Would anyone like to share ideas about plans for 9th grade?

[Kfamily]

Would anyone like to share ideas about your goals or plans for 9th grade? Please don't feel like you need to have an 8th grader to share...

I have so many concerns about homeschooling high school. Most of my concerns have more to do with me than anything else. My dd and dh are very supportive and really want me to teach at this level. I think I'm afraid I will let them down if I can't do this well enough...:lol: NO, I'm not feeling any pressure!:D (Just kidding!)

 

Here is a loose plan for 9th grade:

 

English: Practical English (grammar), dictation, narrations and I still am working on writing...probably pulling from Classical Writing and other resources from WTM

 

French I: Breaking the Barrier

 

Latin I: Henle Latin 1

 

Math: Jacob's Algebra

 

Science: working on this idea still

Maybe Tarbuck's Earth Science with supplements

or Conceptual Chemistry

or Conceptual Chemistry with one unit from Tarbuck's Earth Science (I may use this for Nature Study and spread it out over a 3 years or so...)

 

Ancient Greece I:

The Book of the Ancient Greeks (D. Mills)

Fran Rutherford's Greek Classics (Guide)

Either Bulfinch's Age of Fable or Myths and Their Meanings or Mythology (E. Hamilton)

Iliad

Odyssey

Herodotus (The Histories)

Sophocles (The Three Theban Plays)

Aeschylus (The Oresteian Trilogy)

Magee, Durant (Story of Philosophy) -only the ancient greek sections

The Last Days of Socrates

Probably some TC dvds

 

American History I

Age of Revolution (Churchill)

America: A Narrative (about 1/2)

Speeches and Documents

Miracle at Philadelphia

Annotated Guide to Constitution

Common Sense (Paine)

History of English Literature (only the Year 9 readings)

Simond's American Literature (only the Year 9 readings)

Gulliver's Travels

The Count of Monte Cristo

Pride and Prejudice

Faust I

A Tale of Two Cities

The Grammar of Poetry, Literary terms of poetry

Alexander Pope and Lord Byron

The Merchant of Venice

 

It looks like a lot since I have it all spelled out. If I had just listed a particular program for literature it would look lighter. All together there are only 12 specific works for literature and then adding poetry and one Shakespeare. The rest are supplements for history or are for a light touch of philosophy. I know many will not care for this plan since my plan tends to include what looks like a lot, but is really our way of spreading the work out. My dd really prefers it this way too. We will pick up the rest of the Ancients in 10th and also add to our American History. AO allows for two stands of history to be studied. We will cover all of World and American History, Geography (this is integrated with history), Am. Government, Economics and Philosophy by the end of high school. Humanities are my dd's love so I won't be cutting very much of this. We will see how this plans out. As we get closer, I do tend to fine tune this.

 

What do you think? :001_smile:

 

P.S. please be gentle... I know this looks different...:001_smile:

Edited January 15, 2011 by Kfamily

[5LittleMonkeys]

Well, I was going to share but your plans make mine look kind of lame.:tongue_smilie::lol:

[Kfamily]

Oh, Please still do....!:001_smile:

[elegantlion]

I really like your two streams of history idea. I really want to approach the GB in high school spending two years on Ancients, one on Greece, one on Rome. However I feel like that would short shift the US history because of how we've done history in the past.

 

My ds is more science focused than humanities focused so I may have to give a little on my desires vs. his strengths.

 

I know you've asked about your science before but I think either option would be acceptable given your dd's love of humanities.

 

Not to just throw out options, but another one you might look at for science is The Good Earth. I found a first edition for less than 5.00 on amazon. I was quite impressed. It seems to take a more discussion based approach to earth science, lots of stop and talk about what you are reading points. I have Tarbuck's Earth Science, The Good Earth book seems to be a little less technical in nature, but still thorough. My specialty is not science, so my opinion is based upon spending some time reading both of these texts for myself.

 

Conceptual Chemistry is a good text too. However I know some people have concerns about this text. It might depend on how have planned your sciences for high school, if this will be her only year of chemistry or if you are using it for an introduction.

 

I think you have a very exciting year planned. It looks wonderful.

