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(hold my hand) help with 9th grade plan?


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This is our first year home schooling high school, and I'm a tad nervous. Also, we are trying to do this on a shoestring budget, so while I think there may be some "better" options, these are the best I've come up with within our budget. Does this sound "normal"?

 

Math: Geometry

 

History: Omnibus II (Self-Paced)

 

English: combo of R&S Grammar 8 (finishing; we're about 1/3 of the way done), speech class, literary discussion book club (1x/month), and some sort of writing (still working on this, but considering Lively Art of Writing & possibly a live "writing club" or peer-editing 1x/month type thing)

 

Science: no idea! This is where I need help - I have a wonderful local live-class option for biology, chemistry, physics in 10th / 11th / 12th, but no idea what to do THIS year. Goals for this year's science would be to (A) firm up rock-solid scientific method & writing complete lab reports, (B) exploring interest. Considering human anatomy & physiology? (Do they need biology first?)

 

Foreign language: Should we be starting this year? (They are going into 9th, but we may take an extra year as they are "ahead" based on birthdate.)

 

Other things on the radar (they are interested in EVERYTHING, and I want them to be careful not to burn out! Is that a thing? I don't want to hold them back, either): chorus (1x/week), church youth group, weekly co-op (which might consist of gym, art history, Red Cross club, stuff like that ---> highly prized for social value, though I'm not sure of academic usefulness), music lessons, Congressional Award (volunteer hours), karate, and "down time."

 

I hate to steer them away from their "extra things," but it does seem like they are so busy.

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Maybe astronomy this year? Conceptual physics or chem? (Assuming your future plans for physics and chem are alg based so you're not duplicating them)

 

 

Overall it looks good. I'd also start the language now. My rising 9th grader will be my third pass homeschooling ninth grade. He's going to be doing Literary Lessons from The Lord of the Rings, Lost Tools of Writing, history of aviation, science of aviation, astronomy, geometry, and continue his Spanish studies from this year.

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Why not do biology in 9th?  It's kind of nice to get the "must haves" done earlier.

 

If they already have 4 years of Latin, why not do Latin in 9th and get that on their transcript? "Latin 4" might be sufficient for some college admission requirements, and it seems like it would carry more weight than "Spanish 1."  Do they need a modern language for admission to a specific college or to a service academy?

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For planning for high school, I find it helpful to have a "big picture roadmap" to know what needs to be accomplished overall credit-wise in order to be "college prep" (completed the credits typically required for admission to a majority of colleges):

 

4 credits = English(usually about 1/2 Literature, 1/2 Writing, but there are also alternatives)

4 credits = Math (Alg. 1, Geometry, Alg. 2; and often a 4th math that requires Alg. 2 as a pre-requisite)

3-4 credits = Science, with labs (some colleges want Biology and/or Chemistry)

3-4 credits = Social Studies (most colleges want 1 credit as American History)

2-4 credits = Foreign Language (same language)

1 credit = Fine Arts (doing/making of a fine art and/or appreciation of a fine art)

4-8+ credits = Electives (examples: Logic, Computer, PE, Health, Vocational-Tech, Bible, personal interest/passion areas, "Academic Electives" = additional credits beyond the required ones in the first 5 subjects above; additional Fine Arts credits; etc.)

22-28+ credits = total
 
For planning purposes, a credit is roughly 1 hour/day, 4-5 days/week, for 36 weeks of a school year, so a typical college prep load is usually 5.5 credits to 7 or even 8 credits per year of high school, which comes out to roughly 5.5 hours to 7 or 8 hours of work a day.
 
If your student is already mostly working at high school level, and is average to strong in reading, writing, and math, then your student can likely handle 6.5 to 7 credits as a 9th grader. If your student is still working to get solid is core subjects, or is easily overwhelmed by too much school, then start gently with 5.5 credits.
 
re: extracurriculars
Also bear in mind scheduling time for extracurriculars. Some things might be able to be shifted so that they are done just in the summer -- your Congressional Award hours, for example. Some things might have limited seasons -- like a sport that is only in the spring, which means a different activity could be rotated in for just the fall.
 
