g1234 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I have our year all planned out (we will start after Labor Day), but am suddenly having eleveth-hour second thoughts about physics. I had planned to have my daughter do Hewitt's Conceptual Physics. However, now I am asking myself why in the world I didn't plan to have her do algebra-based physics. She will be in 9th grade. Last year she was very successful with Foerster's Algebra 1 and with Zumdahl's Introductory Chemistry. She is a strong student, not at all math- or science-phobic. So why did I not plan for algebra-based physics? I just did some research on these forums, but my head is swimming, and I am worried about changing directions so late. However, I think it might be a really good change to make. Can anyone out there help me understand my (secular) algebra-based physics options? Am I correct that the top options are Giancoli and Knight? My main questions about options are: 1. What is the title of the book we should be considering? When I look them up on Amazon, I get so many options! 2. Would there be good access to problem answers, and perhaps even to solution guides? This would be important for us. 3. If I am correct that Knight and Giancoli are the main contenders, does anyone have a sense of what differentiates the two? ETA: 4. What parts would I need? Just the textbook? Are there workbooks or other guides that would be good to have? Many thanks for any help anyone can give. I am feeling a bit panicked (and stupid) about this. I worked so hard all summer to have my plans well in place by this point, and now I'm having trouble figuring out why I didn't plan for alg-based from the beginning. But here I am, and I would be so grateful for any guidance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Giancoli and Knight are both good options. I like Knight's writing style, that's why I use the text. The title of the textbook is College Physics by Knight, Jones and Field. there is no need to be intimidated by the title; I find it a very suitable level for 9th graders with a good math background and had both my children use it. You would need just the text, but you may feel more comfortable adding a solution manual if you can find one. The 1st edition of the text is much cheaper; there is no need to spend money on the current (2nd) edition. Text comes either as one hardback containing both volumes, or as two separate paperback volumes 1 and 2. I like the workbooks that go with the text, and the 2nd edition of the workbooks is an improvement over the 1st one. You can use the 2nd edition of the workbook with the 1st edition of the text without problem. If you can not find a solution manual, you can subscribe to as site like Chegg that has answers to many textbooks. I hate to recommend those cheating sites, but for a homeschooling parent they are a good way of obtaining solutions. I have previously posted schedules of assignments for Knight, as well as a set of exams; please search the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowbeltmom Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Imo, considering your daughter's math background, you have made an excellent decision to go with an algebra-based physics class. This will be my second time through algebra-based physics. I am using the following resources: The 6th edition of the Giancoli textbook along with the website www.giancolianswers.com. This website has not only the answers, but also the solutions. I am using the physics kit from Quality Science Labs for the lab component. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I think it would be okay to do Conceptual Physics this year and then Physics again in 12th. I did that with one child (and 8th grade and 11th for another). There were some topics in Conceptual that he didn't see again until college Physics 3 (I think, if my memory serves me correctly) Relativity was one of them. If you decide to do algebra based physics, Knight 2nd edition seems to be a good text and I am using it this year. It is called College Physics and the 3rd edition is out as of late Spring so the 2nd might not be too expensive. I highly recommend the workbooks as well (regentrude recommended them and I am very glad we have them). I purchased a 2nd edition a la carte. It is the entire book hole punched (no hard cover). I love it. I just put what we need for awhile in a binder. I filled out the form online at Pearson and then they emailed me and asked for proof that we homeschool. I had the letter from our state electronically, so within 30 minutes I had access to the workbook and text answers and instructor guide(which has some similarities to Knight's book Five Easy Pieces). YMMV, other people have had more difficulty. I couldn't have done this without the solutions. The 1st edition matches up okay, but not completely and so you have to hunt through the problem solutions trying to figure out which numbers match up with 1st edition. Regentrude's syllabus is from the 2nd. I tried Giancoli a few years ago, and did not give it the time I have given Knight, so things aren't equal but I like the Knight text better so far. HTH, Kendall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I meant Five Easy Lessons by Knight, not Five Easy Pieces. Feynman wrote a book called Six Easy Pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Well, bummer, the price for the 2nd edition went up a lot since late June(it was around 35 then). Probably the 3rd came out too late for most schools to switch to it? It will probably be cheaper later in the semester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Well, bummer, the price for the 2nd edition went up a lot since late June(it was around 35 then). Probably the 3rd came out too late for most schools to switch to it? It will probably be cheaper later in the semester. Semester is starting - in late June the market was swamped with students selling their books from the spring. Honestly, just get the 1st. It's not worth spending more money, and the problems are easily correlated to the other volume - many are the same, some shift by two numbers or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 I have adjusted the assignment numbers on regentrude's assignment sheet for the first 5 chapters and can share those if you decide to go with the 1st. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 I have our year all planned out (we will start after Labor Day), but am suddenly having eleveth-hour second thoughts about physics. I had planned to have my daughter do Hewitt's Conceptual Physics. However, now I am asking myself why in the world I didn't plan to have her do algebra-based physics. She will be in 9th grade. Last year she was very successful with Foerster's Algebra 1 and with Zumdahl's Introductory Chemistry. She is a strong student, not at all math- or science-phobic. So why did I not plan for algebra-based physics? There are good problems in the back of CP in Appendix F Problem Solving Practice. (my DS in 9th grade is using HS edition with Roller Coaster on Cover). You can certainly use Algebra to solve them. The whole idea of CP is to think about the physical aspects of "things" before one starts banging out the math. So far it looks pretty good. DS is taking Algebra 2 concurrently so not a math reason to take CP. After this your DD could take AP Physics 1 next if she did the Appendix F Problems without much problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 The 6th edition of the Giancoli textbook along with the website www.giancolianswers.com. Would you please share an ISBN? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 We use Kinetic Books for physics. It is a huge hit here. http://www.perfectionlearning.com/kinetic-physics The program is interactive. The labs are video games that cannot function without being the correct mathematical model being provided. The only way I know how to purchase a solutions manual, though, is having a school cover. You can enroll in Kolbe for a single course and purchase a SM through them. Bc CB divided physics B into 2 courses, KB is now offering that as their main page option. Their Conceptual Physics course is what covered B. It is still available if you do not want a 2 yr alg course (I literally just ordered it a couple of days ago.). I already own the SM for that course. Kolbe is now offering a similar type course within their Principles of Physics course by controlling what sections/problems are completed. At least that is what I was told by Kolbe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowbeltmom Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Would you please share an ISBN? Thanks!0-13-035257-8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 0-13-035257-8 So, this is volume 2. That is why I was a bit confused. Is it the same like regentrude said for the other text. Text comes either as one hardback containing both volumes, or as two separate paperback volumes 1 and 2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowbeltmom Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 So, this is volume 2. That is why I was a bit confused. Is it the same like regentrude said for the other text. Text comes either as one hardback containing both volumes, or as two separate paperback volumes 1 and 2?The book that I have is hardback. 6th edition. It has a picture of a mountain on the cover. There are a number of ISBN's listed in the front cover. It looks like I gave you the wrong one. Try this one: 0-13-060620-0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g1234 Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Thank you so much, everyone! Sometimes I don't know what I'd do without these forums. I mean, this is crazy, realizing at this late date that I want to do algebra-based physics when I had conceptual all planned out and ready to go. It was a chance comment on a different thread that got me thinking, and I'm glad it did, and I'm also glad you all were here to help me with the turnaround. I'm going to make a final decision on which book by the end of today, and it should arrive not long after the beginning of our schoolyear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyG Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I'm not sure if you've already made your decision, but here is another option: My son is in a homeschool class that is using Holt McDougal Physics. Several of the students are using an older version of the text, but we went with the latest version. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) now has a homeschool catalog so that homeschoolers can purchase many of their textbooks, not just Physics. http://forms.hmhco.com/virtual-catalog/publication/dde4c6aa#1 For physics go to pg. 86. The price listed in the catalog is @$105 for the latest text as well as online access to their ebook, videos, virtual labs, worksheets,tests, teacher edition,etc. When I called them about a week ago, they were offering a 20% discount with free shipping, so it came to @$85 for everything. If you don't need the hardcopy of the textbook, they will also sell you just the online components which does include the entire text as an ebook (although I think you have to be online to access it.) There is also a great link that lets you preview the book & online components to see if it would work for you. Go to http://forms.hmhco.com/virtualsampling/ It can be a bit confusing to register...when you find the book that you are interested in previewing, make sure you write down the sample word. Then click on the "evaluate now" and it will link you to another page where you will have to click the "preview" button. This will then link you to another page and so on :) HMH is also offering "virtual school" type classes...they call it HMHele (see pages 2 & 48 of the catalog) I've been asking them if they can send me a link for demo access, but so far I haven't heard back from them. The prices seem reasonable...@$45/semester, but I'd really like to see a sample or hear from someone who uses it before I try it. Oh...one final note for anyone that is interested in getting any of the books from HMH...the phone number on the virtual catalog is a generic HMH number. Whenever I've called, the reps are not familiar with the homeschool catalog. If you live on the east coast, contact Morgan Stower, mkstower@icloud.com. Otherwise, their main homeschool supervisor is Emily Crutchfield, <Emily.Crutchfield@hmhco.com>. Best of luck with your decision! Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 We use Kinetic Books for physics. It is a huge hit here. http://www.perfectionlearning.com/kinetic-physics The program is interactive. The labs are video games that cannot function without being the correct mathematical model being provided. The only way I know how to purchase a solutions manual, though, is having a school cover. You can enroll in Kolbe for a single course and purchase a SM through them. Bc CB divided physics B into 2 courses, KB is now offering that as their main page option. Their Conceptual Physics course is what covered B. It is still available if you do not want a 2 yr alg course (I literally just ordered it a couple of days ago.). I already own the SM for that course. Kolbe is now offering a similar type course within their Principles of Physics course by controlling what sections/problems are completed. At least that is what I was told by Kolbe. Just want to add my two thumbs up. DS used this last year and scored a 5 on the AP Physics B exam. It worked for him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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