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Free Homeschool High School Planning Sheet (and pssst help for high school too)

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, in sharing a free homeschool high school planning sheet, I am sharing a much needed update to that form and sharing a tip or two when planning so that you too can see how easy peazy homeschooling high school can be. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool High School.

Homeschooling high school can be a scary time, but I created forms that helped me to successfully graduate two of my children and put some of my fears to rest.

Free Homeschool High School Planning Sheet (and pssst help for high school too)

I used my original high school planning forms found here on STEP 5a of my free 7 Step Homeschool Planner. It saved me countless hours of stress because I could plan.

Try to remember too that planning sheets are just that, a plan and not what will probably end up being the final goals.

MUST HAVE BOOK FOR HOMESCHOOLING HIGH SCHOOL

Also, I included some high school resources you may like.

How to Homeschool High School Books & Resources

How to homeschool high school can be daunting at first. With a little help and these great resources, you’ll be a homeschool pro in no time.

Life will affect how you and your teen think, your teen will grow into a young man or lady, complete with very strong feelings of what they want to do and the job market and college scene will change.

However, it is better to plan because it gives you goals to shoot for and I find that putting my plans down in writing cements what we are aiming for.

For this year, I also stuck my editable high school transcript in my planner because it is my blue print of what I am looking for Tiny to do.

By the way, I did that for each year when I had a son reach the high school years.

I would add the transcript and carry the credits from the previous year. Since it’s editable, I updated it and added it to my planner and a few years I wrote my thoughts right on it.

No-Fail Homeschool High School Tricks

Look at these 3 easy tips to remember too as you kick off the high school years.

  • Though you may start off doing most of the planning, your teen needs to be involved more so now in the planning. It’s not that he will have so much feedback about what to do, but you are training him to see this as his responsibility.
  • Also, remember when you include another person, it means you need to be flexible and not insist on everything you want for high school. You are molding your teen to be a unique individual, not a miniature you. (I know, hard to remember because you are spectacularly awesome and they are part of you, but you want your teen to find their awesome, unique self.)
  • Don’t go overboard and step back from all supervising. There comes a point when you feel like you don’t recognize your child and that is because they look like a grown man or woman walking around in your house. They may be pretty independent by now too. Remember, they are not grown yet and more than ever now needs your supervision more closely.

Focus on the end because it comes faster than you want it to and you’ll be planning an awesome graduation party. Read my 10 days of How to Plan a Graduation Party.

MORE HOW TO HOMESCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL RESOURCES

Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.

HOW TO GET THE FREE HIGH SCHOOL PLANNING SHEET

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Free Homeschool High School Planning Form @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

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How to Teach Science Through A Story – Middle & High School

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When you teach science through a story that is powerful. Using storytelling as a powerful teacher is not a new concept to homeschoolers. Also, look at my page Homeschool Middle School,  How to Homeschool High School and How to Choose the Right Homeschool High School Science pages for more fun tips.

Not only do we love reading stories but we understand their power to captivate and convince readers.

How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School

I stalked the mailman waiting for these books from Beautiful Feet Books. I was given this product free, and I was compensated for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off or that a company will receive a glowing review. I don’t roll that way. ALL opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. When I do accept a product it’s because I’m giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here. Now on to the fun stuff!

However, until I started using Beautiful Feet Books I wasn’t so confident that teaching science through a story or through biographies would benefit my kids all the way through to high school.

First, I need to back up and explain what curriculum we’ve been poring over.

For the past couple of months, it has been a delight to use the History of Science. (update: This curriculum has now been retired but the approach is timeless.) I leave my thoughts here for you.

I knew it was geared toward the 3rd to 7th grade level.

But we were over the top excited to ditch the science textbook and learn the history of science through living literature.

Besides, science biographies can be used for older kids.

History of Science Living Literature

In addition, I had already figured out that my worksheet approach, as academic and bookish as it sounds, didn’t work because my boys retained lessons better using a learn-by-doing approach.

Next, early on in my homeschooling journey, I had stumbled upon Early American History with my then first kindergartner.

After using it with him, I learned that other equally important elements which stir a child’s thinking are living literature and absorbing history through a story.

There has not been a more enriching way to teach him or my other sons to high school than a literature-based approach.

What I’m saying is that storytelling, learning-by-doing, and living literature are inextricably linked.

Using those same elements while teaching science are the same ones used in teaching the History of Science and used for teaching an older child.

