Well-Trained Mind: Grade Nine
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Tapestry of Grace for High School - Classical Homeschool
We are a family that homeschools for high school! In this lens you will find a list of all the resources we pulled together for our ninth grade year. Our family combines The Well-Trained Mind approach or Classical approach to homeschooling with many of Charlotte Mason's educational methods. We are using Tapestry of Grace plans and adapting them to meet the needs of our high school age boys. We are attempting to tackle a Great Books list this year and you will find those listed below. There are many of our extras included here for you to pick and choose from too.
The Overall Plan for Ninth Grade
Using The Well-Trained Mind and Charlotte Mason
This year has been a leap of faith for us. We were not sure that our plan to use a combination of The Well-Trained Mind and Charlotte Mason's ideas would work for our family but the first semester has been a huge success.We have been following the Well-Trained Mind outlines in our homeschooling for the last few years and have now decided we are much more of a Charlotte Mason sort of family. I decided to make the best of both worlds and use the outline of a classical school but use a Charlotte Mason style for teaching. We also have taken up notebooking as a serious and practical way of recording our learning in high school. See my blog entry here for my top five reasons to notebook in high school.
I have found the mix a very ideal method for our family.
Ninth Grade Courses - At A Glance
Click to Jump Right To Whatever Interests You
Homeschool Reference Books for this Year
These books have all helped to share our homeschool days. I love highlighting and underlining in my own copies of each book and often refer to them as I do my planning.
Classical Education and Charlotte Mason
Are they compatible?
Quote from Susan Wise-Bauer:
"Are Charlotte Mason methods incompatible with classical education? Certainly not; Miss Mason was a classical educator herself, and although some of her recommendations differ from our recommendations, you should always remember that everyone who does classical education (including Charlotte Mason, the Bluedorns, Doug Wilson, Christine Miller, and ourselves) is adapting an old model to a modern context. In effect, we're all "neoclassical" educators, modifying, improving (we hope) and changing the ancient ways of learning so that they make sense for students today."
Link below for complete article
"Are Charlotte Mason methods incompatible with classical education? Certainly not; Miss Mason was a classical educator herself, and although some of her recommendations differ from our recommendations, you should always remember that everyone who does classical education (including Charlotte Mason, the Bluedorns, Doug Wilson, Christine Miller, and ourselves) is adapting an old model to a modern context. In effect, we're all "neoclassical" educators, modifying, improving (we hope) and changing the ancient ways of learning so that they make sense for students today."
Link below for complete article
- "Charlotte Mason and Classical Education"
- Here's the complete article written by Susan Wise-Bauer. (author of The Well-Trained Mind.
Ancient History
We use the discussion techniques described as "Socratic Discussions" by Tapestry of Grace. This is a way to discuss history, literature, art, or any other subject by drawing the student out with skillfully crafted questions. You can read more about it in the pdf file from Tapestry of Grace. I printed this out and put it in my planner so I can read it before our weekly meetings.
We also supplemented with this DVD course from The Teaching Company Ancient Civilizations before Alexander the Great.
- Tapestry of Grace Year 1
- This thorough plan for history has been the foundation of our history program. We are using the rhetoric stage plan for history as well as some of our literature. I love the structure but also the flexibility to pick and choose how to use the materials in our family.
It does take some planning upfront. I spent a few hours per unit planning out the books and activities that we would include in our study.
The discussions at the end of each week have become something we look forward to. The teacher's notes make a discussion possible even if I haven't read the books.
We don't complete very many of the worksheets provided with the program but I do use the discussion questions as the basis of my son's written work. My son likes to use the notebooking pages from History Scholar to record his studies.
History Resources
These were the highlights of our Ancient History study!
Some of these are Tapestry of Grace selections and some are ones that I decided we should use to be the base of our ancients study. We have thoroughly covered this time period in the logic years but this time we were gleaning new information and making so many connections. My boys were expected to read, ask questions, and then research the answers. They would respond either in oral discussions at the end of the week or prepare written responses for their notebooks.
History extras
Notebooking In High School
We have built wonderful notebooks in high school and for history they are the best way to record written narrations for my sons. They use preprinted pages many times to record quotes, notes, and responses to questions.
You can read more about how we use notebooking in high school on my Notebooking for High Schoolers Squidoo page.
See below for more images of our notebooks.
You can read more about how we use notebooking in high school on my Notebooking for High Schoolers Squidoo page.
See below for more images of our notebooks.
- History Scholar Notebooking Pages
- These are fantastic if you have a child that likes a flexible fill-in-the-blanks type notebooking page. You can check out the full line of History Scribe and History Scholar notebooking pages on CurrClick.com.
Ancient Times Notebook Pages- NotebookingPages.com
Literature or Great Books
I started with the list in The Well-Trained Mind and mixed in the plan from Tapestry of Grace and came up with a reading list.
