Freshman Year in the Bag! (part 2)

As promised, here is the rest of Phoebe's 9th grade accomplishments!

Geography (Honors):

We did a year-long study of World Geography, using Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World, 4^th ed., by Lester Rowntree, et al. The book covered environmental, human, and physical geography, and spent time on all parts of the world. She also listened to a podcast of a World Geography class at SUNY Binghamton that used the same textbook.

For each chapter, Phoebe read and took notes, answered discussion and critical thinking questions, learned the countries and capitals for each part of the world, and took a quiz at the end. She had a map-based midterm that required her to identify countries and capitals. At the end of the year, she did a large research project on the global state of women’s education. She gathered data from various sources, created a PowerPoint, and then presented it.

French:

For French this year, Phoebe took an online class through Middlebury Interactive. She started with the second semester of French 1, and then went on to the first semester of French 2. The course includes grammar, writing, listening, speaking, and reading lessons.

In addition to the class, Phoebe also did workbook exercises, translated some children’s books, and wrote weekly to a pen-pal in France.

Physical Education:

After our move, it took some time to find a new dance studio, but we did, and Phoebe started a new Modern class at Arts Ballet. The class was rigorous, and it culminated in a six-show production in early May.

When the weather cooperated, we also took walks, and Phoebe also babysat a four-year-old boy who kept her active!  

Music:
 

Since we moved, we have been without a piano teacher. However, Phoebe has continued to practice 15-30 minutes a day, and she has worked on teaching herself new songs.

Art:

Phoebe is an active knitter and crafter. She has knit several projects over the past school year, many of them rather sophisticated. She also colors, does paper crafts, and creates cards and posters. In addition, she often does crafty things with her charges when she babysits.

Practical Arts, Technology, and Volunteering:

Phoebe helps with shopping, learning how to compare prices and calculate sales. She knows how to iron and is learning the basics of cooking. We have also talked about how bills get paid and interest rates on credit cards.

In addition to ironing her own clothes, Phoebe dusts each week, keeps her room tidy, works in the garden, helps with the garbage and recycling, and occasionally vacuums and does the laundry.

The knitting and woodworking she does for Art also has practical applications. 

Occasionally, Phoebe will also help her dad or me with DIY projects around the house.

Phoebe is a volunteer staff member for the Harry Potter Knit and Crochet House Cup on Ravelry. This is all online, and, as a staff member, she works with spreadsheets, creates graphs and tables, works as part of a team (often in a leadership role), and does graphic design. All of these will be valuable skills in the future for her. She is a valued and trusted helper to those on the Leadership Team, of which I am a member, so I hear first hand how much she is appreciated.

In addition to volunteering her time on Ravelry, she also joined the Teen Leadership Council at the Newport News Public Library, and helped at several library-sponsored events during the school year. She also worked as a volunteer at the Virginia Living Museum, spending almost 26 hours there to date at the VLM.

Totals for 9^th Grade:

Credits earned: 10.5

GPA: 3.8