Modified science schedule for older student in lower guide

[Rice]

Hi Carrie,
It's time for me to consider some of the science options now for my now 13yo in Preparing, as I look to make my order for the next year (I'd like to have my decisions made for the 27th, when I go to our provincial conference, then after that I can just place the order and hopefully have my ducks in a row to actually enjoy summer!).

The options you gave previously were:

In looking at the potential guide sequence for your 12 year old, as far as your science questions go, it could potentially look like this:
12 year old Preparing (Grade 7) Either continue CTC science or downsize to Preparing Science.
13 year old CTC (Grade 8 ) Either do CTC's Life Science or do RTR's Earth Science or Rev2Rev's Physical Science
14 year old RTR (Grade 9) Either do Rev2Rev's Physical science or do WG IPC science.
15 year old Rev2Rev (Grade 10) Either do Rev2Rev's Physical Science or WG Guide's IPC or do WH Guide's Biology.
16 year old MTMM (Grade 11) Either beef-up the chemistry or do the Chemistry scheduled in the first American High School guide.
17 year old WG (Grade 12) IPC Science with Lab as in guide or WH Guide's Biology, or last high school guide's science

*Keep in mind your student will want a minimum of either Rev2Rev's Physical Science or WG Integrated Physics and Chemistry, along with Biology, and Chemistry by graduation from high school. Your student can take both Physical Science and IPC in high school for credit, however one will most likely count as an elective as they are considered similar sciences.

We did continue with CTC science this year and he is on track to finish it at the end of June. He will need new science plans for the fall. His brother will be starting RTR.

Would it be possible/make sense to do a combination of RTR, Rev2Rev and MTMM Science over his two years of CTC and RTR? He has already done Apologia Astronomy, but not the rest of the Science (Opt 1) from RTR. He also did The Story of Inventions and Always Inventing, from Rev2Rev. I would have him do all the rest of those two years, then skip the Chemistry of MTMM (in favour of doing the Chem in further guides) and have him do the Evolution section from MTMM (something I don't want him to miss!).

So it might look something like this:
13 yo CTC (Grade 8 ): RTR (Child's Geo, Exploring Planet Earth, Along Came Galileo and Isaac Newton) and start Rev2Rev's Inventors/Physical Sci
14 yo RTR (Grade 9): continue Rev2Rev's Inventors/Physical Sci followed by MTMM's Evolution/Genetics section (I haven't seen these guides so I don't know if this plan would cause too much jumping around [if books are chronologically assigned as they are in CTC or if they're scheduled to use multiple books, overlapping]? Will it be too full or too weak? If too full I could give him an Inventor bio or two as "free/extension" reads. If too weak. . .?)

After those two years, I am thinking we'd then follow up with:
15 yo Rev2Rev (Grade 10): WG Integrated Physics & Chem w/Lab
16 yo MTMM (Grade 11): WH Bio (Anatomy) w/Lab & Health
17 yo WG (or WH?): US Hist ->1900 Chem w/Lab

My logic with doing this is that then he wouldn't miss much from the Hearts for Him Through Time guides, nor repeat what he's already done, but would get him through to the High School guide science a bit quicker. It would also mean skipping the last guide's science (US Hist to Present: physics or other advanced option) but I figure that if he does suddenly decide to go into a science-related profession this would leave him with just one course to "catch up" when he enters college. (We also have the room to make changes yet in High School if things seem to lead that way.)

FWIW, science is not a requirement in our province after Grade 10! Of course, it is an option and having sciences will still affect college entrance (and being a generally well-rounded individual ). However, Health (along with PE) is a requirement for Grade 11 & 12, so the Health in Grade 11 would be a perfect fit.

If you think this plan might be a good one, I'll need to add the RevToRev guide and science to my cart for this year!

Thank you, once again, for all your help!
Blessings,

[Jennymommy]

Rice, my head is spinning from all these options I just wanted to say that I'm praying for you as you and Carrie work this out. It is such a blessing for your children to have a momma that is looking for God's best for them and who is willing to do the work to accomplish that

[Rice]

Rice, my head is spinning from all these options I just wanted to say that I'm praying for you as you and Carrie work this out. It is such a blessing for your children to have a momma that is looking for God's best for them and who is willing to do the work to accomplish that

Thanks, Jennymommy. Mine was, too. You should have seen my page filled with different colored sticky notes yesterday!
You've been an encouragement. Thanks!
Blessings,

[Nealewill]

If it were me, I really like simplicity. I am not sure why the 13 year old is in Preparing and placement is key with HOD! So my suggestions many not be worth much if your child doesn't place here. But I would try and do one science a year and to do science the way that it is set up in 1 guide. I find that makes my day the most balanced. If I start tinkering with it, then it never seems to flow well. Plus, I just like things to be fairly simple if they can be.