[Kfamily]

Thank you so much Paula. (I do tend to keep up with what you're doing...:001_smile:)

 

I'm going to take a look at your suggestion for Earth Science. I happen to have the Tarbuck book, but it is big. This is part of the reason why I would split it up if we choose something else for science. I like the sound of The Good Earth. Dd always prefers texts with a narrative style. All in all, I am still not satisfied that I found the best choice for science. I'm still on the fence with Conceptual Chemistry. I may just do Earth Science and not worry about it. I may also go ahead with Biology. I had planned on using Conceptual Chemistry for an introduction and using a fuller, math and lab type text later. Chemistry, math and physics are not her stong points. I thought that an introduction to Chemistry would be helpful in building a foundation so that she could do well in her Chemistry 1 with a lab class. My dd does so much better if I give her time to work on something. I know when she gets to college, she will be expected to handle a lot of information at once. But, for now I would like to build her base while I still can. Does that make sense?

 

Thank you so much for your feedback. I'll look at The Good Earth.

[8filltheheart]

 

P.S. please be gentle... I know this looks different...:001_smile:

 

It looks like way too much to me. I have had kids do the ancient Greeks their freshman yr and it has counted as 2 high school credits. I think adding in your 2nd entire list is way too much for a 9th grader. A 12th grader MIGHT be able to handle that type of load, but I wouldn't put it on a younger student especially when combined with 2 foreign languages.

 

Sorry. :blush:

[Kfamily]

Thanks, I do appreciate the honesty. You are speaking from an experience I don't have yet so....

 

What if I cut back on the number of books in each category?

 

I could and have been thinking about simplifying science by choosing to do only Earth Science or maybe a biology like Abeka.

 

Would this help?

 

I could just cut back on the books from the list for American History.

Edited January 14, 2011 by Kfamily

[Keniki]

My dd will be doing:

 

 

IEW Elegant Writing and Windows to the World

Algebra 2 (publisher undecided)

Apologia Physical Science

Glencoe Geography

Rod and Staff Record Keeping

Glencoe Food for Today

[8filltheheart]

Perhaps this will help you put your list into perspective. This the GBA's reading list and their info about their classes being worth 6 COLLEGE credits/SEMESTER. Then gauge your reading lists in comparison and decide what you want to accomplish in 9th grade.

 

http://www.greatbooksacademy.org/great-books-program/great-books-readings/

Week 1: Orientation: (Sept. 1) Intro to the Great Books & Socratic Discussion. The Great Conversation, Adler

Week 2: Theogony – Hesiod – Prometheus Bound – Aeschylus (Sept. 8 )

Week 3: The Iliad – Homer (Sept. 15 )

Week 4: The Iliad – Homer (Sept. 22)

Week 5: The Odyssey – Homer (Sept. 29)

Week 6: The Odyssey – Homer (Oct. 6)

Week 7: Agamemnon, Libation Bearers – Aeschylus Eumenides – Aeschylus (Oct. 13 )

Week 8: Trojan Women, Alcestis – Euripedes (Oct. 20)

Week 9: Aesop’s Fables – Aesop (Oct. 27)

Week 10: 10 Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus – Sophocles (Nov. 3 )

Week 11: Antigone – Sophocles, Hippolytus – Euripides (Nov. 10)

Week 12: Histories* – Herodotus (Nov. 17)

Week 13: Histories* – Herodotus (Nov. 24)

Week 14: Histories* – Herodotus (Dec. 1)

Week 15: Lycurgus, Solon, Pericles, Alcibiades – Plutarch (Dec. 8 )

Week 16: Oral Exams (December 9 – 23 )

 

 

Second Semester

Week 17: Medea, Bacchae – Euripedes (Jan. 19)

Week 18: Peloponnesian War* – Thucydides (Jan. 26)

Week 19: Peloponnesian War * Thucydides (Feb. 2)

Week 20: Fragments* – Presocratic Philosophers (Feb. 9)

Week 21: Ion, Meno – Plato (Feb. 16)

Week 22: Gorgias – Plato (Feb. 23)

Week 23: Republic – Plato (Mar. 2)

Week 24: Symposium – Plato (Mar. 9)

Week 25: Apology, Euthyphro – Plato (Mar. 16)

Week 26: Crito, Phaedo – Plato (Mar. 23)

Week 27: Spring Break, Mar. 28 – April 10

Week 28: Spring Break, March 28 – April 10

Week 29: Poetics, On the Heavens*, On the Soul* – Aristotle (April 13)

