What subjects is your senior taking?

[SusanAR]

Ds has met most of the state requirements for graduation:

2 World Hx

Am Hx

alg-precals

3 sciences with labs

Gov

5 English credits

2 Latin credits

etc

 

but, we can't decide what to study (I think, perhaps, we are not very enthusiastic because we are ready for a break:001_smile:) .

 

We will study Economics for sure, but beyond that???

 

He will take physics, but do we use a basic physics text so we can tackle AP Chem at the same time?

 

Statistics or calculus? Use MUS calculus for an easier math year since this year has been CD pre-cal???

 

 

Another history course?? Which one?? ( we've had 2 years of world and one year of American)

 

 

Lit?? ( he has 5 English credits- 3 from home, 2 from CC)

 

Psychology from the cc (not sure I want to pay the tuition just for a physc course)

 

 

He wants to be a vet FWIW

 

Nothing sounds appealing- I think I'm tired.

Edited April 26, 2010 by SusanAR

[SusanAR]

???? Immediately after I posted this I corrected my lovely grammar mistake in the title, but it failed to reflect the change. I have since tried to edit it 5 times using the advance edit option, but to no avail.. I guess I'll just be publically humiliated:)

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

My senior will be taking:

Algebra 2

English 4

Chemistry

Spanish 2

 

And two full credits of electives. We are still thinking about electives. Either two 1 credit courses or some fun half credit courses. She runs every day if it isn't raining, so I'm thinking about a credit of PE.

[Jenn in CA]

My senior next year will be taking transferrable community college classes, focusing on pre-reqs for his intended major (comp sci). That means math, physics, chem, English, etc.

[TravelingChris]

My senior will be taking:

Pre-Calc

Spanish 3

Either AP type LIterature or World Lit

Physics

World History

 

and I am not sure what else. It should be a less stressful year for her. SHe did too much this year and it has taken a toll.

[Lori D.]

So, it sounds like most of the required credits have been completed, you just need a few classes to fill out to have a full day to go along with the few remaining credits?

 

How about using this as a last opportunity for DS to take a class for developing and enjoying a hobby or interest that might be something he'd enjoy as a hobby lifelong? For example -- learn an instrument; participate in a band with friends; take a drawing class; woodworking/carving/sculpting; still photography or filmmaking; participate in a theater group (on stage or backstage); learn a computer program; use computer software to create a game, compose music, make a 3-D animation...

 

Are there any life skills you'd like to make sure he has that you could count as a class -- cooking, home/auto maintainence and simple repairs, PE... Or, could this be a slightly easier semester to give him time to work a part time job, put in internship hours, finish up an Eagle scout badge, take some special trips with the family...

 

 

Neither of our DSs are interested in math/science fields, so not sure what older DS will be doing next year will be of help, but here are DSs required classes, plus ideas of how we might fill out the schedule:

 

required:

1 credit = English

0.5 credit = Economics (we may do this over summer)

2 credits = Foreign Language (2 semesters at local community college)

0.25 credit = finish Chemistry

0.5 credit = Physics

 

ideas for filling out the schedule:

0.5 - 1 credit = Medieval World History

0.5 - 1 credit = filmmaking

0.5 credit = The Great Books: Classic World Literature

Edited April 26, 2010 by Lori D.
fixed typo

[Liza Q]

Here's our plan - a mixture of state requirements, things she will probably need to apply to some colleges and some things she and I just want to do!

 

Required

English 4 - combination of World Lit, grammar review and writing (1 credit)

Chemistry (1 credit)

Economics (.5 credit)

P.E. (.5 credit)

 

Taking because it will make her transcript stronger and prepare her better

Pre-Calc (1 credit)

German 3 (1 credit)

 

Taking because she wants to

World History 1600-2000 (haven't yet decided if this will be .5 or 1 credit)

Art - an extra class as she has already fulfilled her NY requirements and she is not planning to major in Art (probably just .25 credit but maybe .5 credit - we'll see what it adds up to!)

 

Taking because I want her to

Life Skills/Consumer Math (haven't yet decided if this will be .25 or .5 credit)

 

All in all, I think it will add up about 6, maybe 6.5 credits.

[Quiver0f10]

Calculus at the comm college

Comp II at the comm college

Excellence in Literature-American Lit

Notgrass Exploring Economics/ Dave Ramsey's Foundations in Personal Finance

Physics at the comm college ( Not sure on this yet as he has already completed Apologia Physics & Adv. Physics)

SOS Spanish II

Henle

[Brenda in MA]

Susan,

 

If you think you know which 1 or 2 colleges he will attend, I would suggest looking at which courses they would accept in transfer credits and focus there.

 

Since he wants to be a vet, I would suggest moving on to Calculus, since he will probably need to take that in college. Statistics would also be another option. Another potential area to explore might be computer programming. Many science majors require at least one computer science course. 12th grade might be a good time to get that out of the way if he can transfer it.

