Physical Science Homeschool Curriculum

FAQs

• What is Apologia’s Physical Science curriculum?

  Apologia’s Physical Science curriculum is a Christ-centered course designed to introduce students to foundational concepts in physics, chemistry, earth science, and astronomy. It encourages students to explore God’s creation through engaging lessons and hands-on experiments.

• What grade level is Apologia’s Physical Science curriculum recommended for?

  This course is typically recommended for students in grades 8-9. It serves as a bridge between general science and high school-level biology, chemistry, and physics.

• Is Apologia’s Physical Science curriculum faith-based?

  Yes. Apologia’s curriculum is written from a Biblical worldview, encouraging students to see the order and design of God’s creation as they study physical science concepts.

• Does Apologia’s Physical Science course include labs and experiments?

  Absolutely! The curriculum offers numerous hands-on experiments and activities using household items or affordable materials. These labs help students apply scientific concepts and practice the scientific method.

• How long does it take to complete the Physical Science course?

  The curriculum is typically completed over one academic year, with a suggested schedule of four days per week over 34 weeks. The flexible pacing allows families to adjust the timeline to meet their needs.

• What updates have been made to Physical Science 4th Edition?

  Below are the updates for Exploring Creation with Physical Science 4th Edition: 

  Updated and revised content: — Physical Science 4th Edition has the same table of contents as the 3rd edition, but it has been significantly updated and revised, which will assist students in progressing through their physical science studies.

  Advanced Concepts: In each module, students can dive deeper into more challenging content with a new component called Advanced Concepts. These sections allow science-minded students to challenge themselves and expand their learning with additional rich content, study guide questions, and test questions. This new design feature makes the course adaptable to students at a variety of learning levels and interests.

  Connections to Creation: Throughout the textbook, new Creation Connection sections connect science to the Creator.

  Course Guide & Answer Key: The user friendly Course Guide & Answer Key includes answers to the independent review questions, study guide questions, test questions, and notetaking pages. A separate set of perforated Test Pages comes shrink wrapped with the Course Guide & Answer Key.

  New components: 

  • Physical Science 4th Edition Video Lessons and Experiments: The streaming video lessons for Physical Science 4th Edition provide instruction on each module of the textbook. Additionally, the videos include experiments and activities so parents and students can better understand how to complete the experiments and activities at home.
  • Physical Science 4th Edition Self-Paced Course: The Self-Paced Course includes a digital version of Exploring Creation with Physical Science 4th Edition; an audio narration of the textbook; video lessons and hands-on experiments; and automatically graded tests.
  • Physical Science 4th Edition AutoGrade+:  AutoGrade+ provides dynamic online testing for Apologia courses with multiple attempts, immediate answer feedback, and automatic grade recording.

  (The components of the Physical Science 4th Edition course are not compatible with the 3rd edition.)

• Are components of the Physical Science 4th edition course compatible with the 3rd edition?

  No. The components of Physical Science 4th edition are not compatible with the 3rd edition.

• Will there be video lessons for Physical Science, 4th Edition?

  Yes. The streaming Video Lessons and Experiments for Physical Science 4th Edition provide instruction on each module of the textbook. Additionally, the videos include experiments and activities so parents and students can better understand how to complete the experiments and activities at home.

  The Physical Science 4th Edition video lessons will not be available in a thumb drive or DVD format.

• Does Apologia offer instructor support for Physical Science?

  Yes! Apologia provides a Physical Science Live Class led by experienced instructors. These classes offer interactive lessons, personalized feedback, and a collaborative learning environment for students who benefit from structured support.

• How does Apologia’s Physical Science curriculum prepare students for high school science?

  This course builds a strong foundation in scientific concepts like motion, energy, matter, and the laws of physics. It equips students with critical thinking skills and hands-on experience that will prepare them for higher-level science courses like Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

• Does the curriculum include assessments and quizzes?

  Yes. Apologia’s Physical Science course includes study guides and exams to assess student understanding. For standard tests, a solutions manual is available to assist parents with grading. There is also an online auto-graded assessment option called AutoGrade+.

• Can Apologia’s Physical Science curriculum be used in homeschool co-ops or group classes?

  Definitely! The curriculum is well-suited for co-ops and group settings. The hands-on experiments, discussion questions, and collaborative activities make it an excellent choice for interactive learning experiences.

• What are the math prerequisites for Physical Science?

  The math portion of the Physical Science 4th Edition course involves:

  • How to convert measurements/units
  • Simple rearranging of equations: given s=d/t, the student needs to be able to rearrange the equation and solve for distance or time as well as speed.
  • Dividing and multiplying fractions

  These are all things that are covered in most solid 7th grade math curricula, which would be considered one year before pre-algebra or two years before algebra.

  Students who have never done conversions or divided by fractions will struggle the most. Those who have at least some prior knowledge in converting units, rearranging equations to solve for any of the variables, and in dividing and multiplying fractions will be the most successful.

• Is Apologia’s Physical Science curriculum aligned with homeschool state requirements?

  Apologia’s Physical Science curriculum typically meets the science credit requirements for middle or high school students. However, parents should check with their state’s homeschool guidelines to ensure compliance.