Week 30: Ethics*, Metaphysics* – Aristotle (April 20)

Week 31: Aristides, Alexander – Plutarch (Apr. 27)

Week 32: The Oath, On Ancient Medicine, On Airs, Waters, Places – Hippocrates (May 4)

Week 33: Elements, Euclid (May 11)

Week 34: Oral Exams (May 12-31)

*Selections Only

http://www.greatbooksacademy.org/great-books-program/ace-credit-policies-disclosure-information/

our Great Books Program was fully reviewed by ACE College credit recommendation service, and was recommended for 48 hours of college credit (6 per semester). The Great Books Program is a fixed program, meaning it does not substantially change because it is based on the great classics of Western Civilization.

 

In comparison, Kolbe's lit for 9th grade:

 

# Homer, The Iliad of Homer. Trans. Richmond Lattimore. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1961. (T3441)

# Homer, The Odyssey of Homer. Trans. Richmond Lattimore. Harper Perennial: New York, 1967. (T3442)

# Aeschylus, The Oresteian Trilogy. Trans. Philip Vellacott. Penguin Books: London, 1959. (T3443)

# Sophocles, The Theban Tragedies. Trans. E. F. Watling. Penguin Books: London, 1974. (T3446)

# Plato, Great Dialogues of Plato. Trans. W.H.D. Rouse. Signet Classic: New York, 2008. (T3451)

# Dorsch, T.S. Trans. Classical Literary Criticism. "Poetics" of Aristotle. Penguin Books: London, 2000. (T3452)

# King, Abigail. Classics Conference: The Greeks.

 

and their history list:

 

# Herodotus: The Histories. Tran. Aubrey De Sélincourt. Penguin Books: London, 1996. (T7820)

# Thucydides: The History of the Peloponnesian War. Tran. Rex Warner. Penguin Books: London, 1954. (T7815)

# Plutarch, The Rise and Fall of Athens: Nine Greek Lives. Tran. Ian Scott-Kilvert. Penguin Books: London, 1960. (T7819)

# Xenophon: The Persian Expedition (Anabasis). Tran. Rex Warner. Penguin Books: London, 1949. (T7816)

# Plato, Great Dialogues of Plato. Trans. W.H.D. Rouse. Signet Classic: New York, 1984. (T3451)

# King, Abigail. Classics Conference The Greeks.

 

Those 2 lists are 2 high school credits.

 

From what I see in your original 2 lists might be 4 credits worth of reading. (I don't know some of the resources, so I can't tell for sure.) Fwiw......the science didn't seem overloaded to me. :tongue_smilie:

Edited January 13, 2011 by 8FillTheHeart

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Here are my tenative 9th grade plans

 

Bible- Answers In Genesis Academy (I think) & reading through the old testament with MFW ancients

Math- Chalkdust Geometry and a buisness/consumers math program- possibly MUS (I like the looks of their stewardship program)

English- Lit with MFW Ancients, Applications of Grammer book 3 (maybe- i really like the series this year, we will see how next year-8th- goes with it)and writing strands- the level depends on where we are in that

History- MFW Ancients with supplemental reading (I have not come up with my list yet)

Science- Apologia Biology with an instructional DVD (possibly the redwagon dvd's) and disection & microscope work (full lab)

Logic- Either Introductory Logic or Intermediate Logic (again, depends on how far we get in 8th)

Spanish- I dont know what curriculum. We will start next year in 8th so I guess that will determine what we use in 9th)

Vocabulary- Continue with Vocabulary cartoons (probably be in the 3rd book by then, and start 100 words every high school graduate needs to know, and SAT prep vocabulary book 1

 

I dont know what electives. We will look into that sometime in her 8th grade year and decide from there

 

 

Am I forgetting anything???

Edited January 13, 2011 by wy_kid_wrangler04

[Kfamily]

Thanks everyone, this is really helping a lot. I'll be studying these more closely in a couple of hours...I have to run my younger dd to ballet.

[regentrude]

It is a very rigorous program, but not crazy.

It really depends on how much in depth you want to go, whether everything is feasible- but I would not rule it out.

Your Greek list could be covered in one semester for a strong reader (see below - that is roughly what my DD13 did this fall)

This said, I am not sure I understand the second list, it does not go with American history - is that supposed to be a world literature course? Why do you double on literature and don't just work it in with the history progression? I.e., if youw ant to do a second set of lit, do American?

