Favorite Biology for middle school?

[Maryam]

What did you like for Biology logic stage and why?

[carrierocha]

I am a fan of Real Science Odyssey and am using their Bio 2 this year with my 6th grader and will have my 4th grader tag along.

[SoCal_Bear]

We are doing Shepherd Life Science this year. We will see how it will go. 

[BakersDozen]

Biology 101 by Wes Olsen. I know this is marketed for high school however I have used it successfully with middle school. It's how I wish I'd learned Biology/Chemistry/Physics.

[Maryam]

14 minutes ago, BakersDozen said:

Biology 101 by Wes Olsen. I know this is marketed for high school however I have used it successfully with middle school. It's how I wish I'd learned Biology/Chemistry/Physics.

Can you please send a link?

[Slache]

11 hours ago, BakersDozen said:

Biology 101 by Wes Olsen. I know this is marketed for high school however I have used it successfully with middle school. It's how I wish I'd learned Biology/Chemistry/Physics.

Can you explain why? Has it been a year per course? Are you excited about the new one coming out?

[BakersDozen]

15 hours ago, Maryam said:

Can you please send a link?

https://the101series.com/

[BakersDozen]

4 hours ago, Slache said:

Can you explain why? Has it been a year per course? Are you excited about the new one coming out?

Wes Olson has a gift for presenting science concepts in an interesting, memorable way. His videos are incredibly well done - thorough enough to use with high school yet understandable enough to use with middle school and even younger. He includes a workbook to supplement the videos. I can get through one science topic in one semester (schooling 5 days/week) easily. He is about to release his General Science which I am so excited for!! So in middle school my kids cover Chemistry, Biology, Conceptual Physics and (hopefully) General Science, all using his video series. I tried Apologia, Rainbow Science, and one other one I can't remember and found those programs bored us to tears. Mr. Olson's work, however, is a highlight of our school day. My kids will watch the videos on their own just for fun, they are that good.

[Targhee]

Rso bio2 - lots of room for independence work, it’s well laid out, and solid science.

[Homebody2]

We've just finished Biology for the Logic Stage https://elementalscience.com/collections/biology-for-the-logic-stage

I liked the order of study, and the experiments were fairly easy to set up and do. Each week included an easy to label diagram and many supplemental readings and assignments.

I added my own readings and videos and didn't follow the reading/writing suggestions, and we did our own summaries and outlines. I still thought the curriculum was well worth the money (I bought both the teacher and student e-book guides). My now 4th grader did the whole unit with us as well, and it was easy to modify for him.

I just purchased the Earth Science for the Logic Stage.

I just wanted to add that this curriculum aligned with my goals for middle school science:

To keep a science notebook

To set up and execute an experiment without much parent input

To go through the steps of the scientific method, writing them down during the process

To be exposed to different science concepts and discover how they are interconnected

To come to conclusions about scientific concepts

To learn new vocabulary

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Homebody2

[TheAttachedMama]

I've purchased, read, and have gone over most of the middle school Biology courses mentioned in this thread.    I still haven't found anything I like.

Here are my thoughts:

RSO Biology 2:   

Pros:   1)   This course contains a lot of good microscope labs.   In fact, there is a microscope lab for nearly every lesson.  I like this because if I am going to shell out $200 for a microscope, I want to use it more than twice....you know?  ? The instructions for these microscope labs are  very good, and I think that they have the potential to make a lot of children VERY excited about microbiology.   There is something cool about realizing there is an entire ecosystem in a drop of pond water....or viewing your dog's fur under the microscope.   I also like how she found a way to relate what you are looking at with the microscope with the biology lesson.    I tried to do this with some other biology courses---and it isn't as easy as it seems.      2)   The text is not dumbed down.    I have found that SO many homeschool science texts are VERY, VERY light.  Even so-called "college prep" science classes are way too light IMHO.   I think that this text covers what is age appropriate for a typical middle school student to learn in Biology.   It is NOT high school level like some people will tell you.   However, it will prepare a child to use a standard high school level Biology course (something like Miller-Levine Biology) and then perhaps move on to an AP Biology class after that.   3)  You actually work on lab report writing.   If you use this program, your child will actually learn to write REAL beginner lab reports.  :)   Not every lab in the book requires a lab report, but they will get enough practice.  There is also a science research report scheduled so you can practice that skill too.

