discovering joy in the journey

Joy to the Heart

We are gearing up for another school year here!  Our oldest recently graduated from college and will be working full time while living at home.  Our middle two will be heading off to college for their freshman and junior years.  This means that only our two youngest are still homeschooling – both in high school now!  I’m sure we’ll need to make adjustments along the way, but below are our current curriculum choices for 9th and 11th grades this coming year…

HIGH SCHOOL

Our 9th grader…

• English I – Classic Literature & Literary Analysis with Composition:  Romeo and Juliet, The Prince and the Pauper, Our Town, To Kill a Mockingbird, Silas Marner, The Giver, The Scarlet Letter, Up From Slavery  (in connection with an online class)
• Math:  Shormann Algebra I
• Science:  Chemistry (with labs)  Journey Homeschool Academy Experience Chemistry, Modern Chemistry text, Elements of Faith, and Elements: Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe
• Foreign Language: ASL 2  (in connection with an online class)
• Physical Education and Health:  Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Health & Nutrition and Master Books Academy’s Strength & Conditioning self-paced course
• Biblical Archaeology:  Master Books’ Biblical Archeology course using The Archaeology Book, Unveiling the Kings of Israel, and Unwrapping the Pharaohs, with the following additions — The Bible Unearthed Videos (from Drive Thru History Adventures),  Where God Came Down: The Archaeological Evidence, and Expedition Bible Videos
• Bible: Old Testament Survey:  The Bible, A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible: Seeing and Knowing God’s Word, The Bible Project Old Testament Book Overview Videos for each book of the Old Testament, Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Time Lines, The Bible Recap Videos (to coordinate with AWANA Journey study and summaries of daily Bible reading for the following assigned books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Ruth, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Esther, Isaiah, Daniel, Malachi)
• Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics:  Journey Into God’s Word: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible
• Additions:  Trail Life (Adventurers); Soccer; Student Leader in AWANA

Our 11th grader…

• English IV – Novel Writing and Literature:  Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need, The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing: Everything You Need to Know to Create & Sell Your Work, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print, Writing Mastery Academy Video Courses: Save the Cat! Novel Writing course, Scene Crafting Masterclass, and The Complete Novel Revision course, Online Creative Writing Lectures, The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression, The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Psychological Trauma, The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles, The Urban Setting Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to City Spaces, The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Flaws, a selection of literature to focus on the author’s craft of world building, characterization, and writing style
• Math:  Denison Algebra II 
• Science:  Chemistry (with labs)  Journey Homeschool Academy Experience Chemistry, Modern Chemistry text, Elements of Faith, and Elements: Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe
• World Geography:  BJU Cultural Geography
• World Religions and Cultures:  But Don’t All Religions Lead to God?, World Religions and Cults: Counterfeits of Christianity (Volume 1), World Religions and Cults: Moralistic, Mythical, and Mysticism Religions (Volume 2), World Religions and Cults: Atheistic and Humanistic Religions (Volume 3), iWitness Heresies and Cults
• Dance:  Ballet, Technique, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Performance Company

Would you like to see our curriculum choices from previous years?

2023-2024 (12th, 10th, 8th)
2022-2023 (11th, 9th, 7th)
2021-2022 (12th, 10th, 8th, 6th)
2020-2021 (11th, 9th, 7th, 5th)
2019-2020 (12th, 10th, 8th, 6th, 4th)
2018-2019 (11th, 9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd)
2017-2018 (10th, 8th, 6th, 4th, 2nd)
2016-2017 (9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd, 1st)
2015-2016 (8th, 6th, 4th, 2nd, Kindergarten)
2014-2015 (7th, 5th, 3rd, 1st, PreK)
2013-2014 (6th, 4th, 2nd, K, preschool)
2012-2013 (5th, 3rd, 1st, PreK, 2 year old)
2011-2012 (4th, 2nd, K, 3’s preschool, toddler)
2010-2011 (3rd, 1st, PreK, 2 year old, 4 month old baby)
2009-2010 (2nd, K, 3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived end of year)
2008-2009 (1st, PreK, 2 year old, 6 month old baby)
2007-2008 (K, 3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived mid year)
2006-2007 (PreK, 2 year old, 7 month old baby)
                  – Joyful Heart Character
2005-2006 (3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived mid year)
                  – Joyful Heart Bible and Rhyme
2004-2005 (2 year old, 6 mo old baby) 
                  – Joyful Heart Learning

The 2023 – 2024 school year has come and gone! It was a busy year full of reminiscing, decision making, activities, and prayer with our college senior, college sophomore, high school senior, high school sophomore, and our 8th grader! Where has the time gone?!?! So much love for these sweet kiddos and so thankful for the ability to homeschool over the years.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Our 8th grader…

Our 8th grader was able to get a jump start on some of his high school credits this year…