7 Creative Ways to Adapt Curriculum for Older Homeschooled Kids

Learning how to adapt a multiple age curriculum for upper grades can be challenging, but look at some ways I did this with the features of History of Science.

They are the same tips I used with my sons all the way through middle school and into high school.

How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School
  • With a yearlong program geared toward 3rd to 7th grade, there is a lot of room to allow exploring topics in more depth. Using a yearlong program is key.
  • Even though the biographies are geared toward a lower reading level, they are likable by an older child. Many essay points can be gleaned from each biography. For example, previous to studying this curriculum, we hadn’t researched much about George Washington Carver. Reading about this American Pioneer and his many uses of peanuts made for a fun rabbit trail or research project. Even though your younger kids can join in the project to list the many uses of peanuts, I had Tiny delve deeper into this since it piqued his interest. I required that he explain the history of the peanut. I had questions like what is the history of the peanut, why was Carver encouraging farmers during the American Civil War to break away from cultivating just cotton, and explain the growing process of the peanut. For example, he had to know that it wasn’t a peanut at all but a seed and understand that the boll weevil could devastate cotton crops.
  • Another fascinating point to glean from the History of Science is understanding and seeing science through the eyes of great scientists. We use this concept for history all the time. We want to learn history through the eyes of a character who lived in a particular time period. Learning science through biographies of Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, Marie Curie, George Washington Carver, Wright Brothers and Albert Einstein keeps kids equally inspired to learn about the wonders of science instead of dry, boring facts.
How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School
  • In addition, with many notebook pages, vocabulary words, and hands-on ideas the study guide is just that. It’s a springboard for you to use and add your own ideas.A guide on the other hand gives me a nudge or jump to another teaching concept that my son is interested in.
  • After I abandoned my wrong and stereotypical view that hands-on learning means no learning at all, I’ve been touting for years how hands-on learning needs to be used through to high school. The best books have been culled through and selected for easy hands-on activity that can be used for a variety of ages. Not only did we start our science portfolio notebook, but we did many hands-on learning activities like this one Day 4. Ancient Greece (Hands-on Science) 3 EASY Activities, ice cutting, and writing the Greek alphabet.
How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School
  • One more fun way to engage older kids through a story is to let them learn through a timeline. A timeline is a visual and natural way to learn. Kids can race ahead and place figures on a timeline while they read about scientific discoveries, events, and biographies. This is another key benefit to this curriculum. The timeline can stand on its own. It can be used completely separate. Instead of quickly placing the key events or scientists in order, challenge your older kids to learn about them before seeing the dates. Which significant event happened first, next and so on? Your middle school kids can memorize the events in order. It’ll give your kids foundational pegs as they fill in with more information with each time period.
  • Another tip that makes this curriculum especially useful to me is that it has scientists from different time periods. It’s organized into 3 parts that coincide with history, which are Ancient Scientists, Medieval & Renaissance Scientists, and Modern Scientists. I can easily add one section in depth this year and come back to this resource another year to focus on a different time period.
  • One last tip I do is to completely turn the teaching guide and everything over to my older kid. When you’re finished with the younger kids, let your middle or high school kid work through the lessons at their pace or at their will. For example, Tiny skipped all over the place when it came to reading and what interested him. That is such a liberating feeling for any learner and it’s the way to encourage independent learning. A lot of Beautiful Feet Books curriculum can be used that way, which is why I’ve been a user for a long time and couldn’t be more pleased.

The last thing I know you want to know about is whether it’s Christian or secular. I guess that depends on your definition of those two concepts.

It’s easier to tell you that it’s very friendly toward both type of views which I appreciate.

10 Resources to Teach Science Through a Story

Books of any level can be read and used in depth to create a science curriculum. Adding hands-on resources like a timeline and activities help too.

While it has some parts that ask your child to write a Bible verse, you can leave it, use it, or add your own. That part shows they support a Christian view.

However, their goal with their curriculum is to leave it up to you as the parent to add your worldview.

Using storytelling as a powerful teacher is not a new concept to homeschoolers. Not only do we love reading stories but we understand their power to captivate and convince readers. However, until I wasn’t so confident that teaching science through stories works for all ages of my kids. Click here to read 7 creative ways to teach older kids!

I can say it’s more easily done with this curriculum than many I use which saturate their curriculum with their Christian or secular worldview and makes it almost impossible to tweak.

