So, we’ve figured out how to plan electives for high school. Now it’s time to start making decisions and filling slots on your class plan. To help, I’ve come up with a list of ideas and/or recommendations. Happy hunting!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through my link, you won’t pay more than what you’d already be spending, but I will receive a very small percentage of the sale. These sales help support my blog. I only support companies and products in which I believe.
General Resources
- Local Community / Rec centers
- Discounted Programs
- Open Courseware (free)
Business/Entrepreneurship
- How to Become a Teenage Entrepreneur: Starting a Micro Business – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Teen Business – News and information portal for young entrepreneurs
- Business Plan Creation – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Internet Entrepreneurship for Teens – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Accounting 101 – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Digital Art and Product Designs for Small Business – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Craft Business
- Become a Craft Business Owner – Lynda.com (Some public libraries have free access); Online/Self-Paced
- How to Start an Etsy Shop – Crowdspring; Blog post instructions
- Dog training / walking
- Brain Training for Dogs – Brain Training for Dogs; Online/Video/Self-Paced
- House cleaning
- Lawn care / snow removal
- Tutoring
- Childcare
- Furniture Flipping (buy cheap or free, sell high)
- Beekeeping
- Start a Podcast
- Podcasting to Change the World – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Buzzsprout – Free hosting
- Start a Blog
- Bluehost (Web Site Hosting)
- Launch Your Blog Biz – createandgo.com; Online/Self-Paced
- Six-Figure Blog Biz – createandgo.com; Online/Self-Paced
- Pinterest Traffic Avalanche – createandgo.com; Online/Self-Paced
- Blog Biz Bundle – createandgo.com; Online/Self-Paced
Computer Science/Technology
- Coding
- Hour of Code – code.org; Online/Self-Paced
- CodeHS Course Catalog – codehs.com; Online/Self-Paced
- Animation
- Animation Foundations Course – Bloop Animation; Online/Self-Paced
- Animaker, Inc
- 2D/3D Animation – Lynda.com (Some public libraries have free access); Online/Self-Paced
- Animation-ish – animationish.com; Online/Self-Paced
- Graphic Design
- Introduction to Graphic Design – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Graphic Design Specialization – Coursera.org; Online/Self-Paced
- Become a Graphic Designer – Linkedin Learning; Online/Self-Paced
- Web Design
- Bluehost (Web Site Hosting)
- Web Design – CodeHS; Online/Self-Paced
- Game Design
- Web Game Design – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Video Game Design – CodeHS; Online/Self-Paced
- Inkscape Online Adventure – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Stop Motion
- Robotics
- Building Arduino Robots and Devices – Coursera.org; Online/Self-Paced
- Introduction to Robotics – MIT OpenCourseware; Online/Self-Paced
- Lego Robotics – MIT OpenCourseware; Online/Self-Paced
- 3D Design / Printing
- Learning 3D designs with TinkerCad – tinkercad.com; Online/Self-Paced
- Coding
Fine Arts
- Creative Writing
- Publish an eBook – Lynda.com (Some public libraries have free access); Online/Self-Paced
- Design a Comic Book – Lynda.com (Some public libraries have free access); Online/Self-Paced
- Film
- Filmmaking – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online/Self-Paced
- Write a Feature Length Screenplay for Film or TV – Coursera.org; Online/Self-Paced
- Getting Your Film Off the Ground – Coursera.org; Online/Self-Paced
- Theater
- Acting / Plays
- How to Write and Produce a Play – Schoolhouse Teachers; Text/Self-Paced
- Stage Design
- Theatre and Set Design – edX; Online/Self-Paced
- Costume Design
- The Iron Suit – I haven’t tried this one and don’t know anyone that has, but SERIOUSLY, who wouldn’t want to be Iron Man??