- The Well-Trained Mind
- Source of the reading list
- Tapestry of Grace
- Additional resources
- The Teaching Company
- Excellent source for DVD courses to supplement our literature.
Great Books for Literature
This list is a mix of assigned reading and what we call "free reading".
The assigned reading is the list we work from that is scheduled out for us to read and discuss each week. They will respond either orally or in a written form. The writing pieces are either informal notes and quotations or they are formal essays.
The free reading books are to be read on their own, at their own pace, and there is no assigned discussions or written follow-up. I find that they informally will tell me about the books as they go about their reading. They keep a list in the front of their literature notebook of the year's books to be read and then record the finishing date for each book they complete.
The assigned reading is the list we work from that is scheduled out for us to read and discuss each week. They will respond either orally or in a written form. The writing pieces are either informal notes and quotations or they are formal essays.
The free reading books are to be read on their own, at their own pace, and there is no assigned discussions or written follow-up. I find that they informally will tell me about the books as they go about their reading. They keep a list in the front of their literature notebook of the year's books to be read and then record the finishing date for each book they complete.
- Bible: Genesis to the Book of Job
- Ancient Egyptian Literature
- Gilgamesh
- From Distant Days (Tapestry of Grace literature)
- Iliad (With the Teaching Company DVD series)
- Bible: Book of Daniel
- Last Days of Socrates
- Beyond the Desert Gate (Tapestry of Grace literature)
- God King (Tapestry of Grace literature)
- Hittite Warrior (Tapestry of Grace literature)
- Bhagavad-Gita
- Caesar's Gallic War (Tapestry of Grace literature)
- Bible: Book of Galatians
- Life of Alexander the Great
- Ben Hur (Tapestry of Grace literature)
- Bible: Book of 1 and 2 Thessalonians
- Bible: Book of Ephesians
- Plato - Apology
- Augustine - Confessions
Literature at Amazon.com List 1
Literature at Amazon.com List 2
Literature at Amazon.com List 3
Teaching Compamy DVD Courses for Literature and History
We enjoyed both these courses as part of study of Ancients.
Science
Ninth Grade-Apologia Biology
We are loving this course and I am learning (or relearning) right along-side my son.
- Apologia Biology
- We are using the book, the companion CD, and the dissection kit from Apologia.
- Dissection kit
- This is a must have for the second semester.
- Slide Set
- We have learned a lot by viewing these under our microscope.
- Biology Learn N' Folder Notebook
- This is a great tool to use with the Apologia Biology. This lapbook sort of product is designed especially for this text and has really helped my son complete the On Your Own Questions and the Study Guide in a way that makes it interesting and the information easy to remember. It is a hit at our home.
- Free Schedule for Apologia Biology
- Free schedule for completing Apologia Biology in one year at donnayoung.org She also has bookmarks with each module's vocabulary on them as a free download. There are also printable lab sheets to go along with the textbook. This is a great resource.
- The Sonlight Ultra Microscope
- We have been using this now for about a year in our home. My boys both find it easy to use and very useful in their science studies. It is powerful enough to use with our biology studies.
- Apologia Biology and Charlotte Mason
- This link will explain in detail how we adapted this textbook into a more Charlotte Mason style of homeschooling.
Science Biographies to go with Biology
Other Supplemental Science Books
Reading these Charlotte Mason style-a few pages a week
Algebra
Math U See
We are finishing up Math-U-See Algebra and then moving on to geometry. This book has been a perfect fit for our family. We enjoy the DVD lessons and the pace at which this book moves along.
I have had some fellow homeschoolers criticize the Math-U-See program but for our family it is a perfect fit. One page per day and we move right through the lessons. I know the boys are understanding their math and I love the DVD for teaching and then reinforcing the concepts.
We actually like using the blocks with algebra and I think for my one son it has made him "see" his math as never before.
I have had some fellow homeschoolers criticize the Math-U-See program but for our family it is a perfect fit. One page per day and we move right through the lessons. I know the boys are understanding their math and I love the DVD for teaching and then reinforcing the concepts.
We actually like using the blocks with algebra and I think for my one son it has made him "see" his math as never before.
- Algebra
- This company is very nice to work with. I always take the time to stop by their booth at our local homeschooling convention and they are very helpful.
- Math Mammoth 1-B
- We are using these for quick reviews and quizzes.
Language Arts
Vocabulary, Writing, Grammar, Spelling, Dictation
We are polishing up our skills in this area.
- Vocabulary from Classical Roots
- Our main text for vocabulary. Each workbook lasts us about a year. We cover a lesson a week. My son completes the workbook pages and then I correct them. We go over any words he missed or was unsure about and I verbally quiz him to see if he needs further review. My older son made flashcards for all the roots but I no longer require the younger boys to do that.
