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My sister is going to be pulling her 9th grade dd. She is not going to use the credits she got from the public school because she was only there for one trimester and only got 2.5 credits. She can spend at most $500 (that's pushing it). She already has Health (lifepacs that we're given to her and she plans to later have her dd take a First aid class).

 

So she'll need Algebra 1, Biology, English, History? and 2 more full credits in electives. It doesn't matter which ones, she could even do a religion class. Her dd will have to do most of it independently. Her dd is smart if something keeps her focus, which is somewhat hard to do.:tongue_smilie:She is pretty behind in grammar and doesn't know how to diagram so something like CLE for english is out.

 

Honestly I've spent way to much on highschool for my kids and I'm not very aware of all the options. Ideas or suggestions? :bigear:

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Anyone have experience with Notgrass? I think it looks pretty good for a 9th grader. I think she'd have to add something for grammar and vocab and bible but that could cover History, Lit and Writing and she should be able to find it used. Or maybe just do the government one so it's not so overwhelming? She's trying to have her dd finish it all by the fall.

Edited by Carol S
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Biology: look for used texts online. amazon or abebooks.com.

Miller/Levine is popular, as is anything by Campbell/Reece (three different levels, Exploring Life being an easy high school level, Concepts&connections in between, Biology a full college text for majors)

Supplement with free online videos.

 

English: Look for inexpensive copies of classics. Get a Norton Anthology- 2000 pages for a few bucks.

 

History: used books. Streaming documentaries. Library.

Teaching Company lectures are great (NEVER pay full price; buy on sale, used, or get from library)

 

Open Courseware: free college lectures

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High school is cheap if you are teaching it yourself. Older editions of just about every favorite text are available at used book stores/Amazon/Abebooks/ebay for less than the cost of shipping.

 

Definitely available used and cheap:

 

Algebra I - Foerster

Biology - Miller Levine

English - Warriners and library classics

History - depends on what era she is doing

Latin - Henle I (with added benefit of helping her grammar)

 

She should look online at the Khan Academy, Hippocampus and Aleks free trial. You tube has lots of academic videos.

 

For electives, she could do a sport (gym,) music or art.

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High school is cheap if you are teaching it yourself.

The only thing is she's a single mom, who is *really* busy. So she can't teach it herself.

 

Does she have to do labs in Biology? Maybe dvd/virtual labs would be enough?

 

Thanks!

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Actually high school can be done pretty cheaply.

 

So she'll need Algebra 1, Biology, English, History? and 2 more full credits in electives.

 

For Algebra I, I'd use either Kinetic Books Algebra I (hs version is $80/year, regular version is $36/year) or Jacobs Algebra (this usually runs about $60 on the WTM for sale board with the teacher book that has the answer key).

 

I used Holt Biology with the Oak Meadow syllabus and TM. I got the textbook on amazon for $10 and got the syllabus and TM new from Oak Mead for $25 each, so my total cost for biology (without labs) was $60. OM schedules the paper labs (where you just do data analysis, not really much hand-on stuff), so I recommend finding some other source for labs.

 

I used Windows to the World for 9th grade English and it worked out very well. I used Jill Pike's lesson plans which schedule the program out over a full school year by adding in a lot more short stories, 2 novels, and a play. It was $50 for the teacher and student books. Jill's lesson plans are available on the IEW website now and cost $10. The books were To Kill a Mockingbird and Jane Eyre and the play was Hamlet. I don't know if she changed this. I highly recommend getting Jill's lesson plans if you are going to use Windows to the World. There's a lot of great stuff in the program, but it is not laid out in a friendly format. Jill's lesson plans make it a great program.

http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/sla-e

http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/wtw-t

 

I used Oak Meadow for history also. I bought the textbook used on amazon for about $10. I got the syllabus and TM (which is primarily answers to the question in the syllabus) new from Oak Meadow for about $25 each. That made the cost for this course $60.

 

OM health was a 0.5 credit course. I bought the complete program used on either OM-HS email loop or the WTM for sale board for about $30.

 

I used Philosophy of Mind from The Teaching Company for another 0.5 credit course. I got it when it was on a great sale and only cost $25. I added a lot of the readings that were listed in the booklet that came with it - pretty much everything that was available free online.

 

The other credit my dd had for freshman year was p.e. That didn't cost anything.

 

---------

ETA:

I just saw that she's a single mom, so her dd needs to be able to do most of this stuff independently. Kinetic books is great for independent work because you get immediate feedback after most of the problems. I would definitely go for the hs version because it has introductory videos for every lesson and it grades automatically. The regular version doesn't have the videos or the grading.

 

Windows to the World will NOT work without a teacher. If she needs something that is just open&go, then I'd go with Oak Meadow 9th grade English. I used their 10th grade program last year and it was pretty good. Get the syllabus and TM from OM and the rest used on amazon.

