<p>Does anybody know of a reputable program that offers a course in chemistry that one could take, say, over the summer -- that isn't CTY?</p>
<p>Thanks,
Ben</p>
<p>When I was looking into chemistry courses a few years ago for my son, Northwestern offered AP chemistry. They do require that the student have a prior course in chemistry - or, at least required that back then. You might want to check with them.</p>
<p>Our local community college (which has an excellent reputation, although I've not taken chemistry there, only Italian) offers this distance learning course every quarter:</p>
<p>For highschool kids? Harvard Summer School and probably lots of other similar programs at colleges. Berkeley ATDP.</p>
<p>Are you looking for college or HS chem classes? I know a former student of mine took Organic Chem (yup...you read that right) through Webber State U in Utah as a distance learning course. It was a 100% web-based class - the labs were on a CD-ROM ( I know it is hard to believe). I am sure most colleges will not give credit for a class w/out any on-campus labs. However, the second-degree nursing program that she was in, accepted that class.</p>
<p>you need to tell us your purpose in taking the class -- </p>
<p>have you already taken a high school chemistry class?</p>
<p>Are you wanting to take this class in order to take the AP chemistry test or the SAT II chemistry test?</p>
<p>Do you want to take this class in order to get into a higher level science class next year?</p>
<p>Do you want to take this class because you enjoy chemistry?</p>
<p>Some of your options -- </p>
<p>see if your local high school or another high school in the area offers chemistry in summer school (many do). You can also check local private schools.</p>
<p>Look at the local community college. this would be my first recommendation! Having a professor there to answer your questions and a syllabus that with specific dates will keep you on track.</p>
<p>If you are wanting to take the course in order to take the AP chem test, rethink that -- the AP test isn't until May and it will require alot of additional study in order to do well on the test.</p>
<p>Again -- let us know why you are looking (and where) and I am sure you will get great suggestions</p>
<p>The purpose would be to prepare for an introductory chemistry course next year... i.e. a run-through of Honors Chemistry in order to start off with a solid footing for the high school course.</p>
<p>Community college is something I have thought about, as well as lcoal summer school courses. But I wanted to make sure I had a more comprehensive list of the options out there. (Anything like EPGY in chemistry?)</p>
<p>still a little confused -- you want to take chemistry this summer and then take introductory chemisty in high school next school year? </p>
<p>I guess I don't understand -- what grade are you this year and what chemistry course do you want to take next school year.</p>
<p>Thank you very much for trying to help, hsmomstef, and sorry about being confusing.</p>
<p>To answer your question, I'm a junior at Caltech and hope to take no chemistry courses whatsover. But I'm asking for a friend who is a 9th grader in high school at present. She's had a little trouble with biology in this first year of high school, and she'd like to make sure to be prepared when she takes the Honors Chemistry course at her school in 10th grade. So she's looking for some kind of summer study in chemistry that would give her a bit of a leg up on the material so she can start prepared and use the slight reduction in pressure to improve study skills, etc.</p>
<p>Is there anything that would work for that?</p>
<p>My guess is that a community college class or online class is not the answer -- the fast pace of such a class combined with her lack of knowledge would just lead to frustration! I know, I have a 9th grade homeschooled son and he is not much into science. I would never put him a summer science class.</p>
<p>My suggestion would be for her to do some independent study at the high school level. Ask the teacher at the high school what textbook will be used for chemistry next year. Purchase the textbook (and i would suggest purchasing the teacher edition -- it would give the answers in addition to the questions) and read the textbook over the summer.</p>
<p>Additionally, make up flashcards with all the vocabulary and study them.</p>
<p>finally, there are some excellent homeschool chemistry textbooks that are at an introductory level meant for self-study. one is called "friendly chemistry" <a href="http://www.friendlychemistry.com/introduction.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.friendlychemistry.com/introduction.htm</a> which would be an excellent introduction. another homeschool curriculum is spectrum chemistry -- <a href="http://www.beginningspublishing.com/ChemDesc.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.beginningspublishing.com/ChemDesc.htm</a> which is more advanced, but extremely well written and easy to understand with some study.</p>
<p>I would understand some hesitation in using home school materials, since many people think they are all light-weight and christian oriented, but these texts are solid and un-biased. At worst, you will see a reference or two to "thanking god for these miracles" or some such, but nothing that would change how well these texts would prepare a student for chemistry nor would the student find it offense or distracting. In addition, I believe that both texts offer email assistance if needed.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Ben</p>
