I asked this very same question on IEW'S forum, because it was also recommended to me to have my ds do SWI-C and then The Elegant Essay. The answer I got was to do them at one course per semester. I have yet to look over the course and see how I'll schedule it, though.

Biblioplan has recently updated and improved their programs. Might be worth checking out. :)

I've been there. . . . your post sounds so much like the internal discussion I've had at times using HOD. I'm sitting here nodding my head in agreement to everything you wrote. We even took a break from HOD and used a year of SL. We loved it, but found it somewhat overwhelming in the reading amount and truly missed the biblical discussions we had in HOD. So we went back, thinking I could just tweak it to fit us better, cutting out what didn't work. . . and it's been the most difficult, stressful year. :( Enter. . . BiblioPlan! :) It seems like an excellent mix of all the components we've loved from other lit-based programs. I can use the program for all the kids, each at their level. I also have the freedom to choose what and how much we use, to customize it to fit "our" family. No more trying to keep pace with someone else's schedule, and definitely not having to make my own! ;) I can also use all the great books that we have sitting on our shelves, after years of using HOD and SL. Here's a recent discussion where I shared some info on BP, and even some links to reviews and helpful posts on using BP: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/548011-biblioplan/ **my post starts at comment #2 Blessings :) *Edited to fix link. :)

I was actually just looking up Tuesdayschild's recommended Greenleaf guide, and just stumbled on this. It looks great! Are these the same versions/translations that others recommend using? I was planning on using Heany's translation of Beowulf, so I was wondering... Does anyone have experience to share with using the Greenleaf guide? Pros....cons....what you'd do differently next time? Would it be better to use something like this, and fill in with other books we could just read and discuss? I appreciate all your help, ladies! You're lifesavers! ;)

Tuesdayschild, THANK YOU! ;) You included many of the selections that I've been thinking on. Your list looks great! With BP, they recommend you do a study guide once a unit. I know that's not a hard and fast rule or anything, though. I've thought about doing them (PP guides) for some of the Shakespeare plays. . . what do you think? I know I've read a lot that it's not necessary. That's one thing I'm kicking back and forth. As well as how many, if we do. I'm trying to find a way to get everything I want to get without breaking the bank, too. ;) My ds really prefers to read a book, rather than read from the tablet or computer. How did you approach this? Thanks much! ;)

Thanks so much, everyone! :)

I'm currently trying to design a literature list for my rising 10th grader next year. We're going to be using BiblioPlan for history. He'll also be doing IEW for writing. BP offers suggestions to choose from, or simply choose your own. This is my first high schooler, and I'm fairly new to the classical method, so I thought I'd ask the hive for some help in choosing some great lit choices for my ds's medieval history year. ;) As a side note, he's a good reader, but not the fastest reader, so I'm trying to pick the best "don't miss" titles for him. I'm kind of at a loss in how to put this together, and would SO appreciate your help and advice! :)

SpringTulip, On BP'S website, they give you options to buy the Companion as either an ebook or as a hardcover print copy. It's supposed to be the high school level spine when read in its entirety. You can read as many sections of it as you desire for younger kids. You can always choose another option for spines if you prefer (such as SOTW, MOH, or Streams of Civilizations, etc..). The Cool History pages info comes from the Companion, I believe. I just purchased a blended package from BP the other day. So they're sending me a print copy of the Companion, and I got the rest as ebooks that I can print out. It was pretty cost effective, because I can print however many copies I need for my kids. Then in a few years when we cycle back around, I just print out whatever we need that year. Sounds like your developing a nice plan for next year! ;) Just thought I'd share a bit about the Companion, in case it helps clarify at all. :) Blessings! ;)

