9th grade is here! I’ve just finished making plans for my oldest child. He has a high interest in a STEM career so we are math and science heavy in our choices. Personalizing my children’s education is one of my top reasons for homeschooling. As a result, his 9th grade year will look different from my other children’s 9th grade year.
I looked at several different types of schedule set ups and we settled on a block schedule where some subjects are completed in half a year instead of the whole year.
My son is an age where he prefers to do most things independently, so almost all of his subjects will be done independently. Since we are in the middle of a move, I’m still awaiting to hear about the availability of some group classes.
Here is the semester credit breakdown
Fall Semester
- Art of Problem Solving Introduction to Counting and Probability – 0.5 credit
- Modern World History – 1.0 credit
- American Government and Politics – 0.5 credit
- Chemistry – 1.0 credit
- Java Programming – 0.5 credit
Spring Semester
- Art of Problem Solving Geometry – 1.0 credit
- Literature and Composition – 1.0 credit
- Astronomy – 0.5 credit
- Art – 0.5 credit (possible)
- Electronics – 0.5 credit
Both Semesters
- French – (credit completed when work completed, finishing French 1 and then continuing to French 2 – planning to go through French 4)
- Arabic – (credit completed when work completed, finishing Arabic 2)
- PE – at least 0.5 credit
Community classes/involvement: TBD (We are moving and will get plugged in locally)
Here are our curriculum and book choices:
Math:
- Art of Problem Solving Introduction to Counting and Probability
- Art of Problem Solving Geometry with ZomeTools Geometry
History (WW2-Present):
- Modern World History Patterns of Interaction as a text
- Documentaries (huge list, see here)
- Supplemental readings: Diary of Anne Frank, Why We Can’t Wait, Night, Their Eyes Were Watching God, A People’s History of the United States Chapters 16-25, The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb, Who Rules the World?, Mein Kampf, and Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq.
American Government and Politics
- EdX American Government online class
- Watch presidential and vice presidential debates
- Position paper on topics from 2016election.procon.org
Chemistry:
- Tang’s syllabus for Honors Chemistry using Chang General Chemistry 5th edition
- Water quality project
- Labs
Electronics:
Computer Programming:
Astronomy:
- EdX class: Astrophysics: Exploring Exoplanets
- EdX class: Astrophysics: The Violent Universe
- Visit local planetarium for at least 4 lectures and at least 2 night sky/solar observing sessions.
Literature and Composition (a mash up of several resources):
- Classical Writing Diogenes Maxim and Chreia
- Movies as Literature
- Excellence in Literature
- Killgallon Paragraphs for High School
- Literature reading list: 1984, A Tale of Two Cities, The Old Man and the Sea, Screwtape Letters, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Pride and Prejudice, The Crucible, Animal Farm, My Antonia, And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, short stories
French:
Arabic:
Bible (not for credit)
- Personal devotions
- Group Bible study with Literary Study Bible – John, Acts, Genesis, and Isaiah