Right now it looks like you have the following:
- chorus
- music lessons
- karate
- co-op
- church youth group
- Congressional Award volunteering 
 
Personally that would kill me and my DSs to have that kind of extracurricular load ;) , but many people thrive with lots of activities, and indeed *need* lots of activities. I would sit down with a calendar schedule and block out the time each of these takes -- be sure to include travel to/from, and any at-home practice times. What are you left with for each day for doing school? High school subjects really tend to do best with concentrated blocks of time, but that doesn't mean the entire 6 hours/day has to happen all in one sitting -- you can do several 2-3 hour evening blocks, or a half-day on Saturdays, or do 1 credit each year as summer school.
 
Also, some things can be counted towards a credit -- karate or co-op gym class towards a PE credit; chorus, music lessons and co-op art history class towards a Fine Arts credit...
 
re: English credit
Unless your student is remedial in Grammar, I'd just stop at the end of 8th grade. R&S is quite rigorous for one thing. And more importantly, most students are done with formal Grammar instruction by 8th grade, and Grammar is actually put into use via the Writing portion of the English credit and in learning a Foreign Language. I don't know how rigorous the speech class is, or what kind of pace you need/want to set for doing a writing program, but I assumed a gentle pace and a co-op enrichment level speech class and combined for 0.5 credit below -- they may be much more rigorous, and together worth 1.0 credit. Also, I think your Lit. for the English credit will be covered via Omnibus, which leads me to...
 
re: Omnibus
I was under the impression that Omnibus is a full credit each for History, English: Literature, and Theology. Are you not doing the full program? If you ARE doing all of Omnibus, then it looks like you have to me:
 
9th grade credits
0.5-1.0 credit = English: Literature (Omnibus II)
0.5 credit = English (speech class & Lively Art of Writing)
1.0 credit = Math: Geometry
1.0 credit = Social Studies: History (Omnibus II)
1.0 credit = Science
1.0 credit = Foreign Language
1.0 credit = Fine Arts (chorus, music lessons, co-op art history)
1.0 credit = Elective: Theology (Omnibus II)
0.5 credit = Elective: PE (karate, co-op gym)
7.5-8.0 credits = total

 

9th grade extracurriculars

- monthly book club
- monthly writing club
- weekly church youth group
- weekly Congressional Award volunteering
 
If you're already doing Omnibus I, Algebra I, and all the extracurriculars this year, then what you'd be doing that is MORE next year would be stepping up into a high school level science, and adding a foreign language. How does that "feel" for your family? Overload? Manageable? JMO, without knowing your DD or what other commitments your family has, but that seems like a pretty stout load for a 9th grader. And all the travel for extracurriculars (even those that can count towards credits) can really eat up your schedule and your mental energy for doing academics.
 
re: foreign language
One option is to hold off on Foreign Language until 11th/12th grade and do it as dual enrollment -- that gives you simultaneous high school credit at the rate of 1 semester = 1 YEAR (1 credit) of high school foreign language, PLUS it will transfer to count as the required foreign language general ed. requirement for a college degree. Four years of Latin will provide familiarity with how Romance languages (Spanish, French, Italian...) are structured and for verb conjugation and vocabulary similarities so taking those languages will be fairly simple.
 
While I agree with regentrude that it would be great to be fluent in more than 1 language, the U.S. does not put a high priority on learning other languages, and unless your DD has a high interest or is planning a career where a foreign language would be a big benefit, then taking 4 years in high school may not have to be a priority. Immersion through living in a foreign country after several semesters of college foreign language when in your late teens or early 20s can work fine as a different option to 4 years in high school learning a foreign language.
 
re: options for reducing the load
If you dropped the Foreign Language for 9th, then you'd be looking at 6.5 to 7.0 credits total. And if you did the Congressional Award hours intensively over the summer, and alternated semesters with the monthly book and writing clubs -- one in the fall and one in the spring -- that would help reduce the crunch on so MANY extracurriculars while juggling the high school academics.
 
Another option would be to not do all of Omnibus -- drop the Theology component, while keeping the Foreign Language, which would be a different way of reducing your load to a total of 6.5 to 7.0 credits.