I'm afraid I don't have much help to offer about how Year 1 is set up....as we'll be doing Year 2 (Medieval). My oldest is a rising 10th grader, so by beginning in Year 2, we can still cover what he needs over the next 3 years for graduation requirements. I went ahead and printed out book lists for Year 2 also, but mostly just so I could highlight what books we already own that I could use. I don't think their guide will have questions for all the books they list, as it's just meant to be the flexible framework you can build upon however you like. For whatever spine you choose, you could use any included questions within that resource (for example: the Activity Guide questions for SOTW, or the review questions at the end of MOH chapters). For any literary classics you choose, you can look for coordinating study guides that would bring depth to your study of those books. I believe they had quite a few listed that have accompanying study guides. For spine choices, I'll likely do the SOTW for my younger kids, and MOH for my older ones. The BP Companion is designed to be a complete spine for high school age students, so my older ones will also be reading that. My thought is that we'll likely have a history time all together with the olders where I'll read MOH aloud, as well as any other supplemental books listed for that day that we feel like incorporating (keeping in mind that they are not all listed each day). Books like Greenleaf's Famous Men books, Courage and Conviction as well as Monks and Mystics, etc... Then they can read the Companion independently. Oh, also there's the Cool History pages for each age group that would add more questions for comprehension as well, which are based on the Companion readings. In BP's description of their maps on their website, they mention all your student should need for completing the maps is the Companion and a globe or world map. I don't remember seeing the atlas series you mentioned, but I'll go look again! ;) I plan on doing government during BP Year 3 (Early Modern). They suggest using Walch Power Basics, but you could easily use whatever you prefer. Instead of having a dedicated semester for doing government, I'm planning on doing it over the course of year 3. I've only read briefly about Writers Inc. It looks like a great resource to me, but we had already planned on using IEW, so I didn't look much further. You could really use whatever writing program you prefer, though. :) I don't know that I've been much help, as I haven't used BP yet myself. From what I've seen of the samples and reading everything on their website, I'm really looking forward to using it next fall! ;) Blessings! ;)

I've read here in the past that some have enjoyed Visual Link Spanish. More of an interactive way to learn spanish on the computer. They run sales quite often, sometimes even 50% off. They also have free trials you can download and see if you like that format. I purchased level 1 for my ds for next fall. We haven't used it yet, but have enjoyed the free trial quite a bit. :)

I'm planning on going with BiblioPlan next fall, so I'm not experienced in how to use it best yet, but thought I'd share some helpful links I came across from another mom who's used it very successfully for years now. Before that she's used things like Sonlight and Tapestry of Grace. Here's her review of BiblioPlan: http://gratefulforgrace.com/2013/02/a-review-of-biblioplan/ Here's how she uses BP: http://gratefulforgrace.com/2014/05/how-i-use-biblioplan-putting-the-year-together/ Here's how she plans lit choices: http://gratefulforgrace.com/2014/06/how-i-choose-plan-high-school-selections-for-biblioplan/ Here's how she shares using binders for BP: http://gratefulforgrace.com/2013/08/how-to-use-binders-and-individualize-lesson-plans-for-biblioplan-or-my-fathers-world/ BiblioPlan has free three week samples you can download from any of their programs. In the sample, they give you a good view of each of their products (family guide, companion, cool histories for all the age levels, hands on maps, crafts and timeline). Within the family guide they list all the possible history and literature books you could choose for each unit. You only choose the books that interest you or you think would fit well in your year. I read somewhere recently that a good place to start would be to choose 1 classic w/ study guide, and one book of interest (w/o study guide) for your high school student for each unit. (You could do more if you wish.) I think there's either 6 or 7 units total. They also have book lists on their website...just not arranged according to their units.) You can purchase either print materials, blended packages (hard copy companion text and all the rest as ebook), or all ebook options. It's my understanding you'd be able to just look over the unit book lists in the family guide (and read their annotated book descriptions), and choose your 2 or more books per unit that way. As for being more work for the teacher.....that may look different for each teacher. I've used MFW, SL, and HOD in the past, and am seeing BP as MUCH more flexible than any of the others. I can tailor what and how much we want to do, but still have the guidance of a schedule to be our framework. I hope this makes sense. We've been completely burned out trying to keep up with someone else's schedule in years past, and see BP as a great way to make it our own without having to start from scratch and do it all myself. It feels like a great 'meet in the middle' to me. ;) ETA: I'm planning to do lit using the book choices from BP to coordinate with our history studies, but we're going to use IEW for writing. BP appears to have writing and research prompts within the cool history pages, but you could easily use whatever you like for writing. Vocabulary could be done within BP in an informal way, or easily just do the Abeka vocabulary, spelling & poetry you already prefer. Totally up to you. :) Blessings ;)

