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High School Science… has anyone ever had their student study one area in depth? – A little long.
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I thought I knew what my 15 yo would study for science next year, but after talking with her again today, she shows a stunning lack of desire to go in the direction she previously indicated. *sigh* So, in a despirite attempt to find something that is not Apologia, even though she says she likes Dr. Wile’s approach. I’m left scratching my head trying to figure out where to go with this.
Anyway, in an attempt to find something, I found this article:
Beyond BCP (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics)
Most people equate the words “high school science” with biology, chemistry, and physics, usually in that order. There is nothing sacred about these topics, however. In fact, taking survey courses in biology, chemistry, and physics is probably one reason so many people are adverse to science, in general. With a survey course, you never have time to do what Real Scientists do, work on one problem in depth.
Instead, your teenagers may want to consider a specialized area, a single problem, in The following areas – astronomy, botany, geology, meteorology, electricity/electronics, nature studies, health and disease, nutrition, parasitology, paleontology, herpetology, history of science. College catalogs usually state two or three years of “science” as adequate preparation for their programs. Most do not specify biology, chemistry, and physics. And most do not specify that applicants must have taken a survey course. Choose an interesting area. Work on one topic or problem in depth.
Has anyone done this with their high school student who has gone on to college? Is there a curriculum you followed or did you piece it together?
Any suggestions or help is appreciated,
~jacqleene
I haven’t done this specifically–my oldest two will both go to college with two years of intensive physics study, BUT they both also did a bio and chem survey course. It’s true that colleges do not specify WHAT science, but they do want it to be a LAB science–at least one, better two or three classes with labs. How are you going to do a history of science lab, or a health and disease one? It’d be a LOT of work to put together, I’d think, personally. I’d not attempt it without a mentor of some sort, a specialist in the intended field, and I’d say that there should be lab or field work for sure. ALSO, I’d contact colleges my child is interested in and ask THEM what they would think of such a scheme before I’d get too far into the process. They might be less excited at the idea than your article. Most colleges require a lab science course as a distribution requirement, and most kids take a biology or chemistry, and it will be oh so much easier if you’ve been there before! I did have a kid as a lab partner in my biology lab as a freshman in college who had never taken a biology course, somehow (he was a legacy admit!) and he struggled terribly. Just my two cents–possibly interesting, but I’d consider doing at least ONE standard lab course first unless you had a mentor and had colleges say it sounded OK with them.
Well, she is taking the Biology 101 course this year. While it is not lab focused as it sits, we have pulled out the Apologia supplements, added dissection videos, we will be dissecting a cow’s heart, and I have added detailed drawings of specific animals that she’s studies so far. If I can get one from the meat locker, I will also be dissecting a cow’s eye with her. We are into the human body at this point, and I have added a detailed anatomy coloring book for her as well as incorporating science experiments and using the microscope with some prepared slides as well as preparing her own slides. She has also written some essays on various animals and is keeping a detailed science notebook. And after typing all of that out, it really sounds more impressive than it *feels* like it’s been, so maybe it’s enough or maybe not…
As part of the co-op we were in last year she also did a forensic science unit for her first semester which involved lab work/ experiments and a physics in building unit for her second semester which also involved experiments and a science notebook with lab notes for both and a trip to the IU Physics Day. Though she was in junior high, the mom who led these classes is also a science teacher and said that it the work that Leah had done was definitely high school level.
Do you think that is enough? True lab work was involved last year and the dissection will be done this year in addition to the experiments – some of which are coming from my 17 yo’s Apologia Adv. Bio book.
Also, can I ask what your boys are doing for their intensive physics work?
My daughter’s did the following,we did lab biology, then one did geology and oceanography, the other did Astronomy and Space, then one did Marine Biology, the other Equine science and Advanced Equine Science…now my daughter’s did not want to do science in college, but these classes were proper courses and were geared to their interests. So if your child wants to study math and science seriously in college, it may be good to make sure with the college the choices you make…if they are on a different track ie., liberal arts, then you could easily do what we did and it is acceptable…I asked some schools before we did it…the courses were textbook courses so they were happy. Linda
Thank you, Linda. That is helpful. My dd is unsure what she wants to do; she is considering several areas that range from hair stylist to chiropractor. Because of that both she and I know that she needs heavy math and science before entering college just so that she’s prepared for whatever she chooses. And, no matter what she decides, I know that education is never wasted – she needs to see it that way as well. She’s perhaps a bit too practical when it comes to this area, and doesn’t want to “waste” her educational time on things that she “doesn’t need”. While I applaud her desire not to “waste” either time or resources, I’m a bit flummoxed as to what direction to take since she desires to put off using Apologia “at least one more year” because she doesn’t think she’s ready – “it makes [her] feel overwhelmed between the amount of science and math” on top of the history reading she wants to include.
Honestly, I do try and keep the time spent on each area very CM – usually no more than an hour on any one area unless there is a lab that needs more time or there are a couple of labs that connect one to the other and work best done back to back. Maybe I’m not mixing her work enough so that she’s working different areas of the brain – though she’s at the point where a majority of her work is done independently.
Here is a confession of sorts – In the past I didn’t always give the choice to the kiddos on the resources that we used even when they were mostly independent learners – this would be when my oldest was going through his high school years and part of my oldest daughter’s journey as well. This was partly due to my own fears that I would not have covered something they would need for college and they’d have to take extra classes to make up for it. With two graduates now, one who has gone to college and one who has attended a trade school, I am not nearly as worried about that at this point, though I do want to make sure that if they will possibly need more math, science, or humanities, that we’ve covered it to the best of our ability.
I know each child is their own person, I know they all have different needs, but I must say that this child is my first Undecided child in that she just doesn’t know the direction she wants to head because she has such a desire to work at something she enjoys, doesn’t want to “waste” time or money with her educational choices, and doesn’t want to study something that in the end will not sustain her or her family. Again, this is a good sentiment, and I’m thankful that she doesn’t intend to waste the resources she’s given to acheive her educational goals. I am just confounded as to how I can both honor her desire and provide her the resources necessary for her to acheive her goals – whatever they may be in the end. *BFH sigh*
I guess in the end I may need to tell her that to meet her needs, we’ll have to stick with the plan that we’d laid out earlier this year.
Thank you again for your thoughtful response, Linda,
~jacqleene
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