My ideas so far are the following. If you are interested in links and more details, check out my planning page on my blog. Math: Teaching Textbooks Algebra, RightStart Math G, Speed Drills CalcuLadder, Middle Grades Math Minutes English: CenterforLit literature class with Independent Studies Literary Analysis, The Daily Poem, second half of Grammar and Writing 8, English Grammar Recitation II, Put That in Writing Level 1, Book of Mottoes, Rummy Roots card game, WordUp!, SpellingYouSee F, The Word Wasp, Sequential Spelling 5, Vocabulary.com, Better Handwriting for Young Catholics, acting classes Science: Exploring Creation with Physical Science (2nd edition) with lectures, Outdoor School book: Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting, home ecology classes at local state park Geography: Draw Europe, Draw Africa, World Geography Power Basics (Use only for Europe and Africa.), Van Loon's Geography (Ch. 1-29), Buschmann, Buddha, Tuareg, Complete Book of Marvels (Videos) History/American History: Early American and World History (Beautiful Feet), U.S. History Detective (Book 1), Early American History: Natives, Colonists, and Revolutionaries, America the Story of Us (videos) Religion: Introduction to Catholicism: The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, The Young People's Book of Saints, The Catholic Youth Bible, scripture memory Art/Picture Study: Catholic World Culture, local art classes, charcoal drawing Handwork: Metal embossing kit, block printing, sewing Music/Composer Study: The Composers' Specials Teacher's Guide for Bach's Fight for Freedom, Handel's Last Chance, Rossini's Ghost, Liszt's Rhapsody, Strauss: The King of Three-Quarter Time, Bizet's Dream Classics for Kids Classical Kids Catholic hymn study All About the Symphony Orchestra Music Activities Kit Violin, recorder, alto recorder lessons Character: Ourselves, Beautiful Girlhood French: Getting Started with French, Rosetta Stone French, Skoldo French Book 3 German: Gezielt fördern Intensivkurs LRS 5./6. Klasse, Gezielt fördern Intensivkurs LRS 7./8. Klasse, Das sagt man so! (online), Abschreiben erwünscht German literature: Kleider machen Leute, Der geheime Bericht über den Dichter Goethe, So zärtlich war Suleyken, Pole Poppenspäler, Damals war es Friedrich Latin: Getting Started with Latin, Keep Going with Latin, Lumina Artes Latinae Biblical Greek: Getting Started with Ancient Greek, Elementary Greek I Student News/Civics: CNN10 Logic: Fallacy Detective Typing: The Good and the Beautiful Typing 3 Home Economics: Landmark's Baptist Freedom Home Economics (Not sure if I will use it.), Home Ec for Everyone P.E.: Local advanced ballet classes Volunteer work: At an animal shelter and a living history museum We loosely follow the ideas of Waldorf education and dedicate each month to a special topic (main lesson): Main Lessons: History: Revolutions: Live Education!: Revolutionaries and Romantics, Kovacs: The Age of Revolution: Ch. 17-34, Novel: Scarlet Pimpernel, Eine kurze Weltgeschichte für junge Leser Hörbuch September Earth Science/Geography: World Physical Geography (First four chapters) and workbook to learn countries, etc. October Biology: Anatomy Physiology: Kovacs: Muscles and Bones: Ch. 35-48, DVD: Biology 101, Lyrical Life Science 3, Blood and Guts, Life Science for Young Catholics November/December History: British History: Master Books British History, Great Britain: Engineering an Empire January Art History: BBC: Sister Wendy's Story of Painting (10 episodes), The Story of Painting (Thomas Craven), make an art history notebook February History: British History: Master Books British History, Great Britain: Engineering an Empire April Physics: Thermodynamics: DVD: Physics 101, TOPS Heat, Tiner: The World of Physics: Ch. 6 (4 weeks) May We also do a morning time together with rotating materials.

My "baby" will also be a ninth grader! I guess when it comes to the last child, you do feel more relaxed about the whole planning idea.

We will try Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting and Outdoor School: Animal Watching in addition to monthly nature studies (home ecology) in our state park.

We used to listen to "The Daily Poem" a lot and loved it. Thanks for mentioning the other podcast.

What about Read-Aloud Christmas School?

Rex Barks

Building Writing Skills might be helpful in a case like this. There is also a laminated chart from IEW that might help.

Sarah from "Read Aloud Revival" has wonderful audiobook booklists here.

My last child is having problems with spelling and dictation and I decided to try using SpellingYouSee with her. She is in grade 8, but we are doing SpellingYouSee level E. This approach to dictation is perfect for her.

Oh, I did not see that you were just interested in secular books.

We used The Fallacy Detective and The Thinking Toolbox.

Here is a wonderful list of great chemistry books for homeschoolers from Sabbath Mood Homeschool.

We are using The College Panda's SAT Math and ACT and SAT Review with Dana Mosely (Chalk Dust Company).

This is a fantastic book that can be used with almost not prep at all: Home Ec for Everyone.

Hillsdale College has a free philosophy course. I will try that one this school year with my 12th grader. We will also read Living Biographies of Great Philosophers. With one of my daughters, we did The Consequences of Ideas, which was very good. With my son, I read Sophie's World and a few German books on philosophy.