We haven't used TOG, but have used MFW, SL, and HOD for quite a long time. This fall we're going to use BiblioPlan. I love that BP offers much more flexibility in choosing *what* and *how much* we incorporate into our studies. With the others, we were always trying to keep up with someone else's schedule and book preferences. Now we can fine tune that to what we need, but still have just enough guidance and support, so I'm not doing all the planning myself. I've read that some consider BP as a "TOG Lite". Not sure about that, as I've not used TOG. Although I've looked at it many times, I know it's not a good fit for *me* in the amount of planning needed. I'm hopeful BP will fit the bill of what we need. Blessings! :)

Bump... I'm interested too! ;)

Thank you!! :) You've all been very helpful! ;)

I came across this today: http://www.christianbook.com/biology-lab-dissection/9781591662228/pd/205773?event=ESRCG Anyone have experience with this, or others? Thanks! :)

Curious if anyone has used any of these to supplement/replace your biology dissections? If so, would you care to share what ones you used or liked best? ;) (We're planning on doing all the labs, but would like some help with the dissections. So not this mom's strong point! :P) Editing to add: Were using Apologia Biology.

Thanks, Linda!! ;)

Would a student still score well on SAT tests (in regard to geometry concepts), by doing the integrated approach through Saxon? That's one question that keeps coming back to me. My ds is planning to go into a mechanical engineering - type field, post graduation. He'll need to take Calculus eventually, either in high school or at college. If we stick with the Saxon sequence, he will likely get to Calculus his senior year. However, one thing that keeps plaguing me is whether he'd have a better understanding of concepts having taken a year of geometry. And round it goes.... :P

Thank you so much, ladies!! That's just what I needed! ;)

We're currently using the third edition text with the Saxon Teacher cd's, which has been going very well. In thinking I needed to do a dedicated geometry year, I purchased Jacobs Geometry for next year. It looks like a wonderful text, but I hesitate to depart from what's working so well, to begin a different format. I love the teacher support Saxon offers, and am not sure how I'll go about grading proofs yet with the Jacobs text next year. I still need to look it over more closely. I've read lately, that some don't feel Saxon covers *enough* geometry....and that's on big reason I figured we needed a geometry year in between. MFW seems to also recommend Jacobs between Saxon Algebra 1 and 2. I have to admit though, it's been a while since this mama's set her eyes on a geometry text! ;) Just one more reason I'm so thankful for your help and advice here. :) Edited to add clarity.

Yes, I'm using the older edition with the Geometry integrated.

We're using Saxon Algebra 1 very successfully with our 9th grader this year, and had always assumed we'd do a year of geometry in between Algebra 1 and 2. The more I've read about upper levels of Saxon math though, have me wondering if we should take a year for geometry or just keep following the Saxon sequence, as it's supposed to cover geometry eventually within the upper levels. Does anyone have any words of wisdom on this, or thoughts to share? I'd greatly appreciate the help. ;)

CLE is advanced, so I'm wondering what level is best to complete before transitioning into Saxon 5/4? Third grade or second? Our plan was to move into Saxon eventually, as that's what we plan to use for high school. Seems like 5/4 would be a good place to start Saxon sequence. Any thoughts or advice are very much appreciated! ;)

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We're doing Singapore for my younger four kids and have been using the textbook and workbook. I'll probably get the HIG'S for levels 5A and up, but aren't quite to that level yet. We just haven't felt the need for them yet. My question is what other books would be best for review or extra support? I'm confused about which to get...intensive practice, extra practice, challenging word problems, process skills books and I'm sure a few more I'm not remembering just now ! Lol! ;) I want to keep our day manageable, but yet give my kids a great math education as well. I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts or advice on this! :)