unplanned highschool at home....

[Terri NS]

Hi folks, my dd wants to come home.... We homeschooled up to grade 8 and she went into a local private school, now in grade 10 she wants to come home again. This time as an "only" as my other dd will be staying in the school.

So I'm scrambling to get stuff together to start in January and I'm out of practice on this and out of the loop. I did not do much research or planning for high school. This child is thinking of a career in law... Logic suggestions for high school would be welcomed. I also need suggestions for a secular biology, and what are folks doing for Maths? We did a Saxon/Singapore combo in Grade 7. She is in the midst of an advanced Grade 10 math (pre IB) but it wouldn't hurt her to slow down.

I really regret selling my WTM : ( although it was an older version - I guess I should start by ordering a new one for some Christmas reading.

[Colleen in NS]

Hi folks, my dd wants to come home.... We homeschooled up to grade 8 and she went into a local private school, now in grade 10 she wants to come home again. This time as an "only" as my other dd will be staying in the school.

So I'm scrambling to get stuff together to start in January and I'm out of practice on this and out of the loop. I did not do much research or planning for high school. This child is thinking of a career in law... Logic suggestions for high school would be welcomed. I also need suggestions for a secular biology, and what are folks doing for Maths? We did a Saxon/Singapore combo in Grade 7. She is in the midst of an advanced Grade 10 math (pre IB) but it wouldn't hurt her to slow down.

I really regret selling my WTM : ( although it was an older version - I guess I should start by ordering a new one for some Christmas reading.

 

No help, just wanted to pop in and say "HI!"

[Nscribe]

Biology has two pretty good options. I actually use two simultaneously Miller and Levine Biology published by Prentice Hall and the Campbell and Reese Biology (the college version). I chose this route because we will be doing Biology twice, once now in 8th and again later for an advanced version. Shopping a bit you can get both plus some extras (lab books..) for under $100.

 

Math wise if she liked Saxon why not do a placement test? There are so many math options. Depending on where her Algebra is Harold Jacobs or Forester. I think TeachingTextbooks also has a placement text and doing both of the placement tests might help focus where to start?

 

Logic wise we found the Art of Argument from Classical Academic Press has been a good entry point.

 

Hopefully something of help in all this.

[TheApprentice]

My ds is in 8th, but we are using Derek Owens for Math and Science. It's a distance learning program and ds is really learning a lot. He will also be doing The Discovery of Deduction (formal logic), which is slightly different from The Art of the Argument (informal logic). Both good choices. I've been looking into homeschooling high school and if you don't mind paying for some on-line classes there are a couple I've looked into: The Landry Academy, and The Potter School. There are also other resources I've been researching: Smarr's for literature/composition, Notgrass for government and economics, Oak Meadow for History. The HSLDA also is a good site with lots of resources listed. Good Luck.:001_smile:

[Terri NS]

Hi Colleen- Nice to see a familiar face. Looks like I'm back for another couple of years : )

Great suggestions- I think a placement test for Math is probably a good idea. She's a little everywhere in Math after this fall, it was an intensive class in algebra/ trig and pre-calc intending to lead into grade 12 advanced math after the Christmas break and skip grade 11. She's passed but not with great marks and I think it wasn't cemented well. I'm thinking perhaps spending the rest of the year doing it all again and then doing her grade 12 math on-line.

Nice looking Biology texts, thanks! She did Physics and Chemistry this fall so it should be a nice change of pace for her.

She's also finished a Cultural Geography Class this fall but no History or Lit this year at all. She's doing more of the planning for this and I think I'll let her map this out over the Holidays, but I was thinking about signing her up for an online writing course with Bravewriter - Looking at the Expository Essay class- anyone with feedback on it?

Thanks!

[Lori D.]

Welcome back to homeschooling! :) Looks like you are in Nova Scotia?? I am assuming that for all of the links below.

 

 

1. Get an official transcript of your student's credits and grades.

2. Find out what your required credits are for high school graduation, AND what credits colleges will be looking for, especially for entering Law. I found this list from the 2003-04 school year of NS requirements; unless that has been updated, it looks like you need:

 

TOTAL = minimum of 18 credits, with a minimum of 5 credits completed in grade 12

 

 

Language, Communication, and Expression

- 3 credits = English language arts

- 3 credits = French language arts

- 1 credit = fine arts: art, dance, drama, music

 

Science, Mathematics,and Technology

- 2 credits = mathematics

- 2 credits = science (1 from biology, chemistry, Science 10, or physics, and one other approved science course)

- 2 credits = other from mathematics, science and/or technology

 

Personal Development and Society

- ½ credit = PE

- ½ credit = Career and Life Management

- 1 credit = Canadian History

- 1 credit = global studies (geography or history)

 

 

Some great prepatory activities for a law career:

- strong ability in persuasive WRITING and SPEAKING (consider doing a weekly persuasive essay from a prompt)

- involvement in a high school model legislative program: Model Parliament program

- involvement in high school speech/debate program

- involvement in a high school "mock trial" program

- check out the Courts and Classrooms program in NS

- here is a free lesson plan for teens, which could be done in a co-op setting, for a mock trial

 

 

Specific math suggestions:

- return to Singapore, New Elementary Math or Discovering Math series

(upside: challenging; encourages mathematical thinking; great especially for those entering engineering and science fields; downside: no visual lessons; not much teacher support)

- return to Saxon (supplements: DIVE visual lessons on CD-rom; Teaching Tape, Art Reed teaching Saxon DVDs (see samples on YouTube)

 

Other math ideas that a lot of people use (I am only including the ones that go beyond Algebra 2, so you wouldn't have to keep switching programs):

- Videotext (DVD lessons -- more challenging)

- Math-U-See (DVD lessons -- very gentle)

- Teaching Textbooks (DVD lessons -- gentle, as it runs about 1 semester "behind" other high school programs; for example: you need to complete about half of the Pre-Calc level to get all of the Algebra 2 topics covered)

- Art of Problem Solving (challenging word problems; generally used as supplement)

- Life of Fred (word problems/real-life oriented; generally used as supplement)

- Chalkdust (DVD lessons -- more challenging)

 

 

Other possible options:

- online or "virtual" class for biology or math

- "virtual dissection labs" online as supplement

- homeschool group biology lab

 

 

BEST of luck in getting back into your "homeschooling groove"! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[lauracolumbus]

I think the most important subject to cover for the study of law is writing and grammar. Then logic. We're doing the MP Traditional Logic online class starting in January. The text looks kind of dry, so I'm hoping the online class helps with this. I would start to beef up a lot of analogy work--it's very helpful for the LSAT. Also, Latin is helpful-in part for the language aspect, e.g. you don't have to memorize definitions such as habeas corpus b/c you can translate them, but also because it is a highly logical language. A good government course, especially one that focuses on the Constitution will also be helpful.

 

Best of luck,

Laura