Need Science Class Help Fast!!

[CAtoVA]

Hello Hive! So, it now looks like my whole year's science plan for DS (10th grade) is blown up because the class he is currently enrolled in is not meeting his needs. He is enrolled in Clover Creek Physics which is supposed to be introductory and conceptual but is turning out to be more mathy than he or I anticipated. It's really too bad because the labs look so fun and Jetta is really, really terrific. This is no reflection on her at all. I just can't see my DS, who is fine in math but doesn't like it, and who REALLY doesn't like science in general, going the whole year with so much problem solving and so many formulas/ equations attached to the "fun" lab parts for him. It's been a slog these past few weeks and he is starting to dread science even more. Again, the class is fine, Jetta is awesome, it is just not working for my kid. So, what would you suggest?

Is there a way to do the conceptual physics course without as much math as Clover Creek? The book itself doesn't look tremendously mathy. I would still want labs for this year, though.

Should he just do something else like Earth Science or Biology? Nothing appeals to him, unfortunately. He loves history and Latin and that's about it, but mom wants a lab science!!!

Thanks for any help you can supply.

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by CAtoVA

[Arcadia]

Since he loves Latin, Biology, Ecology, Botany, Zoology might be appealing because of all the Latin vocabulary.

Have you ask Jetta for advice because Hewitt’s Conceptual Physics textbook can be done in a “less mathy” way, so you could still use the textbook and self study instead. 

My kids are doing environmental science this year because they want a “relaxing” science year and they don’t want biology or any biology related subjects. It is not mathy but it doesn’t have Latin related words compared to biology related subjects. 

DS14 who likes word roots found Campbell Biology textbook 10th edition a comfortable read. DS13 who prefers something less wordy used the Miller Levine Biology textbook Macaw edition.

[Lori D.]

First, can you contact Jetta and ask if she has some ideas? Or if she is able to adapt the syllabus and expectations just for your DS, in order to remove the math element and focus just on the lab element (and the textbook)?

If that's not possible, then here are some different kinds of lab science ideas for non-STEM students:
- Forensic Science -- Forensics Illustrated: Stepping Under the Tape -- free complete curriculum plans; or, Unexpected Homeschool blog's list of resources for 0.5 credit of high school Forensics Science
- Guest Hollow -- gentle high school science offerings: Chemistry in the Kitchen; Math-Free Conceptual Physics; Biology; Anatomy
- Great Courses: Joy of Science lecture series + kits to go along for 0.5 credit of science?
- Joy Hakim's Story of Science (History/Lit-based) -- add/match-up TOPS units + supply kits, or kits from Home Science Tools
- John Tiner's Integrated Physics & Chemistry (History-based) -- add/match-up TOPS units + supply kits, or kits from Home Science Tools

Or, what about something like:
- Environmental Science
- Earth Science
- Astronomy
- Equine Science
Check out PAGE 5 of "High School Motherlode #2", pinned at the top of this board, for past threads on these sciences, for ideas of resources.

 

Edited September 7, 2019 by Lori D.

[CAtoVA]

I did contact Jetta and she wrote back to me and was very gracious and kind. She suggested my DS might enjoy something in the geosciences (earth sciences) maybe with some history thrown in. She is very understanding and helpful. One of my daughters is mathy, loves science, and wants to be a vet so maybe when she is ready Jetta will still be teaching (my DD is only eight now) and we can give Clover Creek another go. 

Thanks Lori D. and Arcadia for the suggestions. The Guest Hollow curricula and Hakim materials look particularly interesting to me. I think DS actually would LOVE the Hakim text and I could add labs to go with it but how would I describe this/label it for a high school transcript? DS seems a little defeated right now about ever having a lab science credit he would find more than just tolerable; I would love to find something that would suit him.

 

[Lori D.]

 12 hours ago,  CAtoVA said: 

...My DS seems defeated right now as far as science goes and I  don't want that for him...  actually think he would LOVE studying the Hakim texts and doing labs along with them...

I would highly recommend adding the Great Courses series Joy of Science to the Hakim study (which is more about 8th grade level, so very light for high school). It has both the history and foundational science concepts in one. And that would help make the year a very gentle transition into whatever you use next year for Science.

12 hours ago,  CAtoVA said: 

...  I just don't know how to label this for a high school transcript in a way that makes sense.

"Integrated Science"
A 1.0 credit high school science course with labs, tracing the key concepts and history of the major branches of science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science, and Astronomy), with lab work in each of science area. Course materials include 30 hours of lectures by Robert Hazen, Ph.D. of George Mason University (Teaching Company Great Course of The Joy of Science) and the text The Story of Science by Joy Hakim. Also included: formal labs, plus additional books and resources in each of the science areas studied.

(copy-pasted reply from your x-post on the General Board 😉 )

Edited September 7, 2019 by Lori D.

[ElizabethB]

Hewitt's Conceptual Physics is very simple, math wise. The lab book has a ton of lab choices, you can find the PDF of the lab book online to see but used books and lab books are reasonable.  You could download the lab book and do a few fun labs while waiting for the actual books.  Easy to teach.

Edited September 7, 2019 by ElizabethB

[Lori D.]

22 hours ago, CAtoVA said:

... Is there a way to do the conceptual physics course without as much math as Clover Creek? The book itself doesn't look tremendously mathy. I would still want labs for this year, though.

I missed this sentence the first time around...

DS#2 here totally struggled with math. We did Conceptual Physics without any problem-solving -- just read the text and did some labs. We used a combo of replicating some of the simple experiments in the textbook, as well as matching up some of the experiments from the Home Science Tools kit and a few of the TOPS units.

However, Conceptual Physics is still a science textbook and less "History/Lit"-like than what might be a fit for your DS. If you stick with Conceptual Physics (rather than switching to Story of Science or other idea), you'd likely want to add some living books and fun things like Mythbuster episodes to liven up the "science process" aspects of the textbook, with resources that are more history/lit.-based. 😄