Erin Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I'm trying to decide what to do. Buck did a good intro to physical sciences class this year. The logical progression, of course, would be Biology for this fall. That was my plan. That's what's on my schedule. We had already agreed on the text and everything! But he doesn't want to do bio. He wants physics or chem, but he's only gotten through Algebra, so he's probably not ready for either. Obviously he should get a good hit at biology in high school as it'll be a good intro for college. But what about kind of a fun physics year? An upper middle school/low high school hands-on course? Something with bridge-building and machines, maybe? THEN Biology as a sophomore... (Homeschoolers have no graduation requirements in my state, and most of the colleges we'd be looking at merely require 3 sciences w/labs, no specification about which sciences) Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Speaking as the mom of a rising junior, "I don't wanna" shouldn't cut it. If biology is going to be a graduation requirement in your homeschool, get it done. You will be glad when your student is older -- teens spend so much time doing activities and jobs, plus they need room in their schedule to take electives to explore future majors, research and visit colleges, etc. You will be glad to have as many required classes done up front in freshman and sophomore year as possible. High school goes by so fast. I didn't believe it when I started, but it really does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 If he is solid with Algebra 1, I would go ahead and do either a Chemistry or Physics course. Biology doesn't HAVE to be the first lab science for high school - there have been some excellent threads here with good explanations on why Physics or Chem might be a better choice. We are still a year out, but it looks like the Biology class I wanted for DD13 (taught by a local HS mom who was a science professor) won't be available until her 10th grade year, so we will probably hit Physics first, then Biology, then Chem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Conceptual Physics by Hewitt and Understanding Physics by Cassidy are attainable for 9th graders. You don't have to start with biology, but if that's the best progression for your kid I'd make him suck it up and deal with it. Make sure he gets high interest elsewhere, like history of steampunk literature or LLLLOTR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 One option could be earth/space science as a freshman, planning for bio as a sophomore. Another option could be choosing a biology course that's very oriented towards biochemistry/molecular biology (I don't have specific advice here). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmie Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Personally i'd make him take biology. The one thing DD regrets is taking a year off from lab sciences in 10th grade and taking environmental science. She would have been on track to have no choice but to take an AP if she wanted 4 years of science, and now she isn't (she'll be taking physics as a senior). She wishes I had made her take Chemistry in tenth... Get bio done as a ninth grader, he might appreciate it when he finishes physics as a junior and has a whole year to take an advanced class. I agree with the poster who said 'I don't wannna' shouldn't cut it... The only two things DD regrets about her homeschooling is that she didn't take Chemistry as a 10th grader and that I let her drop her Mandarin course in 9th grade. I would hate for the same thing to happen to your situation (DS wanting to take advanced science, but not being on track to do so without cramming/moving things around) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicmom Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I'd suggest doing chemistry in 9th. Biology does not have to be done first in high school. It's traditionally been done that way only because it does not require algebra, which many 9th graders are just starting. Since your ds has already had algebra 1, chemistry could be a very good choice, as it opens several doors, especially for a STEM-oriented kid. With the chemistry background, your ds could do AP Bio later in high school (perhaps even senior year) when he's had a little more time to mature (interests can change). He might find AP bio more interesting than regular bio because it gets into biochemistry. Chem in 9th also would allow him to do AP Chem at some point in high school if he wishes. He could then do an algebra-based physics (even AP) in sophomore, junior or senior year, depending on his math level. (It gets into some simple trig, which is easy to learn, but an understanding of geometry and triangles is helpful.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I'd let him take chemistry. If he has completed alg there is no reason to use a conceptual course; he can take a standard high school chem class. My ds also didn't want to take bio. I had zero problems postponing it. He ended up taking chem in 9th, AP chem in 10th, multiple physics courses in 11th and 12th, and did Thinkwell bio in 12th. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 We'll do similar to 8 :) and save bio for later. It's her least favorite branch of science. We are Rigorous Homeschoolers, but I have no problem using a "git 'er done" curriculum for that subject ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheApprentice Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 If he's done with Algebra, I would suggest Derek Owen's physics class. The prerequisite is Algebra. My son took it in his freshman year and really liked it. It's distance learning and the cost was $58 a month, but it is self-paced. So if your son went through it fairly quickly, it would cut down on the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjbucks1 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 What are your son's goals? If he wants to have AP sciences, I would have him take Chem next year, AP Chem in 10th, and then at least one of the AP Physics in 11th. Perhaps by that time he could also a do an easier biology course along with physics, and then another advanced physics class in 12th. In our experience, a student does not need a previous physics class before taking AP Physics, but I personally think it is a good idea to have a regualr chemistry class before AP Chem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erin Posted May 29, 2014 Author Share Posted May 29, 2014 Im not sure about AP or not, but he's currently leaning toward mechanical engineering in college... Bio has *never* held much interest. I hadn't thought about Chem, though. That would give us several options further along, too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 My daughter did the following sciences while in high school.9th: Physical Science10th: Chemistry (Lab)11th: G 101: Earth's Dynamic Interior (Lab)11th: G 102 Earth's Dynamic Surface (Lab)11th: G 146: Rocks and Minerals (Lab)12th: ENVS 181: Terrestrial Science (Lab)We allowed her to study the sciences that interested her at the community college in 11th and 12th grades (namely Geology and Environmental Science) rather than mandating that she study the more traditional Biology in which she had no interest. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 Customize your homeschool! If your student is college bound, check university entrance requirements and if biology isn't specified, then feel free to do something different. I think it's great you are letting your son have a say in his high school plan. Some ideas for science courses: Earth Science (this is actually a public high school grad requirement here) Environmental Science Forensics Astronomy Human Anatomy and Physiology Physics Chemistry For high school, my son did a general science w/lab year in 9th grade, biology in 10th, chemistry w/lab in 11th. Next year will be either physics, forensics or environmental science, whichever works out the best, and there will be labs for whichever course he chooses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 Dd is very similar (physical science in 8th, doesn't like bio), and she has been doing chemistry for 9th. For 10th, I've got to call the registrar today and sort things out. When we do bio, we're either going to CLEP it or do DE or do sort of a science reading/bio reading year for bio 1 and doing DE the 2nd year. She needs a college credit in Bio for her intended program, so we have to get it done. It's no harm to wait, if you know you'll bump it up later. And of course it's no crime to skip bio either, so long as you do enough other sciences. To me it is more an issue that they won't be a very informed consumer and voter if they skip all of biology, kwim? But to do it later or at a different level or in a different way, that's fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 We purposely waited to do Bio junior year since DS didn't feel he was ready for it before that. 8th - general science at PS 9th - Earth Science touching on Astronomy and Environmental 10th - Integrated Chemistry and Physics w/ lab 11th - Biology w/ lab (using DIVE & BJU) 12th - possibly Forensics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 Double posted from phone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I do think, imho, that there should be some kind of biological science class - just for familiarity... If you've covered it well in earlier years, perhaps there is already enough knowledge there for that purpose. I also wouldn't allow an "I don't like it" on its own, but if you can find acceptable science classes that aren't bio - then why not, right? I think at this point Conceptual physics would be too much of a repeat of your Intro to Physics - so either real physics (which I think could wait until after or concurrent with Alg 2 or precalc), chem, or something totally different :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erin Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 Ok, so I've wandered through Dicentra's Chem sticky this week and I think Spectrum might be just what we're looking for... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Ok, so I've wandered through Dicentra's Chem sticky this week and I think Spectrum might be just what we're looking for... :) We've done this! This is a much better idea than doing something "fun" and having to worry about getting something "solid" in later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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