8th grade - science from RevtoRev in full. Since your son is in 8th grade, I will do the advanced kit if he is far enough along in math. If math is a struggle, then I would do the intermediate kit.
9th grade - science from MTMM in full
10th grade - science from WG
11th grade - biology
12th grade - chemistry

I am sure there are probably a lot of reasons for wanting to do the other books. But if you look at this child and think about what he can or can't do, this is probably the plan I would personally start with.

[Rice]

Hi Daneale, a bit of background: my 13yo DS had some major Executive Functioning problems show up this fall when we switched to HOD. I originally tried him in CTC but moved him down after 10 units. He'll go back to CTC Unit 11 some time next fall, after Preparing. He's still completing English 4 this year and CTC science to keep that part "grade 7 worthy". (If you check out the thread, "Carrie, you were right" from November you'll get the whole story.)

And as for using only some parts of the RTR to MTMM science years, he's already done some parts of them. We did Apologia Astronomy a few years ago and he did two of the Inventor bios just last year (independently, CM-style) so I don't see much value in having him repeat those so soon, when there is other material he could cover. Your option would mean he would skip all the Astronomy/Earth Science of RTR.

As for simplicity, I would make a checklist that would show which Science assignment to do each day. He's already using a separate guide for science so that wouldn't change; he'd just have to check each day which page to do.

Thanks for your input!
Blessings,

[Nealewill]

You are right, your child would completely miss the astronomy and weather books. You could always have your child complete just the weather book if you wanted and then do the intermediate physical science.

But you seem very in-tune to your child and are willing to modify and schedule where needed. The busier I get with working, the less I can be flexible. I am like, "Here is your guide, now go do it!" LOL.

[Rice]

I am like, "Here is your guide, now go do it!" LOL.

LOL! That sounds wonderful! I have one that can work that way (9yo in CTC) but definitely not this one!

[spidermansmum]

Rice. I could hug you. You will be my pioneer.
I have a 12year old doing Preparing. We added in flying Creatures of the Fifth Day.this year . He finished basic Chemistry qnd Physics last year. We read read a little each day. Friday (day 5 is catch up and lapbooking day) All of this is no help to you. You seem to have a plan figured out. I plan on stalking you !
I'm trying to decide if we do CTC next year or the Res to Ref.I think we might omit Ref to Rev -we are in England and Im not sure we need tge 50 states under God. So we might do left Ref to Rev with Right Res to Rev .

[Jennymommy]

Hi Spidermansmum I just thought I might pop in here and encourage you to not skip CTC Only because I have boys who have used or are using CTC through WG, and I definitely think the skills leap would be huge from Preparing to RtR. I am curious about your graduation requirements though, and how you will progress in later years? Probably a different thread, but it would be fun to explore options with you

[spidermansmum]

Honestly I don't know what the future holds for my son. He is diagnosed as autistic. He has learning delays. Both of these sound severe and I don't think they fit my son -but we are not dealing with neurotypical. I know he can make anything he puts his mind too. Mostly full sized robot models from recycled junk. I know he can strip an engine efficiently at his grandads workshop. I know several people who are keen to apprenticeship him. He may never get the standard Gcse's which are taken at age 16 here. These are notoriously difficult for home educated students to sit. The main trouble is that its a two year moderator required course that pretty much requires being on school or at least using a Gcse curriculum course for two years as 40% of the course is awarded on independently marked coursework.
So I don't have a graduation plan. Its just do the next step .and sometimes he surprises me by galloping through things because they make sense to him and sometimes we are stuck at something for years while we try and find the key to unlock his understanding .

[Jennymommy]

Yes, God has given us unique children It is so much fun though to find what really makes them tick God bless you with wisdom and perseverance as you continue to give your dc the best you can.

[Rice]

Hi Spidermansmommy!
Welcome on the journey!
We won't need 50 States, either, but I haven't looked that far ahead yet. Maybe we'll do some Canadian geo in there, but I don't even want to think about that right now! I know this one won't get to the last to American History guides, but other ones might, so that bridge will have to be crossed, too. Planning the Science and purchasing for next year (CTC w/other science) come first.
Good to know someone else has an older son in Preparing, too! Thanks for chiming in!
Blessings,

[Rice]

Bump. I just saw Carrie commented on a post and need her input before our conference this weekend!

[Rice]

If Carrie approves the plan I originally laid out, I'm just looking at what I'd need to include the first part of Rev to Rev science into this coming year. Would I need the Exploration Education kit?

I guess my real questions are:
1) how many weeks is the Apologia Astronomy in Res2Ref? (how many weeks of work would be be skipping by dropping that book?)
2) and how many weeks in Rev2Rev do you work on each of the biographies? (Michael Faraday, Four American Inventors, Henry Ford, and the Wright Brothers, specifically)
3) how many weeks in to Rev2Rev does Exploration Education start? (Would I be able to save buying this for the following year? Is it used throughout the year or done in a chunk after the inventors?)

If I DO need the Exploration Education kit, would I get the Intermediate or the Advanced one?

Blessings,

[Jennymommy]

Hey Rice, astronomy goes to unit 13.4