 

 

Gotta run, but that should give you a start in thinking through your plans. :) BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

Edited by Lori D.
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1.  Keep the extra things.  They have some really great ones going there.  As you move into the year, they'll start to realize if it's too much and then you can sit down together and figure out where to cut back.  Do not underestimate the value of seeing some peers now and then :)  You'd be surprised how kids are able to choose when you sit them down and say, "Ok, one thing has to go." ...they suddenly seem very clear on what is their favorite thing and what's not :)

 

2. Lively Art of Writing is so great...but it doesn't teach itself.  You'd still need to come up with essay prompts, and a rubric, and grade the papers.  I feel like your English plan would be good for a younger grade, but it's too all-over-the-place for high school.  It would probably be better just to choose a really good Writing program and stick with it.  I agree with Lori that formal grammar is moot beyond 8th grade.  It's time for Just focusing on Essay and Research writing, which you could do, if you just picked topics from Omnibus.  Maybe Veritas has some ideas for that?

 

3.  Science- I don't really have any budget ideas for Science...are your kids STEM oriented?  If they are, then they can take Biology in 10th and plan on an AP Science in 12th.  If not, Physical Science is good for this year, and Apologia is pretty easy to follow and should work out for you.  Most colleges really require Lab Science, and you'd need to check with your target U on how many years of Lab Science you need.  If it's three years plan on doing labs in 9th and keeping thier lab notebooks, in case they can't make it through Physics later.  

 

EDITED: I LOVE the idea of the DIVE course.  It's basically another name for Physical Science.  We appreciate DIVE materials and that may be a very cost effective solution especially if you can get the textbook used!

 

4.  Yes, they need foreign language in 9th...most colleges require two years and selective majors at selective U's encourage four. ....Living Language Spanish is supposed to be pretty good, I have seen it in person and it's not bad.  It includes all you need and is very budget friendly.   :)  They have other languages. If you are on a shoestring budget, pick Spanish because you will find more people can help you and you will find tutors more easily and programs and co-ops around every corner for Spanish :)  Lori is correct about putting it off, but then again you never know what the future holds and I myself would be very nervous about putting off completely something that could be done now.  (especially when it's necessary for graduation and not an elective)  

 

 

Edited by Calming Tea
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Aside from learning the language to a higher level, I think having four years of the same language leaves more doors open if you think there is a chance your student will aim for a more selective university. It may also help with testing out of FL requirements of the university. And if it turns out that they detest their FL study and don't need it for a less selective school, they could drop it their senior year in favor of an elective in an area of interest.

 

Are you doing both Primary and Secondary Omnibus? I know the VP online classes are fairly rigorous, but I don't know about the time requirements of the self-paced. Can you pick and choose what books you want to do if you want to focus more on writing instruction for a time? I always thought it was strange how you get three credits for both Primary and Secondary, but if you do one or the other, you get one credit in literature, but not history.

 

I think it is better to take biology before a full-credit anatomy and physiology course. OTOH, you will learn a lot of biology through doing the anatomy. I don't know if it looks odd to do that, though. I don't think I would do physical science in ninth, as I think of that a middle school course. Maybe do something like Derek Owens physics, or another physics, first, since it looks like your student has had algebra 1 already, and then do your local biology and chemistry, and take a higher level science or an elective in twelfth.

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but then again you never know what the future holds and I myself would be very nervous about putting off completely something that could be done now.  (especially when it's necessary for graduation and not an elective)  

 

:iagree:    I wouldn't put off things that have to be done at some point unless there's a good reason. My juniors have a much better idea of where they want to put their time now than they did going into 9th grade. I'm glad they have most core requirements out of the way so that they have the flexibility in 11th & 12th grades to do what they've found they most enjoy doing. If they still had FL and science requirements to fill in, they'd be much more constrained.

 

Biology is not at all difficult to do in 9th grade, especially if the student has already completed Algebra I. If you start your bio-chem-physics sequence in 9th, and your student finds that he really likes one of them, he can do the AP level of that one in 12th. If you don't start the sequence until 10th, he may not have that opportunity.  Or, if he doesn't find he likes any of those enough to do further study, he would have the opportunity to do something he thinks might be interesting in 12th. Maybe that would be anatomy & physiology, but he might be more interested in marine biology or some other branch of science by 12th. 

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Aaahhh, thank you, all, for being gentle with me.

