Homeschool planning

With the ICHE convention coming up in less than a month, I've been doing some tentative planning as to what we will be working on next school year so I have an idea of what to look for in the vendor hall.  There is a huge emphasis here on the word tentative.  Other than covering the basics (math, English, and writing), what we focus on in a school year is often dictated by the whim of the moment.  I realize that doesn't sound overly academic, does it?  But we do end up covering a wide variety of subjects and in the course of learning about them, we manage to hit science, geography, history, art, and music.  As my children get older, I have them be a bit more focused, but they still have enough freedom in their schedule to follow their interests.

With that as an introduction, here is what I'm thinking about:

For everyone, our history co-op will be up and running again next fall.  After our year's break, all the mothers involved are feeling ready to go back to Ancient Egypt for the third time.  Everyone in my family will be working on this time period next year.  I have been happy with the Truth Quest History guides for the modern periods which we have been working on this past year, so will probably get the guide for the ancients and use that for P., A., and B.

B. will be a junior and will continue with VideoText math, having done algebra 1 and 2, he will be moving on to geometry.  I also want to find him a botany curriculum.  Gardening is turning into a serious interest, so it would be nice to make the most of it.  B.'s other interest is World War II, so I expect he will continue his in-depth reading in that period.

A., going into 8 grade, is also using VideoText math and having finished the pre-algebra portion will be heading into the regular algebra 1 section.  She has been doing a variety of things for science (she did  studies on the microscope, famous scientists, basic chemistry, and is now working on a botany study this past year) and I imagine that she will continue in that same vein for 8th grade as well.  When she is a freshman, we will start to do more formal science.

P. (entering 6th), TM and D. (both entering 3rd) will all continue with Rod and Staff English and math.  They are the main participants in our unit studies.  Since I base most of our studies around whatever chapter book we are reading, I will be on the lookout for interesting chapter books that I may not know about.

K., who is 5, but not quite developmentally ready for kindergarten, will continue doing preschool activities and learning readiness.  "Learning readiness" sound so important, doesn't it?  Really, it means he is going to continue to do a lot of playing and join in our unit studies as he is able.

G. and L., who will be two, well, we'll mainly be trying to keep them out of trouble and read them a lot of stories.

That list leaves out two people:  M. will be off at her first year of college and H. will be coming home at some point during the school year (God willing).  M. is going to be fine at college and I'm excited to hear about everything she does.  H. will be in the midst of having to figure out a new family, a new language, a new culture, and most likely more than a few doctor's appointments .  I think we will not be worrying too much about formal academics.

In theory, I shouldn't have to spend too much money in the vendor hall, right?  Go ahead and chuckle... I am.
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