I like Tarbuck for Earth science, it's a good text.

 

Here is what we do this year (DD would be in 8th in ps, but we will probably call this her 9th grade year):

 

Math: Algebra II and geometry

Science: College physics (two semesters algebra/trig based class that uses Knight, Jones and Fields text)

French I

English/History: Great books- Ancients. (with composition)

Short History of Western Civ as spine

1st semester: Greece

Iliad, Odyssey, Herodotus, Tragedies; 36 TC lectures; background reading

2nd semester Rome

Aeneid, Metamorphoses, Plutarch, not sure what else

TC Aeneid, Classical Mythology, A Visual exploration of Rome

 

electives:

web design

Horsemanship

choir

[Kfamily]

Thanks regentrude, I appreciate your help.

 

The second list is probably poorly labeled, sorry, my fault, because it really is more focused on world literature. This slightly follows Year 9 from Ambleside Online. The Churchill book brings in the world history. I also have Spielvogel's Western Civilization if we need another resouce. We will read The Autobiography of Ben Franklin this summer. Included in that list is Simond's American Literature which will include American Literature through just before the Civil War. Next year we will have more American Literature so by the end of high school we will have covered it all. It is really following a chronological approach.

 

I'm thinking I will remove some books to ease this up. I wrote it out by terms to see what the load looked like per term.

 

I'm thinking of removing these:

Sophocles (to be added later)

Faust I (to be added later)

The Count of Monte Cristo

all of the government related work (Annotated Guide to Constitution, Common Sense-- and moving all of government to 12th grade)

 

I'm still thinking about it though...

 

It should be pointed out that the Simond's American Lit. includes only selections and The English Literature for Boys and Girls includes only selections too.

 

Here is Year 9: http://amblesideonline.org/09bks.shtml

 

Your plan looks good too.

Edited January 14, 2011 by Kfamily

[Kfamily]

wy kid wrangler, I think your plan looks very good too.

 

It reminded me about logic too. :D Since we need to do this too, I think this is one more reason to rework our plan a bit!

[Kfamily]

This looks great Kinsa (Karen)! And thank you for including your credits. This is helpful to see too.

[regentrude]

I'm thinking I will reomove some books to ease this up. I wrote it out by terms to see what the load looked like per term.

 

I'm thinking of removing these:

Sophocles (to be added later)

Faust I (to be added later)

The Count of Monte Cristo

all of the government related work (Annotated Guide to Constitution, Common Sense and moving all of government to 12th grade)

 

 

I definitely agree on the Faust. We read Faust I in 9th grade and it was too early for most of the class; I always felt that we should have been older to fully appreciate it and see beyond the Gretchen episode to the deeper philosophical implications. One can make a point for placing Faust very late, so that the student would be able to read Faust II as well (then again, the appropriate time for that might not come at all during high school).

You might want to rethink kicking out Monte Christo if your student likes this kind of book - DD read the whole unabridged Monte Christo in 7th grade and loved every minute of it; so this may just be an interesting and fun read anyway.

 

Btw, the best laid schemes o' mice and men... I always end up with a reading list that gets modified by my child's interests and by time constraints. I find it hard to anticipate which she wants to spend more time on and which flops (for example, Thukydides flopped completely, she did not like it at all and we cut it- but she loved Herodotus)

[Kfamily]

:lol:

 

Absolutely true about dd adapting my list for me...she is already doing this now. She has some very strong opinions about her literature. I'll have to put some on her required list and leave room for some flexibility. Yes, I'm hoping to convince dd to just read Count of Monte Cristo on her own time...we'll see how that goes.:D

 

Thanks!

[johnandtinagilbert]

Hi. I wanted to start with a reminder that I have to give myself regularly....there are 4 years in high school. You don't have to do it all in 9th grade! I attempted to and did waaaay to much initially causing exasperation and frustration for me and my ds. From all my bemoaning on the high school boards, I've come to this conclusion regarding high school: few classes, deeper depths.

 

I would agree with 8FillstheHeart and say it looks like too much. My suggestion would be to have no more than 6 "classes" so you can do electives lighter if you desire to keep the double history line. You can also find programs for Latin that may alleviate the need for continued English grammar. I know Henle is an amazing Latin program, but don't know enough about it to know if it can alleviate English grammar.

