High School Science - one year each subject or split subjects up so you do some each year?

[Bambam]

I've had folks tell me that European high schools don't do a year of Biology, a year of Chemistry, and a year of Physics. They do a brief study of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and another science each year. And this is better, I'm told, by advocates of this approach. 

 

I'm struggling with understanding how that would work and why it is better. Biology - maybe. But Chemistry and Physics - it builds on what was learned previously. If you just learned three months worth, the next year I would think you would spend the first 2-4 weeks reviewing what you did last year before you could move on to more in-depth or complex topics. I just don't see it, but I'm open to hearing from anyone who has tried this. 

 

What has your experience been? What is your approach? Do you see any advantage to one way over another? 

 

[kiana]

It's not "do two months of biology, then two months of chemistry" but rather learning a smaller amount each week of each subject, spreading each throughout the year. And this lets you (for example) integrate the early chemistry that was studied into the later stages of biology. 

[Arcadia]

f you just learned three months worth, the next year I would think you would spend the first 2-4 weeks reviewing what you did last year before you could move on to more in-depth or complex topics.

 

You run three concurrent tracks throughout the academic year.  When I was taking Bio, Chem and Physics in high school, it meant I had three lab classes per week on top of 3 lectures and 3 tutorial sessions.  Each science subject was 1 to 2 lectures, 1 tutorial and 1 lab per week. 

 

If you look at the link below and expand on the Core Curriculum, you can see what I mean about all three sciences being done concurrently every week for the academic year.

http://www.gissv.org/gissv-home-english/learning/high-school-9-12

 

(ETA: example from a French American school of three science a year http://www.frenchamericansf.org/page.cfm?p=3102&pback=3094)

 

My kids are doing all three sciences every year and they like it because its spiral.  They don't need to remember so much academic vocabulary at one time and there is no rush to finish a year's worth of science in a year. 

Edited October 11, 2016 by Arcadia

[regentrude]

I've had folks tell me that European high schools don't do a year of Biology, a year of Chemistry, and a year of Physics. They do a brief study of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and another science each year. And this is better, I'm told, by advocates of this approach. 

 

I'm struggling with understanding how that would work and why it is better. Biology - maybe. But Chemistry and Physics - it builds on what was learned previously. If you just learned three months worth, the next year I would think you would spend the first 2-4 weeks reviewing what you did last year before you could move on to more in-depth or complex topics. I just don't see it, but I'm open to hearing from anyone who has tried this. 

 

What has your experience been? What is your approach? Do you see any advantage to one way over another? 

 

That is not how the European model works. You don't take a few weeks pf physics each year - students have biology, physics, and chemistry every single week, just not one period in each on each day. In my home country it would be 2-3 periods of 45 minutes per week in each of the sciences.

 

The approach is in my opinion far superior because it leads to better retention and makes interdisciplinary learning easier.

This said, most curriculum in the US is not designed this way, and it would require a large effort to organize things this way.

Edited October 11, 2016 by regentrude

[Bambam]

Ah, thanks for the correction. This is not what I was told. That makes much more sense!  But I can see that I would have trouble implementing this at home with our current schedule. Thinking...

[Alessandra]

That is not how the European model works. You don't take a few weeks pf physics each year - students have biology, physics, and chemistry every single week, just not one period in each on each day. In my home country it would be 2-3 periods of 45 minutes per week in each of the sciences.

 

The approach is in my opinion far superior because it leads to better retention and makes interdisciplinary learning easier.

This said, most curriculum in the US is not designed this way, and it would require a large effort to organize things this way.

The top high school in my area is similar to what Regentrude describes.

 

https://bcts.bergen.org/index.php/2016-05-10-17-30-50/bcts-campuses

 

I should add that this particular school has excellent resources, e.g. two electron microscopes.

 

I s

Edited October 11, 2016 by Alessandra

[scoutingmom]

In the province in which I grew up in Canada, you picked your science based on what you wanted to do in the future. There was a requirement for so many science credits of at least such and such grade level. There was a remidial type scince stream, or you could focus on Biology or Chemistry or Physics. There was a course for each year. High school started in grade 10... so you might do grade 10, 11, and 12 of Biology. I was in I.B., and our school required did I.B. Biology and I.B. Chemistry as requirements for I.B. As I wanted to be an Engineer, I also had Physics... So generally, I had 3 classes a week of Biology. And 3 classes a week of Chemistry. And 3 classes a week in Physics. For 3 years.

