Reprinted with permission from “The Home School Manual,” 7th edition by Ted Wade, Gazelle Publications, 11560 Redbud Trail, Berrien Springs, MI 49103, 616-471-4717, http://www.hoofprint.com/.

A Typical 9-12 Curriculum

How to use this curriculum outline

I have not included this listing to show you specifically what to teach but as a reference for comparison. Home teaching is naturally in danger of achieving too narrow a range of objectives on one hand and focusing on certain details at the expense of foundational learning on the other. Success on standardized tests is not sufficient evidence that your child is learning the most important material. Such exams measure only the bare essentials – the common elements all children need. Compare this list with what you plan to teach, and consider expanding in selected areas you feel are important.
The items on these lists are not of equal importance. Some can be dealt with in a ten-minute discussion. Others need a long time. Some items are mentioned at one level that should be dealt with during more than one school year. They are generally arranged from simple to complex, so during the first part of the three years spanned by each grouping, you would expect to cover topics earlier in the list. Some topics are appropriate at another time, and some may not be of importance at all for your child. The math section, for example, seems to me to be a little ambitious, at least at the higher levels.
You would not normally cover all the subject areas on this list. For example, the advanced math classes are taken (and needed) by only a few. Many do not study a language and few would study more than one. Not that all these things are useless, but in a typical program of eight years for elementary education and four for secondary, there simply is not enough time to learn everything that might be valuable. Also children who have difficulties with learning need not be pressured. For example, if your child needs to spend a long time on the important math concepts in high school should you expect him or her to be taking two years of a modern language? Not usually, but to learn just a little Spanish could be fun and would provide a basis for later development. Some students would want to spend more time in a technology area and less in the more academic courses.
The topics were composed by studying the list available from World Book Educational Products, a state department of education list, a Christian school system list, and a few additions of my own. Although the topics are typical for US schools, many or most elements are common to what children and youth learn in other countries. You may want to select areas to cover and check them off when adequately learned.
If you would like a copy of the World Book list, contact Educational Services Department, World Book Educational Products, 101 Northwest Point Blvd., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007.

HIGH SCHOOL

High School , Character Development —

Bible

You will want to structure this area following your

own beliefs. I suggest concluding with a study of

biblical principles for courtship and establishing a

home. Below are a few topics to include.

Origin of the Bible

Grouping of Bible books

Literature in the Bible; different writing styles

Christ in all the Scriptures

High School, Art and Music

God as the source of beauty

Drawing and sketching

Landscape and architecture

Photography

Pottery

Sculpture

Design principles of printed pieces

Understanding what brings visual appeal

Opportunity to develop basic skill in playing

an instrument

Singing

Listening to music

Changes in styles of music over the centuries

Danger of harsh and heavy-beat music

High School, Business Education

Areas include

Accounting

Business management

Computer technology and literacy

Keyboard skills

Word processing and desktop publishing

High School, English (Language)

Ninth grade English

Vocabulary development

Grammar review

Enjoying various types of literature

Composition: punctuation, paragraphs

Library skills

Evaluation of media programs

Reading skill improvement (if needed)

Tenth grade English

Note taking skill

Etymology, Dialects

Selected literature analyzed

How word meanings and grammar

change

Writing a research paper

Writing poems, plays, etc.

Genres

Persuasion and argument in listening

and speaking

National folklore

Eleventh grade English

Knowing what is significant from

lectures and reading

Process of writing; expository and

fictional writing

Critical analysis of what is heard and read

American (or national) and cross-cultural

literature

Empathy in listening

Analyzing techniques and purposes of

speakers

Determining motive in communication

Twelfth grade English

Various types of practical writing from

memos and letters to ad copy and

business reports

Writing with purpose, clarity, and interest

Speaking with purpose, clarity. and interest

Nonverbal communication

English literature

World literature

Publishing

The Internet

High School, Mathematics

Math courses are usually consistently defined so

are not described much here.

Grade 9, Algebra 1
Basic aspects of the topic through sets, quadratic

equations and probability.

Grade 9, General mathematics
Usually for those who do not take algebra

Grade 9, Consumer math
May be part of general math or a brief additional

course if not learned well in middle school.