- English from the Roots Up
- We have been slowly making our way through these roots for the last three years. I use only the box of cards and we cover one root per week.
- Institute for Excellence in Writing
- This is the gem of our year. We have thoroughly enjoyed working through these DVD lessons each week. I take the concepts from the DVD lesson and apply them to my son's writing assignments in history, science, and literature.
You can read my complete review on Curriculum Choice - Science Roots
- This is a new program for us this year and it has been a little rocky getting started. We have used it alongside the Apologia Biology and have found it very useful with all the vocabulary. I would suggest starting this before you do the Apologia Biology but you can use it side by side. I would also recommend buying the blank card set.
- Spelling Wisdom
- This is also a new program for our family this year but it is a big success. We are using one copywork sheet per week and at the end of the week, I dictate the selection to my son and he writes it down as perfectly as he can. It incorporates lots of different skills: grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and listening. I highly recommend this program.
Language Arts Materials on Amazon.com
Spanish
- The Easy Spanish
- We have struggled with several different Spanish programs before landing in this one. I love the Charlotte Mason approach to learning and my son is making so many connections with this program and is able to have conversations in Spanish now. You can read my full review of this Spanish program on Curriculum Choice
- Rosetta Stone
- We have been going through the Rosetta Stone Spanish program for two years but this year it has really clicked and I hear a big difference in my children's confidence in Spanish. I think the combination of The Easy Spanish and the computer work with Rosetta Stone has been a great way to increase their vocabulary and their conversational skills.
Art History
- Harmony Fine Arts - 9th Grade
- This is my newest year that I have put together for my art and music appreciation program. It is available as a ebook download from my website.
- Artistic Pursuits Sr. High Book One
- This art program is an option to go along with Harmony Fine Arts.
- Hearts and Trees Notebooking pages
- I am also using the notebooking pages that Amanda offers for her online art show studies. These are a fantastic resource.
Art History resources
These are planned out in Harmony Fine Arts 9th grade plan
Music Appreciation
- Free Harmony Fine Arts plan for music
- I offer my ninth grade music appreciation program for free as a download from my website. This 16 page PDF file gives you a whole year of music appreciation planned out for you. You can see the materials used in this plan below.
Music Appreciation Resources
Other Lenses To Check Out
Want to join a Well-Trained Mind group?
How about a Charlotte Mason group? or Tapestry of Grace?
- Well-Trained Mind board
- These are the boards to read if you are getting started with the Well-Trained Mind method of homeschooling. Lots of answers and ideas here.
- WTM High School Yahoo Group
- This group is specific to high school using the Well-Trained Mind method of homeschooling.
- Charlotte Mason-Ambleside
- This group is specific to those that are using or thinking of using the free online Ambleside Online curriculum for the upper grades.
- Tapestry of Grace Yr One
- This yahoo group is for those that are using or thinking of using Tapestry of Grace year one (ancient history).
About Me-Harmony Art Mom
Have a question or comment?
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GeorgiaHiker
Feb 6, 2012 @ 1:34 pm | delete
- Great lens. My daughter is in the middle of her first year of home-schooling.
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DeannaDiaz
Jan 20, 2012 @ 12:07 pm | delete
- What an awesome lens! KonaGirl recommended your site and I'm glad she did! I also home school and this is a great resource.
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jadehorseshoe
Jan 16, 2012 @ 4:20 pm | delete
- Perfect Resource.
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Serenia
May 28, 2011 @ 4:24 pm | delete
- I heartily approve the Great Books method. I wish I had known that this method of education existed 30 years ago when I was in high school. I could have learnt so much more about the classics.
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ngio64
Apr 27, 2011 @ 4:50 pm | delete
- blessed by a Squid Angel. Good job.
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by HarmonyArtMom
HarmonyArtMom
Mom of four, fourteen years of homeschooling, passionate about art, music, and nature study. See Harmony Fine Arts and my Squidoo Bio for more about me... more »
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Planning Ahead - Homeschool High School
The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens
Amazon Price: $16.98 (as of 02/17/2012)
Taking your high school years and breaking them down into manageable courses is the backbone of any great high school homeschool plan. Debra Bell helps make this process more manageable and sets you on the right track. Highly recommend.
The Iliad - Great Courses
DVD Series to Supplement Your Reading
The Iliad of Homer (The Great Courses, course no. 301)
Amazon Price: $49.99 (as of 02/17/2012)
Both my boys have watched this series and read the Iliad along with the lectures. Elizabeth Vandiver is the best and most passionate lecturer and she makes you interested in really understanding this classic piece of literature. Excellent *****5 Star rating from the Harmony Art Mom family.
Read more about our homeschool on my blog!
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