foxbridgeacademy Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 If your DC was doing Conceptual Physics in 8th grade (along with Alg 1 and Geometry Lite) but you din't want to do Chemistry until 10th grade(He'll be at Alg 2 starting Pre-Calc), followed by Bio in 11th and Physics at CC in 12th, what would you have them do in 9th grade? I'm also considering just stopping Science altogether, so we can focus on other topics, and pick up CPS in 9th.... Reasons for the dilemma are that DS is a very young 8th grader who is dyslexic and I would like for him to take the Chemistry and Biology CLEP's but I don't think he will be able to test well by the end of 9th grade. So, thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Earth Science is one of those sciences that can be done really well, with depth, strong concepts, and quite a fantastic amount of science, or it can be really cute. I think if you really delve into geology, astronomy, meteorology, carbon/nitrogen/water cycle biodynamics you can have a really great science course that is rigorous and strong. I would not do it much past ninth grade, as the connotation can be that it is an easy or light science the way some people do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 Earth Science is one of those sciences that can be done really well, with depth, strong concepts, and quite a fantastic amount of science, or it can be really cute. I think if you really delve into geology, astronomy, meteorology, carbon/nitrogen/water cycle biodynamics you can have a really great science course that is rigorous and strong. I would not do it much past ninth grade, as the connotation can be that it is an easy or light science the way some people do it. That's what I was thinking too. That a Physical Science(like Earth Sci), even a Conceptual Physics would be considered light. I would like to do Env. Sci. with him but that also would need to be later and the only way to fit it in would be to do Chem in 9th.... which we could still do but either skip the ClEP or if he bombs then just don't have that score sent. IDK, I go round and round on this and still haven't figured out the "best" thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephinsocal Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Ds1 has been following this same sequence--we did astronomy in 9th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Earth Science was the normal 10th grade science in my high school. (Bio, Earth Science, Chem, Phys) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 Earth Science was the normal 10th grade science in my high school. (Bio, Earth Science, Chem, Phys) Right, when I was in H.S. it was Earth Science, Bio, Chem, Physics. Now with the Physics first model it's all messed up. But, I understand why you would need a basic grasp of physics so you can do well in chemistry which is needed to understand the new deeper foray into biology/biochemistry. I just don't think as the youngest freshman (who's dyslexic) he will do well on the CLEP. The colleges we will be considering would count Earth Science as a H.S. Science so really that's not an issue. As long as he does well in his Dual Enrollment classes in H.S. they will automatically accept him (both schools LOVE HSer's) so really there's no issue with Earth Science..... Plus we could do E.S. with an Env. Sci. focus which would make it a bit more interesting. He couldn't do the Env. Sci. AP test but that was a slim possibility anyway(CLEP's are on computers so much better for kids with LDs). And we're doing World Geography next year so we could cross cover easily..... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Something interest-led, perhaps? Botany, Marine Biology, electricity, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 Something interest-led, perhaps? Botany, Marine Biology, electricity, etc... I wish he had interests outside of Dungeons & Dragons and playing video games. He's not even interested in coding or computers other then for their gaming ability. He's really good at Science and math but has no real interest in it. He does like "exploring" so I'm thinking Environmental/Earth Science should be good. I had intended to do my own APES course in 11th grade and maybe he could take the test but if we do it next year no test he might enjoy it more, without the pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 If you want him to pass the CLEP after Biology and Chemistry, you might consider doing 2 years of one or the other (or both). You could start with a lighter version of Biology in 9th that needs no Chemistry lead in, then do Chemistry, Physics and an advanced level of Bio or Chem if the first round did not leave him prepared for the CLEP. We do Physical Science (ICP) in 8th so they get an intro to Physics and Chemistry. Then do Biology with Miller/Levine in 9th. While M/L Biology is high school level, one was able to pass the CLEP after it. The other wanted to do an advanced year of Bio, so waited to take the CLEP until later. I also had one do Apologia Chemistry and then decide he wanted to CLEP Chemistry and so he is doing a second year of Chem with Thinkwell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Sounds like my DS. We found an interest that he is really into, though - robotics. And there is a wide age-range of materials available for this, if he takes to that. I wish he had interests outside of Dungeons & Dragons and playing video games. He's not even interested in coding or computers other then for their gaming ability. He's really good at Science and math but has no real interest in it. He does like "exploring" so I'm thinking Environmental/Earth Science should be good. I had intended to do my own APES course in 11th grade and maybe he could take the test but if we do it next year no test he might enjoy it more, without the pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 His favorite thing to do is come up with ideas for video games, he plans and plots story lines, figures out the conflicts and what resources the players would need how they could overcome those conflicts. He has no interest in actual computer work or even drawing (except maps, he loves maps). Really he's a storyteller and loves history and literature, if it's read to him. With that in mind I've also considered doing Hakim's The Story of Science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 When did my ds come to live at your house? :lol: Seriously, that sounds just like ds at that age. He is planning to be a writing major in college now. He considered game programming, but didn't like the limitations of programming. He couldn't learn fast enough what he really wanted to do and it was too frustrating. He enjoyed writing game story lines and particularly liked the interactiveness, the options that game stories create. He wrote fan fic based on some games too, then gradually migrated to writing things other than games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 When did my ds come to live at your house? :lol: Seriously, that sounds just like ds at that age. He is planning to be a writing major in college now. He considered game programming, but didn't like the limitations of programming. He couldn't learn fast enough what he really wanted to do and it was too frustrating. He enjoyed writing game story lines and particularly liked the interactiveness, the options that game stories create. He wrote fan fic based on some games too, then gradually migrated to writing things other than games. LOL, I do my best to listen with avid interest to his many ideas for dystopian/survival games but there's only so much I can handle. Then he found D&D and now makes up stories and characters that he and his cousins play, for hours and hours at a time. And if DS didn't have so much trouble with reading and physical writing I'd push him more toward a career in writing, but with the LD's I'm doing my best to help him be as well rounded as possible. Hoping that he has choices that are both strength and interest based. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 LOL, I do my best to listen with avid interest to his many ideas for dystopian/survival games but there's only so much I can handle. Then he found D&D and now makes up stories and characters that he and his cousins play, for hours and hours at a time. And if DS didn't have so much trouble with reading and physical writing I'd push him more toward a career in writing, but with the LD's I'm doing my best to help him be as well rounded as possible. Hoping that he has choices that are both strength and interest based. Ds is an avid D&D player and plays in several online groups. He has multiple LDs including dysgraphia. It really does sound like you're raising my kid :). If ever you want to chat feel free to pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 You know, I think if he likes dystopian/survival you could work a lot of that into a project based non-ap environmental science, and you could also add in some relevant literature. For example, study ecologies -- think about what would happen with humans removed -- read Earth Abides -- generalize to what might happen in your local area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 I ran out of likes on the chat board. Ds is an avid D&D player and plays in several online groups. He has multiple LDs including dysgraphia. It really does sound like you're raising my kid :). If ever you want to chat feel free to pm. Thank you, I will. You know, I think if he likes dystopian/survival you could work a lot of that into a project based non-ap environmental science, and you could also add in some relevant literature. For example, study ecologies -- think about what would happen with humans removed -- read Earth Abides -- generalize to what might happen in your local area. This is a great idea! I think we would do a hybrid Earth Science/Environmental Science anyway but I love the idea of bringing literature(from another thread about dystopian lit) and writing (dystopian stories? Or Research on what would happen if....) , plus for our Social Sciences I had planned on World Geography. I always loved in college when multiple classes would crossover on topics, less studying/writing for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Sounds like my DS. We found an interest that he is really into, though - robotics. And there is a wide age-range of materials available for this, if he takes to that. My ds is also doing Conceptual Physics in 8th, and I'd like him to take 9th to do something in engineering and/or robotics before chemistry in 10th. Any robotics recommendations? I'm also looking at engineering resources, computer science, computer-based engineering, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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