Highschool Science with Special Needs Son

[Cynful]

I could use a little advice.  My son is 17 and technically needs Biology, however, it's just over his head and he has too many other important skills to work on to worry too much about this.  I'm considering using either Walch Power Basics Biology or Elemental Science Logic Stage Biology.  I know the ES Bio isn't a high school class but I don't care at this point.  I just want him to enjoy what he's learning and get something from it.  Well, I guess I do care since I'm here asking.  :)  Any thoughts, suggestions?  

 

Thanks,

 

[PeterPan]

I would do the Walch PowerBasics (of those two) because it's the high school level content.  That way if the college or someplace he applies to asks, you have an answer that is high school level.  I'm using the PB gov't, and, even though I agree the courses vary, it's really pretty decent.  For my dd for biology this year, well I decided to embrace our psych's opinion on taking things as far out of the box as possible.  ;)  I took the chapter lists from Miller Levine (standard biology text) and found narrative books to substitute.  They're not necessarily easier, just different and more engaging to her.  The reading level is harder, the content more integrated into a historical narrative (which really works for her), and well it bypasses stuff like memorizing terms, which would just be a mess for her.  

 

M/L is a beautiful, gently written book btw.  I just wanted to go way out of the box and embrace the topics in a way that would develop her as a lifelong learner instead of as a memorizer/forgetter.  And I have a bunch of lab manuals (BJU, Illustrated Home Guide, some free things I found online, etc.) to put together a rigorous set of labs.  So while our approach to the content itself might be non-traditional, we'll be doing a lot of terrific labs.  Will be as in I need to take the list I picked and order the supplies soon (Home Science Tools just sent around a 10% deal till 3/1) and the plan is to hit them in May.  Not WonderWoman here, I don't get everything done at once, lol.  

 

I think I may have shared my syllabus.  I'm not saying you should use my syllabus, just saying what I did.  If you've looked at the Walch PB samples and like them as a starting point, make your syllabus, do your tallies to get your time spent.  Their activity workbooks usually add a LOT, so definitely do that.  For gov't it was basically worksheets for all the discussions you would have had.  I was very impressed, and I don't impress easily.  I haven't seen their biology.  I say make it into what you want that fits him.  If more labs fit him or more videos, go that way.  I made my syllabus and threw it into OneNote, so I have a page with the video links for videos I assigned her.  We watched a TON of videos on my high school biology, and I just think there are a variety of ways to do things.  M/L spends SO much time on evolution topics, I felt it was totally fair game to read creation science books, books on scientists, etc.  And if a college doesn't like that I skipped most of the M/L text except for a couple chapters, I'll still have that list of labs to fall back on.  

 

So I say go for it.  I love that when my dd is done she'll have interacted with so many ideas and taken steps to be a lifelong learner. 

[1shortmomto4]

Does your ds have a plan after graduation?  If it is college have you looked at the science requirements?  Does your state have specific graduation requirements for credit?

 

My ds struggled with science and I tried lots of things.  I wouldn't necessarily worry about the level on the outside of the book (unless, of course, your child is going STEM, applying to a school that has some requirement that they want a list of books used, etc.)  I think it is more important to have some exposure but, like you are thinking, there are more important things to be working on as you prepare him for the next step in life.  Does your ds have a preferred learning style?  Does he enjoy lectures on video? or perhaps science DVDs that cover topics indepth? 

 

I haven't looked at Khan to check out their science (or maybe I did and didn't see any video option) but you could look there.  My ds is working through the Health videos for a Health/PE credit.  Exposure, exposure, exposure - learning to listen (skill needed for college lectures) and I save writing skills for writing/LA course work time.

 

Biology 101 DVD is an option.  It has a scheduled course that you print out and work through.  It offers video along with using books at more readable levels.  You might look at Guesthollow's science as an option, too.  I know many people get very concerned about the requirements of labs but I think this goes into looking ahead at what they plan at doing at college (or not).  There are plenty of video options where kids can watch labs and you can work through the skills of writing up a lab using that tool.  My oldest ds, in college, needed a science but he's not STEM.  He took an Environmental science course.  Yes, they had labs but the labs were extremely easy, no fancy equipment and a lot of it was spent going outside for nature study.  Go figure.  I didn't stress labs with him (he's dyslexic and hearing impaired) but he's been just fine.  The biggest part of learning for this class was some type of online learning environment that looked like a video game and the student had to visit multiple places to gather/collect pieces of information that all fit together and learning what fit and what doesn't.  Another option might be NOEO, which is CM in nature.  I happened to be looking at Heart of Dakota's science of their high school guide and I see they are using PACE's Bio with a lab DVD option.  Expensive option but perhaps.  I really wish there was more video/lecture options that worked with a textbook that wasn't so over the LD student's head.  I've used the Walch books but there is no color - a git er done type of course, which obviously is another option.  If you have a video/visual learner check out some of the courses on the homeschoolbuyers coop which might have something your student would enjoy.  My dd used the Pearson stuff last year - big fail! Didn't learn anything but the your teacher science (I think that is what they are called) which has a professor lecturing with the smart board type visual presentation might be an option.  Oldest DS worked through the economics course and enjoyed that one and learned a lot. 

