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We're planning to use ACE biology this year, per Carrie's recommendation. I'm giving thought to a Biology notebook. Has anyone used a notebook with ACE and how did you set it up? Or does anyone have suggestions?

Hi Florence,
I am wondering about doing something like this as well. I was originally only going with ACE Biology for my 16 yo son (not a very science minded fella). I was looking at Science Shepherd for my 14 yo daughter who has done science on a highschool level since 6th grade. But after getting the ACE Paces and looking through them, I decided to use them for both. I am going to incorporate a lot more microscope work into her lab time using the Apologia Biology text. But I was also considering a way to have them notebook their way through the course. So I would be happy to hear anyone elses thoughts on this too!

Tell me what made you choose ACE over Science Shepherd.

To tell you the truth, I didn't want to run two Biology programs. I picked up the ACE Paces at a curriculum fair, and after having my hands on them and being able to look at them, I feel that it is a pretty meaty course. I also have a young woman from church who is going to come over once a week and do all the labs with my older two, and I thought it might get to confusing trying to run the labs for both. ACE actually does more dissection than Science Shepherd. But Science Shepherd has more microscope work in it's labs. I borrowed Science Shepherd from a friend and looked at both side-by-side. So since I already have Apologia Biology on CD-ROM, I am going to just fill in to add more of it into the ACE program. That was one of the hesitations about using ACE for my daughter. My son won't miss the microscope work, but my daughter really will. So since I have figured out an easier way to keep them together (and a cheaper way, too!), we are going to see how this will work. Hope that made some sense?

YEs, that makes sense. Well since you have the ACE materials - let me throw this out and see if you can tweak it based on the ACE format. I'm basing it on a small sample I found on-line.


3-ring binder - divided into 6 sections:

Vocabulary
Unit Outline
Check ups
Self-test
Lab Reports - (may use HOD forms)
Procedure - clearly explain the procedure and illustrate it with simple pictures and labels
Results- Be precise using correct vocabulary.
Summary- Tell what was learned here or what law or principle was demonstrated, etc…
'Hypothesis
Tests

So, let's brainstorm a plan....

That looks GREAT! I will go through them again this weekend and I'll post again Sunday. But I like what you have!

Florence,
Sorry, my weekend got away from me and I haven't had a chance to post until now ! I looked through the paces and at what you had lined out for a science notebook. I think it will work great the way you have it set up. The only thing I am going to add are diagrams of the dissections so that they can label them as they go along during their labs. My daughter can and will probably draw her own sketches, but my son would rather have it there and to just label it. That would be all I would add to it. Your could easily add this to your 'procedure' section. As far as where I found diagrams, I just googled them and many came up. I also have a few dissection books from my oldest that I found some in as well. I had come up with similar sections as you when I first started to look through the PACES. Also the Activity pac for each PACE is designed to be removed from the center of the Pace. I am going to three hole punch these and have a tab in the binder for them. I will probably only place the one being currently worked on in the binder. Then when they are finished with that PACE I will file it with their completed work. I know it wasn't anything earth shattering, but hopefully it will help some.

Thank you for your reply. I've been away for a few days. Let's keep each other posted on how things are going!