9th Grade Curriculum for Caitlin

This will also be a work in progress.  I will add to it as I decide which choices I will be using.  I have decided for 2 classes so far.

English/Literature first Semester:

I will have to update this class throughout the year, as it will depend on how long each book is.  I found this cool website, Virtual Home School Group, and they offer both live and at your own pace, classes.  Since I probably won't ever do live classes, at least not 9th grade, I chose Animal Farm as her first semester book.  There is a free version of the book, and they share it on their website.  This book is a nice easy read, and will be a good start for the new school year.  There are several activities, and quizzes for this book.  As this will be our first time using this website, I can not evaluate the course.  Below see a picture of a book.  I bought the book for a quarter at a consignment shop.  It is such a cool book, and will be used for History and Writing assignments.  Adapt it for your child's level of research and writing.  This will give her a short research, or writing project each day.  I didn't enforce homework with my first child, until his senior year.  This child will have homework at least a couple of days out of the week, even if it is just to study.

Science:

Using the same website mentioned above, VHSG, I found an Apologia Physical Science class, that was at your own pace.  I chose this one instead of Biology, for grade 9, because Caitlin started Earth Science at the middle of grade 8, and I think this will roll nicely together for her.  You do need to have the Apologia Physical Science textbook, edition 1 or 2.  You can buy it used, and if you have a Kindle, and subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, it is free to read right now.  Trust me I got it.  This should be a full year course.  I love Apologia, so I was very excited to see that is what this course used. 

History:

For 9th grade will of course be American History.  This time around I decided to find an American History timeline, online, and go through what I want her to learn, that maybe she doesn't already know.  Since we did the American Revolution a lot in Middle School, I will mostly be glazing over that era.  However, since the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, are very important to that era, I think we will do some unit studies, or documentaries on those.  I will share the links when I decide.  We will be definitely starting off listening to the play, Hamilton.  My kids have been begging me to listen to it, and decided to incorporate it into the first part of History.  We are still on Summer break, but will be doing it in next couple of weeks, along with a unit study.  Since I don't want to spend a ton of time on this musical, I decided on this unit study.  I am sure we will have a lot of discussions as well.

Math:

The hardest of all to decide, and the most time consuming to consider.  I think I have finally decided on the following options.  We are currently working our way through Introduction to Algebra on Edx.  There are about 84 days left to completion.  So, over the Summer, as time allows, we will continue to work on that.  I try to do a lesson a day, but somedays there is just no time.  After we finish that, which will be at the beginning of the new school year, I am sure, I want her to try this class on Edx.  Hopefully it will help her see Math in different ways.  That course is 7 weeks long.  After that, I will move her right into this Business Math course.  That should complete the full year of Math for her.  Dave Ramsey financial math is also a consideration, but for now I will stick with the others. 


French:

Caitlin has decided she wants to learn French for her language.  She did not have to start it in 9th grade, but she chose it over other electives.  These are the websites I have chosen to use.  The first one, will be a quick 3 week start to her French lessons.  We will also incorporate in a lot of French food, and cooking. 

https://www.edx.org/course/ramp-apr-french-language-culture-weston-high-school-pflc1x

https://www.thefrenchexperiment.com/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/

https://www.frenchpod101.com/index.php

Thanksgiving and Dinosaurs

We have next week off for Thanksgiving break.  So, we need to get a lot done this week to stay up to date.  Our Run Club has moved to Mon and Wed at 1, but today we were rained out.  We have 4H this evening.  Caitlin will be doing more Dinosaur reading and activities, this week, along with more history on Greece.  She has decided to make a theater mask, and a Greek style dinner for her hands on projects.  We will not be using Feta cheese though, no one seems to like it much.  She will be making a simple Greek Salad, and Lemon Chicken served over rice and sauteed veggies.  There will be a lot of art work, with her dinosaur research.  I will add links and info as we go.  DJ is continuing to learn about the Middle Ages, and the Atmosphere.  I have not decided yet what hands on activity he will do next.  However, we have decided he is too busy to write his book on his free time, so I will be incorporating it into his school days.  He is beginning to read, A Separate Peace, and if you click here you will find a study guide to go with the book.  We will be using it.  If you want to read A Separate Peace online, click the second link. 

My Summertime Reading List

This kind of gives me a chuckle, because I have no idea when I have not read something usually at night before I go to bed. When I was in high school I read Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Great Expectations and a bunch more I can not remember the names of. There are some that I did not get an option to read such as A Raisin in the Sun, and To Kill A Mockingbird, both of which I intend to read before the end of the year. I just finished Relentless by Dean Koontz, and if you are a Koontz lover it will be a favorite of yours too. I just don't understand why they never explained how they found them, but that is all I am going to say, read it! I just got Dean Koontz's Frankenstein book one The Prodigal Son, in the mail. I can't start it until I finish To Kill A Mockingbird which is 1/4 of the way done, and I can not understand why young kids are required to read it. Maybe it is just me but it does not seem to be something a kid would enjoy. The others on my list are: The Great Gatsby, A Raisin in the Sun, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Roots, book 2 of the 2012 series comes out in June, Twilight, the Frankenstein series, and finally Within Our Reach. That should keep me busy for the rest of the year. I also was given a whole set of Smithsonian magazines that I need to read and go through. I already found one that we can use for next year for homeschooling about the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. It is a splendid magazine, and a great way to teach in a different way than just the typical textbooks. What will you be reading this summer?