Grade 10, Geometry
Including logic, postulates, theorems, mensuration,

and transformational geometry

Grade 11, Algebra 2
Including vectors and probability

Grade 11 or 12 (electives)

Trigonometry

Calculus

Computer programming

Accounting

Statistics

Number theory

High School, Thinking skills

Propaganda and nationalism

Techniques of persuasion

Role of feelings in decisions

Accountability for decisions

Inductive and deductive reasoning

Ethical and moral standards

Logic (learned partly in geometry)

Bias in using statistics

High School, Social Studies

Areas commonly covered in US high schools are

World history,

US history and government,

World and US culture (including geography)

Economics

Significant items within these areas follow:

World geography; map and globe skills

US Constitution; risks and purposes for

amendments

Labor and management

Ethnic groups and minorities

Timelines for US history from the colonial

period through the Civil War

Timelines for US history after

reconstruction (after the Civil War)

Rationale for why historical events

occurred

Societal solutions for health care, housing,

energy, etc.

Decisions that influenced history

Changes in world regions and factors that

influence them

Stories of people in the more recent

history of the country

World economy and markets; influence

of the US

Economic indicators

Monetary and fiscal policy influence on

problems such as unemployment and

inflation

Economic growth and government in

developing countries

Social science issues discussed

intelligently

Cultural influences on perceptions

International exchange

Federal form of government, advantages

and disadvantages

Relative merits of American presidential

and parliamentary systems

Social science survey with chosen

procedures and analysis

Alternatives to public issue decisions

Cultural diversity, benefits and challenges

Analysis of personal resistance to

application of democratic values

Issues and events of major periods after

the Civil War

Analysis of later history of the country

Service activity experience in the

community or abroad

Political reform

Influence of events in one place on other

parts of the world

Branches of government, balance and

tension

Human rights and American democracy

Foreign policy in light of national interests

Planning of personal financial and other

resources

High School, Science

Typical science courses are

Earth science and astronomy

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Possible topics

Ecological relationships among species

Wave properties, wave interaction, and

Doppler effect

Energy and the formation of stars

Reproduction of multicelluar organisms

Air movements in the atmosphere

Assemble or investigate mechanical and

electrical devices

Energy changes in heat transfer

Production of electrical current by

magnetic fields

The sun and other stars

Plate tectonics theory

Disease diagnosis and prevention

Disease organisms

Stability maintenance in organisms

Cells specialized to carry out particular

functions

Agriculture and ecosystems

Energy changes from physical, chemical,

and nuclear changes

History of certain scientific concepts

Glaciation (past ice effects)

Force on an object produces an opposing

force

Energy conversions in simple machines

Atoms described by parts and charge

Discuss evolution and natural selection

How cells function

Understand measurement limitations

Energy conservation during transformations

Types of cells

Comparisons of objects by mass, volume

and density

Climate changes over a long time

Observing the universe; technology

Gather and synthesize information from

books, etc.

Genetic transfer in reproduction

Discuss scientific topics being able to

summarize what others have said and

develop ideas by asking appropriate

questions

Form hypotheses and suggest tests for

them

Conservation of mass in physical and

chemical changes

Chemical changes from rearrangement

and motion of atoms and molecules

Design and conduct science investigations

Experiments to compare speed and

direction

Elements studied by families

Sound waves and sound properties

Weather prediction

Chemistry and cells

Water below the earth’s surface

Changes from changes in DNA

Organisms classified by the five-kingdom

system

Nuclear changes

Discuss waste disposal and the

environment

Sound reproduction systems

Colors, wavelength, and vision

Ecosystems and events that change them

Our solar system in the universe

Climate and the hydrosphere

Seasons and astronomy

High School, Industrial Technology

Development of knowledge and skills one or

more areas including

Construction

Medical or biological technology

Graphic arts

Electronics

Photography

Agribusiness

Auto repair

Clothing design

Culinary arts

Computer aided design

Computer programming and

management

Sales

Bible instruction

High School, Physical Education

Physical fitness and health

Aerobics

Sportsmanship

Competitive sports (optional)

Water safety

First Aid

Outdoor, noncompetitive, sports:

Acquatics, Cycling, Hiking, back

packing, Jogging.

High School, Modern or Biblical Language

Usually two years are needed for practical ability.

Goals are proficiency in

Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing

Return to Home Schooling High Schoolers.