PinkyandtheBrains. Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 My son has completed high school level biology and chemistry and is currently taking an Organic Chemistry online course. He is ready to move on to physics. I am a bit overwhelmed by the choices. I was looking through the amazing pinned post. He is very strong in math. He is an AoPS kid and currently taking Geometry. He knows some trig. though it wasn't really part of any of his AoPS classes yet. I do not want a religious textbook. We save religion for it's own course. However, I do not mind a company that is faith based using a secular text. Suggestions? I foresee him going into a mathematics related field of study at University. He is very passionate (obsessed?) with anything mathematical. Grandpa was a physics professor once upon a time at the Naval Academy and lives nearby, so I am hoping he can help with any especially tricky problems or concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Are you wanting curriculum or an online course? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Are you wanting curriculum or an online course? I am open to either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 We used Derek Owens for 9th grade Physics. Here is my review: A little background on our middle school science studies: We used a combination of Science Explorer, Exploration Education, and TOPS attempting to create a balance of textbook reading and hands-on experiments. For 9th grade, we used Derek Owen’s Physics class for distance learners. The website is www.derekowens.com. The cost of the class was $58/mo with a $15 registration fee. Pros: Even before payment, sample lectures and syllabus are available on the website. The syllabus provides clear assignments and deadlines for the entire year. User-friendly and well-organized website. Able to access the entire year’s course with first payment. Videos provide instruction with an electronic blackboard, Derek’s voice is very pleasant, and some of his graphics are amusing. Student Workbooks are filled in as student watches the lecture, keeping them engaged. Homework, labs, and tests are emailed/faxed in and graded by someone other than mom. Homework, labs, and tests are returned to student and parent generally within 24hrs along with cumulative grade report. Only one lab item, an equilateral triangular prism, had to be ordered. The rest of the lab supplies were on hand or easy to find locally. 10 labs total. Instructor generally answered questions via email within 24 hours. The course is based on Giancolli’s Physics text (usually used for AP Physics B), but adapted to be more accessible for those who want to study physics at a high school level (ie, not AP level). Regular and Honors options available. The student is allowed to try out the Honors option for a month or longer, and switch to the Regular option if desired. Ds took the Honors option and it was challenging for him. With 20/20 hindsight, it might have been better to stick with the Regular option for 9th grade. Monthly payments (as opposed to payment in full in spring for fall start). We were able to pay for August through November, take December off, and January through May. Nearly secular. Section 10.5.3 (The End of the Universe) makes it not 100% secular. Cons: Solutions to the practice problems and tests are available to the student on the website. I would prefer that they were available to the parent, but not the student. Test review would be helpful. Test review was provided for the 2 semester exams. I re-used (or pre-used) these problems for the chapter tests. Overall, I found Derek Owens pleasant to work with, professional, and accommodating. For example, with the first payment, we were able to access the entire year’s course including the tests. Having the tests easily accessible made me uncomfortable. When I approached the subject with Mr Owens, he offered to make them unavailable for my student. Occasionally, Mr Owens would send a video with the solution to a particularly challenging homework problem (after homework had been submitted and graded). At times, my son was given the “opportunity†to re-submit homework and re-take (alternate version) tests. I highly recommend Derek Owens high school Physics course. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 My son has completed high school level biology and chemistry and is currently taking an Organic Chemistry online course. He is ready to move on to physics. I am a bit overwhelmed by the choices. I was looking through the amazing pinned post. He is very strong in math. He is an AoPS kid and currently taking Geometry. He knows some trig. though it wasn't really part of any of his AoPS classes yet. I do not want a religious textbook. We save religion for it's own course. However, I do not mind a company that is faith based using a secular text. Suggestions? I foresee him going into a mathematics related field of study at University. He is very passionate (obsessed?) with anything mathematical. Grandpa was a physics professor once upon a time at the Naval Academy and lives nearby, so I am hoping he can help with any especially tricky problems or concepts. I'm not much more help with the physics than putting together the post (with much help!) but I did have a question about the organic chem course. Which course is your ds taking? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheApprentice Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 We used Derek Owens Physics class, which was algebra based. It's asynchronous, so the student can go at his/her own pace. My son liked that aspect of it. I thought it was a solid course. There is also Phil4. He offers live courses. We have only used him for SAT prep, but his explanations of the material was very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 I'm not much more help with the physics than putting together the post (with much help!) but I did have a question about the organic chem course. Which course is your ds taking? Sent you a PM. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleroses Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 We used Derrick Owens as well. I highly recommend his courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happycc Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 I love Derek Owens course but sadly he is not a vendor of our charter school which I am stuck with as Im homeschooling stepdaughters and the courts would not be ok with us going independent. Going to have to go research APEX and UC SCOUT more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 If you want to "roll your own" there are videos and such in the pinned thread for College level Algebra based Physics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savermom Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Remembering my struggle and poor grades in my high school physics class, I shied away from teaching it myself and went with an online course. I chose Principles of Physics by Kinetic Books. They have three different courses based on math preference. My son liked it a lot, and the online physics lab is pretty cool. I plan on using it again next year for son #2. http://www.perfectionlearning.com/kinetic-physics 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSprout Posted May 6, 2017 Share Posted May 6, 2017 Remembering my struggle and poor grades in my high school physics class, I shied away from teaching it myself and went with an online course. I chose Principles of Physics by Kinetic Books. They have three different courses based on math preference. My son liked it a lot, and the online physics lab is pretty cool. I plan on using it again next year for son #2. http://www.perfectionlearning.com/kinetic-physics Tell me more about this. The link has moved. Do you have tests and/or solutions? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 With both kids, I have used College Physics by Knight, Jones and Field, an algebra based intro text for life science majors which is a suitable level for early high school. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSprout Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 With both kids, I have used College Physics by Knight, Jones and Field, an algebra based intro text for life science majors which is a suitable level for early high school. I saw a copies of this today, but didn't stop and look at them because the title is "College" Physics. I'll take a look. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 I saw a copies of this today, but didn't stop and look at them because the title is "College" Physics. I'll take a look. "College Physics" just distinguishes it from "University Physics" which is calculus based. There is nothing about it that would not be suitable for a highschooler who has completed mastered algebra 1 and received a 30 minute introduction into basic trigonometry. Both my kids took my College Physics class after algebra 1 and concurrently with geometry. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gratia271 Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 The nice thing about Derek Owens course, beside thorough course content, is the flexibility to go at your pace. it has worked well here because my DC were able to compact their studies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 "College Physics" just distinguishes it from "University Physics" which is calculus based. I had no idea. Learn something new every day! Ds took Physics after Algebra 1 and concurrently with Geometry. DO Physics teaches all the trig they need to know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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