• English 8:  Rod and Staff English, She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman, Tuck Everlasting, Screwtape Letters, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Mousetrap, Ender’s Game, Les Miserables (in connection with an online class)
• Math:  Shormann Algebra
• Science:  Biology (with labs) (Using BJU Biology in conjunction with Journey Homeschool Academy Experience Biology)
• Foreign Language: ASL 1 (Utilizing an online course as taught through Excelsior Classes, Deaf in America – Voices from a Culture)
• World Geography:  BJU Cultural Geography
• World Religions and Cultures:  But Don’t All Religions Lead to God?, World Religions and Cults: Counterfeits of Christianity (Volume 1), World Religions and Cults: Moralistic, Mythical, and Mysticism Religions (Volume 2), World Religions and Cults: Atheistic and Humanistic Religions (Volume 3), iWitness Heresies and Cults
• Bible:  AWANA Trek, daily Bible Reading
• Additions:  Trail Life (Navigators); Soccer

HIGH SCHOOL

Our 10th Grader…

• English III – American Literature: (in conjunction with an online class)  Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God and Other Puritan Sermons, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Young Goodman Brown and Other Short Stories, The Raven and Other Favorite Poems, The Gold Bug and Other Tales, Evangeline and Other Poems Humorous Stories and Sketches, 12 Years a Slave, The Red Badge of Courage, The Road Not Taken and Other Poems, The Great Gatsby, The Old Man and the Sea, The Pearl, My Antonia
• Math:  Geometry (using Jacob’s Geometry)
• Science:  Biology (with labs) (Using BJU Biology in conjunction with Journey Homeschool Academy Experience Biology)
• Exercise & Sports Physiology:  Exercise & Sports Physiology self-paced course as taught by Greg Landry, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, Science of Strength Training: Understand the Anatomy and Physiology to Transform your Body,  Strength and Conditioning exercises
• Health: Portions of Apologia Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition with additional books
• Dance: Pointe, Ballet, Lyrical, Hip Hop, and Performance Company

Our 12th Grader…

• English 102 – Composition and Rhetoric: (DC)  
• BI205 – Creation to New Creation: (DC)
• Government: Crash Course US Government and Politics , Painless American Government
• Economics:  Crash Course Economics, Economics 101: The Principles of Free Market Economics, Whatever Happened to Penny Candy, The Capitalist Manifesto: Understanding the Market Economy and Defending Liberty
• Intro to Aviation: Sporty’s Private Pilot Ground School online course, Airplane Flying Handbook, Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge  
• Foundations of Interior Design: Interior Design  (online course), The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space, The Interior Design Reference and Specification Book: Everything Interior Designers Need to Know
• Personal Finance: Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance (online self paced course)
• Work!

Would you like to see our curriculum choices from previous years?

2022-2023 (11th, 9th, 7th)
2021-2022 (12th, 10th, 8th, 6th)
2020-2021 (11th, 9th, 7th, 5th)
2019-2020 (12th, 10th, 8th, 6th, 4th)
2018-2019 (11th, 9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd)
2017-2018 (10th, 8th, 6th, 4th, 2nd)
2016-2017 (9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd, 1st)
2015-2016 (8th, 6th, 4th, 2nd, Kindergarten)
2014-2015 (7th, 5th, 3rd, 1st, PreK)
2013-2014 (6th, 4th, 2nd, K, preschool)
2012-2013 (5th, 3rd, 1st, PreK, 2 year old)
2011-2012 (4th, 2nd, K, 3’s preschool, toddler)
2010-2011 (3rd, 1st, PreK, 2 year old, 4 month old baby)
2009-2010 (2nd, K, 3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived end of year)
2008-2009 (1st, PreK, 2 year old, 6 month old baby)
2007-2008 (K, 3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived mid year)
2006-2007 (PreK, 2 year old, 7 month old baby)
                  – Joyful Heart Character
2005-2006 (3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived mid year)
                  – Joyful Heart Bible and Rhyme
2004-2005 (2 year old, 6 mo old baby) 
                  – Joyful Heart Learning

Well, here we are again about to embark on another new homeschool year! It’s hard to believe, but our 2021-2022 school year is the first in which we will have no elementary aged students. We have two middle school students, two high school students (including one senior!), and a college sophomore gearing up to head back to campus. Below is a peek at some of the educational adventures we have in store for this coming year…

