Thanks for your responses, (and, that Middle East history map was fun to watch!). I've decided to create mapwork activites that go along with the readings for Omnibus. We're reading Beowulf right now, so I found a map of Denmark & Sweden on Nat'l Geographic and printed an outline map to use. Then I made a list of things to find and label. In addition to real places, I'm having my ds draw icons or lines representing the castle of Heorot, Beowulf's voyage to Denmark, and "The Land of the Geats". These latter items will be done using a different medium (maybe colored pencil instead of pen/marker) in order to show that they are "supposed locations". I'm a great project starter, and not always a good finisher, so we'll see how many maps I can get done. ;) (I'm having to force myself to finish and publish my medieval copybook before launching something new, but maps are so fun!!) I will try to post the map activities on my blog so that others can use them.

That makes sense. Thanks, Anne.

My ds is using Epsilon, and I didn't understand how he could spend the better part of a year simply on fractions. Then I saw that fractions was just the core focus used to do many other things as well. For example, he is using the fraction 1/2 in order to calcutate the area of a triangle. He's also doing a lot with linear measurements, as smaller units are fractions of larger ones. The word problems use a variety of skills as well. I also went to the MUS website on clicked on the FAQ link. That was very helpful. I would like to use MUS through high school for at least one of my dc, but didn't want to be "dumbing down" the courses. I am satisfied that I won't be doing that, and am very happy with MUS.

What do you use for geography? Have any of you tailored or created a geography curr. that lines up with the Omnibus Primary Readings? My ds13 is doing Omnibus 2 this year, and we haven't done much with maps since he started with Omnibus. I was hoping not to add another full-blown course, but something he could do once or twice per week. He's got a pretty full plate already. Thanks for your ideas.

Those of you who finished Volume 1 and/or Volume 2 of LiCT, and took the Nat'l Latin Exam, which test did you take? Would each volume correspond roughly to one year of Latin? I thought the Nat'l Latin Exam was just one big test that got harder as one went along. Now I see that I'll have to choose the test to take, and I want to make sure I choose the right one! Thanks for your help!

I am very happy that I switched to MUS for my 6th grade ds, and plan to use it for my younger ones next year. (NOt the Epsilon level, but MUS.) ;) You can send for a free demo CD, which may be of help. Also, the MUS website has sample lessons, FAQs, etc. I think MUS is on Cathy Duffy's Top 100 Picks list, too. (Correct me, someone, if I'm mistaken.) Hope this helps, and please do post specific questions, if you have them.

Your schedule looks great -- but just remember that Beg. Poetry has two sections (workbooks A & B). Of course you can still do it all in one shot. Some people think Poetry "B" is intermediate poetry, when it's really just the second part of beginning poetry. I think that if you finish Diogenes in 8th grade, you'll be in excellent shape for high school. Julie

I would do it as follows: finish Homer A this spring/summer Beg. Poetry A (summer/early fall) Homer B (for the bulk of next school year) Beg. Poetry B (next spring or summer) Diogenes (8th grade) Int. Poetry (after Diogenes, or as a breather mid-year) Don't rush it; enjoy it and learn from it. :) Julie

then you've heard that Leviathan is a whale! :)

Hope all is going well, Beth! Julie