Cons:  1)  The BIGGEST con for me (and why I decided not to use the program) was the text.   I am trying to think of how best to describe it.   What would be the opposite of the phrase multum non multa?   It covers a lot of information but VERY, VERY shallowly.   Sort of the equivalent of trying to drink from a firehose.  There is little review and not much organization.  A TON of higher level vocabulary words and concepts (chemistry of photosynthesis for example) are thrown at the child a million miles per hour without going into much depth.   I would guess that children are exposed to ideas, but there wouldn't be a whole of retention and deep understanding.   There are also some errors in the text.   I am NOT a biology expert at all, and even I found some from skimming through the text.   For example, on pg. 106, it has the child memorize the 6 most common elements in all organism...yet the list is wrong.  I sort of became nervous after that and was wondering if I have to fact check everything in the text.   At least the Usborne encyclopedia (or other similar type books) have to go through a review process.  What was the review process with RSO Biology?  I am not sure.  The textbook is also HUGE.   It is hard to store, costly to print, time-consuming to sort through the pages, and difficult to navigate.     2)  Cost:   I think it is way overpriced for what you get.   Why oh why is it so much more than every other science curriculum out there?   3)  Labs:   *Some* of the labs are decent.   However, there are LOTS and LOTS of what I call "arts and craft" type labs.    It seems like a lot of mess, a lot of cost in supplies, and a lot of effort for a little educational payoff.   I didn't mind this our first time around with biology, but I was hoping for more.   

Elemental Science Logic Stage Biology.   

Pros:  1)  Organization-  The layout and organization is SO SO much better than RSO.   There are key ideas and memory work assigned.  They are slowly learned and reviewed.  Unknown words are systematically taught.   They pull out key inforamtion so you know what to focus on.   etc. etc.   I feel like there would be more retention because of this.  Their is also a student book which is REALLY nice.  It contains room for the lab write up, vocab words, answering the comprehension questions (or outlining, etc.)   It is so well organized that most logic stage students might be able to work independenently after some training.    2)  Text---  It uses "reviewed" science encyclopedias as the text.  I didn't feel like I had to double check every fact.   They are also easier to store/handle, "cheaper" to buy, and nicer to look at..   3)  Cost-  The program is VERY cost effective for what you get.   4)  Customer Service-   The company is very nice and a joy to work with.   They will bend over backward to make sure you have a great science year.

Cons:   1)  It is VERY, VERY light for a middle school biology program.    I would say the information is similar to RSO Biology I....what we studied in first grade.     2)  Labs:  The labs utilize the scientific method (which is good)---but they are the type of labs that most kids will already know the outcome of before they complete them.   That also makes me question the educational value. (For example:  In one of the labs, children test to see if worms mix up soil? Is that really worth digging for earthworms and setting up a farm on your kitchen counter?  Maybe in elementary/preschool, but probably not in middle school.   I would expect that most kids this age know the answer to this question.)   3)  The reading is REALLY short, but there is a lot of outlining and writing.   4)  Neutral in the Creation vs Evolution debate:   I get it.  This is a hot topic and very controversial.   However, the theory of evolution is VERY important to the study of modern day biology.  You might as well skip over cell structure.     You really can't do the subject justice without covering evolutionary theory.   Whatever your views on this topic...whehter you think evolution happened or didn't happen...I think you really want to cover it in some way or another.   

Apologia High School (for a middle school child) 

Pros:  1)  Well organized.  There is a nice schedule, a dvd program showing the labs, an audiobook....just about every resource you could imagine to make it easy to teach.   I *almost* want to use this because it is so easy to teach.   ALMOST.   

