Science sequence/subject question

[swimmermom3]

Ds will have the following science courses finished by the end of the year:

 

9th: STEM Physics (conceptual) at local high school

 

10th: Chemistry with me using Chang's General Chemistry and good-sized chemistry labs in the garage that are somewhat documented by the student

 

11th: AP Biology (local high school) - solid C's in class as it's his 4th AP class this year and lower on his priority list

 

12th: ?

 

I've always planned on regular physics for 12th grade. If he takes the class at the high school, it would look like this:

 

AP Physics I is equivalent to the first semester of an
algebra-based college physics class but is taught over an
entire school year. This will be a highly accessible class for
students interested in trying an AP class because it will
move at a slower pace than the typical AP class. This class
would be great for students who did not take the freshman
physics class or who would like to expand on what they
learned in freshman physics. AP Physics I is a lab-based
class that will include multiple hands-on activities and/or
projects. Some of the topics included in this course are:
motion, work, energy, and sound waves.

 

There is no longer a standard physics course offered since conceptual is required for 9th grade. The math requirement is Algebra 2.  There is an AP Physics C, but that goes with AP Calculus and is totally out of our league for what ds needs.

 

I have never done done physics outside of the Hewitt Conceptual Physics book, so I am not sure how well I could teach. Ds really enjoyed his freshman class even though it was a bit large and chaotic.

 

I am considering having part of his focus next year, at least for a semester, to be on marine biology/ or science. To me this makes sense for a student who is into sailing and who wants to start scuba diving. Homeschool resources of quality were difficult to locate when his brother did something similar a couple of years ago. I have no problem with dissecting squid and dog sharks on the kitchen counter again, so we can get a lab component.

 

What do I do for the rest of the year? It's been several years since we have done any earth science and I would like to get some of that or some astronomy in as well.

 

So what do we do? Pursue an academically traditional pathway and go with physics or choose sciences that tie into a personal interest and that increase his scientific literacy overall? If we choose the later path, how do we make it challenging and show that we didn't wimp out senior year?

 

Resources? I have a couple of TC courses such as How the Earth Works, and the ocean one, Night Sky, and Experiencing Hubble, I think.

 

Senior year will look something like this:

 

AP Government

AP US History - or not!

English (home-grown and fun as we will be done with both AP English courses)

Math - wrapping up pre-calculus and starting on calculus

Science - ?

Spanish 5 or AP Spanish

[Dicentra]

I'm going to go way outside the box here...  :D  If he wants to go into a bio-related field, have you thought about doing organic chem/bio chem in Grade 12?  From what I've seen working in the college environment for the last year, organic chem and bio chem are the courses that wallop students in post-secondary.  (This never would have occurred to me - I LOVED organic chem and thought it was beautifully logical.  I didn't realize others didn't feel the same way. ;) )  If your ds doesn't require physics and you think any post-secondary institutions he is applying to would be OK with a non-traditional science, taking organic chem/bio chem in Grade 12 would certainly give him a leg up when he encounters them again in college.

 

I'm planning on doing a similar course with dd in her Grade 12 year.  I haven't started prepping it yet but I'll probably use one of the texts that are routinely used in pre-health programs at colleges.  This is the one I use to teach at the local college:

http://catalogue.pearsoned.ca/educator/product/General-Organic-and-Biological-Chemistry-Structures-of-Life-Plus-MasteringChemistry-with-eText-Access-Card-Package/9780321750129.page

 

It certainly doesn't give a student a full college-level course in organic and a full college-level course in biochem but it gives a nice introduction to each.  Just a thought... :)

[swimmermom3]

I'm going to go way outside the box here...   :D  If he wants to go into a bio-related field, have you thought about doing organic chem/bio chem in Grade 12?  From what I've seen working in the college environment for the last year, organic chem and bio chem are the courses that wallop students in post-secondary.  (This never would have occurred to me - I LOVED organic chem and thought it was beautifully logical.  I didn't realize others didn't feel the same way. ;) )  If your ds doesn't require physics and you think any post-secondary institutions he is applying to would be OK with a non-traditional science, taking organic chem/bio chem in Grade 12 would certainly give him a leg up when he encounters them again in college.

 

I'm planning on doing a similar course with dd in her Grade 12 year.  I haven't started prepping it yet but I'll probably use one of the texts that are routinely used in pre-health programs at colleges.  This is the one I use to teach at the local college:

http://catalogue.pearsoned.ca/educator/product/General-Organic-and-Biological-Chemistry-Structures-of-Life-Plus-MasteringChemistry-with-eText-Access-Card-Package/9780321750129.page

 

It certainly doesn't give a student a full college-level course in organic and a full college-level course in biochem but it gives a nice introduction to each.  Just a thought... :)

 

Connie! It's so good to "see" you.

