Course Descriptions!

I started compiling a list of all the things my homeschool friends and mentors have told me should be included in a homeschooler's high school portfolio. There seems to be a long list of things that fall under the "Course Description" category. I thought I'd share the list here in case it helps someone.

Please know that this is not the way that you have to write a Course Description, but simply a list of everything I've ever heard from other homeschoolers, so this list is pretty long! Feel free to choose what you think is most important to include in your child's course descriptions. You may even know of other things that I don't have listed here, and if you do, please leave a comment, and let me know!

My plan is to keep a record of ALL this information and then choose what I need if and when the time comes. With all of the information in one spot, I can easily find exactly what I need and then copy and paste that specific information into a document if I need to.

I would highly recommend starting to keep portfolio and transcript records as soon as possible. Don't wait until your child is in 12th grade or even 11th grade! It will be so much easier to work on this a little at a time. Plus, it's FUN!

Here is what I have listed for COURSE DESCRIPTIONS:

1. Class Title

 

2. Course ID

 

3. The Numeric Grades (first semester grade & second semester grade)

 

4. Time Started and Finished

 

5. Credits Received

 

6. Course Description (May be found on publisher website)

 

7. Major Topics Covered (Could use the table of contents)

 

8. Curriculum/Publisher  

 

9. Supplemental Texts and Materials used (books, videos, etc.)

 

10. Grading Criterion

 

11. I hate to add this one to the list, but a homeschool friend did tell me (in 2012) that a local college wanted this information: The ISBN number of the books used (Gasp!)

 

12. Name of Teacher or Tutor (if someone other than parent)

 

13. Attach a separate Booklist- "Reading List" (if applicable)

 

For each course, you will also want to include things like:

1. Work Samples

2. Essay

3. Lab Report

4. Mid-Term

5. Final Exam

6. etc.

 

Save textbooks, workbooks, etc. in plastic storage bins by grade level. (1 bin for each year) That way if there is any additional information you need down the road, you have the resource you need easily available to you. OR you could just copy all of the pages of the books that contain important information (such as the title, author, publisher, copyright, ISBN, Edition #, etc.), and store those copies in a file folder.

 

Here is a sample Course Description with most of the information listed above:

 

 

Class Title: Physical Science

Course ID: 40.01100

Grades: Fall Semester: 89   Spring Semester: 93

Time Started and Finished: August 2014-May 2015

Credit: 1

Course Description: (Choose either the GADOE Course Description or the one from the publisher.)

From GADOE:

The Physical Science curriculum is designed to continue student investigations of the physical sciences that began in grades K-8 and provide students the necessary skills to have a richer knowledge base in physical science.  This course is designed as a survey course of chemistry and physics.  This curriculum includes the more abstract concepts such as the conceptualization of the structure of atoms, motion and forces, and the conservation of energy and matter, the action/reaction principle, and wave behavior.  Students investigate physical science concepts through experience in laboratories and field work using the processes of inquiry.

From BJU Press:

Physical Science Student Worktext (4th ed.) is an exciting and engaging introduction to the world of physics and chemistry. Designed and written for the 9th-grade level, it provides an essential foundation for subsequent science courses, including Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. This textbook also shows that true science involves glorifying God and serving our fellow humans. Through practical Bible integration, students learn that a Christian worldview permeates true science. The textbook does not assume any prior knowledge in physics or chemistry, other than normal life experiences. It builds a foundation of basic information regarding matter and measurements early in the text; then furnishes the student with the key principles and scientific laws of classical physics, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, sound, light, and optics. After mastering these concepts, students are equipped to study more advanced concepts such as the structure of the atom, compounds and chemical reactions, and mixtures and solutions.

Curriculum/Publisher:

Physical Science/BJU Press

ISBN #

978-1-59166-552-6

Supplemental Texts and Materials:

The Mystery of the Periodic Table by Benjamin D. Wiker ISBN# 978-1883937713

Grading Criterion:

25% Classwork, 20% Quizzes, 30% Tests, 10% Mid-Term, 15% Final

*Check out this sample Course Description PDF that Lee Binz, the HomeScholar created!*

 

If you would like to find more Course ID numbers and Course Descriptions, visit this GADOE webpage: Curriculum and Instruction. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on "Course Numbers and Descriptions." You will then open a 230 page Microsoft Excel document.

 

My post focuses on "Course Descriptions." For a more thorough look at PORTFOLIOS, check out my sweet friend's blog post titled: College Crash Course Part 13: Portfolios for Peace of Mind by Jeannie Fulbright