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I am currently looking for a different biology text with which to teach DS biology in a year or so.  I used the Miller Levine macaw book for DD and that was OK, but for DS, I would like a text that is less all-encompassing; that is, a text that looks at fewer topics but in greater depth.  I know it seems odd that a biology instructor would ask for biology text recommendations, but I am accustomed to teaching at the college level, where students are expected to master large quantities of material.  I think for DS and co-op for high school, I would like to switch to a text that covers the most important topics in general biology, leaving out some smaller/specialized topics like animal behavior, DNA technology, etc.. in favor of more depth in the topics it does cover.  I prefer a non-religious text, but would consider a text with religious undertones that doesn't undermine basic principles of biology (like evolution).  I am currently using Centripetal Press' "Introductory Principles in Physics" and love it, but the company doesn't produce a biology text.  However, that is an idea of what I am looking for in biology - fewer topics, greater depth.

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I don't have a biology text book for you - but I would love to ask about the Centripetal Press  "Introductory Principles in Physics."   My sophomore age son is doing Derek Owen's physics - I think it a very solid course but he is buried by the homework problems.  After seeing your post I am wondering about switching over to your text.  I asked the publisher if they would send me a sample of their mathiest homework page and a test.  Any additional thoughts you have on Centripetal's book would be super helpful. 

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2 hours ago, shelleysboys said:

I don't have a biology text book for you - but I would love to ask about the Centripetal Press  "Introductory Principles in Physics."   My sophomore age son is doing Derek Owen's physics - I think it a very solid course but he is buried by the homework problems.  After seeing your post I am wondering about switching over to your text.  I asked the publisher if they would send me a sample of their mathiest homework page and a test.  Any additional thoughts you have on Centripetal's book would be super helpful. 

I really love the book, and I wish they had a biology book that was put together in a similar fashion.  The book is on-level and not dumbed down, but there are only 13 chapters in the book, so it is easily do-able in a year.  We are taking about a 3 weeks/chapter, with much of that time devoted to working problems at a leisurely pace, taking time to read the associated "Lab Report Handbook", and craft well-written lab reports.  The number of problems per chapter is probably the same as in a traditional course, but because there are fewer topics, we can spread out the problems over a greater amount of time and not work at a frenetic pace.  The text occasionally veers off into classical science, talking about Copernicus, Kepler, and other physicist in more depth than you would see in a typical mainstream physics text.  One thing I really like about the text is that quizzes and tests are cumulative, so that quiz #2 tests chapter 1 and 2 material, quiz #3 tests chapter 1, 2, and 3 material,  quiz #4 tests chapter 1, 2, 3, and 4 material , and so on.  In other words, the kids don't memorize and dump knowledge after the quiz.  There is one huge drawback I need to warn you about:  The author of the book says that answer keys are included for all questions.  Well, yes, they are.  But just the answer keys; no solutions to problems worked out.  So if you are getting a wrong answer and can't figure out what you are doing wrong, you are shit outta luck. This has only been a problem for me for 1 problem this semester, but I have had college physics and if you haven't, you're probably going to be very frustrated.  I keep meaning to email the author and see if I am missing some obvious spot where the solutions are located, but I looked through the answer DVD, the back of the book, etc... and haven't found solutions worked out.  As consolation, though, the examples in the test are varied and excellent.

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5 minutes ago, klmama said:

Reefgazer, a lot of teachers using the Miller & Levine text cover fewer of the chapters and supplement the chapters they do cover for more depth.  Would that work for you?  Or could you just choose topics from your more meaty college text?

This is what I am tossing around as well, but I would rather have a few in-depth topics contained in one central spot than shuffle multiple resources , if at all possible. 

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16 hours ago, shelleysboys said:

Thanks for the feedback on the physics book.  Answers without them worked out could be a deal breaker so thanks so much for giving me the heads up!! I will ask the publisher - if/when I get an answer I will post back.  ; )

I must correct myself on this!  I emailed the publisher to ask if there was s solutions manual with this set, and there is!  I also have it and forgot about it.  So I apologize for the confusion and there is a complete solutions manual available.

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