HSers when are you starting and what are you looking forward to?

[HSmomto4]

We finished all our shopping today and while we have been "in school" all year, we are starting our new History and science this week. I think we are going to focus on writing, reading, History and Science and put Math and English on the 3-day a week list. I know they are important, but so is History and Science and we haven't done as much in that area as I wanted to this past year.

We are studying American History this year! I thought it would be great to that this year leading up to an election. We are starting with the Puritans and going to Henry Ford. For interesting people, inventions and branches of government we will be making lap books for them. That will be new for us this year, but I think my kids are really going to like them.

Reading will be very heavy as my oldest (13) will start the year reading The Crucible :fear We will be reading works for great Authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Harriet Beecher Stowe (Uncle Toms Cabin), Herman Melville (Moby ****), Walt Whitman (Oh Captain, My Captain), LOTS of Emily ****inson, Mark Twain and so on and so on... My younger daughter who will be 8 will be read to out of these books and then read herself lots of biographies and kid fiction on that time period. I'm just envisioning lots of days curled up in front of the new fireplace we are getting reading for hours...I'll let you all know how it works out :pound

After studying the Pilgrims, we are going to be studying what brought about the American Revolution and Colonial America. I found a great book called Great Colonial America: Projects You Can Do. It looks like lots of fun activities for us to do! We will be reading The Journals Of Lewis and Clark and studying all they saw in animals and plants and really taking time to try and paint a visual picture of what they went through. Then for fun we will be doing the Prairie Primer when we hit that time period in History. I really want the girls to get their hands into making food from the time period, the clothes they wore, how they talked and what their daily lives were like. Can you tell I'm a bit excited about this? :yeah

I found lots of great books on ebay really cheap! I even found The Crucible for a penny! Now I can't wait till the mail lady has to stop and deliver stuff :nod

[topekaclark]

Well we are suppose to start this week but since dear old mom waited to the last minute, it may be next week.

This is our second year of hs and my first year of hs the oldest dd. I'm excited, very excited. I just wished I hs years ago, it's so rewarding for all of us. We are going to use Abeka for both girls. I have been working with the oldest this summer, so that helps a lot.

We do the stickers and candy/toy store as incentives. I bought stuff for that. I went a brought a big globe today, YEAH.

I found some books at the library about revolution times. The books has a lot of information plus art projects from that time period and recipes.

Ok, my kids are having issues, gotta go.:panic

[makarioselpis]

Starting Sept. 3rd here. I've got a 9th grader and a 7th grader. The 9th grader is doing online highschool through Alpha Omega Academy using the Switched on Schoolhouse package. The 7th grader will be using Bible Quest, Saxon Math, Learning Language Arts through Literature, 7th grade Alpha Omega Lifepac for Science, Christian Liberty Spelling, Worldly Wise Vocabulary, Age of Extremes (Joy Hakim Series) for History, Geography...I think that's about it! :wave

[soonhereturns]

I finally decided to try it the whole year. I have been back and forth about it because I feel like things didn't go too well, but every time I think about putting the 3 in school that I plan to teach, I just can't see it. My oldest wants to go back. She'll be in 9th grade. I will have a 6th grader, 7th grader and 2nd grader at home. Plus my 4yo twins who have already learned quite a bit just with fun things. Thought I'd try some formal stuff with them this year. The kids here start school Aug. 27th. Hope I'm ready.

[tygerkittn]

We're starting the day after Labor Day. I'm a traditionalist!
We're using SOS and Beautiful Feet, plus the kindergarten curriculum (different kind for each subject!) for my 5 year old.
I'm homeschooling 4 this year, all but the youngest and the oldest! Next year it will be 5!

[funmudder]

We school year round so the fall just means different outdoor activities and projects than the summer. :heh

[firstoftwelve]

We'll be starting as soon as we get our stuff. but we have a vacation planned the first week of Sept. so we'll take a break then.
We're doing 4yr kindergarten from Abeka for the 4 yr old, and then Sonlight for history and reading, Abeka Language and spelling, Abeka math(for now, we may switch to Math U See) and whatever science relates to our other subjects for the 1st grader.
I'm super excited to get our new stuff soon!

[lisaann]

We will probably start the 2nd or 3rd week of September. I have been painting a mural/timeline in the homeschool room the past few weeks and the room is a total wreck. I need to get that finished up and then organize the room so it is usable again. I still havent even taken last years books off of the shelf yet. :doh

I guess what I look forward to the most is finding the floor and desktop in this room again. :nod :heh

[soonhereturns]

Well, looks like I'll be teaching 4 this year now. After talking to someone at the school, I've discovered what I kind of figured all along. It's going to be a royal pain here in VA to get her back in school. :fear Sooooooo, after doing some searching I found ways she can still play sports and she's ok with staying home. I had fun today deciding what curriculum to use with everyone. A little late probably, :rolleyes but like I said, I've been unable to make a decision until now. It's been a long time since I taught that many at once. I'm praying this goes well and the Lord will give me the wisdom to know how to run a house and teach.

Lori

[tygerkittn]

I just mailed my declaration of intent, I'm teaching 4 this year. (All but the oldest and youngest.) Next year it will be 5! I've had my curriculum ready since April!