OT?: Middle School Biology

[carriede]

So now that the school year has started, time to start planning for next year.

I really like the looks of the Novare science sequence. I'd like to give my math and science minded guy a chance to work through the accelerated high school sequence, and to prepare for that, I'd like to use their middle school sequence, including the physical science and earth science MP sells.

That leaves life science for 6th grade. I've seen on the forums before that the combo of the Book of Trees and Tiner's Biology make a solid middle school life science course, but I can't get over the fact that human body systems are not included in the MP science sequence. I've seen Tiner's medicine book, but that too only touches on some systems. Correct me if I'm wrong! Or, if I'm not wrong, what should I do for middle school human anatomy? I thought of doing one of the MP books (maybe even Nature's Beautiful Order) one semester and doing human anatomy (and maybe basic cell theory?) with other resources the 2nd semester.

For more info: my son did the Book of Astronomy in 4NU and is doing the Book of Insects for 5M this year.

This is inspired by Novare's article on their curriculum sequence: https://www.novarescienceandmath.com...Curriculum.pdf.

[momgineer]

I am exactly where you are. We love Novare and my 7th grader will be on their accelerated track at an accelerated rate (he is doing algebra 1 in 7th so I plan to have him do ASPC in 8th, Bio in 9th, accelerated chemistry in 10th, vector physics using Novare in 11th and Heneral Chemistry dual enrolled in college in 12th.
He had done Novare physical and earth science and this year we are doing Trees and Tiner biology. You are correct about human systems. Biology does seem to have a lot about cells though. I have a 4th grade text from Catholic Heritage Curriculum that is human anatomy and physiology. I plan to just have him read through that at the end of the year. I won’t stress about it too much. Maybe watch a video or two on the human body. Even MP high school biology completely skips anything human body specific. If I had a kid I retested in medicine or biology I’d do more about it. My kids are more like me- all about the physics and chemistry. It is important general knowledge though to understand the human body. It’s not something I want to spend a whole year on with an A&P class. I will probably have my kids read through the MP biology book sections on human body even though it isn’t part of the course.

[carriede]

He had done Novare physical and earth science and this year we are doing Trees and Tiner biology. You are correct about human systems. Biology does seem to have a lot about cells though. I have a 4th grade text from Catholic Heritage Curriculum that is human anatomy and physiology. I plan to just have him read through that at the end of the year. I won’t stress about it too much.

Thank you so much for sharing your plan! I haven't considered CHC's 4th grade book, ill have to check it out. I was looking at their 7th grade life science as an option. Have you had an opportunity to see that one?

[tanya]

Our HLS students do Anatomy & Physiology in 11th or 12th grades, and we use the Modern Biology text. So we are basically using that text for two years - for 9th grade biology and again for A&P. But you are right that we don't hit anatomy until later in high school.

Tanya

[momgineer]

Carrie- I own the CHC Life Science Book. It is beautiful and thorough and I had planned to use it twice now (with my now 10th grader a few years ago and with my 7th grader this year). I never “got around” to it with my daughter a few years ago. It just didn’t flow like MP material. There were always parts that made us go- too hard to do today, let’s do it tomorrow, then never did. I wanted to use it this year because I already owned it and it looks great. Sigh. I started to make out some lesson plans and realized that the same things would happen- I would keep procrastinating the projects or reports and never get through it. I broke down and spent money buying the MP books and so far I’m glad I did. I know I can do MP. It is predictable and planable. It gives us the basics and we can do projects or repost if we choose but that doesn’t hold us back from progressing. I’m glad you brought it up though- that’s a better source for intro to body stuff for this age than the 4th grade book and since I own both I’ll probably pull out the Life Science book when we finish Tiner.

[MG_]

Carrie,
We’ll also be doing the accelerated track for science using Novare. Interesting enough, I was wondering about anatomy studies as I was planning for this school year. I decided to use the Apologia General Science 2nd edition which is said to have more content regarding anatomy. My 7th grader will be using it as a ‘fun’ add on science besides Novare Earth this year. HTH