Creating Your Own Science Curriculum

The past few years have seen many changes in our thoughts and actions with home educating. Because of these different thoughts, etc. we have moved away from thinking we need to use a textbook for each subject or even the same type of classes that everyone else studies. I have mentioned it many times before, but at this point Grace is not interested in attending college. Her exact words are if she does go anywhere it will be an art school. We are not science lovers. All of the above factors have played into what Grace will study for science in her high school years. One thing that Grace does love is animals. This gave us a base to work off of in planning a year long study of animals. Grace's next year of school is actually a gap year in between 8th and 9th grade and it will be a trial run on how we want to do it. I let Grace choose her subject matter for science next year and she decided it would be a in depth study of birds - ornithology. At some point in time I found a list of items you could use to make up a year long class that would count as a credit in any subject. Below you will find the items we have chosen for her Ornithology Science class for next year.

Read 5 - 10 non-fiction books on selected topics.

Watch 5 - 10 documentaries on selected topics.

Design one or two creative projects, each with a 10-15 minute presentation.

Write 7 - 10 reports on topics related to subject.

Visit 2 - 3 exhibitions on related topics.

Subscribe to a monthly magazine related to the topic and read entire magazine each month.

Field work will be counted as lab work.

Some choices that other families might like would be: read two-thirds of a selected textbook, read the majority of content of 5-10 websites on the chosen topic, Design 2-3 triptych displays on related topics, create maps or timelines of course content, write three analytical papers on the topic, write one research paper of 2500 words or more, with a bibliography, and give a speech on a topic related to the subject studied. I wish for the life of me I could remember where I got this information so I could give proper credit. I have been sitting on this list for a couple of year and now I feel we are ready to take the plunge. Grace seems excited about studying birds. If all goes well the following year will find her in the same set up studying Zoology. Then we may move on to Biology and Chemistry but if she isn't interested we may change it up and do Astronomy and Herbal Medicine. The sky is the limit.

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