[Julie of KY]

What's his plan for next year? Does he need biology? Is he headed toward college or a different path. A college prep curriculum is going to be different than one that is preparing him for the workforce, etc.

 

Ultimately I would tend to pick whatever route I think "best" for him and not worry about levels etc. He's either going to be ready for college/life or he's not, and it probably won't have much to do with what he does for biology.

[OneStepAtATime]

Agree with the others (and I am facing something somewhat similar as we head in to high school next year).  What is the goal?  What are the graduation requirements for your state?  Is he wanting to go to college?  Does he have a college in mind?  What are their requirements?  And what are your/his goals long term?  Would a gap year be an option, while he takes some time to finish up whatever hasn't been finished yet?

[Cynful]

No graduation requirements.  He -may- take some classes at a community college but I'm just not sure.  He's most likely going to just go into the work force or learn a trade.  This is exactly why I'm not terribly worried about Biology.  He actually really enjoys it, but, just like 1shortmomto4 said, most of the videos/texts/books go over his head.  He loves videos but ones like you'd find on Discovery channel or National Geographic.  He's an auditory learner and has dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia.  I usually read texts to him but I'm finding I have to explain more or paraphrase so much that it's not worth it.  He could interact and retain so much more if it were written more to his level.  Like Julie said, he's either going to be ready for things or not and Biology isn't at the top of the list.  He's already going to be doing a "gap" year and most likely more than one.  We're ok with that - the ultimate goal is to learn and grow.

 

I'm still torn between the two and then finding videos to go along.  Would prefer secular.  I know Walch is "high school content" but is it that much different than ES Logic Stage Biology?  Which would give him more bang for his buck, so to speak?  My thought with ES is that it would work on some other skills as well.  UGH, wish it was easier to choose.   :)

 

Thanks for your thoughts - it helps alot, 

[AHASRADA]

I'm not sure what your ds' s challenges are, but my dyslexic dd was very successful with the AGS series from http://www.wiesereducational.com/

 

Wieser offers a full range of curricula for special needs students. Both AGS and Pacemaker are high school level texts written at a grade 3-4 reading level. My daughter really appreciated the small chapters presenting information in a clear, easy to understand style, but not at all babyish.

 

HTH!

[OneStepAtATime]

The Power Basics books can be found used.  I don't know about the other.  Would it be possible to use both?  Kind of interweave them? That way, on a transcript, it is clear that he has been exposed to High School level material (albeit basic) but the other was there to bolster his understanding?

 

FWIW, DD14 (will be 15 when she starts 9th grade) is dyslexic, is NOT an auditory learner, has dyscalculia and has low working memory and processing speed.   All of these hang her up but we are moving at whatever pace we can.  She is successfully tackling 3rd grade math and moving forward pretty steadily.  Should be heading into 4th grade level math by April or May.  Hoping to reach Algebra by 10th grade (we now school math year round).  In the meantime, since she won't be ready for any science needing High School level math for quite a while (if ever) we are also looking at Walsh for 9th grade biology.  I found the primary textbook available for $5 used on Amazon.  The other resources were reasonably priced on Rainbow Resources and I intend to purchase those soon so I have time to read through everything and pull in additional resources, including lab kits, etc. In looking at the Elemental Science material, I would think that you could weave the two together, so that the High School level material is there, just scaffolded by the Logic Stage stuff?  Or would that be too expensive?

[Cynful]

That's a good idea OneStepAtATime.  I may look into that.  My son is only on grade 6/7 math right now.  It's a huge challenge for him but we keep plowing along as best we can.  Mine also has low working memory and low processing speed.  It's nice to know others are on the same page or at least understand the page.  LOL

 

Thanks,

[Julie of KY]

I'd teach him at his level. Trying to teach at a higher level won't result in any retention so I don't see a point in doing so.