In order to allow Amber to pursue a good grounding in languages before heading off to college, we will be doing the minimum amount of work needed in science & math. Amber's current desire is to have two or three languages besides English at a reasonable level when she graduates, along with significant experience in creative writing.
Math:
(1 Credit)BJU Consumer Math
We didn't even make it through August of 10th grade, without a change to Amber's math curriculum. The short of it is that she needs something less intensive than geometry, and we think Consumer Math will be a good fit for this year.
(If you'd like to read the details on the change, check out this post on changing course for high school math.)
Life of Fred -Geometry -Postponed until... 11th Grade(?)
After taking a semester break from math the last half of 9th grade, Amber will restart mathematics with Geometry. Her planned high school courses only require her to complete Geometry and Trigonometry.
Language Arts:
(1 Credit for English II) (We've changed the credits for this. She will get 1 full credit of literature, and 1/2 credit for writing / grammar. She does far more work than is expected for a single credit)Writing: IEW writing course(s). We honestly aren't sure yet which ones; the choice is between another continuation course or one of the history based courses. Completed
The Elegant Essay (IEW) - We've been using one of the IEW student continuation courses for Amber's writing during the first semester. Second semester, I'm teaching The Elegant Essay at our co-op, and Amber will be taking that class. Completed
Literature: Using mostly Lightning Literature high school levels, and migrating to Excellence in Literature for everything except Shakespeare. We still LOVE Lightning Literature, but the problem is that we've already covered large pieces of each of their levels. We need something that covers what Amber is missing, instead of us skipping half of each guide. Excellence in Literature fits that need.
The tentative 10th grade reading list is:
- Romantic Poets: Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley (Lightning Lit) - Completed
- A Jury of her Peers (Illuminating Literature)
Completed- Frankenstein - Mary Shelley (Lightning Lit) - Completed
- Much Ado About Nothing - William Shakespeare (Illuminating Literature) - Completed
- Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (Lightning Lit) - Completed
- The Last of the Mohicans - James Fenimore Cooper (Excellence in Lit) - Completed
- Huck Finn - Mark Twain (Excellence in Lit)
- The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Excellence in Lit)
- The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway (Excellence in Lit)
- Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare (Memoria Press)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream - William Shakespeare (Lightning Lit)
- Walden - Henry David Thoreau (Excellence in Lit)
- Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
- Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Memoria Press - Poetry & Short Stories: American Literature. We planned this for 8th grade, but other things came up. Amber still wants to work through it during high school.(1 Credit over two years for Creative Writing Elective)
Grammar: IEW Fix It! Grammar - Amber has started somewhere in the upper levels of this and will hopefully continue until she finishes the series. It will be incorporated in her English credits throughout high school until she finishes the series. Completed
Creative Writing: One Year Adventure Novel - Amber's goal is to become a writer, so naturally one of her electives is creative writing. However, she may take two years to complete this entire elective credit, and then work on a second creative writing elective for her last two years of high school.
Foreign Language
(?? Credits)(Amber is fascinated by and gifted in languages. She'd forego all other subjects except writing to study just languages. It's time to start letting her emphasize this interest since she has made great progress in her required math and science.)
Greek: Amber still wants to continue with First Form Greek that she started as a review item in the latter part of 9th grade. I'll see where this goes.
German: Portfolio Deutsch. Amber's official foreign language that will be acceptable to any of the universities.
Latin: Amber also wants to continue with First Form Latin that was an even later 9th grade review start than Greek. The bonus is that she took three years of Latin in late elementary and early middle school, so she has some understanding already. This is another one that we will see where it leads.
History & Government
(3/4 Credit U.S. History, 1/4 Credit Western Civilization)History: We floundered last year with Tapestry of Grace, leaving Amber with a strange assortment of partial history credits from various eras. This year we will work on finishing the U.S. History credit and adding to the Western Civ credit - unless a fascinating history based co-op class comes up again, like last year.
Mystery of History Vol. IV (mostly for the cultural and non-American history)
Notgrass Exploring America - For the U.S. history. We won't do the literature options with it.
Home School in the Woods - I'm using their Time Travelers series for supplemental reading, timelines, some maps, writing assignments, and a few projects. Simply because we have always enjoyed them.
MapTrek - Additional map work to help with Amber's geography.
(1/2 Credit U.S. Government)
Notgrass Exploring Government: We tried to use Tapestry of Grace for a partial government credit last year, but it turned out to be too much. This year we are going straight for the solid half credit of U.S. government and then be finished.
Science
(1/2 Credit- First Semester)Meteorology: I'm teaching this course at our co-op first semester, per Amber's request. We would do it at home if it had not made the cut for co-op listings. It includes a mix of book work, demonstration, and lab work for the students. Completed(1/2 Credit - Second Semester)
Astronomy: Amber has requested a semester long, high school level astronomy class for second semester. I am teaching it at our co-op second semester. Completed
Electives and Non-Core Subjects
(Fine Arts Credit)Drama: A year long co-op drama class, but will probably only amount to enough hours for 1/4 to 1/2 credit. (Second year of high school drama) - A slight hitch happened with drama. We changed homeschool co-op, so first semester is in one drama class and second semester is another class. - Completed
Classical Art: A semester long co-op art class that will also only have enough hours for 1/4 credit. Completed - first semester
Nature Drawing: A semester long (second semester) co-op class that should also earn Amber 1/4 credit. Completed - second semester
Music: Continue weekly private flute lessons and practice. We only count her 45 minute lessons and performances as school hours. So between 1/4 and 1/2 credit of music too.
(Practical Arts Credit)
Computer Usage:Continuing an online course Amber started in the spring of 9th grade. Should earn her 1/2 credit total. - Amber decided against this.
Sewing & Cooking: We decided Amber could work on her sewing and cooking skills for a portion of her practical arts credit. She still isn't quite capable of independent meal cooking, and her sewing is not yet to the point of being able to handle household needs. - This just didn't happen in our free time and I never made it a point to schedule time. Amber is taking a full year of home economics at co-op next school year (11th grade).
Driver's Education: Amber now has her driving permit, so we will be intentionally making time to instruct her in safe driving. Ongoing - it's slow going for her, but she's getting there.
(1 Physical Education Credit)
Phys. Ed: Amber has regular physical therapy sessions where she works on strengthening the muscles around her joints and learns how to care for her body. She also has daily cardio exercises to help with her dysautonomia, along with her daily home physical therapy program to keep her muscles toned and her joints safe. Amber can easily earn a full credit of physical education every year of high school because of her therapies (occupational therapy as well) and her prescribed home care.
(Misc)
Amber will have at least one, if not more, co-op classes this year that may not fit neatly into any credit. I'll have to evaluate the work done in the classes to determine if the hours are viable for any of her incomplete credits. Otherwise they will just be fun electives that I document for possible later use.
First Semester:
A geography & culture / cooking / eating class - I'll see how much geography and culture are included. I may tack these hours onto Western Civ. Completed
Hope you enjoy Notgrass and the rest of your studies this year!
ReplyDeleteThanks! We're looking forward to starting.
Delete