CHARLOTTE MASON FORM 4

LIVING BOOKS AND SUPPLIES FOR GRADE 9

Form 4 marks the first year of high school for students. It is a time of growing independence.

Students in the Upper Forms should have a maximum of independence. Work with your student in choosing topics of interest and books, as well as creating a schedule.

The high school years also bring outside interests, part-time jobs, and specialization of study with a view towards adulthood.

Keep these things in mind while planning a schedule for your older student.

Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Form 4 Guide - Grade 9For more information about Form 4, or to plan your own custom curriculum, see the CM Your Way Curriculum Form Guide for Form 4.

Or, for more information about Forms in general, see Understanding Forms in a Charlotte Mason Education.

Living Books for Forms 4 Students (Grade 9)

Please use the religious texts applicable to your family’s faith and denomination. 

If you are not a religious family, see World Religions & Philosophies below.

Christianity

Judaism

Saviour of the World – poetry written by Charlotte Mason

World Religions & Philosophies

If you are not a religious family, feel free to replace with books about world religions, philosophies, or spiritual stories. 
If you are starting with an older student, feel free to also choose books from the Form 2 or 3 World Religions & Philosophies category.
Elements such as character building, virtues, and morality are woven into many other subjects, especially Literature, History, and Citizenship.

Literature for Form 4 Students (Grade 9)

I have categorized the Literature selections based on time period.
Books are sorted by when the book was written or the era in which it is set. 

Up to 17th c.

Utopia: be sure to use the translation by Gilbert Burnet

17th – 18th c.

19th c.

19th c.

20th Century Literature for Form 4 Students

Essays for Form 4 Students (Grade 9)

Charlotte’s students also read essays in Forms 4-6.

Mythology for Form 4 Students (Grade 9)

If you are starting the CM method with an older student, please look at the Greek Mythology choices in Form 2 or 3. Bulfinch’s Mythology was essential reading in CM’s schools. If your student hasn’t read it yet, now is the time!

Poetry for Form 4 Students

Poetry Anthologies

Audiobooks

TIP: Audiobooks are a great way to listen to poetry

Individual
Poets

Includes Poe’s epic poem, Tamerlane

Includes Whitman’s epic poem, Song of Myself

Individual
Poets

Epic
Poems

Includes Pope’s epic poem, The Rape of the Lock

Additional Living Books for Free Reading for Form 4 Students

Living History Books for Form 4 Students (Grade 9)

Options for American History

These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore is my first choice for American History in high school. The author does an excellent job of maintaining political balance, meaning the book is neither too liberal nor too conservative in it’s slant. This book was first published in 2018, so it covers topics up through the Trump presidency. It can be used for Forms 5 & 6 as well (grades 10-12). 

NOTE: There are instances in These Truths that some families might not be comfortable with – including, but not limited to, a description regarding President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky; foul language and racial slurs within direct quotes; issues regarding civil rights for various groups; and abortion. These are hard but necessary topics. The author presents all of these issues from a historical viewpoint and relates them to modern-day politics as well. 

I have chosen to use this book in my own home because I consider these topics appropriate for high-school-aged students. These are issues that I want my children to be able to discuss with me. My high-school-aged son says this book is his favorite history book ever because of the author’s candid look at both sides of the issues. It’s been a source of some very deep and meaningful conversations at our house.

But because standards vary among households, please preview for your own use. A student “textbook” edition of These Truths is being published soon and will hopefully be appropriate for all families while still maintaining it’s living book qualities.

If you need another option, consider using A History of US set by Joy Hakim or Paul Johnson’s A History of the American People. These books are not nearly as living as my first choice, but many families enjoy using them. 

Options for British or World History

Any of the books listed here can be used as a History Spine for a second history stream focused on British or World History.

My first choice for British history is Great Tales from English History by Robert Lacey. This book is very fun to read!

Charlotte used A History of England by H.O. Arnold-Forster for students in Form 3. It is suitable for high school as well. The reprint listed above is the 1st of three volumes needed if you decide to use this set. The public domain text can be found here

For a more in-depth look at English history, consider A History of the English Speaking Peoples 4-Volume set by Winston Churchill. Definitely more difficult, but very good.

If you’d rather focus on World History, A Little History of the World by Gombrich can be used as a spine.

Alternatively, you could also choose topical studies for your second or third stream of history. See History Through Events below.

Options for Ancient History

Any of the books listed here can be used as a History Spine for a third history stream focused on Ancient History (or see Forms 5-6 for other options).

History through Biographies & Events

These books are good examples of books you could use instead of or in addition to the spines listed above.

More books will be added periodically to this category. Please check back!

Early American History

American Revolution

Post-Revolution

Civil War

1900-1940

WWII

WWII

1950-2000

21st Century

Historical Fiction

These books are good examples of books you could use for History Tales / Historical Fiction.

More books will be added periodically to this category. Please check back!

Early American History

American Revolution

1790-1850

Civil War

20th Century

Other Books & Things I Love for Form 4 Students

These are good examples of books you can use as supplements or just for fun!

Living Geography Books for Form 4 Students (Grade 9)

Chasing Shackleton (2014) is a real-life recreation of Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 expedition to the South Pole. The PBS show is that goes with it is outstanding.

Richard Halliburton’s Book of Marvels (1937) is one of my son’s favorite geography books. If you haven’t read it yet, consider reading it now (or one of Halliburton’s other books). Please note there are some slight racial comments.

Great Journeys Series by Penguin Books

Other Books I Love for Form 4 Geography

Citizenship Books for Form 4 Students (Grade 9)

  • Form 4 students continued reading Charlotte’s fourth volume: Ourselves
  • They also used a Classical Dictionary as a help for reading Plutarch (but if you are using The Plenary’s Plutarch Study Guides, a Classical Dictionary is not needed because the annotations and definitions are already provided for you in the margins.)
Plutarch’s Lives: Roman
Plutarch’s Lives: Greek
Plutarch’s Lives: Reference
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason

Living Science Books for Form 4 Students (Grade 9)

Look at all these living books for High School Science!
Any of the books listed here can be used as a Science book for Form 4.

Biology
Botany & Anatomy

Anatomy: I am Joe’s Body PDF Free Download

Biology
Other

Visit The Home Scientist website for experiment kits and free PDF manuals for each of the Illustrated Guides by Robert Bruce Thompson

Earth Science &
Environmentalism

The Aldo Leopold Foundation: Understanding the Land Ethic article

Chemistry

Visit The Home Scientist website for experiment kits and free PDF manuals for each of the Illustrated Guides by Robert Bruce Thompson

Physics

Secrets of the Universe series by Paul Fleisher

Nature Lore Books for Form 4 Students (Grade 9)

Other Books and Things for Form 4 Students

These books are good examples of books you can use for special studies, supplements to the books above, or just for fun. 

Videos that accompany The Chemical History of a Candle book

Science Supplies for You and Your Form 4 Students

Supplies and fun things for you and your student!

N.C. Wyeth

N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945) was an American artist who was known for his illustrations in many children’s books published by Scribner’s.

Johannes Vermeer

Vermeer (1632-1675) was a Dutch artist of the Baroque period. He is known for his domestic scenes of middle-class life.

More options coming soon…

More options coming soon…

More options coming soon…

More options coming soon…

More options coming soon…

More options coming soon…

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