Help me put together a mostly independent 9th grade plan...

[Michelle My Bell]

My son really wants to stay home this year after A LOT of discussion. I am really going through a lot myself with a separation from my husband, starting two new businesses and trying to finish my BSN. I will be home 99% of the time, but I will be working on all that. So I need something that is all laid out or even just something that teaches him. Not all reading. I'd like some videos or other content... OH and I can't really afford online classes that are hundreds of dollars this year. All the bills that used to be shared are now on me. I do have Guest Hollows Geography that I could use... If I can figure out how to preplan it. And I already know we will be using Teaching Textbooks Math as he loves that. My son could really use a good Language Arts program. That is his weak area. 

Bible: 

Math: Teaching Textbooks Algebra

English/Grammar:

Vocabulary:

Literature:

Writing:

Foreign Language:

History/Geography:
(Maybe Guest Hollow or something else?)

Science: 

Health:

PE:

[freesia]

7 minutes ago, Michelle My Bell said:

My son really wants to stay home this year after A LOT of discussion. I am really going through a lot myself with a separation from my husband, starting two new businesses and trying to finish my BSN. I will be home 99% of the time, but I will be working on all that. So I need something that is all laid out or even just something that teaches him. Not all reading. I'd like some videos or other content... OH and I can't really afford online classes that are hundreds of dollars this year. All the bills that used to be shared are now on me. I do have Guest Hollows Geography that I could use... If I can figure out how to preplan it. And I already know we will be using Teaching Textbooks Math as he loves that. My son could really use a good Language Arts program. That is his weak area. 

Bible: 

Math: Teaching Textbooks Algebra

English/Grammar:

Vocabulary:

Literature:

Writing:

Foreign Language:

History/Geography:
(Maybe Guest Hollow or something else?)

Science: 

Health:

PE:

I have some ideas.  If you have any money, I would recommend doing a couple of Lantern English writing classes. They are only $60 for an 8 week class. 

Literature: Look at Illuminating Literature--it's easy to use and the books are engaging. Does he need grammar?  Maybe Easy Grammar ? Vocab--Illuminating Lit has vocab

Science--Since you are looking at Guest Hollow, dd used the Biology and it went really well.  It does have a weekly plan.

Foreign Language--Require 45 minutes a day.  Have him work on Duolingo, watch some cartoons in the target language, get an Easy Reader (Spanish, French, German) and work through it with him once a week after the first semester.

Health:Total Health is easy

PE: Have him design a daily fitness plan and do it each day.

Bible: Hmmm  the Bible Project has good videos.  Maybe have him watch the video and then read the book of the Bible and journal?  Share some things he learns?

[Michelle My Bell]

2 minutes ago, freesia said:

I have some ideas.  If you have any money, I would recommend doing a couple of Lantern English writing classes. They are only $60 for an 8 week class. 

Literature: Look at Illuminating Literature--it's easy to use and the books are engaging. Does he need grammar?  Maybe Easy Grammar ? Vocab--Illuminating Lit has vocab

Science--Since you are looking at Guest Hollow, dd used the Biology and it went really well.  It does have a weekly plan.

Foreign Language--Require 45 minutes a day.  Have him work on Duolingo, watch some cartoons in the target language, get an Easy Reader (Spanish, French, German) and work through it with him once a week after the first semester.

Health:Total Health is easy

PE: Have him design a daily fitness plan and do it each day.

Bible: Hmmm  the Bible Project has good videos.  Maybe have him watch the video and then read the book of the Bible and journal?  Share some things he learns?

These are some great ideas! Thank you! I am going to look up these resources. ❤️ 

 

[Slache]

My oldest is only 10.

Bible: I don't do this for credit because I don't want to have to do assignments if I don't want to. You could break the Bible up into 180 days with commentary, or do The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Study. I like John Macarthur's blue books.

Math: Teaching Textbooks Algebra

English: I would outsource all of English into one thing. I think Well Trained Mind Academy has this. Bravewriter does for a million dollars.

Foreign Language: Which language?

History/Geography: Susan, the author of the book The Well Trained Mind and owner of this forum, has a rigorous high school history and geography. Notgrass is less rigorous and follows the traditional sequence.

Science: Apologia with DVD is my only suggestion, but I am ignorant and would prefer not to comment, just acknowledging the question.