If you’re wanting to use curriculum that teaches science through storytelling with a focus on hands-on learning by using a part unit study approach and part Charlotte Mason, you’ll love this curriculum like I do.

Read about the other curriculum I’ve used here at Early American and World History which is not available anymore, but it is now two separate levels and revamped, the Medieval History Sr. High levels and Medieval Intermediate Pack.

How to Purchase It.

►Product Name: History of Science
►Website: Beautiful Feet Books – BFBooks
► Don’t Miss: The Getting Started page. It’s been such a helpful guide for me through the years.
►Type of product: These is a physical product but the study guide is available as a digital download too. From their site: Our newly revised and updated History of Science is a popular and exciting read-aloud approach to the study of science! Rebecca’s course uses biographies to tell the life stories of famous scientists like Archimedes, Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, George Washington Carver, Einstein, and others as well as hands-on experiments to prove the scientists’ theories and test their discoveries. An enriching way to introduce biology, chemistry, and physics. For grades 3-7, this one-year study will cover basic scientific principles and the history of scientific study beginning in ancient Greece and continuing through the 1990s. Contains 85 lessons, dozens of experiments, lab reports, and much more.

When a Homeschooled Sophomore Struggles

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When a homeschooled sophomore struggles was my reality check at this grade when my first high school teen was unsure of his goals. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool High School for more tips.

What is it about the second year in high school that makes a homeschooled sophomore struggle?

Mr. Senior 2013 was a sophomore who struggled. When Mr. Awesome 2015 was a sophomore we were bouncing along just fine or so I thought. He too had the sophomore tussle.

When a Homeschooled Sophomore Struggles

Looking back now, I see with both of my older sons that there was just an itch in the sophomore year that they both had to get past.

I learned a few things about helping them past this middle hump in their high school years.

  • The sophomore year is a time to re-plan.

Part of the problem in the sophomore year was that what we started using for curriculum in the freshman year was not a good match now for both of my boys.

For example, Mr. Senior 2013 wanted to be introduced to Mandarin Chinese, He was not interested in Spanish that I so hoped he would lap up.

When a Homeschooled Sophomore Struggles

Mr. Awesome 2015 wasn’t interested in any foreign language study at all, but wanted more focus on computers.

Adjusting to fit their growing academic strengths was a must.

When a Homeschooled Sophomore Struggles

Letting go of what I had planned for all four years was necessary because they were coming into their own persons.

  • They wrestled with the slump of hormones.

Some days they were on top of the world, other days they felt overwhelmed.

Boys and girls both deal with not only the changes in the brain, but with their body needing more rest.

I was surprised at how much sleep they needed, but also equally surprised that they could go through their day pretty quickly and focus when they had to.

Listening to them when they talked to me about their stress of getting their work done for the day, I had to decipher when they just felt the pressure of pending adulthood and when they really needed input on switching around their day.

  • Adding extra curricular activities had to be analyzed.

At first, I thought the solution was to let go of things they enjoyed like ball room dancing and piano.

However, I am glad I didn’t so easily cave when they told me they were overwhelmed.

Isolating the problem wasn’t easy either because sometimes they weren’t quite sure what didn’t feel right.

The solution wasn’t limiting their physical activity or the social interaction.

Activities with other teens wasn’t something they didn’t just look forward to, but was a huge motivator in the week for getting their school done.

Balance was not easy because academics are such a heavy load in high school, but paramount to a sophomore too is a change of pace for the week and something to look forward to each week.

I realized that some of the math that Mr. Senior 2013 was doing, he was flying through and so he cut back some of the lessons to move  on to something more challenging.

Conversation with a Homeschooled Teen is An Art

  • I wasn’t having no stranger in my house.

As your teen starts driving, having a job and spending more time away from you, which too is normal and preparation for adulthood, that is the time they need you the most.

Talking with my frustrated teens took not only patience, but it seemed like some decoding prowess on my part.

Meaningful conversations were the only way I knew that something was or was not working.

For example, Mr. Senior 2013 liked having the options to switch out curriculum mid-year and lounge around in his learning. On the other hand Mr. Awesome 2015 needed a clear cut plan because his plan was to finish as fast as he could get through high school.

Not having the choices to switch mid-year stressed Mr. Senior 2013. Too many academic choices with no clear cut end in sight was a stress inducer for Mr. Awesome 2015.

