Homeschool Curriculum: High School

atheist parent atheist parent atheist parent atheist parent atheist parent atheist parent atheist parent atheist parent atheist parent 

I get alot of questions from friends and readers about what materials we use here at the house. Homeschooling parents tend to be amazing researchers and I'm sure that most of the questions come to me from parents who want the best for their kids. I'm happy to share the materials that we use with an important caveat.

I truly believe that every family homeschools differently and the materials that we have here at our home are our choices among the seeming infinite choices out there. Also, my homeschool philosophy might be a bit extreme for many homeschooling families. Although we have textbooks and lessons and assignments I lean to the unschooling side. That might seem contradictory, course books and instruction and unschooling, but I assure you that it is so.

John enjoys having structure to his lessons so I provide him with lesson plans, skill training, reading expectations, and other stuff. But what he actually accomplishes is almost never what I plan for him. The learning here is quite child/teen-led. 

But I'm happy with so many of the materials that we use here. The internet plays a tremendous role in our day. But here are the books and materials that answer the question:  What do YOU use?

• The Language of Literature, Grade 9, McDougal Littel
• Biology textbook and workbook, Grade 9, Prentiss-Hall
• Civics, Grade 9, Prentice-Hall
• Java: A Beginner's Guide, Herbert Schildt
• Physical Science: Concepts in Action, Prentice-Hall
• Missouri's Rules of the Road book
• The History of US, Joy Hakim
• Puzzle Baron's Logic Puzzles, Puzzle Baron
• Key to Algebra, Key Curriculum Press, Julie King
• Concise Guide to Writing, Axelrod and Cooper
• Introduction to the Short Story

High School

The high school years, the teen years, can be a wonderful time of growth and stretching and productivity. Don't fear it! Read the newspaper, science journals, watch the debates, follow the weather, take driver's ed classes, travel, attend lectures, visit every museum you can, read classic novels, watch stage plays, spend time on college campuses, dig into every single library available to you, create unique internships, expose your teen to unique people and ideas, research dissimilar values and ethics, watch foreign films and listen to unfamiliar music, lay hands on as many types of handiwork as possible. Use whatever resources you have available and create your own set of high school materials. 

You can do this!