Janeway Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Son had been balking at doing any science. He has been doing science, but none of it has been any sort of life science. He has had some physical science, and geology, meteorology, and a few other things. But all physical science type topics. I decided he would do biology and moved forward with picking a program. Yesterday, he came to me and said he wants to do mechanical engineering for his science. Well, obviously, he cannot simply do mechanical engineering. I thought about doing physical science. But, where I live, physical science (IPC) is considered middle school. If you take it at high school level, it is considered remedial. I know a lot of home schoolers do it for high school, even here, where I live. But, I would rather not take anything that might be considered a remedial route. Since he has never done any life science, I would like to do biology. I do not expect a full blown, full of labs, take an entire year course. Should I have him do a basic, algebra based physics first? Are there any other options that would fulfill his request? or should I tell him he just has to do biology now and get it out of the way? I had planned for us to do it over the summer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Speaking as someone who let a DD get away with postponing bio: it really doesn't get any easier to fit it in later. We will get there, but I should have held my ground in 9th. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 I would agree that Biology is a requirement, but when is negotiable. Does it make sense to you to make him do biology next year? If so, then do it. I let me oldest postpone biology until 11th grade and he's no worse off for doing so - actually I think he's better as he has a little more maturity to deal with the vocabulary. For my 9th grader, I have a selection of Teaching company physics and mechanical engineering videos that he watches everyday alongside doing biology with his older brother. It keeps the engineering side of him much happier this way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theelfqueen Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 In our local Public School, which has an engineering magnet... (where my Oldest son graduated from the engineering program and my Middle was enrolled before we pulled him out to homeschool). Engineering classes are considered electives NOT science credits. So I'd say he can do both... engineering as an elective, but biology is a graduation requirement and must be done. My kids HATE biology (my physics major college student more than most) but suffer through it as a means to an end. Sometimes it must be done. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Many of the schools we looked at wanted 3 years of science with at least 1 or 2 being a lab science, and many specified that at least one science be bio. or chem., while some specified that they wanted 2 of the "main 3" of biology, chemistry, physics. I did insist that my one who didn't like science take either bio or chem, but he did it later (11th grade--which worked out well because both my kids did bio that year, youngest was in 9th.) Think about requirements and let him know what they are, but there are negotiables. He certainly could do mechanical engineering in high school, maybe even for 9th grade (I like to capitalize on interests like this whenever possible--my oldest did Physical Science for 9th, Robotics for 10th, Biology for 11th). So if it were me, I'd let him know that would be fine but that he does have to take biology in high school (or whatever requirement(s) you will follow.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 In our local Public School, which has an engineering magnet... (where my Oldest son graduated from the engineering program and my Middle was enrolled before we pulled him out to homeschool). Engineering classes are considered electives NOT science credits. So I'd say he can do both... engineering as an elective, but biology is a graduation requirement and must be done. My kids HATE biology (my physics major college student more than most) but suffer through it as a means to an end. Sometimes it must be done. Same thing here. Engineering is an elective. I want him to have biology even regardless of requirements of colleges or the local schools. I just feel he needs it at some point. It drives me nuts when I meet someone who does not have a basic understanding of anything related to their body, their health, how biology works, or really, anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AEC Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 One choice, clearly, is to say it's Bio now and get it over with. It really does need to happen at some point. An alternative, if you want to stick with what he's currently interested in, might be materials science. A quick Google search came up with a number of hits for HS level material science programs. It's likely to be mostly chemistry, some physics...but more the properties of materials, how they're affected by heat, wear, chemical interation, etc. It's an essential part of mech eng, but is clearly a science and not an engineering study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Tell him that if he does one semester of microbiology (which is actually a lot of chemistry/cellular engineering) then in the second semester your spend a quarter of the time on biomechanics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Yeah, mine is doing Bio this year as his Science, plus engineering/ robotics as an elective. Every college program we've looked at has required Bio, it's a hoop that just needs jumping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 (edited) We do engineering courses as electives as well. Oldest son will have the following science courses (with virtual and hands-on labs): Physical Science, Biology (virtual lab), Physics, Advanced Chemistry, AP Physics 1, AP Biology (hands on lab), and either AP Physics 2 or AP Physics C or AP Environmental. He will have the following engineering electives: Engineering Drawing, Robotics 1, Robotics 2, Robotics 3, Introduction to Engineering, and possibly architectural drawing. He has no real interest in biology/life science -- but it's too important to understanding the world we live in to just let go. It might be best to get it out of the way. He doesn't have to do an incredibly rigorous Biology course, either. Also, look at the engineering degree requirements at various schools. They are math/science heavy. 2-3 courses in Physics, plus Chemistry, 2-3 courses in advanced math, science labs -- even a biology lab! Most of the engineering courses assume Physics knowledge. My son is taking Robotics 1 right now. Part of the reason it is so easy for him is because he's had Physics already. In the same vein, my daughter, who loves biological science is still required to take Physics (she's taking it next year). Edited March 11, 2016 by LisaK in VA is in IT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 IMO, a thorough course in Biology should be a requirement for High School graduation. In Texas, they reduced the number of EOC exams from 15 to 5. One of the 5 EOC exams my DD will take is for Biology. If your DS hopes to attend a university, I suspect Biology will be a requirement, when they look at his transcript. GL to him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 I agree that Engineering courses in high school are electives. example college requirements from my state: Freshman applicants who possess a high school diploma and meet the following requirements will be admitted to ASU.English - 4 years (composition/literature based)Math - 4 years (algebra I, geometry, algebra II and one course requiring algebra II as a prerequisite)Laboratory Science - 3 years total (1 year each from any of the following areas are accepted: biology, chemistry, earth science, integrated sciences and physics)Social Science - 2 years (including 1 year American history)Foreign Language - 2 years (same language)Fine Arts - 1 year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 I'd point out that he is probably not going to become LESS fascinated with mechanical engineering and it is not going to become easier to tell him no and have him do Biology. Nope, this would be my hill. Biology is one of those necessary high school things and it's best he get it done and get it out of the way now so that when he's older he doesn't have to spend precious time on it. There is NO reason why he can't study mechanical engineering or his heart desire in addition to Biology though. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 I'd point out that he is probably not going to become LESS fascinated with mechanical engineering and it is not going to become easier to tell him no and have him do Biology. Nope, this would be my hill. Biology is one of those necessary high school things and it's best he get it done and get it out of the way now so that when he's older he doesn't have to spend precious time on it. There is NO reason why he can't study mechanical engineering or his heart desire in addition to Biology though. :) I did not take Biology until my senior year in HS (this was back in the initial days of early-Physics / Physics-first for the good math students). It was sleep-walk easy for me to do the NYS Regents Biology course in my senior year. So keep an open mind to alternate science course sequencing. Has your student taken Physics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 I would tell him that he can take engineering after he has taken biology, chemistry, and physics. I would not skimp on the biology class in the sense that I would be sure to make it a full credit. You don't need to do all of that organismic stuff (that fills half of high school biology books) though. Molecular biology, cell biology, genetics/inheritance, evolution, and ecology are the important topics in a modern biology course. It also doesn't need to be lab intensive--10 to 15 labs is more than adequate--and you don't need to do dissections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AggieMama Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Could you do the biology course in conjunction with a biomedical engineering study? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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