- Dance
- Lessons for a specific dance
- Dance team
- Interior Design
- Become a Fashion Designer – Linkedin Learning; Online/Self-Paced
- Introduction to Architecture – Schoolhouse Teachers; Text/Self-Paced
- Drawing / Painting
- Learn to Draw Like a Master Artist – Pencil Drawing Made Easy; Online
- The Secrets to Drawing Video Course – The Secrets to Drawing; Online
- Learn to Sing – Singorama; Online
- Photography
- Trick Photography – Online
- Photography Learning Paths – Lynda.com; Online/Self-Paced
- Photography – Schoolhouse Teachers; Text/Self-Paced
- Photography Challenge – Schoolhouse Teachers; Text/Self-Paced
- Literature
- National Mythology Exam – Independent Study
- Classical Mythology – Schoolhouse Teachers; Text/Self-Paced
- Ancient History: Babylonian Life and Mythology – Schoolhouse Teachers; Text/Self-Paced
- Acting / Plays
- Creative Writing
Science
- Astronomy
- Astronomy: Exploring Time and Space – Coursera/University of Arizona; Online/Self-Paced
- Starry Night (Web) – Starry Night Education; Online
- Chemistry
- Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science (chemistry) – Harvard University / edX; Online
- MEL Chemistry Monthly Subscription Kits – MEL Chemistry
- Red Wagon Chemistry for HS – Schoolhouse Teachers; Text/Self-Paced
- Environmental Sciences
- Backyard Meteorology: The Science of Weather – Harvard University/edX; Online/Self-Paced
- Layered Earth Meteorology (Web) – The Layered Earth; Online
- Introduction to Environmental Science – Dartmouth/edX; Online/Self-Paced
- Geography
- Geology
- Layered Earth Geology – The Layered Earth; Online
- Marine Science
- Vet Science
- Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Veterinary Science Certificate Program – Self Study/Online
- The Horse Course: Introduction to Basic Care and Management – Coursera/University of Florida; Online/Self-Paced
- Equine Welfare and Management – Coursera/University of California Davis; Online/Self-Paced
- Astronomy
Social Science
- Criminal Justice
- Hot Topics in Criminal Justice – Coursera/Vanderbilt University; Online/Self-Paced
- The Psychology of Criminal Justice – University of Queensland/edX; Online/Self-Paced
- World Religions
- Worldviews, World Religions, and Cults – Schoolhouse Teachers; Online
- Criminal Justice
Health / Fitness / Sports
Teams / Individual Sports
- TRX Trainer:
- First Aid for Free; Online
- Lifeguarding
- Meal Planning
Life Skills
- Life Skills Curriculum – Overcoming Obstacles; Download
- High School Home Economics – Schoolhouse Teachers; Text/Self-Paced
- Automotive
- Automotive Education – Crawford’s Auto Repair; Online
- Automotive Homeschool Elective – Auto Upkeep; Online
- Gardening
- Baking
- Cake Flix – Online
- My Cake School – My Cake School; Online/Self-Paced
- Wilton – Wilton; Online/Self-Paced
- How to Cake It – 10% off with KANDEECOOLEY10
- How to Cake It; Online/Self-Paced
- The Science of Baking – Instructibles; Online/Self-Paced
- Cooking – Plan, purchase, prepare
- Dinner Tonight – Texas A&M; Online/Self-Paced
- Kitchn Cooking School – kitchn.com; Online/Self-Paced
- Virtual Cooking Classes – Institute of Culinary Education; Online/Virtual
- Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course – YouTube; Online/Self-Paced
- Kitchen Skills – Plain and Not So Plain; Online/Self-Paced
- Whole Foods Cooking (Family Program) – Schoolhouse Teachers; Text/Self-Paced
- Sewing
- Learn to Sew – Tilly And The Buttons; Online/Self-Paced
- Sewing Tutorials – Newton Custom Interiors; Online/Self-paced
- Learn to Sew – Melly Sews; Emailed Video Course
- Sewing Studio: Fashion Fitting, Home Decor & More – Craftsy; Online/Self-Paced
- 40 Techniques Every Sewer Should Know – Craftsy; Online/Self-Paced
- Personal Finances
- Financial Literacy for High School Students – InCharge; Online/Text-Based/Self-Paced
- Money Course – The Money Course; Online/Text-Based/Self-Paced
- High School Hands on Banking – Hands on Banking; Online/Self-Paced
- Personal Finance in Bite-Size Chunks – Schoolhouse Teachers; Audio/Text/Self-Paced
- Welding
- Welding – American Welding Society; Online/In-Person
- Welding Class – Instructables; Online/Self-Paced
- Woodworking
- Woodworking Plans – Ted’s Woodworking Plans; Online/Self-Paced
- Volunteering
- Drivers Ed
- DriversEd – DriversEd; Online/Self-Paced
Test Prep
- Khan Academy – Online / Self-Paced
- SAT/ACT Math Prep – Schoolhouse Teachers; Video Based/Self-Paced