Try to figure that one out over a year or two.

Homeschool High School

I eventually figured out their budding personalities. It changed in the sophomore years.

Struggling for us seems easier to take at times than it does for our children. And to us, our teens still feel like little children. But I learned that when my teens coped with struggles it was part of the metamorphosis into adulthood.

They come out of a struggle with coping ability. And the best thing of all is that they come out with a better understanding of who they are, which serves them well into adulthood.

Are you struggling with a homeschooled tenth grader this year?

When a Homeschooled Sophomore Struggles

Lastly, I hope these tips help you to not let them give up so easily. And don’t return to public school and don’t give up things they have a passion for either.

Read more tips below:

When a Homeschooled Sophomore Struggles @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

How To Build High School Environmental Science Homeschool Curriculum

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Let’s look at what it takes to build a high school environmental science homeschool curriculum on your own or using a box curriculum as your base. And look at my page How to Choose the Right Homeschool High School Science for more fun teen ideas.

When I first started researching this topic, I thought environmental science and ecology were the same thing.

While they do share many similarities and can be part of an interdisciplinary study, they are, in fact, two distinct fields.

How To Build High School Environmental Science Homeschool Curriculum

Here is a simple breakdown of what each cover.

Ecology is the study of how living organisms interact with each other and with their environment, relationships within ecosystems (plants, animals, microbes, habitats).

Ecology is a branch of biology. It is narrower, focusing primarily on natural systems and interactions.

Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of the environment, combining biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and social sciences to understand both natural systems and human impacts.

How humans interact with the environment, including resource use, pollution, energy, and sustainability. 

Environmental science is broader, it includes ecology, but also looks at economics, policy, technology, and ethics.

MORE HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT HOMESCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE

7 STEPS TO BUILDING ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM

Now that we have broken down the difference, here are some wonderful resources like books, documentaries, labs, and more to get you on the path to creating a customized environmental science homeschool curriculum.

1. DEFINE YOUR GOALS

Before choosing books or writing lesson plans, decide…

  • What is the purpose of this course?  Is it preparing for college, instilling stewardship, or understanding current environmental issues?
  • Will this count as a lab science credit?
  • How in-depth should it be? Standard or Honors level
  • You may also want to align with your state’s homeschool graduation requirements.
How To Build High School Environmental Science Homeschool Curriculum

2. CHOOSE A SPINE OR CORE RESOURCE

You can also piece together your own using documentaries, living books, and field experiences if your student prefers a non-textbook approach.

 I will give you plenty of hands on ideas, living books, and documentaries to round it out.

3. INCLUDE LABS AND HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES

To count as a full science credit, include lab work.

4. ORGANIZE TOPICS FOR EACH SEMESTER

Create your Scope & Sequence. Here is a sample that you can use to formulate one or use it as is.

Semester 1:

  • Introduction to Environmental Science
  • Ecology & Ecosystems
  • Populations and Communities
  • Biomes and Biodiversity
  • Water Resources & Pollution
  • Air Quality & Climate

Semester 2:

  • Soil, Land Use, and Agriculture
  • Energy Resources (renewable & nonrenewable)
  • Waste Management & Recycling
  • Environmental Policy and Ethics
  • Human Population Growth
  • Sustainability and Stewardship

5. ADD BOOKS AND DOCUMENTARIES

6. PROJECTS, FIELD WORK, AND CITIZEN SCIENCE

  • Make it fun with these environmental science crosswords.
  • Start a nature journal to sketch, record data, document local biodiversity, or write reflections.
  • Create an environmental action plan. How could your student help your community be more sustainable? Start local and grow globally.
  • Volunteer with a local cleanup, wildlife center, or community garden.
  • Visit a local recycling center, botanical garden, nature preserve, or farm.
  • Start a backyard garden and study soil, compost, and pollinators.
  • Build birdhouses or bat boxes and track inhabitants.
  • Set up a home energy audit and implement eco-friendly changes.
  • Attend a city council meeting on zoning or environmental issues.
  • Volunteer for a river cleanup, wildlife rescue, or community garden.
  • iNaturalist
  • Globe Observer
  • eBird
  • Test water quality from different sources.
  • Build a simple solar oven.
  • Create a mini-ecosystem in a jar or aquarium.
  • Compost food waste and observe decomposition.
  • Choose a current issue like coral bleaching and present what they find in a report or video.
  • Interview a local environmentalist or park ranger.
  • Make a presentation on environmental heroes – John Muir, Rachel Carson, Wangari Maathai.

