9th grade curriculum?

[mother of faith]

Can you tell me what curriculum for 9th grade that you use? I am needing one that is cheap for a low income family. I am trying to help the families in my area for homeschool curriculum. I normally recommend ACE but they can not afford it. Any ideas would help. Unfortunatly, we can not get the free k-12 virtual school here in KY. Even the one that our state offers it is very expensive as well.

[momtomany]

In Ontario here it is perfectly legal to homeschool without any supervision or testing or anything, but I know that in many states there are different regulations.  In Ontario, if I wanted to, I could be very eclectic and creative in my homeschooling approach (if I had that kind of time and energy, or I was that relaxed about it!), but in the States, a lot of places require record-keeping or submission of curriculum plans or testing (so you'd want to teach a lot closer to what the schools are teaching each year).  Maybe you could briefly tell us what the homeschool requirements are in your area, then people might be able to give you more suitable ideas.

[THen]

Boy, I wish I had a good suggestion, but I have not found a free or even cheap math curriculum for 9th grade. 

We have a limited budget, so I buy my curriculum used (usually online).  I often use http://www.vegsource.com/homeschool/ (For some reason, this vegan/vegetarian site has a homeschool section that has a very active swapboard.)  I also use http://www.homeschoolclassifieds.com/

When we do buy curriculum, we are very careful not to write in the books or workbooks.  We use page protectors (the glossy ones.  We cut one side open so we can slip them over the workbook pages), then use wet-erase or dry-erase markers on the page protectors.  For older students that need to be able to write using a fine pen, we take the glass from a frame (usually cover the edges of the glass with duct tape that was cut in half to make it thinner) and use fine-tipped Sharpies (or other fine-tipped permanent markers).  It erases well with rubbing alcohol.   This allows my younger boys to continue to use the books.   

Personally, we used Math U See.  However, it has become more expensive as they have updated their books.  I buy used, and I suppose, if the books are not written in, the person would be able to sell them at the end of the year.  Personally, after my 5 boys have used them, I doubt I will be able to sell my books, but we'll get good use out of them.   

Oh, one more question for you.  What math will the 9th grader be doing?  Algebra?  Geometry?  And would it be possible to borrow books from a school in the area?  My son once asked a math teacher at the middle school (where he takes free music lessons) about a math question and she loaned him their math book. 

Starting a curriculum library might be a good idea, too.  In California, one of the charter schools started a library like that.  People bring in what they are not using that year, and borrow what they need.  It worked well. 

You may already know all these tricks, and they might not be useful to you.  But hopefully something helps.  I will keep my eyes and ears open for math curriculum. 

[mother of faith]

Thanks for the info. I haven't tested the soon to be 9th grader but I know she/he is behind so probably geometry, then pre-algebra. It is a good idea to use the dry erase markers and the glass. I always just copied the books or retyped the lesson. Thanks for all of the ideas. I may see if I can buy books from the school that I used to work at but it probaly will be high as well.

momtomany;we don't have any regulations that I know of, the county just says to report to the school and the counselor. The counsleor keeps a check on them, but as far as having unlegal issues we don't. I use a free web planner for my homeschool and it works great just like a school, you can send report cards, send/recieve lessons, wonderful program for record keeping, and all kinds of things, www.home-school-inc.com  that I use for all my students or people who I help that is.

[momtomany]

A book I really recommend to decide what curriculum choices to make is Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum.  She ranks all the different choices according to learning style, homeschool philosophy, ease of use, etc.  It's a popular book so maybe the library carries it, otherwise you could likely get it through interlibrary loan.

budgethomeschool.com  looks interesting.... lots of internet links for lots of different subject areas.  These days, the internet is truly amazing... there is just so many resources and so much information available!  I saw a book at the library too that was just full of internet links, but I can't recall what the title was.... something like "Homeschool Your Child for Free" or something.

I think if I was on a really tight budget, then the only thing I would buy would be a Math text book (not impossible to teach without a textbook, but way, way easier with a textbook... especially for a new homeschooler), and probably a science textbook (because I want them learning from books that don't teach evolution as fact).  Everything else you could get from the internet or from the library.  The cost of those two books alone would be way, way less than the cost they are already spending on their child in school (student ID card, field trips, a little lunch money (or pizza day, or whatever), special gym shoes, picture day, backpack, lock for the locker, etc, etc, etc!  Spelling is a subject I wouldn't worry about, unless the student is really behind, because when they are reading, reading, reading, then good spelling will come too.  (Also, not being in school for so many hours in a day, and then doing homework all evening, they will actually have time now to read lots!)  Homeschooling is wonderful and such a nicer way for the family to live together.

[mother of faith]

Our schools here even the public are getting expensive. Some charge a 25.00 supply fee to the classroom a month plus you have to supply your own supplies after that, the uniforms, shoes, special backpacks, etc. It just is as almost as expensive as homeschool curriculum, atleast you get to use it over and over.
thanks for the info.

[mother of faith]

see this thread
http://forum.brillkids.com/homeschooling/pr-k-12-curriculum-for-$16-00-a-year-for-the-household/msg36417/#msg36417

[linzy]

You might try this site:

http://www.oldfashionededucation.com/index.html

It contains a plethora of free homeschooling resources and books and textbooks.

[mother of faith]

Thanks that was very helpful. It worked great.

[momtomany]

Here's a great article (from a website full of great articles) about keeping the budget down for homeschooling costs:

http://www.home-school.com/Articles/phs28-loriharris.html

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