 

More info: it's twins we're talking about, 2 students. They did Omnibus Primary III self-paced this year (out of sequence, but it fit our family), and we read some of the Secondary books & discussed them together; that worked pretty well, so I figured we'd do the same thing next year. The difficulty level is a good fit for them. In a former life, I taught high school English for a large private school, so I am comfortable discussing the literature with them (we sort of follow a Center for Lit approach, and sometimes invite other kids to join us for those Secondary books . . . AKA "Book Club"). My goal with the English is to include a variety but also consistency for them (AKA the peer writing 1x / month, etc.). We may reconsider that; thanks for the good ideas here. Finding a good writing program is also on my list; they did do WWE when they were younger, and we just finished our 1st (sort-of rough) year through IEW. Maybe I should keep them with IEW again? Why do I feel so vague and uncertain about teaching writing? I have a master's degree in English education! But then I think my girls are behind in writing, so . . . I should focus on that . . . and then I wonder if they really are behind . . . and the adequacy standard feels vague. They do not care for writing, so that's a piece of the puzzle, too. Also, we have a physically disabled younger sibling whose hospital stays sometimes throw our schedule off, so I am protecting the self-pacing as long as possible (realizing that as we outsource more, that pacing will diminish).

 

Thanks for the DIVE science idea - I'll look into that! They both did physical science and general science from Apologia for 7th and 8th (one did labs, and the other did not).

 

Regarding foreign language, DH strongly prefers that they switch from Latin to a modern language; I don't disagree, but will miss the Latin (one child may pick it up as an elective later on). We live where we have access to native speakers of many different languages, so DH has asked them to choose a language where they can regularly practice it with people we know (one DD wants French, and the other wants German; both of those fit DH's request). I'll look into those, too. One DD has "played" with German through Duolingo (quite a bit) and Rosetta Stone (maybe 20% of it done), but not seriously enough to count as an "actual" subject.

 

Okay, I will keep researching and planning and thinking . . . Lori, I just love you; you have been such a help to me in the past, and I really appreciate all the time you take to help people like me. I remember your advice about not teaching other kids if I don't truly need the $, and just enjoying these years with my own, and that is a high goal for this year for me personally, even higher than "academic rigor," if we have to choose. Our family has been through some rough things this last year that have really focused my heart and mind on Important Things, and I am trying to keep that in mind as I roughly plan a 4-year approach, and more tightly plan 9th grade. My girls are not geniuses, but they are bright; I don't want to sell them short, but I do worry about letting them over-schedule themselves.

 

 

 

Revised plan:

 

English: 1 credit (still researching, aiming for writing + literature, feeling okay about this one, just need to research options)

 

History: 1 credit (Omnibus Primary II)

 

Math: 1 credit (geometry)

 

Foreign Language: 1 credit (will research German & French)

 

Science: 1 credit - researching DIVE & biology . . . there's a local "science lady" that my kids *ADORE* who does live classes in her home, with labs; they cannot join her next year because she's doing physics, and they don't have the math, but they CAN join the following year and do biology, chemistry, physics with her.

 

Electives: Going to try to overlap these as much as I can to reduce hours, and let the girls schedule it themselves (I'll meet with them and keep track so they don't wander off the rails). Karate can count as PE? Red Cross Club can count as Congressional Award? Chorus and music lessons can count as music elective, especially if I pair it with music appreciation audio course in the car? They do thrive on busy-ness . . . I just don't want to kill them. They are also young enough that this *MIGHT* actually be 8th grade, when it's all said and done . . . we've discussed the pros and cons of this plan, and both they and I like the idea of proceeding as if it's 9th, and keeping that "extra year" as an ace in our back pocket, so to speak.

 

If they do reduced-load karate (2-3 hours / week total), spread over 2 years, can I add that all up and count it as PE? I'm confused about PE . . . do I just add up hours? At what point do I hit a credit? (I think 120 - 180 is a credit for academic courses, right? Is it the same?) They want to take tennis lessons as physical fitness for Congressional Award . . . that can also count as PE? And running club (1x / week for 8 weeks in the summer)?

 

Gah. Both of their personalities fit a "jack-of-all-trades-and-master-of-none" approach . . . they don't seem to have one singular passion, but then - they are so young.

 

Another resource to us is our state's online charter, similar to FLVS; they're self-paced, teacher-guided courses, and we do have the option to enroll part-time. The girls are taking 1 course from them right now, and it has been a good experience.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Lucy the Valiant
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I wouldn't put off things that have to be done at some point unless there's a good reason. My juniors have a much better idea of where they want to put their time now than they did going into 9th grade. I'm glad they have most core requirements out of the way so that they have the flexibility in 11th & 12th grades to do what they've found they most enjoy doing. 

 

:iagree:   

 

For science I would recommend Earth Science or Introductory Physics. Novare is an option that offers both as well as a student lab report manual that can be used with any program (I think?). If they do a basic physics now that would free up 12th grade for anatomy or something else if higher physics wouldn't serve their career goals.

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On 4/17/2017 at 10:38 AM, Lucy the Valiant said:

Aaahhh, thank you, all, for being gentle with me...
...Thanks for the DIVE science idea - I'll look into that!


Agree! These ladies *rock* with all their great specific curriculum and credit suggestions!  :hurray:
 

On 4/17/2017 at 10:38 AM, Lucy the Valiant said:

...They did Omnibus Primary III self-paced this year (out of sequence, but it fit our family), and we read some of the Secondary books & discussed them together...

...I taught high school English for a large private school, so I am comfortable discussing the literature with them (we sort of follow a Center for Lit approach, and sometimes invite other kids to join us for those Secondary books . . . AKA "Book Club"). My goal with the English is to include a variety but also consistency for them (AKA the peer writing 1x / month, etc.)...

... Finding a good writing program is also on my list; they did do WWE when they were younger, and we just finished our 1st (sort-of rough) year through IEW. Maybe I should keep them with IEW again? ...

... foreign language, DH strongly prefers that they switch from Latin to a modern language; I don't disagree, but will miss the Latin...

...one DD wants French, and the other wants German... One DD has "played" with German through Duolingo (quite a bit) and Rosetta Stone (maybe 20% of it done), but not seriously enough to count as an "actual" subject.

Revised plan:

English: 1 credit (still researching, aiming for writing + literature, feeling okay about this one, just need to research options)
History: 1 credit (Omnibus Primary II)
Math: 1 credit (geometry)
Science: researching DIVE & biology . . . there's a local "science lady" that my kids *ADORE* who does live classes in her home, with labs; they cannot join her next year because she's doing physics, and they don't have the math, but they CAN join the following year and do biology, chemistry, physics with her.


Sounds like a good plan!

re: English credit
Ah, you absolutely have got this. ? Sounds like you have a good handle on what you need, and you can adapt Omnibus, and combine with book club/writing club options, or a writing program, or whatever, and create your own. You might look at Windows to the World (1 semester English credit -- Lit. and Writing -- which has one of the most specific/practical instructions on how to write a literary analysis that I've seen. The Elegant Essay (by the same author as WttW) is another specific program for writing the essay. The Power in Your Hands (Sharon Watson) is the high school level writing program by the same author of the middle school Jump In. Informal tone, written to the student, a big, meaty book that covers a WIDE variety of types of writing -- easy to do as open and go -- or pick up and set down, if real life circumstances intrude. If you have strong writers, then Power in Your Hands may be a lot of repeat for them... Just some ideas of things to look at, since you asked about writing programs. ?

re: Foreign Language
I will just note that Rosetta Stone is not really a stand-alone program -- you will need to get something for the writing/grammar support of the language. And finding a way for conversation practice. Or, use RS as a supplement to Duolingo, in the way your one student is already doing. (And, BTW, you can track those hours from this year and add to what is done next year and accumulate 1.0 credit; it is okay to take more than one year to accrue a credit.)

Also, you might consider having one or both DDs do one last year of Latin next year and then take the AP Latin test in May 2018 (I think it would be next to impossible to find a test location at this late date to let your DDs in to take it this year -- and they would not have had time to practice/prep and study the AP materials). That would add validity to bringing up a credit or two of Latin from middle school to count on the high school transcript, AND students who score high enough on the exam can earn college credit for the AP score (depending on the individual college's AP policies). It seems a shame to drop 4 years of Latin study right before being able to count some of it for credit... That would give your student 2 credits of Latin (this year and next year), plus 3 credits of a modern language (from 10th, 11th, 12th grades) -- and possibly more credits of foreign language, if your student does some dual enrollment (see my post above). Just a thought! ?
 