Health: Apologia and Primal Kids is my plan.

PE: What does he like to do and what is he doing now?

[Slache]

10 minutes ago, freesia said:

Foreign Language--Require 45 minutes a day.  Have him work on Duolingo, watch some cartoons in the target language, get an Easy Reader (Spanish, French, German) and work through it with him once a week after the first semester.

PE: Have him design a daily fitness plan and do it each day.

Bible: Hmmm  the Bible Project has good videos.  Maybe have him watch the video and then read the book of the Bible and journal?  Share some things he learns?

Foreign Language: To my understanding, there needs to be a formal grammar element for collages to accept it. 

PE: 3-4 days a week for half credit is my personal preference.

Bible: I have to look this up! Also the lit stuff. Thanks for sharing!

[freesia]

1 hour ago, Slache said:

Foreign Language: To my understanding, there needs to be a formal grammar element for collages to accept it. 

PE: 3-4 days a week for half credit is my personal preference.

Bible: I have to look this up! Also the lit stuff. Thanks for sharing!

No, that's not true.  None of the colleges my oldest 2 have applied to (highly selective ones included) have ever asked what the FL class included.  Only one school ever asked for a booklist.  There's no way they would know and FL is taught different ways all over the US.  I used to be very strict about what the FL class included, but have relaxed a lot.  My third is slightly dyslexic and a formal class would have been a grind.  His online class is very relaxed and uses an immersion method which is totally working for him.  He tries out his Spanish on us all the time.  My dd had a more traditional French class which worked the same way for her. 

As with anything, if you have a specific dream college it is worth checking.

[prairiewindmomma]

So, you have a lot of subjects for a 9th grader. Typically, they would have seven courses only even if they are going for an Honors diploma of 28 credits.

Also, I am assuming you are planning on homeschooling through all of high school? Typically it is very difficult to reintegrate mid stream as the public school will not accept non-accredited credits.

Here are my thoughts, having homeschooled one K-12, and now having a second kid in high school.

1. Don’t count the Bible study as a credit towards a diploma. I mean, you can count it as an elective if you really want to but I think there is danger in making something that should be as joyful as scripture study school.
 

2. Save the foreign language for when you can dual enroll him into a community college or pay for an online class. It is difficult to do a foreign language well without a fluent tutor. It is even more difficult if you aren’t there to 1:1 with him for practice.

3. If you think about your standard 6-7 credits, you have:

math

science (typically either physics or biology)

history

English language arts

PE

Health: typically not done the same year as PE

elective credit

4. If you are really pinched for time and you aren’t up for all of grades 9-12, consider an online charter. Homeschooling high school well is a significant chunk of time. 
 

5. As far as ELA goes, I would focus less on vocabulary, and more on writing well with a coherent and strong voice. Grammar is also important in that it supports writing as well as doubles for ACT/SAT prep. With my older kid, we used History of the Ancient World and my son wrote a ton of essays. In addition to that, he read a long list of classics and listened to bunch of Great Courses lectures through audible. I bunched ELA with history his 9th grade year. (I didn’t always do this, but it worked well for 9th.) With my next kid, History Odyssey was a better fit, and we did ELA separately through his charter. That ELA class focused mostly on writing a strong essay with documentation—for the whole year. The students wrote about different things, but it wasn’t nearly as difficult as Writing with Skill volume 1. 🙂 

 

[Michelle My Bell]

7 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

So, you have a lot of subjects for a 9th grader. Typically, they would have seven courses only even if they are going for an Honors diploma of 28 credits.

Also, I am assuming you are planning on homeschooling through all of high school? Typically it is very difficult to reintegrate mid stream as the public school will not accept non-accredited credits.

Here are my thoughts, having homeschooled one K-12, and now having a second kid in high school.

1. Don’t count the Bible study as a credit towards a diploma. I mean, you can count it as an elective if you really want to but I think there is danger in making something that should be as joyful as scripture study school.
 

2. Save the foreign language for when you can dual enroll him into a community college or pay for an online class. It is difficult to do a foreign language well without a fluent tutor. It is even more difficult if you aren’t there to 1:1 with him for practice.

