Since I do not have high-school age students yet, this post is a guest post from a local friend, Ronda Everson. Thanks Ronda! PS. Apologia will be at HEAV this year!! Check out their sessions and speakers, and their booth in the Exhibit Hall!!

Based on a thorough review of the Apologia Anatomy and Physiology curriculum, I plan to use them next year with my 10th grader.  (These products were a gift free of charge, in exchange for an honest, personal review.)

The materials that are available for this curriculum are a textbook, student notebook which includes the labs, an anatomy coloring book (I did not have access to this for review), tests and solutions, a textbook on mp3 audio disc and DVD instructional guides.  The DVDs can be used on both PC and Mac computers.  Instructions for using the DVDs on both systems are provided.

The textbook is hefty at 576 pages and is divided into 16 modules with a lab assigned for each module.  A materials list/module are provided in the back, which is wonderful for planning purposes.

Overall, I liked the way the text is written and is definitely written at a higher level.  A student would need to have taken strong introductory biology and chemistry courses before delving into this curriculum.

There is a short review of most of the key concepts before the book moves to a deeper level.  However, the review is short, because the authors assume that the student has encountered and understood the review material previously.

The material covered is thorough but written in an easy to understand style.  There are adequate pictures and diagrams supplementing the text.

I love the way the student workbook is laid out.  There is a yearly schedule provided which includes lesson readings, study days, tests, and labs.  The schedule is based upon a five-day/week, 32-week school year, but could easily be adapted as needed.

The student notebook also has pages provided for note taking and even has a section on how to take notes which is a skill that all students need to develop.  In the back of the notebook are the lab experiment instructions and an area for recording their results.  However, they recommend that a student keep a separate lab notebook in the correct form and I would tend to agree with that recommendation.

There are additional sections of the student workbook that are awesome.  The appendix of Latin and Greek word parts are invaluable when learning all the vocabulary that is part of any science discipline.  Case studies are a fun exercise using the information that the student has learned, applying it as a ‘medical detective’ like a real physician.  Suggested solutions to these case studies are also provided.

The lab experiments/activities will require a microscope and some prepared slides.  The final project is a fetal pig dissection.  For those that are not willing to do ‘real’ dissections, as we are, there are life-like models and virtual options, which are just as acceptable.

Overall, I was very pleased with the materials and think that my student will respond well to them.  He is not especially drawn to the biological sciences, but I believe it is a valuable course to take.  It is well written and thorough.

I can see this curriculum being especially valuable for those students who plan on pursuing further education in a medical related field, but it is also excellent for all students who are ready for an upper-level science.  We all should have a thorough understanding of our own bodies to make wise choices in taking care of ourselves.

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Previous posts about HEAV Conventions that you might enjoy:
HEAV’s Used Curriculum Sale
Getting Dad Involved in Your Homeschool
Other Ways Homeschool Dads Can Be Involved
HEAV Convention Wish List Tip!
HEAV From the Dad Perspective
Lessons Learned from Past Conventions
My Biggest about the HEAV Convention!
Getting Ready for HEAV???
Last Minute HEAV Convention Survival Tips

HEAV- Home Educators Association of Virginia – website

“I am excited to be a blogger for HEAV this year. In exchange for sharing my honest opinion about this convention, I was provided with a family registration at no charge.”

“The Apologia links above are affiliate links and I appreciate your support of my site! Please review my affiliate and review policy here.”