On 4/17/2017 at 10:38 AM, Lucy the Valiant said:

...Electives: Going to try to overlap these as much as I can to reduce hours, and let the girls schedule it themselves (I'll meet with them and keep track so they don't wander off the rails). Karate can count as PE? Red Cross Club can count as Congressional Award? Chorus and music lessons can count as music elective, especially if I pair it with music appreciation audio course in the car? They do thrive on busy-ness . . . I just don't want to kill them. 


You will want a nice extracurricular list to go along with the transcript to show leadership, personal interests, etc., and some activities "shine brighter" as extracurriculars, rather than hidden as part of a credit. Others will work well to as part of a credit to help you consolidate your time and running around from place to place. Really, you will probably just have to go into your year with your eyes wide open and have checkmarked a few things -- academically and extracurricularly -- in advance that you know you can work to reduce or drop if needed if you find your family is getting overwhelmed.

That said, here's what I would suggest, without knowing your situation in depth:

Karate
I'd count some hours towards PE (along with other physical activities), and some towards extracurricular. 

Red Cross Club
A very impressive extracurricular. Might be best to let that stand alone to "shine bright", if possibly. Also, you'd need to check with Congressional Award's rules about what counts as volunteer hours.

Chorus/Music Lessons
Yes, combining the chorus, music lessons, and music appreciation course would be a great credit. Personally, I'd start off counting it as a Fine Arts: Music credit, rather than an Elective.

Co-op
Enjoy that social time. It really IS important in the teen years. And if some of the offerings just end up being for fun, great. Others may count towards a credit, or towards an extracurricular, great. Not everything has to "officially count", so don't stress about it, and know that you're nurturing an important part of your student's emotional/social needs with the co-op. So as long as it is meeting needs, and not actively preventing you from completing credits, then I'd stick with it.

Credits
Remember -- some credits can be done as summer school, or accrued over more than one year, or in using a variety of resources -- so some hours accrued through a co-op offering of Art History means you can cut some units or chapters from a textbook or other "spine" resource. By roughly tracking overall hours and materials used, you'll have an idea of how much an activity that you want to use towards a credit is contributing.
 

On 4/17/2017 at 10:38 AM, Lucy the Valiant said:

... They are also young enough that this *MIGHT* actually be 8th grade, when it's all said and done . . . we've discussed the pros and cons of this plan, and both they and I like the idea of proceeding as if it's 9th, and keeping that "extra year" as an ace in our back pocket, so to speak.


First, students change and grow a LOT between ages 12-17, so your DDs may be absolutely great for graduating high school at a younger age and moving on to college. 

While there can be benefits of "redshirting" and gaining maturity and stabilizing academically, if your DDs are doing mostly high school level work this year (Algebra 1, Omnibus, Latin), and will be doing all high school level work next year (Geometry, Omnibus, Science, For. Lang.), then there's really no reason to do an "extra year" academically. It could actually make things a bit harder for you, since the expectation is that the student will keep moving to the next higher level of things, which can be tricky with Math, Science, and Foreign Language esp. since those have clear advancing levels of work. For example, if you end up completing Alg. 1 and Geometry in middle school, you'll still need 4 credits of higher maths in the 4 years of high school -- and, if your student is NOT headed for a STEM field, and really does NOT want to go beyond Pre-Calculus, then it gets tricky to figure out how to fill out an addition 1-2 higher math credits. There are work-arounds (like, insert a year of Accounting or other "side-stepping" Math topic, or take Statistics rather than Calculus), but it's something to think about in advance so you don't get caught off guard in 11th or 12th grade.

Instead of an extra year of high school (mostly needed for students who need to catch up academically), I'll throw a new suggestion out on the table for you -- perhaps consider the possibility of planning on a gap year between high school graduation and college to allow for extra maturing. Go ahead and apply to colleges, get accepted and be offered scholarships, and then ask for a deferment for a gap year -- to travel, do volunteer/mission work, to work. Pretty much anything EXCEPT take ANY college classes (even ONE college class taken after high school graduation knocks the student from freshman status -- and eligible for the most amount of scholarships -- into transfer student status -- with not nearly so many options, financial and otherwise, as incoming freshman).
 

On 4/17/2017 at 10:38 AM, Lucy the Valiant said:

...Also, we have a physically disabled younger sibling whose hospital stays sometimes throw our schedule off...