Cons:   1) VERY preachy.   It also takes some viewpoints that I don't agree with personally as a Christian.  For example, the age of the earth, etc. etc.   Some like their viewpoints though.    2)  It gets VERY hung up on the morphological classification system .....the same system used in the 18th century.   Don't get me wrong, kids should know that information.   However, it is really a very small part of biology and something that is still very hotly debated and changing rapidly as we learn more about DNA.   I feel like the course should really spend more time on genetics, adaptation, etc.   I am not an expert but I feel like that is where the future of biology is headed.  

 

[wendyroo]

We haven't gotten to middle school yet, but I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what science I want to use with my oldest next year.

Option 1 - Mr. Q Advanced Bio - Anatomy and Physiology.  We have completed all four of Mr. Q's elementary texts, and we have really enjoyed them.  It says the advanced texts are designed for students ages 12-18, so it would seem they are aimed at either middle or high school.  Originally I did not like that it was A & P instead of straight biology, but the more I think about it, the more I like that idea.  My kids are pretty sciency, so they already know a lot of life science, and they will have to take a bio class in high school anyway to go on their transcript.  Middle school/puberty seems like it might be a good time to pause and really explore the human body.  I've considered pairing this with a couple Ellen McHenry books.

Option 2 - Exploring the Way Life Works: The Science of Biology.  This is a dense book, and I don't know if DS will be ready for it, but it looks interesting.

Option 3 - Elemental Science Rhetoric Biology.  This schedules the free online CK-12 Biology book along with virtual labs and extra investigations into scientists and science in current events.

Option 4 - Galore Park Biology.

No matter which direction I go, I will probably include some of the extra science literature selections from Build Your Own Library.

Wendy

[TheAttachedMama]

  Another option for those looking like me   :) :)  

If you have an iPad, you might want to check out E. O. Wilson's Life on Earth.     It is a free download on iBooks.  Each of the 7 units is a separate download, but the file size is large so make sure you have space before you start.

I personally think it is a really well-done biology textbook.    It is very readable and simply beautiful.   It even includes short embedded movies to explain certain topics visually.    It does include lab suggestions for each chapter....however, there is no easy "list of supplies" to gather or kits.  You would have to go through each lab and make your own list.   

There is an iTunes Biology course that goes with it.  However, it mostly schedules reading the text and downloading a bunch of different apps.   Some of it looks neat, but I feel like it might take more time than we have to devote to science each week.   So we are *just* going to read the text and do some labs.

I think it is technically a high school level book, but I would call it a "light" high school level.   So if you have children who love science (like mine!) it might be the perfect solution for middle school.    We personally will be pairing this text with some of the components from RSO Biology 2 since I already own it (labs and "famous science" internet research projects, etc.)  

Edited September 2, 2018 by TheAttachedMama

[SereneHome]

On 8/31/2018 at 11:53 AM, Homebody2 said:

We've just finished Biology for the Logic Stage https://elementalscience.com/collections/biology-for-the-logic-stage

I liked the order of study, and the experiments were fairly easy to set up and do. Each week included an easy to label diagram and many supplemental readings and assignments.

I added my own readings and videos and didn't follow the reading/writing suggestions, and we did our own summaries and outlines. I still thought the curriculum was well worth the money (I bought both the teacher and student e-book guides). My now 4th grader did the whole unit with us as well, and it was easy to modify for him.

I just purchased the Earth Science for the Logic Stage.

I just wanted to add that this curriculum aligned with my goals for middle school science:

To keep a science notebook

To set up and execute an experiment without much parent input

To go through the steps of the scientific method, writing them down during the process

To be exposed to different science concepts and discover how they are interconnected

To come to conclusions about scientific concepts

To learn new vocabulary

 

 

Is there ANY chance you still have the list of those.  We are doing it this year and I even emailed them to ask if they have a recommended list and they said they don't.  I would love to include some additional books and videos.

[Trilliumlady]

What are people’s thoughts on RS4K Biology for middle grades?  I am staring that this year, stretching it out over a full year.  We’ll see....