Looking for online advanced science for an 11yo, preferably marine science

[alicai]

DD11 at the end of this semester will have exhausted the genetics and marine science options at Next Level Homechool, which she has loved with a fiery passion. I'm looking for something for her to take next semester that is of a similar style and quality. These classes have worked so well for her because they are deep but really fun and interesting for a kid. So far I have not found anything similar. I really want to enable her to keep going deeper with marine biology, which is a serious area of interest for her, but she very much wants to do it in that way, not on her own by just reading books,etc. She has a very solid grasp of taxonomy, 101 genetics, and has been through invertebrates and vertebrates including dissection.  Anyone have any leads?  Thanks!

[Dmmetler]

Does she get the Gills Club newsletter? Those would be great people to connect with (Gills club is a program for middle school girls interested in marine bio, particularly elasmobranch bio, run by women in the industry).

 

For my herpetologist DD, we moved into college materials and going to conferences and working with mentors when she had exhausted what was available locally.

 

I know there is a MOOC for elasmobranch bio, so those may be worth checking into.

Edited October 6, 2017 by dmmetler

[SoCal_Bear]

If you don't mind Apologia, they do have a high school level marine biology course that can be done on your own, with their DVDs or a live online or recorded option. 

[alicai]

Does she get the Gills Club newsletter? Those would be great people to connect with (Gills club is a program for middle school girls interested in marine bio, particularly elasmobranch bio, run by women in the industry).

 

For my herpetologist DD, we moved into college materials and going to conferences and working with mentors when she had exhausted what was available locally.

 

I know there is a MOOC for elasmobranch bio, so those may be worth checking into.

 I haven't heard of this before! Thanks for the tip.  How did you find mentors for your daughter? That is something I am struggling with, particularly since we don't live in a coastal area.

[SoCal_Bear]

Is Athena Academy's 8 week Aquatic Biomes class at a higher level for her? The next one starts on 10/16. For some reason, I thought there were additional classes in this series like an Invertebrates class later in the year, but that sounds like you covered that topic already. I was also thinking that the Biology 101 which will be offered again in the fall and then High School Biology might be appropriate as well. Both are year long classes. The really early morning section is opposite of the afternoon sections so they will flip as to which Bio class is offered every year. 

https://courses.athenasacademy.com/

 

Edited October 7, 2017 by calbear

[alicai]

Is Athena Academy's 8 week Aquatic Biomes class at a higher level for her? The next one starts on 10/16. For some reason, I thought there were additional classes in this series like an Invertebrates class later in the year, but that sounds like you covered that topic already. I was also thinking that the Biology 101 which will be offered again in the fall and then High School Biology might be appropriate as well. Both are year long classes. The really early morning section is opposite of the afternoon sections so they will flip as to which Bio class is offered every year. 

https://courses.athenasacademy.com/

Thank you for this information! Biology is full and Biomes seems a little light for her, but might be worth trying just to check out an Athena class. We have not taken any there before. 

[Dmmetler]

Also, at Athena's, she may want to take one of the Junior Instructor marine bio classes. It's likely to be too light on content (JI classes are aimed for middle school level) , but Emma (who teaches them) is a teen who is super into marine bio and would likely be a peer for her, even if the other kids aren't-and some may be.

 

On finding mentors, you'd probably have an easier time finding freshwater bio if you're not on a coast than marine bio. Check talks at colleges in a reasonable driving distance, and get on the mailing list for groups that may overlap-both societies that are specifically into that area, but also things like Ducks Unlimited (which do a lot of wetlands conservation) may be worth checking out. If your DD is in any GT programs, sometimes they have mentoring lists as well. And you may be surprised at the research focuses at schools far removed geographically. I know at least one elasmobranch biologist in Arizona!

 

It's expensive, but we've gone to the JMIH-Joint meeting of icthyologists and herpetologists- since 2014. It's an intense experience, to say the least (I find it exhausting as an adult), but DD is in her element there. The social stuff is not kid-friendly at all, but for a child who is in heaven learning about the newest research on snakes, frogs, sharks, or fish, and can handle several days of 15 minute long back to back talks with no live animals in sight and lots of less than positive findings (on the herp side, lots on disease and invasive species and habitat destruction. On the Ichthyology side, lots on bycatch and fishing....) well, it's something she starts planning for as soon as the prior year ends. I know there are other conferences as well-DD follows a lot of the grad students and pros on twitter.

 

Sea World has camps that look really good. We did their behind the scenes conservation tour, and the person giving the tour suggested waiting until DD was old enough to do the secondary ones, because those tend to be kids very into marine science. CTY has some.nice looking marine science ones as well.

Edited October 7, 2017 by dmmetler

[Dmmetler]

Also, on Athena's-they are completely changing the website this week, so if you can't get in, wait a bit, or email Kirsten directly.

[alicai]

Also, at Athena's, she may want to take one of the Junior Instructor marine bio classes. It's likely to be too light on content (JI classes are aimed for middle school level) , but Emma (who teaches them) is a teen who is super into marine bio and would likely be a peer for her, even if the other kids aren't-and some may be.

 

On finding mentors, you'd probably have an easier time finding freshwater bio if you're not on a coast than marine bio. Check talks at colleges in a reasonable driving distance, and get on the mailing list for groups that may overlap-both societies that are specifically into that area, but also things like Ducks Unlimited (which do a lot of wetlands conservation) may be worth checking out. If your DD is in any GT programs, sometimes they have mentoring lists as well. And you may be surprised at the research focuses at schools far removed geographically. I know at least one elasmobranch biologist in Arizona!

 

It's expensive, but we've gone to the JMIH-Joint meeting of icthyologists and herpetologists- since 2014. It's an intense experience, to say the least (I find it exhausting as an adult), but DD is in her element there. The social stuff is not kid-friendly at all, but for a child who is in heaven learning about the newest research on snakes, frogs, sharks, or fish, and can handle several days of 15 minute long back to back talks with no live animals in sight and lots of less than positive findings (on the herp side, lots on disease and invasive species and habitat destruction. On the Ichthyology side, lots on bycatch and fishing....) well, it's something she starts planning for as soon as the prior year ends. I know there are other conferences as well-DD follows a lot of the grad students and pros on twitter.

 

Sea World has camps that look really good. We did their behind the scenes conservation tour, and the person giving the tour suggested waiting until DD was old enough to do the secondary ones, because those tend to be kids very into marine science. CTY has some.nice looking marine science ones as well.

Thank you SO much for all of this fantastic information. These are great leads for us!