Recommended Home Schooling Guidelines

High School Level Subjects

Below is OLGCS's list of subjects for High School level students, as well as some common Electives, suggestions and tips.

SUBJECTS:

Religion - 4 years
Math - 4 credits (see Suggestions & Tips below for Saxon Math credits)
Literature - 4 years
Science - 2 years minimum, usually Physical Science & Biology
History - 3 years minimum, usually American History, World History & U.S. Government.
Writing - All students should be able to write a 3 - 5 page (typed) research paper.
Physical Education - Physical activity is important at any age.

ELECTIVES:

Foreign Language Driver's Education (usually .5 credit) Home Economics Volunteer Work	Music Working at a business Home Maintenance Computer
Other Valid Electives Include: Training in: carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, etc. Activities such as: soccer, baseball, swimming, equestrian training, football, basketball, choir, bowling, hiking, camping, Scouts, ballet, dance, child care, gardening, debate, band, theater arts, etc. are all valid ways to earn high school credits.

Use your imagination and be creative in naming elective subjects. For example, household work might be called Home Economics or Home Maintenance. You are not limited to studying at a desk to earn credits. Vacations to places such as Washington, D.C. are certainly worth school credit.

SUGGESTIONS & TIPS:

Earning High School Credits With College Courses - Some students attend college classes while in high school and earn college credit as well as high school credit. Be sure to check into the rules for your state prior to enrolling in college courses. Warning: Earning too many college credits while still in high school may void your eligibility for scholarships.
Earning Required Credits: - Find out how many credits are required for graduation by high school students in your area. If your child is interested in attending a certain college, find out what subjects are required by that college. If a college requires 4 years of Math, ensure that he/she earns 4 Math credits. A typical credit requires 135 hours of class time. This breaks down to 45 minutes of class per day, five days a week.
Earning High School Credits Through Employment - If a student works for a business, keep track of the hours worked. 135 hours = one credit.
Saxon Math High School Program - This program consists of 3 books. There is no separate book for Geometry, because Geometry appears throughout all three books. Therefore, when you complete the three books (Algebra I, Algebra II and Advanced Math), you earn 4 Math credits.
Vocabulary - For vocabulary, consider a book called Word Smart, which is available at Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. It is a preparation for the college entrance tests. Note: If this books is used in the 7th or 8th grade levels, so not try to finish the book in one year; finishing one-third of the book in a school year is advisable.

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