 

OM programs for high school are pretty nicely open&go, so they would work well in her situation. Since doing labs would be an issue, the paper labs in the OM program are better than nothing. Don't get the lab kit that OM sells. The lab kit just has things like string and straws for making models of mitosis and meiosis and other stuff like that. It doesn't have much that won't already be in the house somewhere.

Edited by AngieW in Texas
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I have two lists that might help. One is a list of free education resources on the web & some are full courses. The other is a list of places that offer online classes, some of which are free. PM me with your email and I'll be glad to send them along. I would think she'd be able to piece together some good electives using the free resources.

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My sister is going to be pulling her 9th grade dd. She is not going to use the credits she got from the public school because she was only there for one trimester and only got 2.5 credits. She can spend at most $500 (that's pushing it). She already has Health (lifepacs that we're given to her and she plans to later have her dd take a First aid class).

 

So she'll need Algebra 1, Biology, English, History? and 2 more full credits in electives. It doesn't matter which ones, she could even do a religion class. Her dd will have to do most of it independently. Her dd is smart if something keeps her focus, which is somewhat hard to do.:tongue_smilie:She is pretty behind in grammar and doesn't know how to diagram so something like CLE for english is out.

 

Honestly I've spent way to much on highschool for my kids and I'm not very aware of all the options. Ideas or suggestions? :bigear:

 

For what it's worth, I spent under $400 on 9th grade for my son this year. And my current plan for my son for next year comes in under $200.

 

We make heavy use of online freebies like www.khanacademy.org and www.learner.org. I get many, many books from www.bookmooch.com and www.paperbackswap.com.

 

My son's credits this year look like this:

 

Topics in Discrete Mathematics - Art of Problem Solving: Intro to Counting and Probability, plus a cryptology unit based on readings and puzzles. He'll also work through an inexpensive intro to statistics workbook I bought off the bookstore shelf a few years ago and never used for my daughter. He has supplemented and done some review using www.khanacademy.org. Total cost = $47

 

Spanish - He started with Florida Virtual School but hates it. So, we switched to using Destinos from www.learner.org. The videos and online exercises are free, and I bought a used copy of the text (which will see us through two years) from www.half.com for $18. Total cost for one year = $9

 

Science in Popular Culture - We're basing this course on The Science of Star Wars and The Science of Harry Potter, both of which I obtained through www.paperbackswap.com for the cost of postage (about $2.50 each). I also bought a couple of robotics kits when I saw them on sale. We've taken a few field trips, and I haven't counted those in my budget, because they were the kind of fun things we might have done as a family on a weekend, anyway. Total cost for the basic, non-field-trip curriculum = $35

 

English - I bought the Greek-themed Imitation in Writing used for $10. I signed him up for access to an online course through Duke's TIP for $55. I got some books through BookMooch and Paperback Swap. I registered him for the National Mythology Exam and purchased some of their study materials. Total = $163

 

History - I bought a few books for a total of about $60, most of which we have ended up not using. Instead, he's done a bunch of online research and relied largely on a history book I had left over from my daughter's high school time. Nonetheless, I'll count my purchases, giving us a total of = $60.

 

He is also getting credit for choir and voice lessons, but the truth is that we would pay for those even if he were in school. Not counting those, my total expense for this year is a little over $300.

 

Next year, the plan is:

 

Math - FLVS (which is free to us as Florida residents)

 

Chemistry - Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments (which I can buy used for about $15), Khan Academy videos, free CK-12 text. I will have to buy some lab supplies, of course, but I expect the total to be under $100.

 

English - We plan to spend the year reading dystopian fiction. I've started accumulating books through the two swap sites and expect to be able to collect everything I need for about $15.

 

American History - I might buy American History on the Screen, which would be about $24. Or I might just do the research and write my own plans using books I have on hand or can get from the library. Either way, this should be less than $50.

 

Spanish - We'll do the second half of Destinos, using the book I have on hand and the free online materials. Total = $9

 

Elective: Kitchen Chemistry - MIT's open source course materials plus a couple of books from the swap sites. Total should be under $10.

 

Elective: Computer Programming - MIT's open source course materials plus videos from Khan Academy. Even if I buy a book or two, total should be under $10.

 

Elective: Creqtive Writing- NaNoWriMo's Young Writers program, including free workbook. Total should be $0.

 

Total for the year adds up to just over $190.

 

It's totally do-able to keep high school costs reasonable. It just requires time and creative thinking.

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You've been given lots of great suggestions. I thought I'd add one more. Excellence in Literature. It is written to the student and is very inexpensive. It covers writing assignments and literature so she can just add grammar and vocabulary to finish out an English. I agree that Easy Grammar is a good choice for someone with no diagramming.

 

Chemistry - Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments (which I can buy used for about $15), Khan Academy videos, free CK-12 text. I will have to buy some lab supplies, of course, but I expect the total to be under $100.

