~Bona Vita~

Finally, 12th grade. . .

The senior year of high-school is an exciting, watershed moment in a young person’s life. Children are on the brink of a new era. I think it’s important that they enjoy this year and, yet, take it seriously. It can be a fun, memorable year and still be quite productive. Following is my daughter’s curriculum for her senior year.

Note: American Government can be a semester course. However, I will incorporate literature and writing assignments, thus making it a year-long course.

12th grade

• Bible Study – How To Ruin Your Life By 40, Know What You Believe, Know Why You Believe, Mere Christianity
• Advanced Biology: Human Anatomy – Apologia
• AP Latin – Scholars Online
• American Government – A Beka, with supplemental reading
• Algebra II (Completed by December), Pre-Calculus – Teaching Textbooks
• American Literature – See reading list
• Piano – Private instruction through IPFW Community Arts
• Writing – incorporated into literature and American Government

Reading List

• The Scarlet Letter
• Daisy Miller
• Washington Square
• The Great Gatsby
• The Grapes of Wrath
• A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
• As I Lay Dying
• Age of Innocence
• The Four Loves
• The Great Divorce
• The Best Short Stories of O. Henry
• The Chosen
• The Day They Came to Arrest the Book
• Moby Dick
• Selected Poetry
• Our Town
• The Portable Poe
• The View From Saturday
• Walden and Civil Disobedience
• Black Like Me
• The Dry Divide
• Eternity in Their Hearts
• The Jungle
• Up From Slavery
• Anna Karenina
• One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
• A Good Man is Hard To Find (Short Stories by Flannery O’Connor)
• Their Eyes Were Watching God

“We are man and woman now, with sober work to do, for playtime is over, and we must give up frolicking. I’m sure you feel this. I see the change in you, and you’ll find it in me. I shall miss my boy, but I shall love the man as much, and admire him more, because he means to be what I hoped he would.” -Louisa May Alcott

Now homeschooling your 10th grader. . .

In 10th grade I enroll my children in an online Western Literature class through  Scholars Online.  In many respects this class has become a rite-of-passage for my kids. They look forward to it with fear and trembling. In all actuality, it is not that bad. The class offers a rigorous overview of literature covering works from the Bible through Homer and landing finally in Dante. The professor is somewhat demanding but quite effective. Due to the reading list in this class, I usually ease off my reading requirements during this year. However, my 10th grader this year is a very strong reader so I did not feel the need to ease off his reading list.

If my reading lists seem overwhelming, remember that all of my plans for the school-year are dynamic. I alter them as needed. However, consider the great gift of time that children have at this stage of life. They probably will never again have this opportunity to read large amounts of literature.  Seize the moment.

Establishing and honing writing skills continues to be of utmost importance this year. I incorporate it into history, literature and test preparation classes.  You will also notice that my children have a formal language class at this level as well. They continue to work on language mechanics throughout high school.

Geometry is the main math class this year. However, I incorporate Algebra II into the year as well. I do not prefer my children to spend an entire year on geometry alone. I believe it weakens their algebra skills. This can be detrimental when they take college entrance exams in their junior year. I believe it is best to work on geometry and Algebra II at the same time. This obviously can take 2 years but the end result is the same. The timing is the only change.

10th Grade

• Bible Study – God’s Will: God’s Best For Your Life, Bible Study Sampler, Why Pray, More Than A Carpenter
• Chemistry, with lab - Apologia
• Western Literature – Scholars Online
• Geometry and Algebra II – Teaching Textbooks (separate texts)
• Latin III – Scholars Online
• Language – A Beka
• World History, with prep for the A.P. test – A Beka supplemented with various sources and test preps
• Piano – IPFW Community Arts Academy
• Physical Education

Reading List

• Oliver Twist
• David Copperfield
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
• Blandings Castle and other P.G. Wodehouse favorites
• My Life and Hard Times
• Jane Eyre
• Out of the Silent Planet
• Perelandra
• That Hideous Strength
• The Best of Father Brown
• Surprised By Joy
• Till We Have Faces
• The Nine Tailors
• Heart of Darkness
• Kon Tiki

Western Literature reading list includes:

• The Aeneid
• Selection of Greek Plays
• The Iliad
• The Nibelungenlied
• The Odyssey
• The Portable Dante
• The Saga of the Volsungs
• The Song of Roland
• The Story of King Arthur and His Knights
• Edith Hamilton’s Mythology

“A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.” -  Mark Twain

Now, for homeschooling your 9th grader…

This should be a transition year for students. It’s time for the big leagues. Grades and record-keeping are important; therefore, everyone needs to be diligent and disciplined. Yet, you still have time to work out the organization and maintainance of your records. By next year, this all should be set in stone. Efficient record-keeping will make your life so much easier when it is time to send off transcript material to colleges.

