momto2Cs Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I am looking through my plans for ds's ninth grade year, thinking about what we want to accomplish. I am currently thinking of the following for science, but worry that it may be too much, and would appreciate any feedback! (Note: he does love science) We're doing the Big History Project for history, and I've been planning to add in some readings (The Sciences: An Integrated Approach OR Conceptual Integrated Science) and/or lectures from The Joy of Science, to expand the science presented through the lens of history. This would be a non-lab approach. However, I am wondering if it would be too much to add in biology. I like the look of Exploring the Way Life Works, and the plan Quarks & Quirks has for hs biology, with a lab component. Am I looking at piling on too much here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Could you start the Big History Project over the summer and do the add-ons then? Or save them for next summer if it gets to be too much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in SA Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 You've got to make that call. Our kids both do the equivalent of 2-1/2 science courses simultaneously, so the load you describe doesn't sound bad at all.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 You've got to make that call. Our kids both do the equivalent of 2-1/2 science courses simultaneously, so the load you describe doesn't sound bad at all.... Could you please explain how you do this? We're trying to figure out how to add more science beyond the traditional biology, chemistry and physics done in high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I am looking through my plans for ds's ninth grade year, thinking about what we want to accomplish. I am currently thinking of the following for science, but worry that it may be too much, and would appreciate any feedback! (Note: he does love science) We're doing the Big History Project for history, and I've been planning to add in some readings (The Sciences: An Integrated Approach OR Conceptual Integrated Science) and/or lectures from The Joy of Science, to expand the science presented through the lens of history. This would be a non-lab approach. However, I am wondering if it would be too much to add in biology. I like the look of Exploring the Way Life Works, and the plan Quarks & Quirks has for hs biology, with a lab component. Am I looking at piling on too much here? What is your goal in terms of number of credits? Because if you do Quarks & Quirks plan, you have one science with lab credit. Big History Project, the whole thing, would be another full credit. Then using Joy of Science plus one of the two texts you mentioned could easily be another whole credit. That's three credits, with a lab. If you are also going to do Math, English, Art at the CC, that could work, but if you want to do anything else I think you'll be on overload. If you don't need the lab credit, you could do Exploring the Way Life Works by itself, without all the extras on Q&Q's site. If you do want to do her Bio w/ lab, then I'd cut something else. You could do Big History + Joy of Science, but then instead of the textbook, you could pair JoS with Science Matters or Almost Everyone's Guide to Science by John Gribbin (similar, but more technical). Those are trade books that link nicely with JoS, but aren't as intense as the textbook. ETA: There's never too much science!! We're doing home-designed Big Science for science, History of Science for history, and Sci Fi for lit next year. So I know all about trying to cram in all the science humanly possible! I just think that something else has got to give. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in SA Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Could you please explain how you do this? We're trying to figure out how to add more science beyond the traditional biology, chemistry and physics done in high school. DS8 does Earth science, life science, and conceptual physics. After, he'll do conceptual chemistry, astronomy, and astrobiology. There's lots of levels of the basic three courses, and a tremendous amount of additional science available after that. DS13 will do chemistry (MIT-OCW), AP Physics 2 (without the AP), and the second half of AP bio (without the AP) next year. He'll make another round through those subjects, albeit at a deeper level (physics will be AP-C). There's a third semester of calc-based physics, intermediate mechanics, relativity, and on and on. In bio, there's genetics, cell biology, neurobiology, and more. In chemistry, we probably won't go past organic, if we even go that far. It really depends on the child's interests, imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 The title made me laugh... I have a science girl and I finally just had to give in. Science and math are the only things she does without complaining! She will be in 11th next year. For 9th she took Integrated Chemistry & Physics, and 10th Chemistry (we had an opportunity for a private class from a college professor). But she also participated in Science Olympiad, and she spent SO MUCH time on her events that each year I awarded an additional full credit for that - and honestly, that was understated! Next year she will be doing Science Olympiad again. She needs a biology course checked off, but I'm having a hard time finding one for her that doesn't repeat all the info she has already covered for her Science Olympiad events in the past. She really has covered almost everything, except for plants! Science Olympiad has been great for her, but there are few homeschool teams around. Do the basics, then let DS do independent research on topics of interest to him. Don't fight it! :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Next year she will be doing Science Olympiad again. She needs a biology course checked off, but I'm having a hard time finding one for her that doesn't repeat all the info she has already covered for her Science Olympiad events in the past. She really has covered almost everything, except for plants! Dd is in the same position with bio because of Science Olympiad (though she has plants down cold, thanks to past events). We're going to use the newest Miller Levine book, block-scheduled for the fall semester, followed by either of the SAT bio subject tests. De will not be continuing with AP Bio as bio is her least favorite science. I am keeping Science Olympiad as an extra-curricular :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Dd has done at least 2 credits of science each year. Most of her electives are science or applied science. Her freshman year she did Biology and Athletic Training. This year she did advanced Biology and Chemistry. Next year she will do Anatomy and Physiology and Physics. If she does another year of high school after that she will do Advanced Chemistry and Nutrition. We subscribe to the "there is no such thing as too much science" theory. The only caveat that I would add to that is that both of your sciences are soft, science for the non-science student courses. If he really loves science, I'd put in something more challenging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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