I will look at the Critical Thinking books, but it sounds like those will add way more than I am looking for. Thank you though!

Thank you! Yes, he does read non fiction history books on his own too. For fun. I would gladly drop and simplify his history plan, but he wants to do all these things. Lol He will have the quizzes and exam from the Hillsdale course.... So maybe just do some notebooking, or summaries. I guess I’m looking for what would be the minimum to add for a kid who devours history....

For 10th grade next year, DS (the history buff) plans: 1. to read he three Bill Bennett books America, the Last Best Hope. 2. Hillsdale College class American Heritage with all the readings (There are a lot), lectures, Q and A’s, quizzes and exams 3. Crash course US History videos and he wants to ByLine for English, which apparently is one credit English and 0.5 credit History if you do the extra assignments So what should I require for output? Besides the quizzes and exams through Hillsdale.... he loves History, and we talk about history a lot. Thank you!

I used it a couple of years ago with a fifth and seventh grader. We enjoyed it. The lessons are short and interesting. We also did modern history that year, so it was the right amount of work for us. As for your main question, it is hard for me to say because it was a while ago and we are conservative. What we have noticed using Notgrass for middle and one high school level, is that even though there is a conservative bent, it is not completely one sided. Political readings did come from ‘both sides of the aisle’, with a general love of our country sprinkled throughout. Hope that helps a little.

My non-gifted but really smart DS loved MCT Town and Voyage levels.... but he was in sixth and seventh grades at the time. But the Magic Lens1 level started to be too much then... only the grammar book still worked for him. My gifted DD flew through Town and Voyage complete levels both during fifth grade (first year homeschooling). She loves and flourishes with the upper levels as well, particularly the vocab books, but we are just picking and choosing what fits our needs currently. HTH

Just as an aside... my son is currently using TT Geometry. He writes everything out, and is independent with it. And my daughter is currently using AOPS Geometry. I at first thought it wa silly to have them both in different programs at the same time. But it is working out great. And worth the money because each of them has the right program for their needs.

We are using Essentials in Literature 7 this year. Yes, there is only one novel. But there are many short stories and poems and a non fiction unit too I think. We really like it. My DD reads vociferously. She uses EIL for the lit analysis, but reads lots of books just for fun.

May Not quite what you are looking for, but Bookshark has a free Korea unit study right now due to the Olympics. It’s pretty good! It actually is making me look at their History f Science!

DS wants something more fun than EIW for next year, which will be tenth grade. I was thinking to do EIW and LLATL. Or just read and discuss books, stories, and poems, and then write about them. Anyway, has anyone tried Byline yet? Thanks!

Finish AOPS Geometry and Counting & Probablity , then Intermediate Algebra History of Science- using Tiner science books, and whatever else she can find Greek- continue but not sure what we will use French - she may decide to drop, we will see Czech 2 - Cesky Krok za Krokem Chemistry - Dr Wile’s Discovering Design with Chemistry Mythology - NME English- writing across the curriculum, read aloud at least two Shakespeare plays, MCT WWTW3, AAW1, Poetry and Humanity, and reading, of course, with a couple of lit guides or EIL PE- 20 hours of competitive gymnastics training weekly Our co-op schedule isn’t out yet, so this is all very tentative

Hits: AOPS.... DD finished Algebra book and just started Geometry book Teaching Textbooks...... DS finished Algebra 2. Started Geometry. Elementary Greek 1 Word within the Word 2 Progeny Press guide to Julius Caesar EIW 7 and 10.... 10 with scoring service! EIL 7 Czech Step by Step 1 Growing with Grammar 7 Misses: Notgrass World history, high school..... Nothing wrong with the program, but DS wants more. So we have tweaked it, and changed it, and added to it, and now we basically use the Textbooks as a spine. MapTrek..... high school geography. We are continuing to use it, but it’s just ok. I think as we head into more modern times he will like it better, since the names/locations will be more distinct. Like but not love: From Adam to Us, Notgrass..... DD likes it. The pictures are beautiful and we have enjoyed all the middle school texts. I think I’m just ready for her to switch to my plans for next year 😊 DIVE Biology..... it’s fine... the kids have learned a lot. I just expected that we could actually do more of the labs since I purchased the lab kit. First Start French. DD likes it. We just never have time for it!