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Our 6th Grader…

• Reading / Literature:
  – 180 Days of Reading Grade 6
  – Literature Books to tie in with our history – Freedom Train (Underground Railroad), Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears, Shades of Gray (Civil War), Bud Not Buddy (Great Depression), The Boy in Striped Pajamas (WW2), Echo (WW2), The Boys Who Challenged Hitler (WW2), The Lions of Little Rock (1950’s segregation), Red Scarf Girl (1960’s Communism in China), A Night Divided (1961-1989, Berlin Wall), Nine, Ten: A September 11th Story (2001), The Secret Keepers, The Hobbit
• Spelling: Sequential Spelling
• Writing/Grammar/Composition: BJU English 6 (grammar chapters only) , Sentence Composing for Elementary School and Paragraphs for Elementary School 
• Math: Horizons 6 
• U.S. Geography: Children’s Atlas of the U.S., online videos, State By State Notebook
• Art: Master Book’s Living Art Lessons
• Bible: Awana Trek, daily Bible Reading
• Additions: Trail Life (Navigators); Soccer; Student Leader in AWANA

6th & 8th GRADE  ‘TOGETHER’ SUBJECTS

• History: Modern American and World History (Mystery of History IV)
• Science: Apologia Exploring Creation with General Science (with labs completed as part of our homeschool group)

Our 8th Grader…

• English I – Classic Literature & Literary Analysis with Composition: (live, online course) Romeo and Juliet, The Prince and the Pauper, Our Town, King Arthur: Tales from the Round Table, Silas Marner, The Giver, The Scarlet Letter, Up From Slavery; Easy Grammar 9
• Book Club: The Goose Girl (and the Grimm Brothers version), The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place, Little Women, The Bronze Bow, The Giver, Biography of Choice, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Harbor Me
• Math: Shormann Algebra 1 w/ Geometry (starting)
• Foreign Language: ¡Avancemos! Spanish Level 1 (live, online course)
• Art: Take Time for Art (with our homeschool group)
• Bible: Awana Trek, daily Bible Reading
• Additions: Ballet, Student Leader in AWANA

HIGH SCHOOL

Our 10th Grader…

• English 2 – Thematic Literature & Composition: (live, online course)  Justice – A Tale of Two Cities, To Kill a Mockingbird, Ruby Bridges, Antigone, The Immortal Life of Henrietta   Literary Film Adaptation – Hidden Figures, Pygmalion, My Fair Lady, Life of Pi, Shrek, The Princess Bride; Easy Grammar 11
• Math: Shormann Algebra 2 w/ Geometry 
• Science: Discovering Design with Chemistry (in conjunction with a live, online course) ; Master Books Elements of Faith
• History: Notgrass World History
• Foreign Language: ¡Avancemos! Spanish Level 2 (live, online course)
• Introduction to Photography (live, online course)
• Photoshop 101 (live, online course)
• Apologetics: Master Books Apologetics in Action
• Bible: AWANA Journey, daily Bible Reading

Our 12th Grader…

• English 4 – British Literature & Composition: (live, online course)  Beowulf, Henry V, Coriolanus, Pilgrim’s Progress, Emma, WWI British Poets, Frankenstein, Island of Doctor Moreau, Candida, The Complete Father Brown Stories, Mysterious Affair at Styles, Rebecca, Animal Farm, The Remains of the Day
• Math: Shormann Precalculus (completing and then moving into Consumer Math)
• Science: Apologia Physics
• Constitutional Literacy: Constitutional Literacy with Michael Farris, DVD and notebook
• American Government: American Democracy Now (live, online course)
• Economics: Notgrass Exploring Economics
• Computer Science: Python Crash Course: A Hands-On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming (live, online course)
• Photoshop 101 (live, online course)
• Apologetics: Master Books Apologetics in Action
• Bible: AWANA Journey, daily Bible Reading
• Instrumental Music 4:  Cello lessons, member of two local youth orchestras
• Additions:  Member of the church worship band; continuing her local cake business part-time

__________________________________________

Would you like to see our curriculum choices from previous years?

2020-2021 (11th, 9th, 7th, 5th)
2019-2020 (12th, 10th, 8th, 6th, 4th)
2018-2019 (11th, 9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd)
2017-2018 (10th, 8th, 6th, 4th, 2nd)
2016-2017 (9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd, 1st)
2015-2016 (8th, 6th, 4th, 2nd, Kindergarten)
2014-2015 (7th, 5th, 3rd, 1st, PreK)
2013-2014 (6th, 4th, 2nd, K, preschool)
2012-2013 (5th, 3rd, 1st, PreK, 2 year old)
2011-2012 (4th, 2nd, K, 3’s preschool, toddler)
2010-2011 (3rd, 1st, PreK, 2 year old, 4 month old baby)
2009-2010 (2nd, K, 3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived end of year)
2008-2009 (1st, PreK, 2 year old, 6 month old baby)
2007-2008 (K, 3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived mid year)
2006-2007 (PreK, 2 year old, 7 month old baby)
                  – Joyful Heart Character
2005-2006 (3’s preschool, toddler, baby arrived mid year)
                  – Joyful Heart Bible and Rhyme
2004-2005 (2 year old, 6 mo old baby) 
                  – Joyful Heart Learning