 

I love your idea, except that ds has finally drifted to one side of the fence and declared for a business major, but that I don't really think it is going to be that simple. He is loving his Macroeconomics class and still follows the money in local elections. Politics are also a primary interest. Maybe the CIA will want him since he doesn't do social media; I think we would have to work on his outspokenness for embassy work.

 

He has been competent in all disciplines across the board until this year. The increased challenge in coursework had forced him to prioritize. He had to register for the local high school classes first. We chose AP Biology even though we knew it was going to be tough. If I let him take the same biology class his siblings did, he would have received an "A" while sleeping through the class and skipping half the homework. When he discovered that he could survive an AP exam, he picked three that were a priority to his interests with the idea of scaling back off of the AP Biology, except that he didn't. He got into the class, saw former swim friends that were there, and discovered that the teacher was a long-time AP Bio teacher with a wickedly dry sense of humor.  He really likes the class, but the work for it gets done last.

 

Even though he isn't going to major in science, I still insist on four years of it and he is fine with that plan. He isn't a rocket scientist like some kids on here, but his transcripts and test scores will show a bright kid who is willing to work hard. I would anticipate somewhat competitive colleges, but not Ivies.

 

Too much info, but if anyone wants to see how you fall into 4 AP classes and serious overload, there you have it. :tongue_smilie:

 

Connie, how do you like the text you linked. I enjoyed Chang's book for chemistry and have really liked the Campbell book for biology. I wish I had one more kid to do science will all over again. For me as the teacher, it's been one of the best parts of homeschooling.

 

 

[swimmermom3]

I forgot a major question.

 

So far I have seen at least a handful of colleges request that students have 3 years of a lab science and at least a couple of those specified physics, chemistry, and biology. This was part of general admissions, not for a specific science-related major.

 

Will that conceptual physics course count or is that "physics lite?"  If it's "physics lite," then I have answered part of my own question above. Ds will have to take physics and I will have to decide on the best method of delivery.

[Mom22ns]

I forgot a major question.

 

So far I have seen at least a handful of colleges request that students have 3 years of a lab science and at least a couple of those specified physics, chemistry, and biology. This was part of general admissions, not for a specific science-related major.

 

Will that conceptual physics course count or is that "physics lite?"  If it's "physics lite," then I have answered part of my own question above. Ds will have to take physics and I will have to decide on the best method of delivery.

 

Actually, I don't think you have answered your question. Typically they will take any physics course. Conceptual will work if it had a lab or if he will have had conceptual physics, plus 3 other sciences with labs. Many schools these days are doing a physics first model using conceptual physics. Those kids aren't being required to take a second year of physics unless they are after a physics heavy STEM major of course.

[Dicentra]

Connie! It's so good to "see" you.

 

I love your idea, except that ds has finally drifted to one side of the fence and declared for a business major, but that I don't really think it is going to be that simple. He is loving his Macroeconomics class and still follows the money in local elections. Politics are also a primary interest. Maybe the CIA will want him since he doesn't do social media; I think we would have to work on his outspokenness for embassy work.

 

He has been competent in all disciplines across the board until this year. The increased challenge in coursework had forced him to prioritize. He had to register for the local high school classes first. We chose AP Biology even though we knew it was going to be tough. If I let him take the same biology class his siblings did, he would have received an "A" while sleeping through the class and skipping half the homework. When he discovered that he could survive an AP exam, he picked three that were a priority to his interests with the idea of scaling back off of the AP Biology, except that he didn't. He got into the class, saw former swim friends that were there, and discovered that the teacher was a long-time AP Bio teacher with a wickedly dry sense of humor.  He really likes the class, but the work for it gets done last.

 

Even though he isn't going to major in science, I still insist on four years of it and he is fine with that plan. He isn't a rocket scientist like some kids on here, but his transcripts and test scores will show a bright kid who is willing to work hard. I would anticipate somewhat competitive colleges, but not Ivies.

 

Too much info, but if anyone wants to see how you fall into 4 AP classes and serious overload, there you have it. :tongue_smilie:

 

Connie, how do you like the text you linked. I enjoyed Chang's book for chemistry and have really liked the Campbell book for biology. I wish I had one more kid to do science will all over again. For me as the teacher, it's been one of the best parts of homeschooling.

 

 

 

Ah - gotcha. :)  Yah - one would have to REALLY love chemistry to take organic chem/biochem as just an elective kind of course. ;)

 

The Timberlake text isn't the best but it's not the worst, either. :)  I think they need to do some more work on chapter order but the explanations are fairly straight-forward and to the point.

 

Good for you for requiring 4 years of science!  In an increasingly scientific and technological world, we have a populace that's ever more scientifically illiterate.  That frightens me.  :scared: