For math, Sire Ethan and Bob will both use Saxon Algebra II. They are in different grade levels (10th, and 11th, respectively), but Algebra II is next on Sire Ethan's schedule, and I sort of have to make up Bob's next one as he was in public school last year and they do this Math 1, 2, and 3 thing instead of regular math classes. I used the Saxon Algebra II the year I homeschooled (my tenth grade year... eleven years ago, I can hardly believe it!), and it worked very well for me. If for some reason one or both of them don't do well with the Saxon, we also have Life of Fred Advanced Algebra on hand. They have both used Life of Fred Beginning Algebra but want something a little more... Saxon-ish!
I'm still rather undecided about Picklehead as far as math goes. I have several math workbooks purchased at bookstores that would be helpful, but I'm really tempted to go with Saxon 1 for him. I think my mom is in agreement with that, so we will probably find the homeschool kit used or something.
They'll all be using Apologia for science, but at 3 different levels. Picklehead will do the first Exploring Creation With Zoology - I think it is Swimming Creatures? I think this is probably geared toward a little older age group, but I want to read it with him anyway. We will probably end up reading it again another year. Sire Ethan will do Exploring Creation with Biology with the lab, and Bob will do Exploring Creation with Chemistry with the lab.
Language Arts for Picklehead will be reading, writing, reading, writing, reading, and writing! We have a 26 year accumulation of children's books around the house, and I am incessantly buying more from Goodwill or the bookstore. He has learned a lot in kindergarten this past year and can sound out basic words, but he needs practice, practice, and more practice! He enjoys sounding words out, but struggled and was frustrated with the sight words he was required to do, so I think that we're going to pretty much drop the sight word thing and focus on phonics. I don't want to make reading miserable for him; I want him to enjoy it.
I have Handwriting Without Tears to try with him this year, as well as Copywork for Little Boys. I also want him to work on writing stories, so he will do that even if it means him dictating to me. I have a little journal for him with writing lines on the bottom half of the page and a drawing area on the top.
I also have journals with lined and blank pages for the older boys; I really want them writing something every day. We have several journaling books with interesting starter questions and ideas. I plan on them writing some essays; they hate this, but I feel like they need to learn how to do it, and do it well, for college purposes. Besides that, as Calvin's dad says, "It builds character!" I'm hoping to help them learn to enjoy it.
Bob and Sire Ethan will be doing American Literature to go along with their American History. I have a textbook they will use to some extent in addition to other pieces of classic American literature. Shmoop is a wonderful resource for teaching/learning about literature.
They will do Wordly Wise 3000's online vocabulary lists at the grade 11 level. We have some grammar practice books, too.
I think that might be about it for the main academic subjects... I will make another post about the elective areas.
Over and out!
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