Can someone explain "three years of science" to me?

[Sarah CB]

I'm Canadian, so our scope and sequence for high school requirements is different.  In my province, high school starts in grade 10, so universities won't see grade 9 marks or courses.  To graduate with a Dogwood Diploma (typical high school graduation), students need Science 10 (mix of various different sciences), and one Science 11 (physics, biology, chemistry, etc.).  I don't think that students going into the arts would often need more than that.  However, science-bound students would do more.  For example, my dd did Science 10, Bio 11, Physics 11, Chem 11, Physics 12, and Chem 12.  

 

Would the biology that a student in the US does in grade 9 be similar to what a grade 11 student studies here?  Or would your bio 9 be equal to bio 11 and 12 here?  

 

If you scroll down to page 14 here: http://sd67.bc.ca/teachers/barcuri/Bio%2012/BIO%20IRP%2011-%2012.pdf You'll start seeing the "prescribed learning outcomes" for grade 11 bio and then grade 12 bio.  I'd be curious to know how they compare.

 

Does anyone have a link for what is typically taught in biology in the US?

 

 

[freesia]

The Miller Levine book that is listed as a resource for Bio 11 is one that is typically used in a ninth grade bio class. Looking at the outcomes, it looks like Bio 12 is Cell Biology and the Human Body. In the US, those would be part of the Regular Bio. Bio 12 is a more in depth treatment of the subjects.

 

If you search for the Miller Levine Bio book, that would be a list of what is commonly covered.

 

BTW, Although we are American, my older 3 were born in BC.

[Ellie]

I'm Canadian, so our scope and sequence for high school requirements is different.  In my province, high school starts in grade 10, so universities won't see grade 9 marks or courses.  To graduate with a Dogwood Diploma (typical high school graduation), students need Science 10 (mix of various different sciences), and one Science 11 (physics, biology, chemistry, etc.).  I don't think that students going into the arts would often need more than that.  However, science-bound students would do more.  For example, my dd did Science 10, Bio 11, Physics 11, Chem 11, Physics 12, and Chem 12.  

 

Would the biology that a student in the US does in grade 9 be similar to what a grade 11 student studies here?  Or would your bio 9 be equal to bio 11 and 12 here?  

 

If you scroll down to page 14 here: http://sd67.bc.ca/teachers/barcuri/Bio%2012/BIO%20IRP%2011-%2012.pdf You'll start seeing the "prescribed learning outcomes" for grade 11 bio and then grade 12 bio.  I'd be curious to know how they compare.

 

Does anyone have a link for what is typically taught in biology in the US?

 

Historically, ninth grade has not always been part of high school. I grew up in Virginia in the 50s and 60s; junior high consisted of seventh, eighth, and ninth. Ninth grade was junior varsity for sports (and cheer leaders), tenth-twelfth was high school and varsity. And so colleges here haven't always looked at courses taken before 10th grade, so biology was usually a tenth-grade course, not a ninth grade course. College requirements were often only lab sciences, biology and higher.

 

ETA: Fifty states, 50 different ways of doing things. :laugh:

[Dicentra]

When I did up the pinned chem thread and the bio thread, I figured out that (roughly) a Grade 11 university stream credit in Canada in a particular science subject is approximately equivalent to a Regular course in the States (i.e. Grade 11U Bio would be about equal to Regular Bio).  A Grade 12 university stream class would continue on and cover approx. what you'd see in an Honours course (i.e. Grade 11U and 12U Bio together would be about equal to Honours Bio).  There is a great deal of variablity from school to school and course to course, though, so it's more just a rule of thumb.  In Ontario, we also have college stream sciences in Grade 11 or 12 (not the US definition of "college" - in Canada, academic course lead you to university and practical or college level courses lead you to college - just for clarification for any non-Canadian folks reading this :)) and the college stream sciences in 11 or 12 are sort of equivalent to a Regular course but with less theory and easier math.  In Ontario, for example, we have 11U, 12U, and 12C Chemistry.  If a student just took 11U, I'd call that equivalent to Reg Chem.  If a student takes 11U and 12U, I'd call that equivalent to Honours Chem.  If a student took 12C Chem, I'd call that equivalent to a basic Reg Chem - more or less Reg Chem but slightly less theory and less difficult mathematical application of the concepts.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Biology, Chemistry and Physics are the big three that are pretty standard.  I think the general assumption is Biology and two courses with labs at a higher level than Biology.  When I was in public school health counted, now I don't think it does, unless it is an elective.  Most colleges/high schools don't like science survey courses after 8th or 9th.  So general science is out.  Other accepted courses are Anatomy, Environmental science, and advanced courses of the big three like Biology II or Advanced Chemistry.

 

 

[Mom22ns]

If you scroll down to page 14 here: http://sd67.bc.ca/teachers/barcuri/Bio%2012/BIO%20IRP%2011-%2012.pdf You'll start seeing the "prescribed learning outcomes" for grade 11 bio and then grade 12 bio.  I'd be curious to know how they compare.

 

Does anyone have a link for what is typically taught in biology in the US?

 

That was very interesting. I don't think there is such a thing as link for what is typically taught in Biology in the US  :001_rolleyes: . Different states, different schools and even different teachers are going to give different answers.

 

That said, we used very standard US public school textbooks and I pulled various syllabi off the internet from both public and private schools in the US and browsed them before creating our Biology classes. Each of my kids did Biology in 9th grade. They covered everything that was listed in the Bio 11. The Bio 12 had a bit more depth in some areas of cell Biology. However, we covered a more on ecology, classification, and genetics than I saw in either level. I would say that a standard US Biology class would be the equivalent of the two combined classes, although not exactly the same coverage. An honors class should be a bit more total information, although I have seen some things labeled as honors that I wouldn't give standard credit - the label had no real meaning.

 

Thank you for sharing the link. I always enjoy seeing what other countries think it is important that their students learn.