 

We're doing this for chem next year too, but I just figured out my lab supply order and came up with $120 just for lab supplies and I already have a fully equipped lab with glassware, ring stand, alcohol and butane burners, etc.

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My sister is going to be pulling her 9th grade dd. She is not going to use the credits she got from the public school because she was only there for one trimester and only got 2.5 credits. She can spend at most $500 (that's pushing it). She already has Health (lifepacs that we're given to her and she plans to later have her dd take a First aid class).

 

So she'll need Algebra 1, Biology, English, History? and 2 more full credits in electives. It doesn't matter which ones, she could even do a religion class. Her dd will have to do most of it independently. Her dd is smart if something keeps her focus, which is somewhat hard to do.:tongue_smilie:She is pretty behind in grammar and doesn't know how to diagram so something like CLE for english is out.

 

Honestly I've spent way to much on highschool for my kids and I'm not very aware of all the options. Ideas or suggestions? :bigear:

 

If she got *some* credits, why not use them? Unless the results were of a level that requires repeat work.

 

What about history and English as outlined in The Well Trained Mind? You can get used copies of the earlier edition of WTM for under $10 on Amazon. She could get The Well Educated Mind, which would have more specific guidance on reading great books for about $12 used with shipping.

 

Many of the books read are available on Paperback Swap or at library book sales for very little money. I came home from our library bag sale this weekend with copies of Pride and Prejudice, Shakespere plays, Frankenstein, Heart of Darkness, David Copperfield, etc. A bag was $5. Even at "full" library sale price these paperback classics run about $1 each.

 

Library sales are the #1 key to my doing school on anything resempling a budget. For $5 membership dues, we get to shop on the members only preview day. It's devoted readers and book dealers. But the dealers tend to be looking for books with a strong mark up for resale. I'm looking for used but quality textbooks, quality literature and history books that no one's heard of.

 

We started volunteering at our local branch's sale. Which gives me a chance to peruse the books while we're doing several days worth of set up (and the option to buy a couple each day we volunteer, which gives me even earlier selections). And it has let me develop a relationship with the head of friends group. They will sometimes mention that they have gotten something good in, or point out a book that they think will interest us.

 

Plus the Friends of the Library group has been a neat opportunity for networking with other interesting adults. There are retired librarians, small business owners, university professors, etc. My youngest helped me at the sale most of Saturday. He spent some of the time helping at the cashier table. When there weren't customers, he was making paper airplanes with the cashier, a former Navy pilot (who has degrees in Math and studied German and Latin). This turned into a discussion of the forces at play in flying an airplane. Fun stuff.

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I brought my first child home to school after she failed 9th grade, so I can imagine the whirlwind she is in. A couple of ideas:

 

1. Not sure if foreign language is an elective she wants, but it's a pretty standard one. The first year of foreign language is mostly building up some solid vocabulary in the language, and just some general grammar in terms of realizing sentence order is different from English, and maybe some exposure to the culture. Her library likely has a lot of foreign language-learning materials. Granted most are for travelers and may teach her how to order beer :001_huh: but if she uses them every single day, and has the ambition to look up online if she has a question, then I think she could do well.

 

2. Not sure if Bible is another elective she wants, but if so, I recommend just reading it! The Greenleaf guide is an inexpensive way to keep alert during the Old Testament history portion. And if she does foreign language and Bible, she may not need any other electives this year.

 

3. Folks have mentioned that most science textbooks can be purchased inexpensively on the used market. Often old editions aren't that different, and online sources can be used to check on recent developments. As for science equipment, maybe she can put out a local request to borrow or to be a lab partner? Oh, and VirtualHomeschoolGroup provides Apologia Biology and some other courses online for free!

 

 

I have a harder time skimping on math, English, and history, without either cost or parent involvement. I know some of the things we used were either low cost OR low parent involvement, but I don't know about both?

 

 

P.S. I do like Sebastian's idea of using WEM for literature, but unless the student is academically gifted or highly motivated, I would think the parent needs to set aside some solid time for discussion of what she's reading and feedback on writing.

 

Julie

Edited by Julie in MN
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We're doing this for chem next year too, but I just figured out my lab supply order and came up with $120 just for lab supplies and I already have a fully equipped lab with glassware, ring stand, alcohol and butane burners, etc.

 

Hmm. Well, I'll admit that my vision of lab science probably isn't as intense as other folks'. For example, my daughter did her high school chemistry credit with the FLVS online course and a kit from Thames and Kosmos. Since the online course, which included a few kitchen-type experiments, supposedly counted for a lab credit all on its own, we decided that adding anything more intense was plenty.

 

We still have all of the basic equipment -- alcohol burner, glassware, etc. My son also volunteers at the local science museum (and gets a discount in their shop). I figure between what we have on hand, what we can purchase at a discount from the museum and my willingness to think (and substitute) creatively, we'll be fine staying on a budget.

