9th grade subjects

[MrsMe]

What would a typical 9th grade look like if you followed SWB's writing/grammar. 

 

She has WWS and R&S (7-10 for high school).  How much is the writing credit, one credit would be for R&S, what would the rest look like?

 

[Lang Syne Boardie]

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[Lori D.]

In the "big administrative picture" of high school, a shift occurs from thinking in terms of "language arts subjects", to "English credits", since many homeschoolers need to meet credit requirements for high school graduation and/or college admissions.

 

Four credits (4 years) of English are required in high school. A typical English credit is 1/2 Literature and 1/2 Composition/Writing, with a little Vocabulary thrown in, and either just a little light review or no formal Grammar instruction. Usually, formal Grammar instruction ends in middle school (or after 9th grade if the student was still in need of formal instruction), and instead, high school level Grammar is all about putting it into use in Writing, Foreign Language, and/or Public Speaking/Speech & Debate.

 

So, how is a high school credit counted? Usually:

- completion of a typical standard high school level textbook or coursework

- hours (120 hours = minimum, 150 hours = average, 180 hours = maximum)

- a combination of materials, hours, and output

 

 

What would a typical 9th grade look like if you followed SWB's writing/grammar. 

 

She has WWS and R&S (7-10 for high school).  How much is the writing credit, one credit would be for R&S, what would the rest look like?

 

Keeping all of the above in mind, here's just what I would do for the 9th grade English credit, while staying closer to WTM recommendations:

 

1 credit English:

 

1. Literature (3-4 hours/week)

WTM book list for 9th grade, or a Lit. program, that connects up with Ancient History (WTM recommendation for 9th grade). Read, discuss, analyze, and write about classic Literature (3-4 hours/week) -- the writing "double-dips with the Composition/Writing portion of the English credit. If interested in a Literature program, both of these are solid 9th grade programs that would fit well with WTM-style Literature later on, but would not match up with your Ancient World History for 9th grade:

- Windows to the World (1 semester, but can add some novels, or use the Jill Pike syllabus to boost to 1 year)

- Excellence in Literature: Intro to Literature (1 year program)

 

2. Composition/Writing (2-2.5 hours/week -- avg. 30 min./day)

WWS (or other writing program), and time spent on other writing assignments (History, Lit.) (30 min/day, or about 2 to 2.5 hours/week)

 

3. Grammar -- drop (or optional)

Formal instruction in Grammar is usually no longer needed by high school; rather, Grammar is put into practice with Writing, Foreign Language, Speech/Debate. Or, other options if really wanting Grammar in high school:

- light review as needed (2x/week, 10-15 min/per review)

- discuss in context of Latin or Foreign Language studies, or in Writing

- full, formal instruction in 9th grade to complete Grammar understanding, if still needed by the student (typically, still not counted as a separate credit)

 

4. Vocabulary -- optional

If included, it is not counted as a separate credit. Most frequently, Vocab. is done:

- in context of the Literature

- or as a roots-based program (2-3x/week, 10-15 min/per session) to prepare for SAT/ACT testing

- or is learned as part of Latin (if done as the Foreign Language in high school).

 

Rhetoric and/or Writing

The original edition of WTM recommends spending 3-5 hours/week on rhetoric exercises in writing formal arguments based on the Literature, History, and Science; if you include some formal Composition (writing instruction and other types of writing, and if you do 4--5 hours/week *in addition* to writing assignments done for the English and History, then you would have another 1 credit course in Composition, or if it also included Speech/Debate, then 1 credit Elective: Rhetoric.

 

Another option: rather than doing formal Rhetoric as a credit, you could seek out a Speech/Debate team and have your student participate as an extracurricular -- college admissions really like to see well-rounded students, and participation in extracurriculars such as Speech/Debate are very helpful in being admitted to colleges.

 

 

As you decide how to put together your credits and programs for 9th grade:

- Grammar: does your student really NEED any more Grammar, or is it time to put it into practice in Writing, For. Lang., etc.

- Writing: does your student need some instruction in Composition/Writing before moving into a more WTM-style of Writing/Rhetoric? WWS is a solid Writing program that fulfills the Composition/Writing portion of a 9th grade English credit; there are other high school programs and good online classes for outsourcing, too

- Literature: do you and your student want to do a WTM style of Great Books that connects the History and Literature? do you to plan out your own Literature each year, or would a Literature program or outsourced class be of help?

- Rhetoric: do you and your student want to include some sort of Rhetoric component in the high school years? and if so would that be best addressed as the self-study method in WTM, an outsourced class, or as a Speech/Debate extracurricular?

 

In case you are wanting to more closely follow WTM In her handout "Academic Excellence: gr. 9-12", through a Great Books focused study, SWB spreads out language arts subjects across several credits rather than combined as an English credit:

 

- 1 credit = History (part of Great Books study) -- includes Writing (weekly History research papers) and Rhetoric (History as source for topics for writing Rhetoric essays)

- 1 credit = Literature credit (part of Great Books study) -- includes Writing (reader responses, literary essays)

- 1 credit = Rhetoric (Writing and formal Argument) -- in the handout, Grammar, Spelling, Vocab. are listed here (?)

- no credit = Writing = not counted as a separate credit but weekly papers are part of the Literature, History, and Rhetoric credits

- no credit = Grammar, Spelling, Vocab.= not counted as a separate credits, but part of Rhetoric credit (?)