 

I'd take your history book lists and trim them down to 6 books each. I'll be looking into your science choices. I'm never quite happy w/ science, so Elegant Lion's thoughts are valued here, too. :D

 

My upcoming 9th grader, also humanities strong will use:

 

TOG 4 (history, geography, government, Dialectic Literature analysis, reading Rhetoric selections for exposure only and dinner time chit chat) Hoping to start building a Teaching Company library this coming year. (Finally, something I *want* to buy for high school!)

 

The Latin Road to English Grammar (grammar, Latin)

 

Write Shop 2 until finished, then Writing Aids assignments applying to TOG reading, w/ 2 science research papers (1 per semester). I think we'll only have 2 weeks of WS2 when we get back in the fall.

 

LoF Algebra 2 w/ Saxon Alg 2 Tests upon completion. If he needs any work based on the Saxon tests, I'll use Chalkdust videos as instruction and throw in some CD tests afterwards.

 

Science TBD -- I might go to FLVS (FL Virtual School), I haven't decided.

 

Traditional Logic

 

He already has, or will have, a few high school credits: Latin 1; Health, PE, Alg. 1, Biology, American History b/c he's taking them this year.

 

All that to say, I'm no expert, but I did learn a few things this year and foremost, it's my initial statement: you have 4 years and also, although we want high school to blossom independence, we still need to feed the flower, it won't bloom overnight. That's my way of saying, 9th grade boys aren't ready for full on independence, they need a lot more supervision and hand holding than I would have expected and they need a lot of sleep! Fingers crossed over here that my girls will be a little easier!

[1Togo]

We're stepping outside of the box and starting with government and economics, and I expect government to be a full credit. Both of these subjects always get shortchanged in our homeschool because the senior year is so busy. World and American history can be whipped together with reading and essays, and dd is finishing a two-year American history course for 8th grade, so she has a good foundation for that. We are going to delve into certain aspects of world history as it pertains to American government; i.e. the influence of Greece and Rome, etc.

[Kfamily]

Tina,

 

Thank you so much for looking at this. I am definitely rereading your post often and taking your advice to heart. I'm feeling so frustrated since I want to set up a plan that will be thorough, but it is sooo hard deciding what I can leave out. :D I want to follow our hearts (mine and dd's) but I'm trying to meet other needs too (such as what colleges want to see, etc.) We have been using AO since my older dd has been in 2nd grade, and while we didn't always have years where we followed it very well, CM has always been at the heart of our approach. CM with some classical has been our main approach. I love the curriculum laid out by AO in the upper years, but feel the need to adapt a little. The older schedules (PNEUs) show much more work with the ancients than the current curriculum shows. I want to add this in since I think it is very important to include. Does that make sense? I'm working on balance. Thank you so much for your kind advice. I have much to think about.:lol:

 

1Togo,

Thank you! I really didn't want to move our government work out until 12th, but it seemed the most reasonable to cut. I would have preferred to integrate it into our study of American history. My dd needs a thorough study of American history still since we've only lightly covered it so far. I love how you can do this and add in the focus of the contributions of the Greeks and Romans.

[LisaKinVA]

I still have about 3 years to go until 9th grade officially begins... so this is all *very* tentative right now.

 

Bible - I believe we'll be finishing up the elementary series from Summit Ministries as a family, he will probably have his own study from Explorers.

 

English - MCT and/or Killagallon, probably Writing Strands, other grammar supplements (like Editor & Chief, Punctuation Puzzler).

 

Literature -- American Literature (Anthology), Veritas Press Omnibus III (A Tale of Two Cities, 1984, Great Gatsby, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Tom Sawyer, Frankenstein, Gulliver's Travels, Pride & Prejudice, Animal Farm, Old Man & the Sea, Death of a Salesman, Little Women).

 

Math -- Kinetic Textbooks Algebra II, Foerster's Algebra II; LoF Advanced Algebra (I'm not really sure where he'll be math wise, but this is based off of spending 2 years in Algebra I, and one year in Geometry).

 

History -- K12 Human Odyssey vol. 3 (spine); Veritas Press Omnibus III; Modern US/British History (guide to lit: Plymouth Plantation, Anti-Federalist, Federalist, The Social Contract, Mein Kampf, Communist Manifesto, Reflections on the Revolution, Lincoln's Speeches and Writings, Charles Finney, Ben Franklin, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Postmodern Times, How Should We Then Live?. Christianity and Liberalism)

 

Science -- Chemistry I don't know what we'll be using for this yet. It will probably be either BJU or Abeka, with DVDs.

 

Foreign Language -- Mandarin (either on-line class and/or tutor, he will have spent 3 years in Tell Me More prior to this); Latin (Advanced Latin Readings) Spanish II

 

Art -- he will finish up year 3 of God & the History of Art. I will give him a full credit for Art Appreciation at that point.

 

Music -- I expect he will continue with Guitar.

 

He will also still be swimming, probably also running, and involved in Scouts. I'm pretty sure we'll design an elective or two around Scout work.

 

We have a 12 month schedule, and routinely have a 6-day school week. We do this to both accomplish more, while keeping days manageable.

[1Togo]

Maybe it would work to start with American history. Follow that with government because there will be a foundation for understanding government. Follow that with World History and then economics. Add your four English classes, four math, four science, and a few electives, and you've got it. We've using many ideas from WTM, but we're not covering history in a four-year cycle. We will be using lots of literature along the way. Whenever we cover a history topic out of order, we will anchor the work with a timeline entry. Geography will be covered as we go.

[8filltheheart]

 

Plymouth Plantation, Anti-Federalist, Federalist, The Social Contract, Mein Kampf, Communist Manifesto, Reflections on the Revolution, Lincoln's Speeches and Writings, Charles Finney, Ben Franklin, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Postmodern Times, How Should We Then Live?. Christianity and Liberalism

 

Lisa, I hope you won't mind my posting this. I am not directing my comments toward you directly, but planning a yr generically.

 

These titles are heavy duty reading. (The same with Histories for ancient Greece.) It isn't impossible to read them all in a single school yr on top of the multitudes of other readings you have listed for lit, etc. However, the question becomes whether or not you want to skim them and study them quickly or read them slowly and carefully and digest them. Do you want to read them in their entirety or selections?

 

In my experience, in a list like you have listed, selections from at least a few of the ones listed will probably lead to greater depth if you want to cover everything listed. Otherwise, as I planned, I would end up cutting material realizing I had actually scheduled too much.

[LisaKinVA]

Lisa, I hope you won't mind my posting this. I am not directing my comments toward you directly, but planning a yr generically.

 

These titles are heavy duty reading. (The same with Histories for ancient Greece.) It isn't impossible to read them all in a single school yr on top of the multitudes of other readings you have listed for lit, etc. However, the question becomes whether or not you want to skim them and study them quickly or read them slowly and carefully and digest them. Do you want to read them in their entirety or selections?

 

In my experience, in a list like you have listed, selections from at least a few of the ones listed will probably lead to greater depth if you want to cover everything listed. Otherwise, as I planned, I would end up cutting material realizing I had actually scheduled too much.

 

Omnibus includes these books in grades 9 and 12... my guess (since I don't have Omnibus III in front of me, but based upon what I understand about the differences between Omni I-III vs. IV-VI) is that you do selections/skim in 9th, and read/study more depth in 12th (They may still be doing selections).

 

It's essentially our "second pass" at this time frame, and we will do it again in his senior year. Does that help?

[8filltheheart]

Omnibus includes these books in grades 9 and 12... my guess (since I don't have Omnibus III in front of me, but based upon what I understand about the differences between Omni I-III vs. IV-VI) is that you do selections/skim in 9th, and read/study more depth in 12th (They may still be doing selections).

 

It's essentially our "second pass" at this time frame, and we will do it again in his senior year. Does that help?

 

Yes, I see what you are saying. When I read your OP

,K12 Human Odyssey vol. 3 (spine); Veritas Press Omnibus III; Modern US/British History (guide to lit: Plymouth Plantation, Anti-Federalist, Federalist, The Social Contract, Mein Kampf, Communist Manifesto, Reflections on the Revolution, Lincoln's Speeches and Writings, Charles Finney, Ben Franklin, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Postmodern Times, How Should We Then Live?. Christianity and Liberalism)

since I am completely unfamiliar with the "school" sources, I thought you were listing separately what you planned on covering. I didn't pick up on the fact that the titles are selections in a pre-fab curriculum. I thought you were designing one yourself and planning on using all of them.

