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My son is starting high school this year


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I really worried about high school when my oldest was in 8th grade. She is in 11th now and I'm starting to worry about college :) I planned out 4 math, 4 science, 4 social studies, 4 language arts, 2 foreign language, 1 fine arts, 1 speech/communication, 1 health, and various electives. Basically, "4 of the core", 2 foreign langauges and electives. Now, in 11th, I'm adding SAT prep classes. When that is over, we'll add ACT prep. I also want to do a "consumer (real life) math" class when dd is a senior.

 

My 4 social studies look like this:

world geography

world history

US history

gov't/econ

 

4 math:

Algebra 1

Algebra 2

Geometry

Trig with Adv. Algebra

 

4 science:

physical

biology

chemistry

physics

 

4 language arts:

writing each year

grammar each year (mainly review and refresher)

literature

 

2 foreign language:

Spanish 1 and 2

 

electives:

archaeology

logic

bible

fine arts

speech/communication

forinsic science

health

equine science

consumer math

civics

 

We've also done a poetry study, Brit Lit, and American Lit. I'm not sure if that will wrap into LA or be electives.

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Welcome to high school planning! Come on in -- the water's great! ;)

 

This past thread is a GREAT starting place: Homeschooling High School...where to begin? -- lots of specific resources and links.

 

 

The bare bones of what you'll need for *starting* high school:

 

1. Do lots of reading/research, and ask lots of specific questions here. :) The above thread has some great starting info. Also check out the homeschooling high school articles at HSLDA and Donna Young website.

 

And your local library may have one of these helpful books:

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens (Debra Bell)

Homeschooling the Teen Years (Cafi Cohen)

Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School (Rebecca Rupp)

 

2. Make a high school plan -- a sort-of "mission statement or overall checklist or guide to the 4 years of high school. This thread has a more detailed "how to" of making a high school plan and then how to select specific curriculum: High school curriculum, how do I start?

 

3. Determine a method for record keeping/making transcripts. Check out some of the past threads linked in the first thread above. Also look at Lee Binz' The Home Scholar website, with free articles and video tutorials on record keeping for high school. She also has a book, Setting the Record Straight.

 

4. Talk with some local homeschoolers who have students in high school or who have graduated homeschool students from high school -- they can let you know about all the options available to homeschool high school students in your area; they can let you look at various programs so you can see what's a good fit for *your* student; you might be able to do a "mini-co-op" for science labs together; your students get to know other high schoolers; you can swap/buy used curriculum from them; and they can be great mentors or a support system for YOU! :)

 

 

One last thing you might want to check out between now and the start of your high school journey -- sometimes, due to a variety of reasons, switching to a "brick and mortar" school during high school becomes the best option. However, some schools or some school districts, don't allow any transfers partway through -- so homeschooling in those areas is an "all or nothing" decision for 4 years. It's just a piece of information that should be "on the table" for the decisions you and your family will make as you move into the high school years.

 

 

Again, welcome to high school planning! Wishing you and your family a wonderful homeschool high school journey! Warmest regards, Lori D.

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Thanks for all the great resources! I am feeling so overwhelmed!

 

 

It is easy to feel overwhelmed starting high school. But please don't. Take it step by step. Layout a guide/plan and start to fill in the blanks. HSLDA has some resources on their high school section about planning.

 

Fill out what you know already. You know you need Algebra 1, 2 and Geometry. Chose what curriculum you want to use for those and fill in that "box".

 

Look at science. Most colleges want biology and chemistry. So, chose what biology you want and check that box. Do the same with chemistry and place it either along with algebra 2 or the year after algebra 2. Talk with your dc about what other sciences he wants to take. Then you can probably lay out at least a tentative plan for those.

 

History...... US and World? Okay, put those in a box. Most colleges want government and econ. I'd put those in 12th grade. So, now you have 3 years of history layed out. Start chosing curriculum. Do you want literature approach or spine? See what best fits your ds's learning style.

 

Language arts? Literature? Writing? Again, what fits your goals. If history is lit based, then maybe that takes care of your literature needs. If there is a bunch of writing in history, maybe that is covered as well.

 

Foreign language? What does ds want to study? Are you going to do that at home or outsource? Either way, you can begin to get a plan.

 

Remember this is a plan. It can be changed. It can be adjusted to meet the needs of a maturing high schooler. IF you state has requirements, then get those put in place first because they are known quantitites. Then start with the easiest thing to plan and work from there. One step at a time......... Breathe, relax, and eat chocolcate :)

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I agree with Holly's suggestions, but I want to add, don't worry if every box isn't filled in. In some boxes I have a course name, but no curriculum selected, in others, I might have a subject area, but not even a course name yet. It is ok to have a general plan for 4 years and a specific plan for just 9th grade and then fill in as you go. Like she said, It is just a plan. It can change.

 

Deep breath. You can do this!

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I agree with Holly's suggestions, but I want to add, don't worry if every box isn't filled in. In some boxes I have a course name, but no curriculum selected, in others, I might have a subject area, but not even a course name yet. It is ok to have a general plan for 4 years and a specific plan for just 9th grade and then fill in as you go. Like she said, It is just a plan. It can change.

 

Deep breath. You can do this!

 

 

Totally agree! I've had gov't/econ penciled for 12th grade since summer before 9th grade, but didn't start to look at curriculum/books/spines until this year.

 

My youngest is in 8th grade now and starting to earn high school credits. Her plan looks very different from older sister's plan. Take history of example. General plans for dc looked something like this:

9th - history of some sort

10th- world

11th- US

12- gov't/econ

 

Youngest now looks like this:

9th - Ancient History

10th- World History

11th - US History

12th - gov't/econ

 

Oldest:

9th - civics and geography

10th - World History

11th- US and gov't

12th - econ/world government

 

My oldest asked to include US gov't with US History and include a study on elections and the constitution. Sounded great to me as her 11th grade year happened to be an election year! We included world gov't with World Geography. And, we'll touch on that more when we study econ. Oldest did not particularly like ancient history. She wanted a broad, not deep study. Youngest enjoys ancient history and wants more depth.

 

So, get a plan in place. Think of it as an outline to a story or research paper. Once the plan is there, start penciling in the details. Youngest dd's 9th grade history plan has so far gone in 3 steps: 1. History??, 2. Ancient History, 3. BJU? BF? Notgrass? 4. will be when I purchase the spine. Oldest dd's 9th grade plan went a little different. Both worked. By the way, youngest dd will also get a World Cultural Geography credit, but it will be an elective credit.

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

Totally agree! I've had gov't/econ penciled for 12th grade since summer before 9th grade, but didn't start to look at curriculum/books/spines until this year.

 

 

 

Making your whole plan in pencil is a super idea, as it allows you to erase and change as you go! (At least, that's what I did! :tonguesmilie:)

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