3. If you think about your standard 6-7 credits, you have:

math

science (typically either physics or biology)

history

English language arts

PE

Health: typically not done the same year as PE

elective credit

4. If you are really pinched for time and you aren’t up for all of grades 9-12, consider an online charter. Homeschooling high school well is a significant chunk of time. 
 

5. As far as ELA goes, I would focus less on vocabulary, and more on writing well with a coherent and strong voice. Grammar is also important in that it supports writing as well as doubles for ACT/SAT prep. With my older kid, we used History of the Ancient World and my son wrote a ton of essays. In addition to that, he read a long list of classics and listened to bunch of Great Courses lectures through audible. I bunched ELA with history his 9th grade year. (I didn’t always do this, but it worked well for 9th.) With my next kid, History Odyssey was a better fit, and we did ELA separately through his charter. That ELA class focused mostly on writing a strong essay with documentation—for the whole year. The students wrote about different things, but it wasn’t nearly as difficult as Writing with Skill volume 1. 🙂 

 

Thank you for your thoughts. I have 4 older daughters and this was my experience. Daughters 1 & 2 were homeschooled through 12th grade. Both got full-ride scholarships to college. Daughter 1 got so much in scholarships, she got a refund every semester. Daughters 3 & 4 were homeschooled for part of high school and ended up going to brick and mortar high school with credits I issued them. We didn't have any issues with them being accepted and both are graduated now. I just don't have the time to dedicate to my son but staying home is important to him. I don't think and online charter is a good fit though. Thank you for your thoughts. I'll consider them. 🙂 

[Katy]

For English- 9th grade typically includes some Shakespeare.  I just found this Audible series called SmartPass that stops the audiobook whenever anything interesting happens, or difficult to understand, or you need some cultural explanations to explain what's happening.  Then after the commentary for the entire play is done you can listen to actors without the commentary.  Here's the one for Macbeth:  https://www.audible.com/pd/SmartPass-Plus-Audio-Education-Study-Guide-to-Macbeth-Unabridged-Dramatised-Commentary-Options-Audiobook/B0036I53LY?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

I've found playing audible books WHILE reading to be super helpful for my kid that hates English.  And that creepy whispery "Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth" in the intro is something reluctant readers like.  If you did all the Shakespeare ones he could probably listen to just 30-45 minutes a day, then watch a few movies of productions between books and learn quite a bit.  A flashcard SAT/ACT vocabulary review and a short grammar lesson from any program could round it out in less than 90 minutes a day.

I've never been a fan of the standard choices like Things Fall Apart or Great Expectations for that age. Things are hard enough when you're 15 without reading depressing literature.  A survey of The Bible as Literature AND Shakespeare is a nice alternative, and arguably a better education in literary terms.  I haven't made active listening worksheets yet, but you might be able to find them online.  Something like this. https://studylib.net/doc/10001353/macbeth---worksheet-act-3

[Katy]

For foreign language, you might consider having him learn the most frequent 1,000 words in whatever language he chooses (Spanish is arguably most helpful in the US), then finding any junky/fun TV show in that language, I've frequently heard telenovelas recommended, have him watch an episode, review flashcards, and do one lesson in a grammar workbook for the language.  Once he gets to 5,000 words memorized he'll probably have something approaching fluency, at least according to everything I've read.  And it will probably much easier, more fun, and more effective than typical school language classes.

For everything else you could try Modern States and Saylor Academy.  They have free, college level courses.  If he works through them on a timetable he'll be able to take CLEP exams & get college credit to prove teaching himself was successful. Many schools don't take CLEP exams, but it will demonstrate he learned something.  Typically High school classes work through college level material at half pace, but I would leave it up to him if he wanted to work ahead.

https://modernstates.org/ And https://www.saylor.org/

[prairiewindmomma]

Thank you for chiming back in letting me know this isn’t your first rodeo.

I always worry when people post and say they have no time, no money, and they need their 14 yo to essentially teach themselves high school. 
 

 

[Michelle My Bell]

47 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Thank you for chiming back in letting me know this isn’t your first rodeo.

I always worry when people post and say they have no time, no money, and they need their 14 yo to essentially teach themselves high school. 
 

 

Yes, absolutely. I think that does make a huge difference as well. I think the solution I have come to is to use BJU online. My son's dad is going to help pay for it and I believe it is something I could spend an hour or so a week looking over and making sure he is getting it done. Thank you for your helps, truly.