• 9th-12th Grade Milestones

    What Your Child Should Know and Be Able to Do

    Milestone #1

    Reading, Writing & Research

    Real World Connection: Encourage Thoughtful Discussions – After your child reads an article or book, ask open-ended questions like, "What do you think the author’s main message was?" or "Do you agree or disagree with their point of view?"

    Real World Connection: Help with Research Skills – Guide them in finding and identifying reliable sources by comparing information from different websites or books.

    Critical Thinking Activity: "Fact or Opinion?" Challenge – Choose a current news article together and have your child highlight facts in one color and opinions in another. Then, discuss how to verify facts and recognize bias.

    Milestone #2

    Advanced Math & Science

    Real World Connection: Connect Math to Real Life – When shopping or cooking, ask your child to calculate discounts, unit prices, or adjust recipes using fractions and ratios.

    Real World Connection: Watch Science in Action – Encourage hands-on learning by watching science experiment videos together and recreating simple experiments at home.

    Critical Thinking Activity: "Science Mythbusters" Investigation – Pick a common science myth (e.g., "Goldfish have a 3-second memory") and research together to find scientific evidence that proves or disproves it.

    Milestone #3

    Planning for the Future

    Real World Connection: Explore Career Interests – Have your child interview family members or friends about their jobs and what they enjoy about them.

    Real World Connection: Practice Real-World Skills – Encourage resume writing by helping them draft a resume or working with the Career Counselor at school, even if it’s just for volunteering or babysitting experience.

    Critical Thinking Activity: "Dream Budget" Exercise – Ask your child to pick a career they’re interested in, research the average salary, and create a monthly budget that includes rent, food, transportation, and entertainment.

    Milestone #4

    Understanding Emotions & Speaking Up

    Real World Connection: Model Healthy Communication – Talk about your own emotions and problem-solving strategies to show them how to manage stress and conflicts.

    Real World Connection: Encourage Self-Reflection – Ask, “What was the hardest part of your day? What do you think made it challenging?” to help them process emotions.

    Critical Thinking Activity: "What Would You Do?" Scenarios – Present different social situations (e.g., a friend makes an inappropriate joke, a teacher gives unfair treatment) and discuss how they might handle each one.

    Milestone #5

    Being an Active Citizen

    Real World Connection: Talk About Current Events – Watch or read the news together and discuss different viewpoints on important issues.

    Real World Connection: Encourage Community Involvement – Support them in attending school board meetings, joining advocacy groups, or volunteering.

    Critical Thinking Activity: "Make a Change" Challenge – Have your teen choose a local or school issue they care about and draft a short speech or letter explaining the problem and proposing a solution.