[at the beach]

Great thread. I want to keep my daughter's 9th grade year manageable. We'll see. This is kind of what we're thinking.

 

MODG for Religion (Faith and Morality), Grammar & Composition (Warriner's), and American History and Literature. I want to balance the MODG history text with something that will give a different perspective. I currently own the audio of Don't Know Much About History, so I think we'll utilize that as an additional spine.

 

German 2 with Oklahoma State University, She is loving German 1 right now.

 

Latin Literature with Regina Coeli Academy

 

Chemistry (Apologia maybe? She's doing well with Apologia Biology now. I see Derek Owens has a Physics course she could do, so maybe that would work, too. I had wanted Spectrum Chemistry but I've heard there are some c/s issues going on. Ugh.)

 

Geometry (I haven't decided on what, maybe TT? There is no way I can teach Geometry of any kind! She's enjoyed AoPS Algebra, but I don't know with all the rest of what she has going on that it would be a reasonable option for Geometry that she could finish in a year)

 

Dance and music lessons.

 

My big concern is the two foreign languages. Latin is a lot of work, and I fear it might be more work next year. The above comes to 8 credits w/o even counting any phys. ed. or fun elective credit. That worries me. I don't know how much work we can expect from the 4 MODG credits. I have heard others say MODG is lighter than SL as far as history/lit. That's fine with us. One hour for each is what we aim for. Also, my understanding is that the composition assignments from the grammar/comp course are on topics in the religion course. I haven't added in formal logic so far because of the two foreign languages. If any one has any thoughts on this potential schedule, I'm all :bigear:.

[Kfamily]

I was just looking at Laura Berquist's Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum last night. We could slide into that curriculum quite easily at this point and I'm still considering it. MODG is basicly what she designed in the book. We too would be looking at American History since this is what she has set up for 9th grade. Chronologically, we are there too. I'm still trying to sort this out. Year 9 at AO is also American History, so either way we are fine. Even if I decided to follow the curriculum by Laura Berquist, I would still follow it in a CM style. Most of her books are similiar to AO.

 

I'm taking to heart the wise words of others on this forum and considering how much work two foreign languages, a more important level of science and Algebra I will be time-wise for her. Like you, I also need to add Logic...this is really hard sometimes! Humanities is her love so I don't want to short-change her. I need to find ways to use our writing to double up with her work in history and literature. I'm still working on that too.:lol:

 

ETA: I'm also considering Kolbe Academy. I have 3 of the Fran Rutherford guides and many of the books used with this guide are also the same books set up with Kolbe. I'm already following Kolbe's recommendations for math for high school and just recently ordered Jacob's Algebra 1 from them too.

 

ETA 2: I also wanted to add that while I would use Laura's plan as far as layout of subjects and supplemental book choices too, I would still stick with our own choice of an American history textbook and I may well keep using Churchill's Age of Revolution. See, I can't ever leave anything alone!!! LOL! I follow ideas and still substitute our own choice of books.

Edited January 15, 2011 by Kfamily

[AuntPol]

For my daughter:

One Credit:

English: TOG Year 2 Literature; MCT Magic Lens I

Math: Geometry TBA

Science: Biology TBA (probably Campbells)

History: TOG year 2

Spanish: TBA

PE: Crossfit Class

 

Half Credit

TOG-Church History, Philosophy, Government

 

Quarter Credit

TOG Art History,

Economics

Rhetoric

[AngieW in Texas]

If I had 9th grade to do all over again with my two older girls, I would do:

Oak Meadow 9th grade history and English and Windows to the World

Oak Meadow health

Oak Meadow 10th grade chemistry

Kinetic books Geometry (but that didn't exist back then)

Teaching Company Philosophy of Mind for middle, one of the art appreciation courses for oldest

tumbling for middle, kickboxing for oldest

 

 

I don't know if my youngest is going to be home for 9th grade or not. Here's what I can see doing for her:

Oak Meadow 9th grade history and English

Oak Meadow 10th grade chemistry

algebra I or geometry, not sure what course to use since she doesn't like computer-based courses

Oak Meadow health

Teaching Company music course

workouts at the gym (she's the only one who goes to the gym with me)

 

For each of my kids, this would be 6 credits. Health and the teaching company courses would all be 1/2 credit each.