9th grade is a fun year as well. Your kids are becoming more independent. The material that they are studying can be meaty and rich. You will enjoy discussing their literature and history selections. I spend the year equipping my 9th grader with study and reading skills that will carry them through high-school and into college.

Start keeping track of your child’s reading material if you have not already. Simply create a file on your computer and have them update their reading list when they finish a book. Similarly, if your child plays an instrument keep track of the music that he or she performs.

Grade 9

• Bible Study – Survey of the Old Testament (Christian Schools International)
• Algebra I – Saxon
• Biology (with lab) - Apologia
• World Geography (1st semester) – A Beka
• Ancient History (2nd semester)
• Language – A Beka
• Latin II – Alethea Academy (utilizing Wheelock)
• Writing – Alethea Academy
• World Literature – A Beka text accompanied by ancient literature selections (see reading list)
• Piano – private instructor (IPFW Community Arts Academy)
• Physical Education

Reading List

• A Christmas Carol
• The Best of Father Brown
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekly and Mr. Hyde
• The Gammage Cup
• Jane Eyre
• Oliver Twist
• Treasure Island
• The Silver Branch
• The Trumpeter of Krakow
• The Yearling
• Old Man and the Sea
• Hound of Baskervilles
• Great Expectations
• Selected Poetry
• Selected works from: Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Plato, Aristotle, Herodotus, and Virgil

I plan my children’s school year with hope and “great expectations”. But, I always remain flexible. Life throws you twists and turns and you need to be able to roll with the challenges. Homeshooling  can be stressful and overwhelming at times. Try to keep it upbeat and enjoy spending this time with your children.

“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.” – Proverbs 1:8-9

I am finally pulling together my plans for the upcoming school year. I posted my younger children’s schedules and curriculum earlier. Now, I can let you know how the rest of my group will be spending their days . . . and, sometimes, nights!

I have finalized my 6th grader’s schedule, so I will share this information today. I have included the reading list that she will be using this year as well.

• Bible Study – Studying God’s Word Book G - Christian Liberty Press
• Math – Saxon 7/6
• Language – God’s Gift of Language  C  -A Beka
• Spelling – Building Spelling Skills Book G - Christian Liberty Press
• Science  Observing God’s World – A Beka
• History  – Streams of Civilization (through early 17th century)
• Latin  – Elementary Latin - Alethea Academy  using Henle
• Writing -Elementary Writing II - Alethea Academy
• Piano – Private instructor
• Physical education
• Drills – Typing: Mavis Beacon; Math: Quarter Mile Math; Reading Comprehension: A Beka’s Read and Think Skills

Reading List

• Augustus Caesar’s World
• The World of Columbus and Sons
• Golden Goblet
• Otto of the Silver Hand
• I, Juan de Pareja
• Eagle of the Ninth
• The Second Mrs. Giaconda
• Shadow of the Bull
• The Phantom Tollbooth
• Hittite the Warrior
• The Hobbit
• Swiss Family Robinson
• Where the Red Fern Grows
• Susan Creek
• Black Thorn Winter
• Squalls Before War: His Majesty’s Schooner Sultana
• The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow
• The Red Keep
• The Lost Baron
• The Door in the Wall
• Archimedes and the Door of Science
• The Ides of April
• Catherine – Called Birdy
• Around the World in Eighty Days
• Yearling
• Cricket in Times Square
• Lad: A Dog
• Old Yeller
• Freckles
• Girl of the Limberlost
• Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers
• Mr. Pipes Comes to America
• Mr. Pipes and Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation
• The Gammage Cup

This reading list includes some titles that I will read aloud to my children. My 6th grader is an enthusiastic reader and she was a little bored last year.  I have made this list with the hope that it will keep her busy, entertained and challenged.

“Do you no know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight light a man beating the air.” -I Cor. 9: 24-26