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Full disclosure my High Schoolers are in PS but my plans for youngers (5th/3rd grade) are mostly planned out through High School.:D

 

I'm only chiming in because what I plan to use isn't mentioned here very often.

 

I plan to use AoPS for Math the book with solutions manual is $59. Khan academy (free!) as suplement (help understanding) as well as Life of Fred Intro Alg. $29 (DS will be doing this in 7th/8th DD 8th/9th)

 

I think MEP Math goes to basic High School? It's free.

 

Science I will be using Connect the Thoughts Biology $35 as a guide and design my own program for Labs/activities. I am friends with a great group of HSer's and we'll probably CO-op the $$$$ stuff.

 

History will also be Connect the Thoughts we will probably try to cover 3 courses in 1 year so around $90... but only 2 courses are reccomended for around $60. The publisher regularly runs 20% off (like every other month!). Lots of reading from primary sources (library!).

 

Winning with Writing/Growing with Grammar is a "cover the basics" type curriculum very well laid out and $25 per subject per year. Goes up to level 8. Also Kiss Grammar is free... I never liked it, but only because of the way the website is laid out. She could get caught up using that or any good workbook program.

CTT also offers a Creative Writing Course $12-30 depending on course chosen.

 

I don't have much experience/interest in other programs. I have found what I like and plan on sticking to it. The thing about CTT is that it is very independent. In fact the author suggests a mostly "hands off" approach from parents. I don't teach like that but appreciate a program that does.

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Algebra 1 can be done with Kinetic books for 80 dollars. It grades most/all of it, and teaches all of it using demonstrations, virtual whiteboard lectures, etc.

 

Ambelside online for history and lit maybe?

 

Writing with Skill for writing, it is written to the student but having mom available to ask questions of in the evening is important. Not too expensive.

 

Plenty of free vocab/SAT prep stuff online to round out english.

 

Not sure on Science, but apologia isn't too expensive and she can buy lab kits for it, or Sonlight sells a full lesson plan for it. Might be able to buy the lesson plan and textbook used.

 

For electives I like the idea of free online college courses. Or home ec or something for this year.

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  • 1 month later...

For Algebra, I agree to consider Kinetic books or another possibility is Algebra A Fresh Approach (I think it is around $50) or getting the cheaper version of Chalkdust Math (you can usually buy an old version of the text along with the DVDs for cheap on Amazon).

 

I would definitely consider Oak Meadow for history, electives, or English. You can get the materials used or when they are on sale. They have a sale in May, 20% of materials. For electives, they have art classes, psychology, or you could do geography. I would buy the textbooks that they require used off Amazon or Ebay, etc.

 

Some other possibilities for history: Notgrass or Beautiful Feet, both could be self-directed by the student and are inexpensive.

 

For literature, look into Total Language Plus ($20 per guide) which covers writing, literature, some grammar, etc. or maybe Hewitt's Lightning Literature guides.

 

For writing, Essentials in Writing is self-directed with videos and it is not too bad in price ($40), available in August/September.

 

My Access is a website that has writing instruction and evaluates writing. Homeschoolbuyersco-op.org has it on sale right now for $50 for a year's subscription.

 

I bought this writing curriculum called Inspire Motivating Lessons For Teen Writers from Rainbow Resource and it is really good, creative, fun, and written directly to the teen so they could possibly do it on their own($20). Wordsmith might be a possibility as well, also directed to the student, sells for $13 on Rainbow's website.

 

If you plan on doing grammar, Thinking Through Grammar is a possibility, it is written to where the student could do it on their own.

 

For vocabulary, Vocabulary From Classical Roots workbooks would be independent or Wordly Wise. Wordly Wise has a website and has free vocabulary lessons on there.

 

Another thing to consider Kolbe Academy is really inexpensive, flexible, they have payment plans, it might work for science, English, or math. You can either purchase their course plans separately and then find the books used or you could enroll ($300 per year for high school-can pay in 4 payments) and then you would get course plans for all the subjects. The benefit of enrolling is that you would then have a transcript at the end of high school already done for you. The only downside is they really don't offer electives.

 

I have been looking into Kolbe Academy for when my daughter is ready for high school and I think a combination of Kolbe Academy and Oak Meadow would be ideal. You could receive a degree from Kolbe and have the flexibility, but then take electives and possibility history or geography courses from Oak Meadow. I like the math and science options better at Kolbe. I also like that I can use any other curriculum/text, etc to meet Kolbe's requirements rather than stick to whatever textbook they pick out.

Edited by txhomemom
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I have no personal experience with this, but stumbled on it the other day. It might be worth checking out for your friend. It's a completely free high school curriculum for college-bound students.

 

 

I was going to recommend the same website. I use it all the time.

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