Curriculum Choices 2022-2023

Time for my annual post (which lately is my only post!) 

In addition to getting everything ready, we are also getting WHERE ready. We have had construction going on for a few months and will need to work around stored furniture once school starts. Watching every stage of construction happen has been fascinating and educational.

12th Grade

This will be my son's last year homeschooling. He'll graduate in May!

Math: He had a rough time with math last year and we decided to move back a book. He's been working on Saxon Algebra 2 again over the summer and will continue it through the year, then move on to Advanced Math again.

Language Arts: He's going to use the new Structure and Style for Students Year 2 Level C from IEW. For literature studies, we'll be doing some books that will also count for government and history. He'll be studying The Making of America, The 5000 Year Leap, Animal Farm, and Uncle Tom's Cabin (the last two from Progeny Press.)

Government & Economics: Uncle Eric book series: World War I and World War II 

Science: Apologia Physics. We're not thrilled about this course, but it was written by Dr Wile, and we've been using his Berean Builder courses so far. (Berean Builders will have a new Physics course available in 2023.)

Elective: He enjoyed drafting so much last year that he's decided to continue this path of learning at the local Tech college. He'll be there 12 hours a week.

9th Grade

My third child, who is the first to never attend public school, will begin high school this fall!

Math: Saxon Algebra 1, with the Mastering Algebra DVDs from Art Reed.

Language Arts: We considered having her do Structure and Style for Students Year 2 Level C from IEW to finish out that series, but we decided to wait and have her do that in 10th grade because the updated version of the last level of IEW Fix It! Grammar wasn't available when we were planning. So this year she'll do The Good and the Beautiful High School Language Arts 1. I think it will be a nice break, and she'll still use everything she's learned from IEW in her writing.

Government & Economics: Uncle Eric book series - the first three books

Science: Berean Builders Earth Science 

History: Family School: American History

Geography: The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts courses cover geography and art, but she wants to do Family School geography with her younger sister and me because she loves the thorough studies and the country reports. 

Art: The Good and the Beautiful and Family School 

Music: Family School

Electives: She's going to study photography using the course I made up a few years ago, and Financial Literacy through Family School.

Foreign Language: The Great Courses and Duolingo. If I am able to save up enough, I'll buy a subscription to Rosetta Stone because I feel it will be a bit stronger than Duolingo.

6th Grade

It's a little strange when the youngest child moves into middle school courses... I'm finding more time for myself to study topics I've wanted to for a while.

Math: Saxon 7/6 and the Mastering Algebra DVDs from Art Reed. I find these DVDs aren't necessary at this age, but she's thrilled to use them and getting into a habit of watching the lesson makes math easier in a few years. She'll also use The Checkbook Project.

Language Arts: Structure and Style for Students Year 1 Level B and Fix It! Grammar level 3. She's part way through Level 7 of All About Spelling and will use Phonetic Zoo next. For literature studies, we'll be using Family School and reading The Merchant of Venice, Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, A Little Princess, Emily Dickinson, mythology, and Lehi's Vision.

Science: Family School: chemistry and physics

History: Family School: American History

Art: Family School: Reformation and the Dutch Golden Age

Music: Family School Year 4

Some other random things we'll use: Typesy, Mind Benders and Building Thinking Skills for logic, various P.E. videos and activities.

New and exciting: My younger two have needed a way to help them use their time better. In April 2021, I found an item on Kickstarter called Mover Erase Combo. The Bravestorming company already had the product in place--magnetic tiles and organizers to help you plan (using the Kanban or Scrum project planning methods)--but their original tiles used sticky notes. This updated version uses dry erase tiles. 

Anyway, when I saw it, I knew that it would be perfect for helping kids plan. The campaign said it would be ready by Sept. 2021. Due to global supply chain issues and a last minute change in packaging, we didn't receive them until June 2022. That can be the nature of crowd funded projects.

I redesigned the interchangeable templates so that the smallest tile represents 15 minutes. We are using Staedtler correctable pens, a dry erase that doesn't erase at the slightest touch, to label each tile. The girls can use an Expo ultra fine point dry erase marker to add daily info to the tiles if they like. But the main purpose is that they can visualize their day and move each subject to the "Finished" area as they complete their work. They are excited to try this out and I hope it helps them stay on task.