HELP! Bio for bright 9th grader and a scared mama

[paulsbookworm]

I have a very bright rising 9th grade daughter who wants to go to Med School.  She has done BJU Life Science and BJU Earth and Space. 

I am planning high school for this kiddo and the only thing I can't figure out is science.  I am a speech-language pathologist with a master's degree...I am the opposite of science-y. 

 

I have searched and read these forums for hours and hours.  I don't understand when they take AP sciences, what order to take them in, and what resources to use.

 

It seems that the Miller-Levine text is the way to go but the Kolbe site is showing course plans for every high school science but bio.

 

There is no way I can write a syllabus for bio myself.  I am a master at grammar and writing and history....but this is sending me to the edge of putting her in school after homeschooling her since preschool.  I am terrified of ruining her dreams!

 

Do I sound like a hysterical mom?  I think I might be right now! 

 

Canaan

[EndOfOrdinary]

AP sciences can be taken in just about any order. Many kid's do a first round through of either a light high school version in middle school or a standard high school version before the AP.

 

Miller Levine is great. So is Campbell's. You cannot go wrong with either.

 

There is a high school biology sticky at the top of the high school forum as well with a fairly fantastic selection of choices. This is not to overwhelm you, but more to ease the hysteria :).

 

You won't break her or destroy her dreams. I promise. I am in the opposite boat: hardcore STEM with a humanities kiddo.

[theelfqueen]

You can TOTALLY do this!!!

 

[LisaKinVA]

In general, you'll want Chemistry before AP Biology, so you're looking mostly for an honors-level Biology course.

 

I've used Hippocampus with Campbell (no longer available, meh)

 

An online college provider (meh...)

 

And will use BJU with DVDs next (it is straightforward and all planned out -- this is for my, "I want to be a doctor" kid...who also wants to be a game designer/tester/computer programmer).  I was looking for something that would be easy for me to implement and follow, but that was very thorough content-wise.   I'm not worried about heavy evolutionary theory at this point.  DS will be doing an origins study (Philosophy course) the following summer.  He'll also take AP in about 3 years using Campbell/Reese.

 

Here is an online schedule a homeschool mom put together (you would need to add tests). also Homeschool Connections uses Miller-Levine for their Biology course.  You can access this two ways, first by signing up for the online class and second by signing up for unlimited access ($25-$30/month).  If you sign up for the month-to-month, you could pull the lesson plans and what you need,  map the courses to lectures from Bozeman Science, Crash Course, Clutch Prep, The Great Courses, etc., use the same materials and lab kit and put your course together that way.  You could also check out Teachers pay Teachers for resources.

 

HTH!

 

Lisa

 

 

 

 

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I believe Kolbe does have course plan. Also, they have self-paced online biology and online biology with either videos and or live instructor. I would call Kolbe to ask them.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I would call Kolbe about their course plan. I suspect they are switching to the Macaw book (2014 Ed with bird on the cover instead of older Dragonfly edition). This change has been pending for a couple years.

[Mom22ns]

I would call Kolbe about their course plan. I suspect they are switching to the Macaw book (2014 Ed with bird on the cover instead of older Dragonfly edition). This change has been pending for a couple years.

 

:iagree:

We used BJU for middle school and switched in 8th to do Physical Science, then used Miller Levine Biology. It worked really well here, but I was able to do my own lesson plans. With the second child, I used Miller Levine with DIVE (made my own syllabus there too) and that worked too. If you can't get the lesson plans from Kolbe, feel free to PM about correlating M/L to DIVE.

[daijobu]

You'll want to take AP physics either concurrently or after AP calculus.  My dd took AP chemistry as a freshman from PAH and appeared to be successful.  (Still waiting on the scores.)  AP chem is a lot of work, but then, that's what being a premed is like, so it's a good introduction to your future life, lol!  Best of luck to her, and keep posting with specific questions as she progresses through high school.  

[paulsbookworm]

I called Kolbe.  They are adding chapter tests to their course plan which is why it is off the site right now.  They expect it back in 3 weeks.  I think I am going to do Kolbe with Miller-Levine for 9th and beef it up some so it can be considered "honors."  I will do the same for Chem (will have to decide on textbook etc next year).  Then look at APs for Junior and Senior year.  She will be in Calc her senior year so I will likely do physics then.  Does she need to retake BIo as AP at some point?  When should she take the SAT subject test, after this year or after she completes AP Bio?  Do a lot of kids take 2 sciences in the later high school years?

 

[daijobu]

 Then look at APs for Junior and Senior year.  She will be in Calc her senior year so I will likely do physics then.  Does she need to retake BIo as AP at some point?  When should she take the SAT subject test, after this year or after she completes AP Bio?  Do a lot of kids take 2 sciences in the later high school years?

 

She doesn't need to take AP bio, but I think she should gain as much familiarity with chemistry, biology, and physics as possible before beginning college.  Because once she enters college (depending on the college) these courses get much tougher with more competition.  In comparison, the AP exams will seem like a breeze.  That's why I recommend she learn how to discipline herself now, stay caught up and not fall behind.  Learn how to learn and how to seek out help if she needs it.  

 

AP isn't the only option here.  She can also take tough science courses at a local cc if that's an option for you.  She can self-study and do research if she's interested.  She can take a MOOC like udacity or coursera.  

 

My dd hadn't taken high school chemistry before embarking on AP chem.  It was tough, but she's ambitious with a good work ethic, so it was fine.  

 

I prefer to spread out the tougher science courses over 4 years, so we don't need to double up.  She'll take AP bio as a sophomore, and AP physics as a junior.  I have no idea what we'll do for senior year.  I plan to ask these boards in another year or so.  

[GoodGrief]

She doesn't have to do AP, but it can be useful to have AP test scores and/or SAT subject test scores when college app time rolls around (it comes up fast, and my philosophy is to spread out the testing throughout high school rather than cram it in junior and senior year.)

 

We did physics-chemistry-AP Bio-AP Computer Science as our sequence for my engineering/maybe pre-med student. Like your daughter, she had done some fairly solid science in the middle school years, and had no problem doing AP Bio without a previous specific biology course in high school. She took the AP Homeschoolers course. Physics and chemistry were Apologia, with labs run by a local retired science teacher. For physics and chem, she took the corresponding SAT subject test following completion of the course.

 

[happypamama]

My degree is in medieval history, so I'm even less science oriented than you are, OP. . . ;)

 

I got the Miller-Levine book for my rising ninth grader, who likes science but who probably doesn't have med school aspirations. It looks surprisingly easy to implement and just has a very appealing look about it. Fwiw, I do have the Kolbe plans, but the book itself has plans in the teacher edition, both for regular and honors level work.