 

Regarding the science -- you might see what his major would require and have him take a course at the CC in an area he will not need need as a foundation. We did this for my ds. As a mechanical engineering major, his college only requires one semester of Chemistry. I had him take this at the CC and transfer it to get the course done. I did not want him to take college-level Physics at the CC and transfer it because for his major, he will need to take Physics 1 & 2 and other Physics-related courses, like Statics. I wanted him to get the foundation at his eventual university in their course sequence. But since only 1 chem course is required, it didn't matter that he took that at the cc, since it's not the foundation for any future courses he needs.

 

Also look at his humanities requirements for college. Since he has enough high school history credits, then if he's not terribly interested in the subject, then I'd recommend either skipping it in the coming year or taking a course at the cc that would transfer to his eventual college.

 

One other idea -- that admittedly I'm not sure how colleges would view -- would be to have him take less than a full course load and see if he can get some volunteer hours at a local vet or animal hospital.

 

If the student works hard in 9th - 11th and gets most of the high school core out of the way, I like to think of 12th grade as a time to get some college credits done, get some meaningful work experience, or do some enriching electives.

 

HTH,

Brenda

[Chris in PA]

My dd will be taking the following:

 

Precalculus (Lials)

Chemistry (Apologia)

Government and Economics (Notgrass)

HS Literature (at our co-op)

Finishing Analytical Grammar

IEW Advanced Communication Series and Character Based Writing Lessons

French 1 (Breaking the French Barrier 1)

Personal Finance (Money Matters for Teens)

Bible

[Guest Barb B]

My senior:

 

science indep. study/senior project with outside teacher

continue rosetta stone spanish

English: combo of writing and lit.

religion: last in the Didache series

Calculus

Government/economics

 

Have you considered a science independent study/senior project? Could be some cool things he could study in the vet field. I know of someone who studied and did experiment concerning some hoof disease in horses. She went and took samples. . . Thats all I know. . .

 

I would suggest calculus. Also how about some additional life science?

 

Barb

[Karenciavo]

Still working on it, but I think the fall semester will be:

College Level Writing Skills from Patrick Henry College (distance)

Government: An Introduction to Political Philosophy - Memoria Press Online Academy

Saxon Advanced Math

Physics (Saxon with Dive? I'm not sure)

Italian I (County College)

Literature - I don't know yet.

[creekland]

My senior took (this year):

 

- English Comp (CC class - for credit)

- Lightning Lit's World Literature Asia/Africa, etc (great course to understand the culture of non US/European countries)

- Apologia's Physics (wanted a light course)

- TTC Economics (half credit)

- Notgrass Government (half credit)

- Calculus (NOT for AP, just to have experience with it, so the transition fall semester of college isn't as tough as Calc 2 would be - his college agrees with this as the best route for most students)

- Rosetta Stone Spanish

- Story of Art, Art History

- PE

 

Other things he's taken that you might want to consider:

 

Wood shop

Dave Ramsey's Personal Finance course

Music History

Marine Biology

[AngieW in Texas]

What we have planned for our dd's senior year:

 

Japanese III and IV at cc

English 1301 and 1302 at cc

General College Physics I and II at cc (hopefully) or AP Physics online somewhere

Elementary Statistics and Calculus I at cc (hopefully) or Thinkwell for both and take Calc AP exam

Thinkwell Government and Thinkwell Economics

 

We would like for her to be take everything except Government/Economics at the cc, but we have to get approval from the dean for her to take more than 2 courses/semester. She will definitely take Japanese and English at the cc. If she gets permission for just 3 courses/semester, she'll add in physics there. If she gets permission for a 4th course, she'll add in Statistics/Calculus I.

[Guest SmilesAndAffability]

I'm currently a home schooled junior and am looking at the following for next year (as a student in a state with no home school graduation requirements, no CC option and hopefully getting an education degree after HS) :

 

World Literature

Pre-Calculus

Advanced Chemistry

Physics

Government (1 semester)

Economics (1 semester)

Choir

Computer

Speech (?)

 

Honestly I'd say that if your son does not have a penchant for history and your state graduation requirements for it are already filled then don't feel bad about skipping it. Personally I loathed it and am glad to be through with it :)

 

I'm using Apologia for both Physics and Advanced Chem (not certified as AP by the college board but I thought it would be my best choice, and the author claims taking it would prepare a student for the AP Chem exam.) I've used their courses since 7th grade and find them easy enough to do two simultaneously.

 

Calculus would be the tougher course regardless of the publisher (I would think), but it might be more beneficial to a future vet. Math is my weakest subject and I'm happy enough to be graduating with pre-calc, but if it was not I would probably take Calculus.

 

I would ask your son about the literature/ psychology courses. With 5(!) English courses under his belt already (esp. since 2 are from CC) by now it's more of a personal preference.

[Chris in VA]

Just for the sake of comparison,

my public-schooled son is taking

English

Pre-Calc/Trig

Broadcast Journalism

Pre-Engineering

Anatomy/Physiology

Latin

 

If ds wants to be a vet, I'd say give him Advanced Bio and Anatomy/Physiology. Taking two sciences instead of one and history (since he's fulfilled his history requirement) could be good prep for college. If he could take anatomy at the cc, so much the better--and bio, too, as the advanced labs would be good.

 

ETA: Have him take one more year of Latin, too--not only will it help with Vet school, but many, many colleges now want to see at least 3 years of the same language.