I am trying to figure out what to plan for with DD9. Could someone please help me with the correlation between math and science as we go forward? She wants to move to high school science, I think she would need to complete prealgebra first to do that. Can someone line up the science and the math pre-requisites for them please?

While biology is very non-mathy...our current high school expectation for "honors biology" is that the child is concurrently studying algebra 2, and has good grades from algebra 1. Chemistry has a fair amount of math in it, and our expectation is that algebra 2 or higher is concurrent (we don't have an honors chemistry offering, and the ability spread is wider this year). Physics is probably the mathiest of the three, and math alignment would depend on the level of physics initiated. Our "basic" physics requires concurrent precalc enrollment.

OK, another arguement on her side for me to let her move ahead to take Algebra I. She isn't worried about physics but her interest would definately include Biology and Chemistry. I don't know why I am having such a hard time with the concept of her taking higher math. I guess I need to let her move ahead and quit forcing the review.

Dottie, is "honors biology" AP Biology or a step under?

Ours is very much like Dottie's. Physics requires precalc skills at the minimum. Biology requires knowledge of algebra. Chemistry lies somewhere in between. (We have an integrated approach to math and science so it's hard to do a side by side matching)

"Honors" depends on the school throwing out the terminology. I'm constantly amazed by the adjectives that schools will use for their "wow" factor. A neighboring school actually has "honors" math below "pre-algebra" for 7th grade (honors is the middle track), . We don't use "honors" designators until high school. For the typically bright students in our district, honors bio is a pre-req for AP bio (and the highest science they can take in 9th). It's absolutely a "step under" AP in our district. I suppose it's possible to at least argue a move directly into the AP version. DD15 was well served by honors bio last year in 9th, and is considering AP bio for the future.

If your daughter is doing the science outside of a traditional high school setting, all bets are off for what is actually required. Chemistry thus far (DD10th) has had "math", but not really even algebra, in my opinion. The kid has to have a firm grasp of math basics though to excel. There is no way our district would place a child in these classes though without their official math pre-reqs.

I'm not sure about Dottie's school but in schools that offer AP classes, it usually is "regular", then honors, then AP level.

But keep in mind one school's honors could very well be another school's AP level, just without the title and test.

Our high school has broken science down into semesters and you take one semester of Biology then one semester of Chemistry then Physics and then Genetics then you can take the second semester of Biology, second semester of Chemistry, etc.. It is really different than when I took science. The only pre-req listed is Albegra II for AB Physics. Way to confusing.

Yes, for ability level...but just to clarify, our "top" progression requires that a student take the honors level first...and then the AP level. Top students typically steer clear of the "regular" level, which we break down in to college prep (CP) and fundamental in many subject areas.

And then there's the edit that says it all, LOL!


I'd love to stay and discuss "secret sauces" (Fast Times reference), but I have to drive DS to Lego practice...

There is practice for Legos?