 

NOTE: I believe this SWB handout is quite old, as the hours listed for the accruing credits are light (lists 108 hours = 1 credit), and it is also inconsistent, as the Lit. and History credits are 1/3 more hours in comparison for 1 credit, each jumping up to 160 hours = 1 credit.

 

Also, this handout heavily leans toward Humanities-based students with a high interest/ability in reading and writing about the classics. It does not provide options for students who are STEM-based or Fine Arts performance-based.

 

 

Hope that is of help! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

[Lori D.]

PS -- Again, that WTM handout I linked above is old, and most likely SWB has updated the credits list in the most recent edition of the WTM ;)… But in case it is of help, below are two total credit lists -- the WTM "final transcript" and when/how those credits are accrued -- AND -- the "final transcript" credit list typically required for high school graduation AND to be college prep* (have the credits required for admission to the majority of colleges). * Note: top tier and competitive colleges would require additional credits of a more rigorous type, as well as some AP test scores.

________________________

 

COLLEGE-PREP FINAL TRANSCRIPT

 

TOTAL CREDITS

4 credits = English (1/2 Lit., 1/2 Composition/Writing)

4 credits = Math* (Alg. 1, Geom., Alg. 2, and 4th math requiring Alg. 2 as pre-requisite)

3-4 credits = Science** (with labs)

2-4 credits = Foreign Language (same language)

3-4 credits = Social Sciences*** (1 = World Hist., 1 = Amer. Hist., 0.5 each = Gov't and Econ, sometimes required: 1 = World Geography)

1 credit = Fine Arts****

4-8+ credits = Electives***** (Health, PE, Computer, Bible, Vocational-Tech, credits in areas of personal interest, additional Fine Arts, additional English, Math, Science, Social Studies = academic credits, etc.) 

22-28+ credits = total, credits are consistent, with approx. 135-165 hours = 1 credit

(note: hours for 1 credit -- minimum = 120 hours, maximum = 180 hours)

5.5 to 7 credits per year, with 1 credit = roughly 1 hour of work per day 5x/week

 

* = STEM-based students usually take Alg. 1 in middle school and go up through Calculus and/or Statistics in high school

** = STEM-based students take 4 or more sciences, with one or more Advanced sciences

*** = Humanities-based students take more courses in Literature, Social Sciences and/or For. Lang.

**** = Fine Arts-based students take more performance/studio arts courses

***** = some states require 0.5 or 1.0 credits in specific areas for high school graduation (Health, PE, Computer…)

________________________

 

WTM FINAL TRANSCRIPT

 

TOTAL CREDITS

4 credits = English (Language Arts)

3-4 credits = Math

4-8 credits = Foreign Language

4 credits = Social Sciences (2 World Hist., 1 Amer. Hist., 1 Amer. Gov't)

4 credits = Science

10-14 credits = Electives

29-38 credits = total

 

9th grade
1 credit (120 hours) = English 1 (Grammar; language arts)

1 credit (90 hours) = Elective: Speech 1 (Rhetoric; writing, speaking)

1 credit (160 hours) = Elective: Literature: World Lit. 1

1 credit (160 hours) = History: World History 1

1 credit (120 hours) = Math: Algebra 1

1 credit (108 hours) = Science: Biology 1

1-2 credits (108-216 hours) = For. Lang.: Latin / Modern Lang. 1

1 credit (108 hours) = Fine Arts 1 (Art & Music)

8-9 credits = total

 

10th grade
1 credit (120 hours) = English 2 (Grammar; language arts)

1 credit (90 hours) = Elective: Speech 2 (Rhetoric; writing, speaking)

1 credit (160 hours) = Elective: Literature: World Lit. 2

1 credit (160 hours) = History: World History 2

1 credit (120 hours) = Math: Algebra 2

1 credit (108 hours) = Science: Earth Science

1-2 credits (108-216 hours) = For. Lang.: Latin / Modern Lang. 2

1 credit (108 hours) = Elective: Fine Arts 2 (Art & Music)

8-9 credits = total

 

11th grade
1 credit (120 hours) = English 3 (Grammar; language arts)

1 credit (160 hours) = Elective: Literature: Victorian Lit.

1 credit (160 hours) = History: American History

1 credit (120 hours) = Math: Advanced Math

1 credit (108 hours) = Science: Chemistry

1-2 credits (108-216 hours) = For. Lang.: Latin / Modern Lang. 3

1 credit (108 hours) = Elective: Fine Arts 3 (Art & Music)

1 credit (100-150 hours) = Elective: Junior Honors (junior thesis)

8-9 credits = total

 

12th grade
1 credit (120 hours) = English 4 (Grammar; language arts)

1 credit (160 hours) = Elective: Literature: Modern Lit.

1 credit (160 hours) = American Government

1 credit (120 hours) = Elective: Math

1 credit (108 hours) = Science: Physics

1-2 credits (108-216 hours) = For. Lang.: Latin / Modern Lang. 4

1 credit (108 hours) = Elective: Fine Arts 4 (Art & Music)

1 credit (100-150 hours) = Elective: Senior Honors (junior thesis)

8-9 credits = total

 

[MrsMe]

This is great stuff!  Thanks, Lori!

[abrightmom]

Lori,

 

What a helpful summary and one that I need as I'm looking ahead to high school while planning 7th and 8th grade. You are SUCH a blessing!! TY for serving us so tirelessly. Three cheers for Lori ... hip hip hooray!  :hurray: