yoyoma Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Background: DD15 is an independent learner, motivated by standardized tests, math-oriented, and wants a biology/science-y career. She also is a dancer in a pre-professional ballet program. She had chronic pain last year so she will be the first to admit she really kind of cut corners considering the kind of colleges she has her eye on. She feels the pain is not going to be an issue this year (it was scoliosis-related)--and she wants me to throw "the works" at her this next year. Money *is* an issue, so not many outsourced classes (ballet costs a small fortune, and she has siblings). What she did in 9th ================== English (writing and grammar) - Windows on the World, How to Read a Book Ancient Literature (Gilgamesh, Iliad, Odyssey) Geometry - Teaching Textbooks Biology - Holt World History with SAT II Subject Test (620) - Spielvogel and things, and Barron's prep book Dance She is miffed about the SATII score, but she learned a huge lesson about cramming everything into a few weeks instead of covering it through the year (she self-prepped). I think she wants to take the US History SATII or AP test just as a personal challenge to prove to herself that she can prepare better. With all the above in mind, this is how the year seems to be shaping (with curric chosen)... ================== 10th ================== English (writing and grammar) (writing papers with EIL below, Strunk&White, and other bits and bobs) American Literature - Excellence in Literature, American Lit unit (the honors reading list) Precalculus - AoPS books (to be determined...she is starting the books this summer) Chemistry - Thinkwell (so she can start and stop as needed for performance schedules) US History - considering merylvdm's plan...got the resources checked out from the library now US Government - would like to try AP test on this, but may not be realistic...no curric chosen yet Dance (10+ hours week +rehearsals) Latin I - hoping to use previously purchased materials...foreign language is hardest for DD The plan was after trying on for size in the fall, I would look at her progress/aptitude and motivation, and then decide if we will test prep for AP or SATII tests. If so, I would adjust as necessary and get test prep materials--otherwise just carry on. But now that it is all written down in one place, this looks like soooooo much! Granted English and Lit are pretty much combined... and US History and US Government could work in concert... math is her favorite, latin is for fun at this point, and chemistry could be smooth sailing (but could be a drag over shards of glass). Part of me thinks, too, that it looks like a lot for a PS student with loads of homework, but maybe not so much for a motivated homeschooler. Am I naive? Any thoughts? Just to finish things out, here would be a possible skeleton for the remaining years (trying to time AP Bio/Calc for junior year). ================== 11th ================== English/Lit Calculus AP Bio Latin II Computer Science/Econ Dance ================== 12th ================== English/Lit AP Statistics Physics Latin III Dance Any thoughts appreciated. My brain is numb. But it could be the a/c that has frozen my ear as I cuddle next to it. :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in NY Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 The first thought that comes to mind is to ask what math she has had before TT Geo. Has she done algebra I&II already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoyoma Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 The first thought that comes to mind is to ask what math she has had before TT Geo. Has she done algebra I&II already? Yes, she did those in 7th/8th. She is enjoying dipping into the AoPS books right now, so I'm not sure what she will settle on, but I think she will be doing precalc, with maybe the number theory books for enjoyment. Good question though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 I see you already answered my question about Algebra II for another poster, so Precalculus looks fine. You have two histories scheduled for 10th grade with none scheduled for 11th or 12th. Colleges generally like to see 4 years of history. I would push either US history or government to 11th and then also do one year of world geography or anthropology or something else that falls under social studies in 12th. Aside from that, it looks good to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoyoma Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 Colleges generally like to see 4 years of history. I hadn't realized that--my DD has already expressed that we've been "doing history all along" so I was going to try to hurry it out of the way (9th and 10th) so she could concentrate on her first loves, math and science. Really 4 years, not 4 semesters? (Thinking back to some of the college requirements I've been looking at...) I will have to think on this--definitely food for thought. Is it that the college requirements listed on their sites are not actually what they "generally like to see?" I feel like I need a secret handshake now, then! My mind is reeling about what other things I may have mis-judged! :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 It's not really 4 years of "history," just 4 years of social sciences. You can do 2 years of history and then do government, economics, etc for the other 2 years. We have seen this 2+2 stated on various college and university websites. I'm posting from my phone otherwise I'd write a long list of other options :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoyoma Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 Okay, so tinkering to spread out social studies...and after talking with DD...she would like to do AP gov in 11th. She doesn't consider it "history" per se, and she so I guess it is digestable for her LOL That makes me feel better time-wise. Especially when she displays enthusiasm for it. Wonder if that is a summer thing though :laugh: Just don't want to load too much on a heavy junior year...better to have pain now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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