Physics-Apologia or Saxon or skip it all together?

[Quiver0f10]

My son will be in 11th next year and will have completed Apologia Biology, Chemistry and Advanced Chemistry ( He is doing chem and adv chem in one year). So for 11th I was thinking maybe a biology course at the CC, but now I am thinking maybe wait till 12th for that.

Should we do physics in 11th and then the CC biology in 12th or maybe Apologia Adv biology in 11th with the CC biology in 12th?

He will be in Saxon Adv math in 11th too, if that matters. This is for the son headed to med school.

Thanks!

[Michelle in MO]

homeschooling this year, but I personally think it would be good to complete Apologia's Advanced Biology, which covers human anatomy & physiology, or do another advanced biology course. The advanced biology that my oldest is doing is Campbell's Biology (I think it's the bigger Campbell's book) and does seem to involve some chemistry, but I'm not sure how much it covers anatomy & physiology. I think covering A&P would be a good idea, followed up by a year of physics at a community college, perhaps? The sciences get harder as you go along!

Jean, the Campbell Biology book is called Biology: Concepts and Connections (http://www.amazon.com/Biology-Concepts-Connections-6th-MyBiology/dp/0321489845/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222810266&sr=8-1), and the units are:

Unit I: The Life of the Cell
Unit II: Cellular Reproduction and Genetics
Unit III: Concepts of Evolution
Unit IV: The Evolution of Biological Diversity
Unit V: Animals: Form and Function
Unit VI: Plants: Form and Function
Unit VII: Ecology

So, really it covers what the first Apologia book covers, plus evolution. For some reason, the school my girls are going to calls this book and course "Advanced Biology". It does seem to integrate some chemistry into it.

At any rate, if you're interested in continuing with the Apologia series, I would personally go with the Apologia Advanced Biology, which will cover human anatomy and physiology. Of course, your ds will get more A&P in college and med. school, but this certainly can't hurt him. And, perhaps physics will be easier to handle once he's covered Saxon Advanced Math? Isn't that Saxon book equivalent to Algebra II and Trig? I'm just thinking that a more advanced physics course would be easier to handle once your ds has additional math under his belt.

HTH!

[langfam]

DS is using Kinetics Books Principles of Physics this year and it's going very well. He says the animations and the audio (narrator) really help in understanding. There are step-by-step processes that show/teach how to solve the problems. The virtual labs can take 60-90 minutes though, but it's not every day. I bought lesson plans from Kolbe Academy and they sell the solutions manual too.

DD is opted to skip Physics and is doing Hole's Human Anatomy and Physiology....also from Kolbe Academy which comes with virtual labs. She's really enjoying this course.

[Quiver0f10]

Thank you all!

[Renee in FL]

I would have him do Physics if at all possible because he will have to have it as a Pre-Med class. It will be easier if he has had some exposure previously.

[Gwen in VA]

Do both -- advanced bio AND physics.

The question is -- in which order?

I would advocate doing the bio first. That way the colleges will have evidence of your son's advanced bio achievements -- whether a cc grade or AP or whatever. Advanced work always looks good!

But DO do the physics. He will need two semesters of physics as a pre-med, and you really don't want him to face physics for the first time at a college pace!

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks! We will plan on doing both.