Can Apologia Chemistry be taken

[Andrea in Dutchess]

with a child who is just starting Algebra right now(June) Chemistry will begin in September, will the little Alg he has be enough? He is really good at math

[Vicki]

You are supposed to be doing Algebra 11 or have finished it before doing Chemistry.
God bless,
Vicki

[Chris in VA]

There are some formulas that may be harder to work out, but if he's good at fractions, it should really be ok--the harder math doesn't come into play for a few weeks, and you can just show him how to do it. That's my opinion--fwiw. Ds isn't that strong in math, and he had no problems whatsoever.

[Michelle in MO]

problems are balancing chemical equations, which has a lot to do with proportions.

Just a slight correction here:

You are supposed to be doing Algebra 11 or have finished it before doing Chemistry.
God bless,
Vicki

From Apologia's website, the student should have completed Algebra I, not Algebra II. Algebra II would be necessary for Advanced Physics or Advanced Chemistry (and possibly also taken concurrently with Physics).

Here's the link:

http://www.apologia.com/store/?PHPSESSID=7b7fd7737627f494eaeeb3c121beada3

There may be another reason for the requirement for Algebra I. I see Algebra I as the beginning (or one of the beginnings) for abstract thinking skills. Some of those may be necessary for the more difficult problems, many of which require more complex applications from the reading.

If you have any doubts, don't hesitate to e-mail Dr. Wile. He's very good about getting back with people's questions via e-mail, often within a day or two.

Good luck!

[gardenschooler]

problems are balancing chemical equations, which has a lot to do with proportions.

Just a slight correction here:



From Apologia's website, the student should have completed Algebra I, not Algebra II. Algebra II would be necessary for Advanced Physics or Advanced Chemistry (and possibly also taken concurrently with Physics).

Here's the link:

http://www.apologia.com/store/?PHPSESSID=7b7fd7737627f494eaeeb3c121beada3

There may be another reason for the requirement for Algebra I. I see Algebra I as the beginning (or one of the beginnings) for abstract thinking skills. Some of those may be necessary for the more difficult problems, many of which require more complex applications from the reading.

If you have any doubts, don't hesitate to e-mail Dr. Wile. He's very good about getting back with people's questions via e-mail, often within a day or two.

Good luck!

I know the guidelines are Alg I/Biology, but after that, does it go by more of a Saxon sequence?

I'm planning on Geometry/Chemistry, and then Alg II/Physics. I thought I'd read somewhere that Alg II needed to be before Physics, though.

[Andrea in Dutchess]

There are some formulas that may be harder to work out, but if he's good at fractions, it should really be ok--the harder math doesn't come into play for a few weeks, and you can just show him how to do it. That's my opinion--fwiw. Ds isn't that strong in math, and he had no problems whatsoever.

Chris in NY
Did your child have any Alg 1 before beginning Chemistry or did he just have some Alg?

[In The Great White North]

problems are balancing chemical equations, which has a lot to do with proportions

The main complicating factor in balancing these is equations is converting units and cancelling with fractions. We introduced the concept when we did the metric system so it was review in chemistry.

If he's good at math, you should be able to explain it early on. I think it was in the first chapter. If you make sure he gets this before he moves on, he shouldn't have any trouble.

[Michelle in MO]

I know the guidelines are Alg I/Biology, but after that, does it go by more of a Saxon sequence?

I'm planning on Geometry/Chemistry, and then Alg II/Physics. I thought I'd read somewhere that Alg II needed to be before Physics, though.

for Apologia's Physics, it looks (from that link) as though Algebra II is not necessary for Physics, which is suggested for the junior year, and then Algebra II should be taken before Advanced Physics or Advanced Chemistry.

I'm not familiar with the Saxon sequence---doesn't it go Saxon 1/2, then Saxon Algebra, then Saxon Advanced Math? I think geometry is incorporated into Saxon. I'd e-mail Dr. Wile on that one, but probably completing Saxon's Algebra would be enough before taking either Apologia's Chemistry or Physics. We did Geometry/Chemistry this year without any problems (although the chemistry was hard for my dd, but she made it through! :D )

[dtsmamtj]

I know someone who teaches the Apologia Chemistry and prefers that the student know Algebra 1, but can struggle through if doing it at the same time.

T

[CynthiaOK]

I taught this in a co-op 2 years ago. My best student was taking Alg. 1 concurrently. She did very well. I don't think there is anything in there that would be beyond Alg. 1. Significant figures seemed to be the math that caused the most problems for the kids.

If you student is good with math, I'd recommend you go ahead.

[gardenschooler]

Thanks - I think we'll be fine, but I'll email Dr. Wile just in case. This one has an easy time of math and science, so it should be fine. She didn't hit any bumps at all this year with Lial's Introductory Algebra or Apologia Biology.

We don't use Saxon, just to clarify. It just seemed to me on the Apologia website that the recommendations were following a Saxon sequence.

Our (tentative) plans:

9th - Apologia Chemistry & Jacobs' Geometry

10th - either Lial's or Chalkdust Algebra II & Apologia Physics

11th - either Lial's or Chalkdust Pre-Calc & Apologia Advanced Biology

12th - Chalkdust Calculus & Apologia Advanced Chemistry (or a college-level chemistry class - we've got a private college nearby that is allowing homeschooled seniors to enroll in this)

[whisperam]

He said it wouldn't be wise to start Chemistry without a whole year of Algebra.