WG Science

[kidsforHim]

Would the calculations in the experiments be pretty difficult for a student who is having trouble with Algebra 1??
He has had to redo numerous lessons to bring his grade up -each lesson is given a grade on completion. Redoing the lesson usually gets his grade up into the high 70's or mostly into the 80's.

[mamanlait]

My dd has JUST begun Algebra. We did the first experiment this week and was able to do the calculations just fine. It was more of plug and chug with the given formula. She thought it was straight forward. The math itself was just plugging in numbers into a fraction to determine rate. Rate = Time/Distance (seconds/cm) -- I think this is what it was...it was something similar, anyway.

[Jennymommy]

My ds has struggled with math...restarted algebra 1 a couple weeks ago, but he says the WG science has been "almost too easy" She will probably be fine, and a good calculator will help.

[my3sons]

As a 9th grade level science course, it is not heavy on math calculations. That is partially why Carrie chose it for 9th grade. Our ds took much from his IPC course with lab in WG. He thoroughly enjoyed the narrative readings by John Hudson Tiner, and he completed every science experiment that was scheduled. He did not think it was easy, but he also did not think it was super hard. He liked that it maintained a nice balance within his entire high school day. I truly appreciated (and continue to appreciate in the WH 10th grade guide) the balance that is maintained within his school day. One subject doesn't take over the day, but rather they all work in tandem to provide a well-balanced day. We did every part of the WG guide, and we are also doing every part of the WH guide - including the living library readings and assignments. Wyatt is a strong student, and his day took about 6 to 6 1/2 hours in WG, and about 7 to 7 1/2 hours in WH. I see him becoming such a responsible young man! Time is flying, and it is getting to the point I wish it would slow down! Anyway, I just wanted to share that we have loved the science Carrie has planned for high school. Most of all, I love that we are not skipping experiments because we don't have the supplies or because they cannot be done at home, and I also love that my ds still loves science and really connects with scientists and their passion for their field due to the living book nature of readings. The math will not hold a student back from enjoying the IPC course as a 9th grader. The plans can actually be accomplished at home. Many times, I see families looking over science texts that promise great results with plans that include incredibly difficult to pull off in the home science experiments! In the end, the students are either skipping the science experiments and just reading the text, or they are trying to find someone other than their parents in a place other than their home to take the science course. The science in HOD can be successfully done in a homeschool setting with homeschool parents as the teachers, and that I find an incredible blessing! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[kidsforHim]

Thanks everyone! This is encouraging to me. This science looked the most doable for us but wanted to be sure my oldest could handle it- I wouldn't consider him a strong student. The only other one that might've worked would've been the science in Rev. to rev. but I need to combine my two boys if at all possible for budgeting reasons and since they both need a Physical Science credit with lab this looked like the best way to go. My second DS IS a strong student & I'm hoping they will work well together as they have been used to doing school together since they were in 3rd & 4th grade.(with the exception of this year & it was an adjustment)
Would you recommend that they each do the labs? OR could they take turns and just do the one experiment while the other looks on?

Becky

[Mumkins]

Maybe one could be the note taker and one the experiment doer and take turns. We always had a lab partner in school and worked together.

[Jennymommy]

I think they would enjoy doing labs together My son does them with daddy sometimes, and he really gets more out of it when he can talk it through with someone. Also, don't forget to order a duplicate student worksheet pack as they answer directly into the books, and it will be good to have their own copies. This portion had also been fun.

[kidsforHim]

Thanks! I'll remember to do that! I thought it would be more interesting & enjoyable too for them to do it together. Just maybe Daddy can get in on it sometimes too, that would be fun!

Becky

[mamanlait]

Younger dd was older dd's Lab Partner in Lab #1. They both did the experiment separately and enjoyed it equally. I made the notes since it required a stop watch and recording person. Second Lab was less physical but dh served as the lab partner. I think it's wonderful when other kids or siblings join in!

[mothermayi?]

