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Jennymommy wrote:Hey Rice, astronomy goes to unit 13.4

Thank you!

And the exploration education is woven throughout Rev to Rev, along with inventor studies and the other resources.

I now understand that for Rev2Rev we won't be able to skip the 2 bios we've already done and just take that chunk of science out of our year; that they are scheduled separately, alongside EE.

My DS has 5 years left. So, to simplify, I'll put only science choices here, not what guide he'll do for the other subjects:

Grade 8 - Res2Ref, starting at week 14 (after Apologia Astronomy); start Rev2Rev Advanced EE (4 days/week instead of 5 - not squishing to 4 but spreading it out a bit more)
Grade 9 - finish Rev2Rev Advanced EE, doing it 4 days/week *by my calculations this will still leave him 5 weeks ahead, maybe start MTMM?
Grade 10 - MTMM Chem, beefed up for HS
Grade 11 - WG's IPC
Grade 12 - WH's Bio/Anatomy & Health

This skips the last Chemistry (and the last year of optional science, both from US Hist guides). Is that okay, with MTMM beefed up? Will IPC be any review/redundancy if we beef up MTMM first?

Another idea: should I switch the order, doing MTMM beefed up before Rev2Rev science so that for that year (Rev2Rev) he could actually do the science from the guide he is following that year? That might be a nice change for him!

I doubt he'll be a science major, unless you count computer science, lol, so I don't think he'll need any advanced science courses in High School, just the requirements to graduate.

I'm so thankful that despite having to move him down to Preparing at his age (so not getting to the US History guides), that with HOD he'll still be better prepared for life (and University, if that's what he chooses), by learning how to learn and learning how to work independently and find the information he needs, than he would be if he was pushed along through PS despite his challenges. With adjusting the English and Science I know he'll be ready for whatever life throws at him academically. I trust Carrie's decisions, now if only I could make my own!

Blessings,

I definitely haven't used those things yet, but I am wondering if doing two physical sciences woudl be necessary. Maybe instead of doing the full IPC from the WG guide, you could do the physics portion and add something in to get a credit of intro physics instead of doing more chemistry. That would make it a little more balanced I think in credits:
9th grade: Physical Science
10th grade: Chemistry
11th grade: Intro to Physics
12th grade: Biology and Health

Rice,

I am a gal who likes to have kiddos follow the guide's plan as much as possible, as it makes it clearer for me and for the student to know what to do!

With that in mind, since your son did CTC's science this year and was able to complete it successfully, I would be inclined to do RTR's Earth Science next year for a couple of reasons. First, I think that earth science is not covered as often in high school and is actually a science that relates to day-to-day life more readily than many other sciences. Secondly, I think the progression of skills from CTC to RTR's science is more incremental, rather than jumping way ahead to a science in a future guide at this juncture while he is still honing so many needed skills.

Bearing in mind that he has already done the Astronomy book, I would first consider whether he read this book to himself or whether you read it to him. It is quite different to read one's own material. Another thing to consider is how long ago he did this text. That will also make a difference as to how redundant simply following the HOD plan for science would be. Next, I'll share that we do provide alternate experiments to do along the way instead of those that are super involved supply-wise in the Apologia text, so there is a different flavor to the way we use that text.

If you did feel that using the Apologia text is redundant, and bearing in mind that this is your son's last science year prior to high school, you could consider following all of the Earth Science plans in the RTR guide with the exception of the Astronomy book (which would mean starting partway through the plans in RTR). Then, at the end of the year, you could do the Evolution: The Grand Experiment study to finish out the year of earth science (following the plans within the MTMM for that). This plan is more convoluted than I would like, but it would give you more of what you are seeking with less overlap and would provide you with a truer earth science year. It would also allow you to complete one science each year, making it easier to stay on track and less confusing.

So, then the plan would look like this:
8th Grade: Earth science (using RTR's plans either as written or use without Astronomy and add Evolution: Grand Experiment from MTMM at the end of the year)
9th Grade: Do either Rev2Rev's Advanced EE and Inventor Study or IPC from the World Geography Guide (This will provide the typically required physical science/IPC type credit.)
10th Grade: Do Biology from the World History Guide (and also do Total Health from the World History Guide)
11th Grade: Do Chemistry from the first American History Guide (at this point beefing up MTMM's chemistry could also be an option if the Chemistry from the American guide seems too difficult)
12th Grade: Do HOD's final science option from the last American History Guide (or omit science this year, if not headed to a science-related field as all needed credits will already have been earned in science... typically one physical science/IPC, one biology, one chemistry, with a minimum of two - three labs sciences)

I know this plan means he will always work out of a different guide for science, but this plan also incrementally raises the skill level science-wise and has a more seamless progression that will be of help to your son.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you so much, Carrie!

The only problem I have with this plan is that it requires both American History guides - I'm not sure I'm up to substituting Canadian history (your guides are too well co-ordinated for that, and this DS will graduate before using them) so I'm not sure I will be purchasing them, especially just for one subject. (And I'm learning that even what seems to be best for our family now may turn out not to be in the future, so will wait to see if we get that far with the others, too.)

However, it's far enough in the future that MUCH can change in the intervening 3 years (or 4 if we choose to beef up MTMM instead). So I will go ahead with this plan for now.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration, helping me discuss and plan for changing around the wonderful plans you've already made! I truly appreciate it. I am looking forward to using your guides as written for my other children; it will make things so much simpler!

Praying for safe travels and good health for you and your team (Mike, Julie and families, etc.) through this busy season!
Blessings,