Planning for High School

Planning for High School: This is when it is very important to be keeping very good records, no matter what level of your state's oversight, since you will be giving your child a high school diploma.  If your child plans to go to college, you should check out your state's graduation requirements or the admission requirements of the college your child is interested in.  Dual credit options can also be part of your high school transcript and cover graduation requirements, depending on your local options.  Our local community college allows students to start in the 9th grade. If your child has special needs, you will want to research the appropriate requirements for your child.  Remember, these recommendations are based on typical children.

Minimal requirements usually involve:

Math

Science

English 

History/Social Studies

Foreign Language

Fine Arts

P.E.

Math: Algebra 1 should be taken in 8th grade for a somewhat advanced student or 9th grade for an average student.  Algebra or more advanced math classes taken in 8th grade can be counted on a high school transcript.  The typical progression is: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalcus/Trigonometry, and then Calculus classes.  Many students will not need to take all of these if they do not plan for a math- or science-based degree.  For example, we live in Texas, which requires three years of high school math (including Algebra 1, Geometry, and then an advanced math course).  My oldest did algebra 1 in 8th grade, is currently taking a College Math for Liberal Arts class at the community college as a 9th grader, and then will take geometry as a 10th grader.  My middle child will be completing algebra in 8th grade as well.

Science: A typical science progression in high school is biology, chemistry, and physics.  Texas's science graduation requirement is a minimum of 3 years of science.  One year is required to be biology, one can be chemistry or physics, and the last can be any advanced science class.  My oldest is currently doing biology.  Next year, she will be taking an Earth Science class through the community college, and she will take chemistry at home in 11th grade.  

English: Most states require 4 years of English.  English involves both literature and composition.  Typically, British Literature, American Literature, and World Literature are all covered.  Composition will involve essay writing and research papers.  My oldest is doing a composition class at the community college in 9th grade.  For the associate's dual credit degree that she is doing, she will also have a second dual credit more advanced composition class that she will complete before graduation.  She is doing the literature part of her English classes at home.  This year, she is doing classical epics and early British literature.  The curriculum we use follows literature chronologically instead of by location of writing, so it integrates world literature, British literature, and American literature at their appropriate times.

History/Social Studies:  Social Studies in high school will typically cover U.S. history, World History (and/or Geography), and U.S. government and economics.  Texas requires 3 years of history, requiring U.S. History, World History or World Geography, and U.S. government and economics.  The curriculum we use also integrates World History, British History, U.S. History, and U.S. government and economics chronologically.  It also includes Church History, which we cover as Catholics.

The curriculum we use is Mater Amabilis.  The high school curriculum is Levels 5 and 6.