Yr 9; 14 yr old curriculum.

One of the big advantages of home education is the fact we are not tied to the National Curriculum. This means we can work out what suits us and what Iona wants to learn and achieve for each term or year.

So this year, here is an overview of what she has been studying:

Maths: Edexel IGSCE which she will sit in May in Bristol. We booked the exam through 3A Tutors. It is possible to sit IGCSE Maths, English and Double Award Science without coursework. I think you can also sit an exam only history.

For other GCSE’s a lot of homeshoolers will use the Oxford courses. They are expensive though.

Iona has started a magazine which she hopes to publish bi-monthly, called “Common Sense” which will incorporate articles and ideas for homeschool and which she hopes some other homeschoolers will contribute too. This will also go towards her portfolio and is teaching her editing, layout and IT skills.

We are presently studing Oscar Wilde’s “A Portrait of Dorian Gray”. I bought her a cheap copy which she has already read. We are using Sparknotes, some essay ideas from GradeSaver and CliffNotes

  The Business Plan for the Old Fashioned Sweet Shop is underway and will become a Powerpoint Presentation for her portfolio as well as, we hope, trying it out as a small business for real.

Her media project, a 3minute film on home education is nearly complete.

We are using the Ros Moss book “Reasons for Our Hope”-a study of the Gospel of St Luke and I would like Iona to have a go at reading “Reasons to Believe” by Scott Hahn. I am reading it first to judge the level-but he is good at pitching his Joe-Sixpack books at a sensible level.

The Forensics project is still under way and should be an excellent addition to her portfolio. For general science we are using modules from Apologia as well as her research into Poisonous Plants.

In cooking-or as schools call it, food technology, Iona is building up her skills in chocolate making as well as planning and cooking family meals. She has also moved towards more complicated dishes that require balanced spices such as making her own Rogan Josh lamb dish. It was lovely.

For art and craft we will continue with art appreciation and her work with the sewing machine as well as craft work with chocolate. She made a beautiful chocolate village for Christmas. Photos of that will go in her portfolio.

I am also encouraging her to read the Kon Tiki Expedition.

She is learning Sign Singing with the group here on a Wednesday and I would like to find the time as we build vocab to teach those with more interest, including Iona, up to Stage 1 standard, or even a little more.

Iona didn’t really want to learn Latin, but as I always do the Linney sessions with Ronan when she is in the room, she is accidentally picking it up (hehehe).

Finally she is working on a joint project with Emily one of her fellow homeschoolers on life in the 1920’s and 30’s.

I think that’s it. Anyway there’s some ideas.