Lori, I just love you; you have been such a help to me in the past, and I really appreciate all the time you take to help people like me. I remember your advice about not teaching other kids if I don't truly need the $, and just enjoying these years with my own, and that is a high goal for this year for me personally, even higher than "academic rigor," if we have to choose. Our family has been through some rough things this last year that have really focused my heart and mind on Important Things, and I am trying to keep that in mind as I roughly plan a 4-year approach, and more tightly plan 9th grade. My girls are not geniuses, but they are bright; I don't want to sell them short, but I do worry about letting them over-schedule themselves.


:grouphug: Lucy the Valiant and family  :grouphug:  So sorry about the stress of chronic health issues with the younger child. I do encourage you to keep with this vision if it speaks to your heart and helps you focus on Important Things. These years ARE fleetingly fast, and we only have such a tiny window once we hit high school to build relationship with our children as they are growing into the independent young adults they will become.

You will be fine academically -- your DDs are bright and working at a high level already. Write your 4-year high school plan in pencil, and hold lightly to it, so you can flex and change as new opportunities arise. It's going to be a great time and an exciting 4 years for your whole family.

Enjoy your high school journey! ? Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited by Lori D.
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English: combo of R&S Grammar 8 (finishing; we're about 1/3 of the way done), speech class, literary discussion book club (1x/month), and some sort of writing (still working on this, but considering Lively Art of Writing & possibly a live "writing club" or peer-editing 1x/month type thing)

 

 

There is a boatload of writing in "Preparing for Usefulness." And there's even more in the 9th and 10th grade books. If you require him to do everything in writing, even the grammar exercises, there really will be plenty of writing, such that you don't need to add anything.

 

Also, the literature component of English should cover more than I think can be done in a monthly discussion book club.

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Science: 1 credit - researching DIVE & biology . . . there's a local "science lady" that my kids *ADORE* who does live classes in her home, with labs; they cannot join her next year because she's doing physics, and they don't have the math, but they CAN join the following year and do biology, chemistry, physics with her.

If you haven't already, check with the science lady to see if she's teaching "conceptual" physics which only requires algebra 1 or if this is a physics class that requires pre-calc concurrent (for example, a class that preps for the Physics 1 AP). It's quite possible that your kids have enough math to do this class already.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay, revisions and decisions  . . . (mostly putting this here to keep track of it) . . . for 2 kids:

 

(1) Geometry: Heath / Larson's (TE came in the mail, and all 3 of us really like the looks of it; we'll outsource after this last year of math together)

 

(1) Foreign Language: one kid taking French I, and the other taking German I (German kid using OSU with an eye for AP exam; other one not sure if she wants to do more than the required 3 years, but will decide later)

 

(1) Science: either a local option (still investigating) *or* two .5-credit courses from our online charter; they will follow Plan A for the other local option for the other 3 years

 

(1) English: decided to crash-course finish R&S 8 this year and call it good; we're heading to a convention this weekend and will shop / take notes / decide together how we want to handle writing & literature (we WANT to host the book club & will work that in, but will build it around what we find - either Omnibus' literature list (current plan) *or* something else we find better; considering Beyond the Book Report or Power in Your Hands for the writing portion, but would like to have them in my hands).

 

(1) History: they like Omnibus a lot, and I'm not opposed to that; they're going to also look at AP Human Geography and I am letting them decide. We also participate in a couple of local history competitions and watch documentaries for fun, so this will work out.

 

 

 

Electives: THANKFUL for the wisdom in this thread: I'm going to let them (aka hopefully TEACH them how to) manage these hours for themselves; we had a long discussion about balance and how some people thrive on busy-ness but how life is greater than the sum of its parts . . . they ARE kids who thrive on activity, and we're just going to use high school to learn some (hopefully) sweet lessons together on how this can / can't work. Co-op (which they love) and chorus (which they love) we will keep for sure. I have required them to wake up by a certain time, and am going to let go of that, too, so that they have some more freedom in the big picture. And then write that into the transcript later as a description rather than a prescription.

 

So . . . better, yes? Maybe rose-colored glasses a bit? (that's okay)  5 "real" credits + however many "extra stuffs" they can & want to explore. Talked also about the acceptability of exploring and then dropping some things (AKA my beloved Latin). Feeling MUCH better - again, THANK YOU!

 

 

 

 

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