Prentice Hall Biology, what do I need?

[BlessedMom]

Besides the textbook (dragonfly 2007 edition) what other resources do I need for this curriculum?

 

Thank you.

[klmama]

The teacher's edition can be helpful for answers to the questions in the text.  You may not need anything more than that, if you decide to base your evaluation on answers to the questions at the end of the chapter.  However, there are other resources you can purchase.  Look up your edition on Amazon to see what others purchased to go with it. 

[AllSmiles]

I think that you would also need a lab book. There is one that goes with the set, but I'm not sure how available it is. YOu could also use the Illustraeted Guide to Home Biology Experiments. http://www.thehomescientist.com/biology.html

[Lanny]

These are the things my DD used for her Biology course. I thought the Virtual CD Lab was an interesting way to do it. The students can repeat the experiments, if and when they need to. I don't know if a Teachers Manual is available for this edition.

Required textbooks (Sold separately):

• Levin, Joseph and Kenneth Miller. Biology (Texas Edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-115291-2 
• Pearson.Biology: All in One Study Guide. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-115522-9 
• Pearson. Biology: Virtual Labs CD-ROM. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-125682-3
  
  The CD-ROM allows you to conduct investigations related to the material covered in the lessons. These investigations are virtual laboratory experiences.

[happypamama]

The teacher edition is super helpful. Get that. I don't know if there's an answers only book or just the full teacher edition, but unless you're very comfortable with biology, I think you want the full teacher edition. It makes it much easier to discuss the questions with my DD since we can both refer to a book.

 

I scored a fantastic deal on all the stuff, so I have the test book too. DH and I concurred that the tests in the actual textbook are more comprehensive, so we use that. The lab book looks okay, but the text has plenty of labs in it as well.

 

Get a bunch of index cards too. I have DD making and reviewing flash cards for the vocabulary and key concepts.

 

I'm finding this a very easy to use text. DD finds it pretty interesting, and I think it is a good fit for her (and for me).

[BlessedMom]

kimama,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Teachers manual.

 

AllSmiles,

Thank you for suggesting the lab book & the link to the Home Guide.

 

Lanny,

Thanks for the information on the Virtual Lab CD as well as the detailed information on the other resources. Are most of those items only available for the Texas Edition?

 

Happypamama,

Thank you for sharing your experience with the text, tests, and the suggestion for the vocabulary flash cards.

 

 

You guys have been very helpful, thank you!

[Lanny]

<snip>.

Lanny,

Thanks for the information on the Virtual Lab CD as well as the detailed information on the other resources. Are most of those items only available for the Texas Edition?

<snip>

 

You guys have been very helpful, thank you!

 

@BlessedMom   I went in and I asked my DD about the Virutal Labs CD.  She finished the Biology course in May or June  We are almost positive that it is not specific to the Texas edition textbook that DD used.  I just copied and pasted the ISBN number of the Virtual Labs CD into the Amazon Search Box for books and suggest you look on this URL. 

https://www.amazon.com/PRENTICE-HALL-BIOLOGY-VIRTUAL-2004C/dp/0131256823/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474328722&sr=1-1&keywords=0131256823

 

The "All in One Study Guide"  for Texas, you can buy for one cent plus shipping on Amazon tonight. That edition is specific to the TX edition of the textbook that my DD used:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0131155229/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474328923&sr=1-1&keywords=0131155229

 

(at this moment, BooksSquared in Dallas, a very reputable seller,  has it "Used - Very Good" for one cent plus shipping.

 

ETA: Here's the Amazon URL for the textbook. As I write this, $4.74 plus $3.99 shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0131152912/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474329434&sr=1-1&keywords=0131152912

Edited September 19, 2016 by Lanny

[BlessedMom]

Lanny,

Thank you so much for all the links.  We are not in Texas and I do not see an "All in One Guide" for any other edition of the text.  Interesting.

I really appreciate your input!

[Clemsondana]

The differences between editions are often small, so if you can get it cheaply you might be able to use the TX guide if that's something that you want. I don't know about this edition specifically, but there are several biology texts that I own 2-4 different editions of from having taught the same college courses for several years. Sometimes the only differences were the chapter intros, and sometimes they'd change the end-of-chapter questions or shift a few sections around. In the end, high school books are basic enough that there isn't too much to change.

[Lanny]

Lanny,

Thank you so much for all the links.  We are not in Texas and I do not see an "All in One Guide" for any other edition of the text.  Interesting.

I really appreciate your input!

 

You are very welcome. There will be some information, in  editions for TX, and in editions for other states, pointed to their EOC exams.  One of the 5 EOC   exams TX requires is for Biology.  DD took that in July 2016.   I assume  that the technical material in the different editions (for various states) is the same.  And, yes, I think it is interesting that you did not find a "Study Guide" for other states.