As a 9th grade level science course, it is not heavy on math calculations. That is partially why Carrie chose it for 9th grade. Our ds took much from his IPC course with lab in WG. He thoroughly enjoyed the narrative readings by John Hudson Tiner, and he completed every science experiment that was scheduled. He did not think it was easy, but he also did not think it was super hard. He liked that it maintained a nice balance within his entire high school day. I truly appreciated (and continue to appreciate in the WH 10th grade guide) the balance that is maintained within his school day. One subject doesn't take over the day, but rather they all work in tandem to provide a well-balanced day. We did every part of the WG guide, and we are also doing every part of the WH guide - including the living library readings and assignments. Wyatt is a strong student, and his day took about 6 to 6 1/2 hours in WG, and about 7 to 7 1/2 hours in WH. I see him becoming such a responsible young man! Time is flying, and it is getting to the point I wish it would slow down! Anyway, I just wanted to share that we have loved the science Carrie has planned for high school. Most of all, I love that we are not skipping experiments because we don't have the supplies or because they cannot be done at home, and I also love that my ds still loves science and really connects with scientists and their passion for their field due to the living book nature of readings. The math will not hold a student back from enjoying the IPC course as a 9th grader. The plans can actually be accomplished at home. Many times, I see families looking over science texts that promise great results with plans that include incredibly difficult to pull off in the home science experiments! In the end, the students are either skipping the science experiments and just reading the text, or they are trying to find someone other than their parents in a place other than their home to take the science course. The science in HOD can be successfully done in a homeschool setting with homeschool parents as the teachers, and that I find an incredible blessing! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

Oh boy...WH is almost 8 hours without being in a brick and mortar school with much wasted time? Will the time plateau from WH and the last two guides, or will it only increase? If so, how long will students be "in school" for their junior and senior year?

[Motherjoy]

Mothermayi,

Yes, it was big jump and very odd for us. WG was the only guide we did exactly as written. We loved it, but it was a lot of work. We are doing WH this year, but we skip a lot. No health or art projects or Pilgrim's Progress. We listen to PP on audio, but don't do anything else. That works for us. I want my oldest to have time for stuff other than school. Though, high school really does take more time, no matter what curriculum you are using.

[my3sons]

Oh, I was hoping to share how much we enjoyed science in this thread! I think I somehow managed to cause you worry instead, mothermayi - so sorry! I used to worry about high school, but I wish I hadn't, as high school has been an incredible blessing for us. I wouldn't trade one minute of it, and I am actually getting very sad seeing my homeschooling my oldest ds coming to an end in 2 years. I've actually already tried to think how we could keep discussing and meeting and enjoying books together somehow after high school, like a grown-up DITHOR book club or something, or a Bible study/devotional time together? I know our pastor meets with his dd like that once a week at a coffee shop, and always has since she graduated high school, and she's 26 yo. But, back to the hours of high school question - one BIG thing to remember about HOD high school is it is still scheduled only 4 days a week. If you'd rather spread the hours over 5 days, your days are automatically shortened significantly. Also, we are doing EVERYTHING because I want to and Wyatt wants to. We could drop the Living Library - it takes 30 some minutes every day, and it is not needed for credit. But, we love the books, and Wyatt didn't want to skip them just to have a shorter day. I also feel the Lord has laid it on my heart to do all I can to prepare my sons for college, as I deeply care about them being able to be strong providers for their future wives, so THEY can hopefully homeschool too, if they want to! I imagine if I didn't have these goals in mind, or if I had daughters, I may not feel this responsibility to take every single opportunity to prepare our sons for their future roles as husband and father of (hopefully) homeschooling wives and children. Having nieces and nephew that have gone to ps for high school, I can say confidently that they are in school in their brick and mortar building MUCH MUCH LONGER than my ds is doing school at home. 5 days a week, often having to arrive early to not be late for class, and then they have homework every night and weekend. Here are a few threads that shed more details on this topic (not science, but high school hours)...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15114&p=106796
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15677&p=110135

Homeschooling in high school with HOD is an incredible blessing! The time commitment feels extremely minimal to the nieces and nephews my dh and I have in ps. Wyatt is having a wonderful high school experience, and he has time to work and to be with his brothers, and to hunt and to fish. We have a life I'd not trade.

In Christ,
Julie

[LynnH]

I just wanted to second what Julie has says. My ds takes around 6 1/2 hours for his school day in the WG guide, but he has plenty of time for other things. We do co-op one day a week where he takes voice lessons and is in a musical theater class as well as gym. We then head over to the animal shelter where he volunteers 3 hours helping out wherever he is needed. One day a week we interrupt our school day so he can go to his parkour gymnastics class in the middle of the day. He still has plenty of time for doing the things he loves in the late afternoons, evenings and weekends because he doesn't have homework. My daughter was in ps for 9th grade and she had to drop everything she enjoyed because she was in school 7 hours a day and then came home to 2-3 hours of homework each night as well as lots of work on the weekends. Since each credit hour on a transcript should take around 140 hours to complete and most students do 6-7 credit hours a semester then,HOD truly is right on target with what is expected by colleges for high school as far as work load. The thing is, the way the boxes are broken up and the variety of things that the dc are doing it doesn't seem overwhelming, at least not to my ds and due to his CP he can get overwhelmed easily.

[mothermayi?]

How long will a school day be once the students are using the final two guides?

[LynnH]

Mothermayi you may need to start a separate post with that question so Carrie sees it.