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High School Physics Suggestions Please
- This topic has 17 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 8 months ago by
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We’re looking to do just a basic Introduction to Physics course for my daughter’s 12th grade year but don’t want to use Apologia. Does anyone have some recommendations other than Apologia?
Thanks so much!
Calculus based? Or not? Do you know physics? Can you or dh help with the math or the problems?
Saxon has a physics program, but I have both and it is so far inferior to Apologia that I can’t imagine how they sell it. There is an EXCELLENT video based program but it really SHOULD not be used unless you have someone close by who can help her. It is not a self-study course! There is very little teacher help, you’d have to check all the problems yourself. There are standard high school texts, but again unless you know physics and can manually check all her problems, the teacher editions are either unavailable or very expensive. Khan Academy has terrific videos, but not enough problem practice. There are MOOC courses available, with excellent teachers, on places like http://www.coursera.org but they also lack problem practice, and they move at breakneck pace. I looked at one this morning that packed an almost unimaginable amount of material into 4 weeks. I would be unable to complete it, and I’ve had physics before, plus helped two kids through. There are some excellent videos at The Great Courses, but again, not enough problem practice. If you can’t do the math and problems, then you aren’t really learning physics, and you might as well try to find something more practical to focus on, IMO. I have my hesitations about whether it is really all that useful to do non-calculus-based physics anyway, as if you go on to take it in college you literally have to relearn nearly everything. If you want calculus-based, I really can’t see any way but a college class unless you or dh are physics teachers.
Not Calculus based. We actually originally didn’t plan to tackle Physics. Up until this year, she’s not cared much for science. But she is really enjoying her Chemistry course this year and it has sparked an interest in her for science. Pretty awesome! She has expressed an interest in learning more about Physics (she even checked out a book at the library on Physics!). I know she’s not looking to take a full, math heavy Physics course. So what I’d like to do is put together a basic introduction to Physics, something that’s on the easier end, light, and just gives a general overview or introduction. Then if she has further interest, she can take Physics in college and will have had a basic foundation laid for that in high school. Does that make sense?
How about an advanced chemistry class if she really enjoyed that? I confess I see no point at all to physics without math. Physics IS math. You know the trope–biology is really just chemistry, chemistry is really just physics, physics is really just math. We do an introduction to physical science, but in like sixth grade, so I’d really not know how to approach what you are doing. Learning just a little bit, while not doing the math, isn’t really going to help her if she takes it in college. There really IS not much of a physics foundation without math; math IS the foundation. Physics is the application of math to be able to make predictions about the physical world.
Advanced Chemistry is definitely a thought. As far as Physics goes, I wasn’t thinking it would be totally non-math. I was just wondering if there was something out there that would be on the easier, lighter end if that makes sense. For example, the Noeo science courses have several different levels. They do have a level III Physics which goes up to 9th grade. And I do believe some use the level III courses for high school material. Oh, and she has taken high school level Physical Science already. Does that make it a bit clearer as to what I’m looking for? I kind of feel like I’m rambling. 🙂
I hope you get some more feedback; I’d love some ideas too! The makers of Biology 101 and Chemistry 101 are working on a physics course too; it’s supposed to come out this year. That could be one part of an introductory course. I know Life of Fred has a physics course intended for junior high students; LOF tends to be very advanced and might be another possible starting point.
I found a course at Stephen F. Austin University called Conceptual Physics, using a textbook with the same name by Paul Hewitt. The class is described this way: “The objective of this course is to become familiar with the basic physical concepts and principles of waves, sound, light, and mechanics. A conceptual rather than a mathematical point of view is emphasized.” The textbook has several good reviews on Amazon by students who really enjoyed it; that might be worth looking into as well (although it also looks expensive; almost $70. Maybe you could find it used?).
Thanks for the suggestions jotawatt. I had looked at the 101 courses and saw they didn’t have a Physics 101. Have they said when they plan to have that out this year? I did look at the Conceptual Physics but all I could find was a student text and no teacher’s manual to go with it. I didn’t know about the LOF course. I’ll look into that. Thanks again for all the suggestions! I appreciate it. 🙂
I would seriously consider the 101 set. I know, we’re waiting, too. I’m planning to add Tiner’s World of Physics to it. (I might even include his World of Math book.) Depending on the dc, I might even use Apologia’s Elementery Chem/Physics book as an Intro. (It looks to be heavier on the Physics when looking at the TOC.) Also, the Christian Kids Explore Physics is listed for gr 4-8, but added to the 101 dvd and Tiner’s book, it might be a good source for solidifying concepts while not being overly math heavy. (I don’t have the CKE book here but have looked at the Bio and Chem ones to add to the 101 sets in those.) The 101 set will come w/ a Lesson plan which includes how to make it complete based on your dc and their needs/goals. This gave me ideas to find what would work for my family.
HTH
KThere is a Conceptual Physics textbook for high school, and a completely different one (same title/author) for college. The high school version DOES have a teacher text, but the college one does not. And FWIW, Conceptual Physics is a more enjoyable read than your typical textbook.
Can you give us a link for the Conceptual Physics high school text and teacher’s manual?
Thanks. 🙂MrsK — I just did a search at Amazon and found quite a few, but there are different years, etc and it can get confusing, unfortunately. I’m going to PM you with my dh’s email and you can talk to him about it if CP is something you think you’d like to pursue. He’s been a physics teacher for the past 15+ years and can give you better direction on specifics for that.
Can anyone give an opinion on Life of Fred: Elementary Physics? Would this work well as a supplement to high school Physics intro. as in Mrs. K’s situation or is it really just for middle school?
Two of my boys have used LOF el. physics. The older says if you have no physics background it could work for a hs supp. He had done some physics so he found the info. easy.
The younger is JH, age 12, and says it was new info to him, and he liked it.
Hth,
C
I found this article helpful –
http://www.home-school.com/Articles/teaching-physics-at-home.php
I notice that your original post says you’d like to do an “Introduction to Physics” and you seem to understand that you are not ready/able for AP Physics. You also mention that your are pleased that your daughter has recently acquired a love for science. May I suggest that a good way to kill it would be to get her into something way over her head? I don’t understand (well, I kind of do, but it just doesn’t make sense to me) why science people are so all or nothing about Chemistry and Physics. (I’m sorry Bookworm, I respect your knowledge on these topics, and you are a great resource for us here, but I feel that there is value in learning even if it doesn’t include Caluculus. I guess we could agree to call the course by a different name…but Intro to Physics still sounds reasonable to me.) It’s kind of like saying if your not able for Calculus now, just forget math. No sense doing algebra, it won’t do you any good for college! Come on! Why not go ahead and do what you can now and see how you do? No, she won’t be ready for MIT Physics next year. But you’ve already accepted that fact. And that’s not to say she couldn’t get there either! Learning doesn’t end when you give the diploma. So, she graduates high school with a good liberal arts education and she enjoys science. She can pursue science if she likes on her own now and learn that calculus and do a college prep Physics course now that she has a foundation and the desire to do it. Just because you’re not ready for the highest level course in an area of study doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel! So, I second kerby’s advice. The 101 series has been great for our family – they have lit the fire. I am starting them earlier with my younger kids (junior high or before) in hopes that they’ll be able for more rigorous science by high school. But I’m sure glad they were available for my first high school students, because at least now they love science and would consider learning more. Not so before.
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