I can hardly believe it, but we are in the final few weeks of my son Jackson’s 10th grade homeschool year. We were incredibly blessed to be able to partner with Bridgeway Academy this year, and Jackson took his high school biology course–Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Biology (FYC Biology Course w/Lab)–online with them. I couldn’t be happier with Jackson’s experiences, and I’d love to share our final thoughts with you as the semester winds down!
Bridgeway Academy
Are you familiar with Bridgeway Academy? The company provides accredited homeschool options that can fit any family’s lifestyle. From customized textbook and online options to live online and blended learning, Bridgeway helps families find exactly what they need for a successful homeschooling year. Live courses, which are attended online by students in first grade all the way through 12th grade, provide fascinating academic experiences for families. In fact, thousands of students have participated in Bridgeway Academy Learning Lab classes from 1989 to the present day. And parents will be interested to know that 92% of Bridgeway Academy enrolled students proceed to their first choice college!
High School Biology & Lab with Apologia
Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Biology is the course I had always hoped and intended to use with my son for his high school biology credits. The textbook is both rigorous and intellectually challenging, and covers biology in an interesting way. Chapters cover the following topics:
- the definitions of life and biology plus classification, taxonomy, and biological keys
- Kingdoms Monera, Protista, and Fungi
- the chemistry of life
- the cell, cellular reproduction, and DNA
- Mendel and Genetics
- Evolution
- Ecology
- Kingdom Animalia (invertebrates, arthropoda, chordata)
- Kingdom Plantae
- Reptiles, birds, and mammals
Each chapter also includes two challenging review sections (for test preparation), experiments, and question-and-answer portions in addition to text, vivid photos and diagrams. This is the textbook that is utilized by Bridgeway Academy in the FYC Biology Course w/Lab, along with the company’s Biology Lab Kit. The lab kit provides everything from a stainless steel dissection kit, lab supplies, and 7 lab specimens (earthworm, grasshopper, perch, crayfish, frog, cow eye, and fetal pig) for the dissections that are covered in the course. When the student completes this course (with a D average or above) he’ll have accumulated 1.5 academic credits for both the biology course and lab.
High School Biology with Bridgeway Academy
So, what does Bridgeway Academy bring to the table when they’re offering an online course with the already-excellent Apologia Exploring Creation with Biology? What would you think if I answered, “More than I could have imagined!”
First of all, they provide an exceptional online classroom experience. Bridgeway Academy utilizes Moodle for its online classrooms. Collaborate within Moodle allows students to attend classes alongside their peers who are taking the same class. The teacher teaches the class via video and students can interact with him/her and with each other using their own computers’ cameras or text chat. Moodle also provides a way for teachers to administer tests and daily or weekly assignments. Students upload their assignments and projects to Moodle, where teachers grade them and a record of work is kept. Technologically, Moodle made it very easy for Jackson to interact with his class, stay up-to-date on his assignments, and keep track of his work. There were a few times where Moodle had glitches but they were few and far between. And if you are taking an online class, that’s exactly what you need and want!
Secondly, Bridgeway Academy hires interesting instructors who bring years of education and training to the classroom. Jackson’s biology teacher, Mrs. Carla Berg, is an experienced and accredited scientist and educator. In every single class, Mrs. Berg brought impeccable scientific training to make her classes interesting and exciting to the students. But just as important, she brought excellent classroom management abilities to bear as she guided students through their own interactions with the class. I’m sure that she is also well-aware that students have different learning styles, because I saw her utilize classroom activities for visual learners, auditory learners, and kinesthetic learners in every class. She also varied classroom activities every week, which helped her students stay engaged and learning all semester long.
Third, Bridgeway Academy provided a learning experience with this high school biology class that truly exceeded the best that I could have done myself. I am interested in science. But I freely admit to you that I am not a trained scientist, nor is high school biology my forte. And honestly, the very thought of dissections…well, those also are not my forte! But with Bridgeway Academy, I didn’t have to excel at any of those things. Instead, Jackson was able to take a top-notch, academically rigorous, well-done biology class taught by an experienced teacher whose love for science poured out in each class.
What I’d like for you to know about our experiences
There are so many positive outcomes that both Jackson and I have experienced during our high school biology year with Bridgeway Academy. (More than I could actually fit into a blog post!) But there are things I’d love to share about them here. (And I’ll try my best to keep the list from becoming too lengthy!)
- He has received an exceptional education in high school biology that has prepared him well for college science coursework
- He was challenged to produce his best work continuously throughout the year, whether it was on tests and projects, in-class participation, or daily reading and Q&As
- He had the benefit of a well-educated and interesting instructor who was committed to her students’ success
- Bridgeway Academy’s Moodle provided excellent record-keeping for each student (including a portfolio download option)
Finally…
Does that sound amazing to you as a homeschool mom or as a student? I just cannot speak highly enough about Bridgeway Academy and their incredible classes. If you’d like to discover more about Bridgeway Academy, visit Bridgeway Academy Learning Labs and check out their extensive list of awesome online courses. Whether your student is in the elementary, middle school, or high school grades, you’ll find some incredible options.
And just so you know, Bridgeway Academy would like to provide a coupon for you to use when you sign your child up for a class! Just use coupon code WREN18 when you visit the Bridgeway Academy site to receive 10% off any Learning Lab purchase. (Coupon expires June 1, 2018.)
Enjoy–and think of Bridgeway Academy when you’re considering your child’s next homeschool courses! –Wren
Bridgeway Academy on social media:
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/HomeschoolingHelp
Twitter- https://twitter.com/bridgewayvoice/
Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/bridgewayacademy/
YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/bwacademy
Blog- http://www.homeschoolacademy.com/blog/
DISCLAIMER: From time to time, FINCHNWREN may receive a free product or service in exchange for our honest opinions expressed in our blog. We are not required to write a positive or glowing review, nor are we additionally compensated for these reviews. We share our own opinions, and our family’s opinion, of these products. We’re disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.
finchnwren 