already own a lot of lab equipment you may want to look at the following:

Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture (DIY Science) by Robert Bruce Thompson http://www.homechemlab.com/sources.html Monica

[Dicentra]

Hazel - did you look through the pinned Chem thread?  I separated out the programs for Reg Chem, Honours Chem, and AP Chem into separate posts at the beginning of the thread to make it easier to find things.

[justkeepswimming]

Hazel - did you look through the pinned Chem thread?  I separated out the programs for Reg Chem, Honours Chem, and AP Chem into separate posts at the beginning of the thread to make it easier to find things.

 

I did - back when we were making the decision what to use this year for Chem 1!  Did not even think to look through it again for second-year Chemistry information!  'doh  :blushing: Will do that tonight - thank you for the reminder!

 

[MorningGlory]

Thank you for the suggestions - looking into everything!!

 

 

I did look into this, but it's so expensive.  :(  Buying a micro chemistry set at this point would probably drive me to tears (just because of the sheer amount of chemistry supplies we have on-hand already... I can't imagine spending another $225+ just to buy smaller sizes of what we already have!)  But I've read such wonderful things, it's very hard to not be tempted!!

Hazel...I'm in a quandry quite similar to yours. And I have pretty much decided to put my son in the AP Chem course (chem advantage) Lisa mentioned despite the fact that I have a boatload of equipment, chemicals, and glassware already. This son will has a very wide range of mathematical and scientific interests, so my goal for putting him in the AP chem course is to help him decide, "is THIS the one?". In other words, I want him exposure to a top-notch chem class with a top-notch teacher to see if chemistry is possibly the career field of choice. He is taking chemistry...using Spectrum...with me teaching 8 of his buddies in our home, and he LOVES it. But is it because of all his buds...or because of me (wishful thinking...) or because of the subject? We will find out next year with AP chem. It is outrageously expensive, but from what I've read, it is worth every penny. I'm raising the money for the course by teaching all those same kids mentioned above physics....

 

Pretty sure she doesn't want to tackle Adv. Chemistry and Physics in the same year. Right?

So yes, my son will be taking AP Chem and regular physics at home in a group setting next year. He is excited about it. Sounds like your daughter would like it, too. :-)