<p>you are welcome.</p>
<p>if she wants to get more info on some homeschool self-study materials, this is a great site-- <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/activeboards.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.welltrainedmind.com/activeboards.php</a> tell her to go to the high school board. there are tons of parents on this board that can help you find all kinds of excellent self-study materials and can answer lots of questions about those materials.</p>
<p>My youngest is back in school and my oldest takes community college courses, but we supplement with many of these homeschool materials to help them get an edge on some of the tougher (for them) courses.</p>
<p>As a high school science teacher certified in bio and chem (and physics), I want to point out that biology and chemistry are two very different courses at the high school level. Biology, as taught in most high schools, is about vocabulary; there are more new words in bio than in most first year foreign language courses. </p>
<p>Chemistry, however, is about ratios (the two-to-one ratio of hydrogren to oxygen that is part of the definition of water, for example) and abstract thought, and is introduced at a time when students are making the change from fact-based learning to abstract learning, which makes it especially difficult for many students. </p>
<p>A student who struggled in bio might find chemistry a breeze, if their difficulty with bio was with the vocabulary. OTOH, many students who "love science" find chemistry VERY difficult because their math background is such that concepts like the mole are overwhelming. </p>
<p>If your friend is worried about chemistry, you might be better off helping her with her math skills, especially the fundamentals of algebra and exponents. A lot depends on where her difficulties with bio originate.</p>
<p>I agree with Dmd that the skills needed for bio and chemistry are quite different. My S, who had taken both AP-Calc and AP-Physics beforehand, found chemistry quite easy to master but did not care for biology. The math skills are indeed important, but modern chemistry also seems to incorporate quite a bit of physics, hence the idea of teaching Physics First, pioneered by Nobel prize Leon Lederman. Physics First has been inroduced into several high schools in our area.</p>
<p>" OTOH, many students who "love science" find chemistry VERY difficult because their math background is such that concepts like the mole are overwhelming"</p>
<p>Exactly my problem with chemistry. I just don't get how we're made of atoms.... so tiny.... such huge numbers... <em>mind-boggled</em></p>
<p>a private school near me also has summer courses for that exact purpose, just to give an introduction to the class. I dont know where you live, but that might be an option</p>
<p>I have a question -- any this seems like the audience to ask it.</p>
<p>My son does not "like" science (a bad teacher a few years back kind of ruined it for him -- he always tested well in it and picks it up quickly)</p>
<p>He no longer wants to self-study it, he wants the labs and lectures. public school is not an option, so he is going to take a community college class.</p>
<p>They have an introductory biology course and an introductory physics course )both are meant for students who didn't take or don't remember high school science). He is just completing algebra -- would you recommend the physics first? I tend to want him to do physics first because I enjoyed that course more than the others in high school and it help me understand all sciences.</p>
<p>thanks for your input.</p>
<p>If your son does not think he likes science, the quality of the class and the labs is WAY more important than the actual subject he studies. Enjoying labs goes a long way toward making science a pleasure again. I would suggest going and checking out the classes and seeing which one looks better---esp. since you have the option of choice!</p>
<p>(A few years back, one of my students who had <em>hated</em> chemistry took astronomy to meet her distribution requirement. Her lecturer was stellar (pun intended) and the labs were done in a planetarium. She had a great time and went on to take a few other science courses.)</p>
<p>thanks -- that is a great idea. the local community college has an excellent reputation and small classes. the classes both he and I have taken have been very enjoyable. We will contact a few professors and see how the classes are.</p>
<p>The Teaching Company has a high school chem course currently on sale. Thirty, 30-min lessons. Video tape ($59) or DVD ($79). I haven't used this particular course, but I own many other courses from the Teaching Company. They tend to be great, and if not there is a very liberal return policy. This might be a way to get a general overview before taking a more rigorous course next year. (although I agree with others that problems with biology would not particularly mean a student is going to have problems with chem)</p>
<p>Teaching Company home:
<a href="http://www.teach12.com/teach12.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.teach12.com/teach12.asp</a></p>
<p>Chemistry course:
<a href="http://www.teach12.com/store/course.asp?id=111&d=High+School+Level%26%238212%3BChemistry&pc=Science%20and%20Mathematics%5B/url%5D">http://www.teach12.com/store/course.asp?id=111&d=High+School+Level%26%238212%3BChemistry&pc=Science%20and%20Mathematics</a></p>