This post is sponsored by Greg Landry of College Prep Science.
Over the past 20+ years, Greg Landry has learned a lot from teaching thousands of homeschooled students (and university students who were homeschooled). One thing he has learned is that it’s a huge mistake to teach “college-prep” science to “non-science” students! And, in his experience, about 70% of homeschooled students are “non-science” students.
The depth, breadth, and pedagogy of many college-prep biology, chemistry, and physics classes, and a homeschool science curriculum in those subjects, leaves many “non-science” students frustrated, uninterested, and ultimately learning very little. He finds that students in this situation often don’t have an overall understanding of the subject matter that is so critical in these sciences. They can’t see the forest because they’re lost in the trees.
How does he define “non-science” students? He thinks the simplest and broadest definition is that “non-science” students are unlikely to be college science majors or they may not be planning to attend college. They should not be taught biology, chemistry, and physics as if they are going to be college science majors. He believes that’s a disservice to them and ultimately deprives them of fully grasping the big picture.
He developed “life prep” versions of my biology, chemistry, and physics online classes and wrote the textbooks specifically for “non-science” students – students who may be “artsy,” “techie,” “handy,” or just may not particularly care for science. Equivalent in-depth and breadth to a standard public or private high school class but specifically designed to be interesting and appealing to “non-science” students, and with minimal math.
Many of students’ assignments and assessments are done in their choice of format, including, but not limited to: artwork, video, graphics, sketches/drawings, hand-crafted models, graphic novels, audio, wiki pages, game creation, graphic organizers, podcasts, e-portfolio, or just the simple written word. Much of students’ work in these classes are geared toward helping them to learn via their particular bent – their God-given talents and interests.
– Life Prep Biology (8th-12th) – Two Semester Class
– Life Prep Chemistry (9th-12th) – Two Semester Class
– Life Prep Physics (9th-12th) – Two Semester Class
– Self-paced recorded classes for 3rd -6th-grade students
These “life prep” online homeschool science curriculum classes also include lab experiments in our very cool virtual homeschool science laboratory and graded lab reports. Students attend class once weekly (either live or by recording), turn-in homework, and are tested on a regular basis. These classes are all-inclusive and provide students with an enjoyable, comprehensive science experience.
Homeschool dad, scientist, and former college professor, Greg Landry, offers live, online homeschool science classes, Homeschool ACT Prep Bootcamp, the Homeschool Mom’s Science Podcast, in-person two-day science lab intensives nationwide, freebies for homeschool moms, and student-produced homeschool print publications.
In the words of Jim H., a homeschool parent –
“Greg, …what you did for our daughter will have far-reaching effects. You showed her that learning can be enjoyable…”
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