discovering joy in the journey

Joy to the Heart

We are getting ready to embark on our 21^st year of homeschooling over here!  (That’s according to when we officially began kindergarten with our oldest.)  After years of preparing curriculum and activities for five children, we are down to just one student, our youngest, this year.  Here’s a look at what resources our 11^th grader will be using to guide his studies this year.

HIGH SCHOOL

Our 11th grader…

• English III– American Literature and Composition:  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  (in connection with an online class)

• Math:  Shormann Precalculus

• Science:  Forensic Science using Master Books Introduction to Forensic Science from a Biblical worldview (text, labs, and video instruction)
  
  
• U.S. History:   Notgrass Exploring America, Great Documents in U.S. History, Volumes 1–2, The American Presidency: Lives, Leadership, and Legacy, History of North America Map by Map, 100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith, Crash Course U.S. History videos and worksheets, Historical Based Films
  
  
• Constitutional Literacy:  Constitution 101, Understanding the U.S. Constitution, Portions of Everything You Need to Know About the United States Constitution (Unbiased University by Jordan Berman), and The People’s Guide to the United States Constitution
  
  
• Apologetics: Living Loud: An Introduction to Apologetics for Students, A Visual Guide to Biblical Apologetics: A One of the Kind Resource for the Everyday Apologist, Apologetics for Thinkers online course (Master Books Academy), Various sermons and short videos that correspond and enhance course content
  
  
• Logic:  Introduction to Logic by Master Books (with corresponding instruction via Master Books Academy), The Christian’s Handbook to Logical Fallacies: Easily Recognize Bad Reasoning and Flawed Arguments

• Additions:  Trail Life (Adventurers);  Student Leader in AWANA

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

2025-2026 (12th, 10th)
2024-2025 (11th, 9th)
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

This is our final homeschool year with TWO students.  Below is our list of high school curriculum choices heading into the 2025-2026 homeschool year.  10th and 12th grades, here we come!

HIGH SCHOOL

Our 10th grader…

• English II – Mythological Literature and Research Writing:  Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, The Prose Edda, MLA Handbook, Research Writing for Beginners workbook  (in connection with an online class)
  
• Math:  Shormann Algebra II
  
• Science:  Physics using Journey Homeschool Academy Experience Physics, Barron’s Visual Learning: Physics – An Illustrated Guide for All Ages, and Crash Course Physics videos
  
• Church History:   A History of Christianity: 2,000 Years of Faith, Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History, God’s Timeline: The Big Book of Church History, Drive Thru History The Gospels (18 part series), Drive Thru History Acts to Revelations: The World of the First Christians (18 part series), and Drive Through History Ends of the Earth: How Christianity Changed the World (19 part series)
  
• Computer Science:  Python Crash Course: A Hands On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming, Python with a Worldview (in connection with an online class)
  
• Graphic & Web Design: Web Design with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and JQuery Set (in connection with an online class)
  
• Bible: New Testament Survey:  The Bible, A Popular Survey of the New Testament by Norm Geisler, A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible: Seeing and Knowing God’s Word, The Bible Project New Testament Book Overview Videos for each book of the New Testament, Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Time Lines, Rose Chronological Guide to the Bible, The Bible Recap Videos (summaries of daily Bible reading for the following assigned books of the Bible – John, Acts, Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Hebrews, James), Drive Thru History: Bible Backroads (video series with in depth insights about each book of the New Testament, geography, time period, and customs) 
  
• Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics:  Journey Into God’s Word: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible with online videos to correspond with each chapter, application while leading devotions in Trail Life
  
• Additions:  Trail Life (Adventurers); Soccer; Student Leader in AWANA

Our 12th grader…

• Math:  Denison Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry

• Science:  Intro to Biomechanics: Physics and Human Movement – Physics and Dance, Physics and the Art of Dance: Understanding Movement,  videos from Crash Course Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, and from The Physics Classroom, Instructional Videos from Dance Knowledge: What is Biomechanics, Balance in Dance, and Variability and Movement Expertise, Dance Anatomy, and The Dance Anatomy Coloring Book: A Visual Guide to Form, Function, and Movement

• Government: Painless American Government, Crash Course US Government and Politics (videos and corresponding worksheets), and The People’s Guide to the United States Constitution

• Economics and Personal Finance: Crash Course Economics (videos and corresponding worksheets), Whatever Happened to Penny Candy, Consumer Math for Real Life, Video Series – Financial Literacy for Teens

• Intro to Computer Science with Graphic & Web Design: Various videos from online resources, including Crash Course Computer Science and Crash Course Navigating Digital Information, Web Design with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and JQuery Set (in connection with an online class)

• Dance:  Ballet, Pointe, Technique, Jazz, Hip Hop, Performance Company, Jazz small group, Hip Hop small group, and contemporary solo, and self choreography 

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

2024-2025 (11th, 9th)
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

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)
• 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