11th Grade Mid- Year Check- In

Sometime after the Christmas holidays I like to check in with our original homeschooling plan and see how our school year is shaping up.  Some years I completely forget about a subject or a material I had planned to use when I picked out our work in the spring so the mid- year check up is my way of making sure we haven't let anything slip through the cracks.

Our 11th grade year was quite different in that while we are covering all the traditional subjects we are trying to complete them with just 3 long days of school to allow Ian 2 days at his job. I was really unsure of how that was going to work out but, so far it's working out great! He really does buckle down and do all the work on the 3 days he's home.  


Below I just copied and pasted my original post on our 11th grade curriculum and added notes about how it's going in Italics.  

Math:  He'll be studying Geometry and we've already gotten a head start on this using the Lifepacs series.  (1 credit)  We HATED Lifepacs by the time we reached book 3 and switched over to using The 100+ Series Geometry and even tried Khan Academy and McGraw Hill book.  I think the problem is that I just do not like Geometry.  We've decided to stick with the two book and Khan Academy and piece together the rest of our year using this variety of materials. 





Science: We were loaned a wonderful biology series by some friends of ours and I only needed to purchase the student lab workbooks which I found on Amazon.  (1 credit) We have been making our way through one unit at a time filtering in lab work as it interests us.  I don't think there is any way we'll complete the whole book this year but I hope to get through a fair amount of it for a full credit. 




English III: Once again we'll combine writing, grammar, and reading together for a full credit.

Writing: Finish Write Shop II-- (.33 credits) We finished up Write Shop by Christmas and I picked up a new book for our second 1/2 of the year.  I hoped that the Writing Prompts Workbook would be a fun way to get Ian writing.

Grammar: The Perfect English Grammar Workbook-- (.33 credits) We're just about 1/2 way through! 

Reading: We'll continue reading books of his choosing combined with family read alouds and books on CD-- (.33 credits).



History/Government:  He'll study World Government using World Government Social Studies Activity Book, The 100 Series, and we'll supplement with accompanying books, movies, and materials.  (1 Credit) We're just about finished with our World Governments book and ready to move onto 100 Series where we will pick and choose what and who to read about and study further.  








Electives:

Foreign Language--
He will continue with his German practice using Duolingo everyday (.5 credits) We added in a German grammar workbook too and I'm pretty pleased with his grasp of German! 

Work Study/ Machine tool and Die-- Ian will continue working on the model screening plant he started in 9th grade and finish building it from scratch. He will also continue working for his father, grandfather, and uncle. (.5 credits) He typically works two days a week and the whole weekend. He's learned to run the burning table, take apart and reassemble his 4 wheeler, weld, and currently he's trying to repair the fiberglass on our jet ski so he's doing great learning lots of hands on trades/ tools. 

Home economics/life skills--
We'll introduce more cooking, cleaning, and household tasks this year focusing especially on auto maintenance in preparation for getting his license.  (.25 credit)

Physical Education-- (.25 credits)

Driver's Education--
(.5 credit); Ian got his license in December.

Engineering-- (1 credit) design and build a working model screening plant

Health/safety-- (.5 credits)

This brings him to a total of 21 credits in his first 3 years of high school leaving him with just 4 credits to finish up next year!  I love that this gives us lots of wiggle room. 


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Comments

  1. Give you so much credit Joanne- you are amazing!

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    1. Aw, thank you! I had no idea when we started down this road that I would have so much fun with it!

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  2. Sounds like you are well and truly on top of it all! #MMBC

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    1. Thanks! I don't typically feel that way at all but this year I really do.

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  3. Wow!! 11th grade much be such a challenge to teach!! My mom gets lost doing 8th grade math😜

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    1. LOL! Luckily I was quite good in math and while it often takes us a few different books before we find one that works for us I haven't had any issues yet. I do know a lot of homeschooling moms and dads that outsource the higher level maths and sciences like Algebra/ Geometry and Chemistry but I loved Algebra and Chem. (geometry not so much).

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  4. I have always been so impressed with homeschool moms! You are doing a great job!

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  5. It sounds like you are doing great with the home schooling.
    Geometry is no fun. My youngest is studying it at the moment. Eek! x

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    1. My older two are studying at the moment! (Ian did Alg. 2 in junior year so we just swapped and my freshman just finished up his Algebra 1 course). I like some aspects of it but zone out when it comes to sine, cosine, and tangent...

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  6. You have done so much work! I am very impressed! I also love all the hands on training Ian is getting. Matt took a welding class at a community college a few years ago, and he really loved it (and is in the process of welding a work table).

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    1. Ian has always been my worker bee; driving an excavator from the time he was 10 or 11! He is loving learning more and more about tools and how to use them.

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  7. I remember that 11th grade, my junior year was my most difficult academic wise, it seems like the toughest courses were taken in that year. You just amaze me!

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    1. Aw, thank you! It helps that we get to pick our own materials and how deeply we want to dive into each course.

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  8. Sounds like things are going well, with the exception of Geometry, and I totally understand that. Time for me to start planning 11th grade year!

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    1. I can't even believe it's almost time to start planning senior year! That time just flew right by.

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  9. I can't believe we are half-way through the school year, Joanne! I think this year it's really hitting me because my oldest has started high school. The next few years are going to fly, I'm afraid.

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    1. Those 4 years go by so fast. I swear it feels like I was just starting to teach high school (and I was so nervous to do it too!)... now if only we can figure out a way for him to take SAT's when local schools aren't opening up to the public for them!

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  10. I loved reading this update as I also have an 11th grader. Looks like great books and good job keeping up with the school/work balance.

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    1. Thank you! It's an odd mix of subjects as we covered most "11th" grade materials (like Chemistry and Algebra 2) last year but that's the beauty of homeschooling.

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  11. It must be a real challenge to do homeschooling! Like you are a student yourself! It is was it is , let's hope it will all be back to normal as soon as possible!

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    1. LOL! Actually Nancy I have been homeschooling for going on 9 years now so this is old hat for us. I just love it. It can be a bit like being a student myself at times but I really enjoy learning alongside my boys and marvel at all that I've learned through the years teaching them.

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  12. I was trying to help my 11th grader last night with an assignment and by the end we both wanted to hurt each other. Not really, but it was so frustrating. I can't imagine homeschooling. I praise you for having the patience and determination to homeschool.

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    1. Ha! Well, one of the perks of being in charge is that if something isn't working for us we can look for another explanation or way to cover the same material that does work for us without the added stress and frustration.

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  13. I can't imagine trying to teach my kids 11th grade. Way to go!!!

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    1. Thanks! I never in a million years thought that I would ever be teaching high school but I am finding that I really like it!

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  14. wow...I am impressed. I love reading about older kids homeschooling and all the different curriculum choices since my kids are little still.

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    1. Thank you! I never in a million years thought we'd be homeschooling well into high school! I did kind of hope that but wasn't sure it was really going to pan out that way.

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