10th grader Teaching Textbooks finish Geometry, which he just started..... then Precalculus US History - Bill Bennett’s America, Last best hope three books... and a Hillsdale class Music - private lessons, guitar, bass, electric ... continue singing at jams and assisted living facilities PSAT prep 8th grader Finish AOPS Geometry and Counting & Probablity , then Intermediate Algebra History of Science- using Tiner science books, and whatever else she can find Greek- continue but not sure what we will use French - she may decide to drop, we will see Together - Foreign Language - continue with Czech 2 Chemistry - Dr Wile’s Discovering Design with Chemistry Mythology - NME, Iliad/ Odyssey English- writing across the curriculum, read aloud at least two Shakespeare plays, MCT WWTW3, AAW1, Poetry and Humanity, and reading, of course, with a couple of lit guides or EIL 10

Thank you, Targhee !

CAJinBE. Thank you. We are considering using BTB for French, and really like the price of the ebook. But while DD is studying two other languages, I really was hoping not to have to make such a huge investment. Thanks

(May I interrupt for a moment)..... for BTB if you use the iBook, do you need to purchase the physical books as well, or is everything you need included? Thank you.

How hard is the 7th-9th grade exam? We had never heard of this, but this year my kids want to do it, they have basically read D’Aulaires, Percy Jackson, and the older one read some other mythology book I can’t recall the name of. How much studying/memorizing should they do? We picked up the Norse mythology book too, but they haven’t even read that yet.

Snowbeltmom, This is what I plan to do. DD just finished the Intro book. May I ask, what did you call the third credit for the Intermediate book? Thanks!

We are currently using Notgrass World History. We started out using it as written. That soon changed. So, now we use it more as a spine. My son reads it, reads the primary source book, reads almost all of the assigned literature, and answers the quiz and exam questions for history and English (not the daily questions). He also does the Hillsdale College Western Heritage class. He has also read additional history books with it (history is something he loves). And he just asked me to add a Catholic History book (we are Catholic) so he can compare and contrast.

Inspiring article! Congratulations Quark!

My DD is a competitive gymnast who trains twenty hours a week. We do not use online programs. That gives us plenty of freedom to school during odd hours. Currently, in seventh grade, she does school for about three hours in the morning. Then has four hours of practice. Weekends are for biology labs, as well as a couple hours of academics. Carschooling happens as well. We school year round, but go,lighter in the summer. We have also done co-ops, as well as extra classes like book club. When she was in elementary school, programs that worked for her were Beast Academy, AOPS (she had fewer gym hours), MCT, SOTW, Notgrass. We still make AOPS work, but she isn’t tearing through the book quickly anymore due to time constraints. Many of her teammates also homeschool. Or hybrid school. Those who use online programs are much more bound by time constraints, exams, and teacher phone calls/ emails/ messaging.

OP here......Thank you, ladies... I will look more at GPB. My DS is a history kid, so doing extra science may not get done ..... but I want to. Now, watching science videos during lunch we used to do. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. That could work. DD would easily read through the Theodore Gray books, she loves that kind of thing. Hmmm, maybe as a summer reading would work... improbably have to get the Wile books to know more exactly. Thank you

So, for next year I have been thinking about using Dr Wile’s new chemistry book.... Discovering Design with Chemistry. But, I also want to go through Theodore Grays Elements. And Molecules. And use Crash Course Chemistry videos as well. Would that be too much? I’m afraid I’ll oush these stars to the side and end up not using them, but I really want to. Or has anyone created their own honors chemistry course using Crash Course, Elements and Molecules, a lab kit, and ..... well a book ? Thanks

I would do Town Level for fourth. It is wonderful. Then keep moving along through the levels. But that’s just me. There is also a new literature level (level 4 i they call it now) .

In our experience, the placement tests are quite easy. I would consider starting it, but letting him also do Beast Academy for fun.

I think that if you are asking if it is too much, then it probably is. Over the years we have readjusted our schedules when we felt it was too much. That being said our schedule is pretty crazy too! This is my DD12s schedule. Monday - biweekly book club 1.5 hours. 4 hours Gymnastics. Tuesday- mythology 1 hour. 4 hours Gymnastics Wednesday- 1-2 times monthly science class 1.5-2 hours. 4 hours Gymnastics Thursday- 3 hours co-op, 4 hours Gymnastics. 2 hours Faith Formation Friday- 4 hours Gymnastics. Add to that my son music rehearsal/ lessons four times a week, performs at assisted living facilities, has youth group and he also does co-op and mythology with DD. And now he has JV basketball practice and games daily in the evenings (he plays for a local private school).