Need Help with High School Science Path

[aecastleberry]

Hi. I have 2 questions that I would appreciate help with!!

1) If my daughter is not interested in going into a "science field" in college, should she bother with a Honors Science Track? (My daughter is very bright and has always loved school and thrived in her learning. The natural choice would be doing the Honors track...but would it be worth her time if she doesn't plan to go into science later?)

2) I live in Georgia, and I am having trouble syncing HOD's science track with my state. Our high school science track is this:
Honors Science:
* 8th grade: Physical Science (the website says, "Most students take Physical Science for high school credit in 8th grade")
* 9th grade: Honors Biology
* 10th grade: Honors Chemistry
* 11th grade: Honors Physics
* 12th grade: AP Biology/AP Chemistry/AP Physics (choose 1)

"Regular" Science Track:
* 8th grade: Physical Science ("Most students take Physical Science for high school credit in 8th grade")
* 9th grade: Biology
* 10th - 12th grade: Chemistry, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physics, Anatomy (you choose 3 of them)

--
I *LOVE* using the HOD guides as written b/c it's just so easy not having to plan things myself (especially since I have to modify so much for my middle son who is dyslexic, and who was diagnosed with Crohn's last week ). It honestly terrifies me to switch out the science from the high school guides.

Do you think that it is possible to meet our state requirements as listed above by following the HOD science track?
Thank you,
Amber

[StephanieU]

I wouldn't focus on the honors track if she isn't interested in a career in a science field.

I looked up the graduation requirements for Georgia, and this is what a found (from the Department of Education website):
Science: Four units of credit in science shall be required of all students,
including one full unit of Biology; one unit of either Physical Science or Physics; one
unit of either Chemistry, Earth Systems, Environmental Science or an AP/IB course;
and one additional science unit. The fourth science unit may be used to meet both the
science and elective requirements. Any AP/IB science course may be substituted for
the appropriate courses listed above.

According to that, what HOD has scheduled is enough. If you wanted to do physics, you could do that instead of what Carrie has scheduled in the US2 guide. But, you would already have IPC in the WG guide to cover the physical science requirement.

If your daughter decided a little later in high school that she wanted to pursue a science-heavy career, you could always add that in the last two years. Our family, tentatively, will follow the HOD schedule for science in WG and WH. Then, our kids might take chemistry and/or physics at the community college instead of following the US1 and US2 guides. This would give them more of an "honors" science, plus it might be helpful for them transitioning to college coursework. But, we don't have to make that decision until the end of 10th grade/WH!

[aecastleberry]

I wouldn't focus on the honors track if she isn't interested in a career in a science field.

I looked up the graduation requirements for Georgia, and this is what a found (from the Department of Education website):
Science: Four units of credit in science shall be required of all students,
including one full unit of Biology; one unit of either Physical Science or Physics; one
unit of either Chemistry, Earth Systems, Environmental Science or an AP/IB course;
and one additional science unit. The fourth science unit may be used to meet both the
science and elective requirements. Any AP/IB science course may be substituted for
the appropriate courses listed above.

According to that, what HOD has scheduled is enough. If you wanted to do physics, you could do that instead of what Carrie has scheduled in the US2 guide. But, you would already have IPC in the WG guide to cover the physical science requirement.

StephanieU,
I guess you understand my state's requirements better than I do! If what HOD has scheduled is "enough" for our requirements -- YAY!!! That makes my life so much easier! Thank you so much for your help!