10th Grade Homeschool Curriculum Picks

Since we’ve done this twice before, you’d think that our curriculum picks would be easy. BUT every year we evaluate how our kids learn and adjust based on their needs and input. One of the huge benefits of homeschooling is that we can tweak programs, switch up the grade level we teach a program, or even completely change to a different program. As I mentioned in this post – each of our kids has been different in their likes/dislikes and focusing on individual strengths is a definite plus!

Swim schedules have thrown everything for a loop in the past, and this year is no different, especially as our local public schools have shifted start dates, pool availability is all up in the air (thanks to COVID), and – well, life in general. Zachary has a fairly decent collection of credits having finished his freshman year, so we are keeping it a bit on the lighter side to see how things go, and we can add additional classes in later if needed.

All that said, below you’ll get a peek at our 10th grade homeschool curriculum choices – a look at the new (and favorite) programs we are using for the upcoming school year. An * depicts curriculum/programs that are new to us this year. 

*feed readers, please click over to the blog for some of the additional links to curriculum

10th Grade Homeschool Curriculum Choices

Credits to earn: 6.5

• Math: Algebra 2 from Teaching Textbooks 3.0 – online version (1 credit)
• Science: Discovering Design with Chemistry w/chemistry kit from Home Science Tools (1 credit)
• History – Modern World History * (1 credit)
• Literature: Introduction to Literature -see book list below (1 credit)
• Foreign Language: Visual Latin 2 (1 credit)
• PE/Strength Training: Swim Team, First Aid, & CPR (1 credit) 
• Elective: Introductory Logic * – we may do Intermediate Logic depending on how we like this (1/2 credit)
• Drivers Ed online – using this program (no credit)
• Spelling: All About Spelling Levels 6 & 7
• Extra: Boy Scouts – working on Eagle Scout!
• Student Planner – to track assignments and work completed
• Book list for literature: Around the World in Eighty Days – Jules Verne, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court – Mark Twain, Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte, Pygmalion – George Bernard Shaw, Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson, Animal Farm – George Orwell, and The Tempest – William Shakespeare

Many of the books also have a video version, so we’re hoping to watch them together (after we read the books, of course) and compare the book to the movie version. It’ll be a little something fun we can do with our co-op friends. Here are a few in our queue: 

Literature

This year, reading/literature is getting quite a bit more “real” for Zachary. His entire language arts credit will be focused on the guide Introduction to Literature by Janice Campbell. Zachary will be reading roughly one book a month for our literature class and writing two to three papers based on each book or short story. For writing reference, he will be using the book Excellence in Literature – Handbook for Writers.

This is a class we will be doing as a small co-op (five kids total), which in the past has been a huge help for all the kids as they get a chance to see/hear what others pick up in their reading. We will be with quite a few of the kids that were in our personal finance class last year, so we are looking forward to getting to know everyone better!

On the side, we will continue working on spelling with our favorite spelling program, All About Spelling Levels 6 & 7 .

Math

We have the book version of Algebra 2, and again this year Zachary will be working on the online version of Teaching Textbooks Geometry (3.0). (We are excited for the 4.0 updates coming soon!) One thing that we will be doing a little differently: because our boys like to solve problems in their head and not work it out on paper, this year they are going to do the problems on paper and give their answers to me so I can enter them – and see the process they are using to work it out.

Last year Zachary had to work through a good chunk of Algebra 1 and Geometry because he let himself get behind, so this year should be a lot easier with only one lesson per day!

Chemistry

A few years ago we switched over to Discovering Design with Chemistry and really enjoyed using it. Before I went through our collection of supplies (big mistake), I ordered this chemistry kit from Home Science Tools. In my defense, I love ordering from them!!

The good news is that the kit they provided came with even more supplies than the last kit I ordered from another company a few years ago (and then had to go search for random items around our house). The bad news is I found the other lab kit when I went to unpack the new one – BUT, we are working on chemistry labs with a friend, so she will have her own set of materials to use. :)

History

We’re using Modern History, a new (to us) program this year, but one that a friend used with her kids and loved – so it comes highly recommended! While it’s a bit different than our typical course, this was one that Zachary helped me pick out – so we’re going to run with that!

One thing that we are looking forward to with this Modern History program is the online and interactive version that it provides. I’m still learning the ins/outs of the program, but it offers an iPad app that has video links for lessons along with other interactive features.

Logic

Introductory Logic is another new program for us, but we have loved the programs that we’ve used from Compass Classroom and it looks like it will be something Zachary will really enjoy. Depending on how quickly he decides to work through the program, he may also work on Intermediate Logic as well for an additional half credit.

Latin/Foreign Language

We considered doubling up in foreign language this year and working on a new Spanish program that will be coming from Compass Classroom (with Dwane White, but finally settled on working only through Visual Latin 2 , the second year of the video-based program we started last year.

Zachary has really enjoyed this program and done extremely well, so holding off on Spanish until next year and making sure he has a solid grasp on that. Last year he established a great routine each week for working through each lesson, so it’s also nice to have something that feels familiar.

Swimming

For those of you who have followed us for some time, our boys are both competitive swimmers and last year were practicing about three hours a day. Zachary has made some really big jumps in dropping times and in getting his technique down (watching him swim breaststroke is so much fun!). We’ve really tried to find a good balance with him as far as when to push and when to back off and let him lead.

We still aren’t certain when his practice times will work out to be as our team is working on finding available pool space, but we do know it will either be only mornings or only evenings – so there’s that! On the bright side, the mornings will be a little bit later than normal for the fall semester, so we will run with that if it happens.

Co-op Learning

We have a small group of high schoolers (Zachary and four girls) that will be meeting weekly to work on literature. Zachary will also be getting together with one of those girls to do the lab part of chemistry (because any labs are always better with a friend). 

Curriculum in Year’s Past

In case you are interested in seeing the curriculum that brought us to this point, here’s a peek at what we’ve used with Zachary the past few years:

• 9th grade curriculum
• 8th grade curriculum
• 7th grade curriculum
• 6th grade curriculum
• 5th grade curriculum 
• 4th grade curriculum
• 3rd grade curriculum
• 2nd grade curriculum
• 1st grade curriculum

Planning the Middle and High School Years

One thing that has been a huge help to me in mapping out the upcoming years with our kids  is this middle school and high school planner. Essentially I am able to get an extended view and map out the future years to see what we need to work on and when it might fit in best -and make sure we aren’t missing anything overall. 

If you are new to homeschooling and aren’t sure where to begin in choosing homeschool curriculum, please don’t let this post overwhelm you! Check out the entire Homeschool Basics series for answers to more frequently asked homeschool questions.