 

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[thowell]

You run three concurrent tracks throughout the academic year.  When I was taking Bio, Chem and Physics in high school, it meant I had three lab classes per week on top of 3 lectures and 3 tutorial sessions.  Each science subject was 1 to 2 lectures, 1 tutorial and 1 lab per week. 

 

If you look at the link below and expand on the Core Curriculum, you can see what I mean about all three sciences being done concurrently every week for the academic year.

http://www.gissv.org/gissv-home-english/learning/high-school-9-12

 

(ETA: example from a French American school of three science a year http://www.frenchamericansf.org/page.cfm?p=3102&pback=3094)

 

My kids are doing all three sciences every year and they like it because its spiral.  They don't need to remember so much academic vocabulary at one time and there is no rush to finish a year's worth of science in a year. 

 

How are you achieving this? What are you using and how do you know how to merge them??

[Arcadia]

How are you achieving this? What are you using and how do you know how to merge them??

We do biology, chemistry and physics yearly. We don't merge the sciences though there are overlaps. I am using a mix of my old Cambridge exams textbooks and some newer used American textbooks for the sciences. Since my old 80s textbooks are all in SI units, it hasn't been an issue for physics. I could also just buy and use new UK textbooks. We do subject test prep as needed so I am not worried about gaps.

 

For example this old physics textbook link below is for 11th/12th and is two years worth of weekly lessons

https://archive.org/details/AdvancedLevelPhysics

This much newer American Halliday, Resnick and Walker physics textbook is meant to be completed in a year but I can easily stretch that to two by going at a slower pace.

https://archive.org/details/FundamentalsOfPhysics9thExtended_201508

[GeorgiaH]

If I were to start teaching my 7th grade son biology, chemistry, and physics concurrently, could somebody recommend appropriate texts for middle school? I've seen some of the UK texts where the subjects are taught at different times during the year, so I suppose I could take a lesson from each section of these texts and go forward. My concern is that the U.S. texts seem to be grade level based, with life science in 7th, integrated chemistry and physics in 8th, to be followed by biology, chemistry, then physics. So the available texts (chemistry, physics, for example) are geared for the more mature and advanced student if the normal U.S. curriculum levels are followed.  It would be helpful to have all three sciences available at the age and learning level for 7th, then 8th, etc.

 

I just returned from being evacuated for Hurricane Matthew. We are safe and the house is fine, but I'm tired and I don't think I'm expressing myself adequately or accurately. I hope this makes sense to someone who is in a position to offer advice about textbooks! 

 

I've gone to the links provided above, but I don't see texts...

 

Your expertise is truly appreciated.

[Arcadia]

If I were to start teaching my 7th grade son biology, chemistry, and physics concurrently, could somebody recommend appropriate texts for middle school? I've seen some of the UK texts where the subjects are taught at different times during the year, so I suppose I could take a lesson from each section of these texts and go forward.

If you are looking at UK texts, the Cambridge igcse ones are the one your son can use. They are geared to 12-14 years old and meant to be finished in two years. I think loesje22000 who is in Belgium has use them.

http://education.cambridge.org/us/qualification/cie/cambridge-igcse?s=2737

 

If you would prefer US textbooks, Hewitt Conceptual Physics, Miller Levine Biology, Tro Introductory Chemistry are all non-issue for his age. These are not math heavy textbooks so if there is any math he doesn't know, it is easy to pause at the topic and teach him the math.

[GeorgiaH]

Thank you very much!

[Loesje22000]

Yes we work with IGCSE Chemistry and IGCSE Physics now, we use M&L for Biology.

Each science has 2 time slots, and besides that we have two timeslots for labs (no matter what science.)

This is during grade 9/10.

If dd would choose for a science track, she would continue this during grade 11/12.

In her language track it changes into integrated science.

 

We have no transcripts, only exit exams.

The '12th grade' exam, covers the science from grade 11+12 (presuming you also have covered the science from grade 9+10

The science track has 3 science exams, for each science one, the language track has one exam covering the three sciences.

 

Earth & Space Science is part of Geography here.

