I Think I Have It . . . Almost

I think I have a plan for the next year. It will be rather long to put up both boys plans in one entry so I will start with my third son's, (I really ought to give him a nick name for here.)

So without further ado here it is.

1. Bible -- Alpha Omega 900 (It's not Ambleside Online. It's not even CM but the boys like it and I like the results so I'm sticking with it.)

2. Math -- Teaching Textbook Algebra I (I like this book. I have since the first time I saw it. Each year the reviews get better and this year Sonlight Curriculum is using it as their only suggestion for upper level math.)

3. English -- This is a little more complicated because it's a three prong approach.

Grammar -- "Easy Grammar Plus" (Short, sweet and to the point)
Literature -- I'll be following the Ambleside cycle for poetry and choosing Ambleside suggestions for Literature. I will try to pick some that go along with his history period as well. We will continue the Pluetarch and Shakespeare cycle as well.
Writing -- He needs to write more and so I will be assigning him more papers. I will increase the volume until as he gets older in an attempt to get him ready for the large volume of papers college will require. (I don't plan to use a curriculum for this. If I see any problems I may change my mind mid term or next year.)

4. Science -- "Apologia Exploring Creation with Biology" This is an Ambleside recomendation for upper grades and the elementry curriculum has even become an option next year for 3rd - 6th; but I would use it even if it weren't because it's so good.

5. History -- Yes I'm still pulling my hair out over this one. BUT I know that the Lord will come through. Here's what I have so far.

Either:
Diana Waring's History Alive OR Truthquest -- Anchient History (Creation -- 500 AD)
Truthquest is an Ambleside recomendation and History Alive is rather CM as well as unit study in philosophy.

I will support this with the following with living books and H. A. Guerber's "Story of the Ancient World" and "The Story of Mankind" by Hendrick Van Loon as my spines. I also plan to use Diana Waring's tapes no matter which ancient history book I use.

6. Fine Arts -- I plan to follow the Ambleside schedual for Music and Art.

7. P.E. -- This is rather silly but it is a required class for his transcript so here goes. My plan is simply this, I am going to turn this one over to my husband. Even though he is diabled now, he was a master trainer while he was in the Army. Not only that, he tends to be creative. Any thing I would come up with would meet the criteria but would bore my son to tears. My husband on the other hand comes up with some of the funnest (is that a real word) ways to move and get exercise. So it's his baby.

I told him this last night and he said OK. On the other hand he was sleeping at the time and he always agrees to anything I ask then. Probably not real fair of me I know; but he would agree when he was awake, there just would have been more discussion as he asked what was required and he came up with ideas.

8. Foreign Languages -- We will continue what we have been doing.

Spanish -- We will use Power Glide and Spanish for Dummies. (I would rather have Rosetta Stone but we have Power Glide and Rosetta Stone is so expensive.)
Latin -- We will continue with Latin Book I by Harry Fletcher Scott and Annabel Horn and Latin for Dummies. I already have both of these. I really like Latin Book I and since I'm not interested in my boys talking to long dead Romans, but rather getting a better understanding of English for the sake of their SAT scores; I don't care if they get the pronunciation exactly right.

So that is it. Nothing is ever perfect but I feel pretty good about this, history aside. Actually, I really believe that I'm on the right track with history, I just need to decide on one which book, History Alive or Truthquest. Either that or find them second hand real cheap and take my husbands suggestion.