7. EVALUATION & RECORD KEEPING

  • Unit tests or quizzes
  • Lab reports
  • Written essays or reports
  • Project rubrics
  • Reading logs

In a portfolio or binder keep the following documentation:

  • A syllabus
  • Completed assignments
  • Lab documentation
  • Photos of projects/field work

This helps with transcripts and potential college applications

8. CUSTOMIZE TO YOUR CHILD

Take what you have gathered and with your child’s input put together a study designed for them.

  • Make it interest-led: Does your student love animals? Focus more on ecology and conservation.
  • Turn it into a unit study or integrate it with geography, economics, or writing.
  • Allow independent research projects, encourage specific passions.

Fun High School Science Games About Ocean Life

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Ocean themed high school science games are a great way to learn more about the incredible 20% of the ocean that we have explored. And look at my page How to Choose the Right Homeschool High School Science for more fun teen ideas.

Also, look at my page Oceans Unit Study and Lapbook for more ideas.

The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and is home to an incredible diversity of life.

From the tiniest shrimp to the largest blue whale, oceans help regulate the planet’s climate.

Fun High School Science Games About Ocean Life

They produce much of the oxygen we breathe, and support ecosystems that scientists are still discovering.

Learning about the ocean can deepen our appreciation for nature, help us understand global environmental issues like climate change and pollution.

MORE HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT HOMESCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE

BENEFITS OF GAMES FOR TEENS

And it can even inspire careers in marine biology, conservation, or oceanography.

But ocean science doesn’t have to be all textbooks and lab reports—it can be interactive, fun, and memorable when explored through games.

Games provide a low-stress, high-engagement way to learn more about complex science topics.

When you include them in your homeschool, they reinforce learning, build critical thinking, and encourage collaboration, all while keeping things fun and playful.

Fun High School Science Games About Ocean Life

Next, look at this idea for a fun diy ocean game for teens.

I have a list of ready made games at the end of this post, but you’ll love this idea too.

HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE GAMES -DIY OCEAN LIFE GAME PROJECT

For a fun and creative project have your student design their own ocean board game.

They can choose a goal like migrating across the Pacific, survive as a coral reef, or build a sustainable ocean park and research marine facts to create event cards, challenges, and trivia.

Fun High School Science Games About Ocean Life

I am not going to give you exact instructions for this one because you want your child to stretch their imagination, engineering, and critical thinking skills for this one to put together a dice, board, or card game that is unique and on theme.

  • Decide what elements are required in the game. How many players, length of play, age level, etc.. before you begin.
  • Have your student use premade game pawns or make their own from clay or other materials. You could also use small plastic ocean figures as pawns.
  • Upcycle old game boards by painting and covering them with stickers in your theme for a base.
  • Use a broad ocean theme or narrow it down and focus on one species or just one ocean.
  • Store components with zip bags and label with topics for easy future use.
  • Have your child work on the board as an ongoing project throughout an ocean/marine biology unit as a final project.

DIY OCEAN LIFE GAME PROJECT

Here are a few theme ideas to get your student going, remember to encourage creativity and a unique theme.

Ocean Zones Adventure

  • Travel from the sunlit zone to the midnight zone, encountering creatures and challenges unique to each of the depths.

Collect one species or sample from each zone and return safely is the goal.

  • Coral Reef Survival
  • Play as reef species trying to survive overfishing, pollution, and climate change.

Be the last species remaining or the one that thrives the most is the goal.

  • Marine Predator Chase
  • A shark-themed strategy game where players must hunt prey while avoiding hazards like plastic pollution and fishing nets.

Achieve a survival score before being eliminated by threats is the goal.

  • Ocean Rescue Co-op Game
  • Work together to clean up an oil spill, protect endangered animals, or save a coral reef.

Goal: Restore ocean health before the damage becomes irreversible.

  • Whale Migration Challenge
  • Navigate global ocean routes, avoiding danger and stopping at feeding or birthing grounds.

Goal: Complete the full migration successfully.

Finally, look at these high school science games.

GAMES OCEAN THEMED FOR TEENS

5 Fun Ocean Themed High School Science Games

Below is a curated list of ocean-themed board games that combine science, creativity, and critical thinking and are ideal for your homeschool high school teen.