[foxbridgeacademy]

If you are looking at UK texts, the Cambridge igcse ones are the one your son can use. They are geared to 12-14 years old and meant to be finished in two years. I think loesje22000 who is in Belgium has use them.

http://education.cambridge.org/us/qualification/cie/cambridge-igcse?s=2737

 

If you would prefer US textbooks, Hewitt Conceptual Physics, Miller Levine Biology, Tro Introductory Chemistry are all non-issue for his age. These are not math heavy textbooks so if there is any math he doesn't know, it is easy to pause at the topic and teach him the math.

I thought IGCSE was for 14-16 year old's? 

 

Am I misunderstanding? Page 5-7 of this

 

Or is it that specific textbook you listed (website  says IGCSE) is actually aimed at younger students?

 

And if someone wanted to use one of these textbooks for a 9th-10th grader which would you choose?

Edited October 12, 2016 by foxbridgeacademy

[Arcadia]

I thought IGCSE was for 14-16 year old's?

 

Am I misunderstanding? Page 5-7 of this

...

And if someone wanted to use one of these textbooks for a 9th-10th grader which would you choose?

It is 14-16 years old for IGCSE, I mistyped. It would be okay for GeorgiaH's 7th grader though.

A levels would be for 16-18 years old.

 

Which book to use for a 9th-10th grader would depend on what biology foundation the child already have. The A levels book is actually okay for a child who likes biology but might be too much info for a child who wants to just check the box.

 

ETA:

If you want a rough gauge of difficulty, look at the igcse biology past year exams and solutions

http://www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-igcse-biology-0610/past-papers/

A levels Bio exams and solutions

http://www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-international-as-and-a-level-biology-9700/past-papers/

 

ETA:

The scope and sequence does not tally with US exams though so test prep for SAT, AP and CLEP would still be required.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Arcadia

[foxbridgeacademy]

It is 14-16 years old for IGCSE, I mistyped. It would be okay for GeorgiaH's 7th grader though.

A levels would be for 16-18 years old.

 

Which book to use for a 9th-10th grader would depend on what biology foundation the child already have. The A levels book is actually okay for a child who likes biology but might be too much info for a child who wants to just check the box.

 

ETA:

If you want a rough gauge of difficulty, look at the igcse biology past year exams and solutions

http://www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-igcse-biology-0610/past-papers/

A levels Bio exams and solutions

http://www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-international-as-and-a-level-biology-9700/past-papers/

 

ETA:

The scope and sequence does not tally with US exams though so test prep for SAT, AP and CLEP would still be required.

Thank you, I appreciate it.  I think DD  would respond well to these.  She's interested in Science and is smart but Science isn't a passion. As for testing.... none of the kids will be taking Science AP's or CLEPs since they would not count toward majors and they'd just have to take the classes anyway. All 3 will be taking the ACT which does have a Science section but it doesn't test your knowledge of facts but instead understanding of process.... I'm probably explaining that badly.  We live in TN where all that's required to get the Hope or the Promise scholarships is a 22 Composite (which makes an Assoc. degree free and cuts tuition to less than half for Jr/Sr years). Both my boys have above that on practice tests, and we have a couple more years of school before the scores count so I have a bit of leeway in choosing curriculum.  

 

Thanks for the links, I will definitely use those (anything with solutions is a huge plus).

[Arcadia]

Just to give an idea of how three sciences are done concurrently in public schools back home in two years cycle (9th & 10th, 11th & 12th),

 

Jan-April about 30% done

May - midterms

June - school holiday

July-early October about 60% done

Late October - finals

Late Nov-Dec - school holiday

Jan-April about 90% done

May - midterms

June - school holiday

July-early Sept 100% done, revision and exam prep

Sept/Oct - preliminary exams

Oct/Nov - lecturers are around for exam prep

Nov/Dec - exams for junior college (11th/12th) or college entrance

 

Students would revise during the school holidays so no holiday brain fog.

 

All 3 will be taking the ACT which does have a Science section but it doesn't test your knowledge of facts but instead understanding of process...

Both of mine have taken the ACT and have a composite scores above 22 so I get it. The Science section is really more of a timed non-fiction reading comprehension test. Prior knowledge help with educated guessing but test prep is what really help my slower reader to get as many questions correct within the time limit. No penalty for wrong answers after all.

The English section helped pulled the composite up significantly for both my kids strangely.

 

Good luck in advance.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Arcadia