I’m so glad Mercie made the decision to homeschool again! Planning a sophomore year wasn’t easy because there are so many different curriculum choices. I think I finally decided on what she is going to use!
Math (1 credit)
She will be using Saxon’s Algebra 2 with Nicole the Math Lady videos.
English 2 (1 credit)
She will be using Sharon Watson’s The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School. She will be writing over 22 different reports and essays!
She will also use Easy Grammar to stay fresh on her grammar. This won’t take long each day, around ten minutes or so.
Originally, I was going to have her work through two or three Progeny Press literature guides, but instead I’m going to assign her one literature guide and give her a booklist to work through for the year. I’d like her booklist to contain books that will reinforce our history focus. I’m still working on that list but here are a few of the book selections:
Mara, Daughter of the Nile
The Cat of Bubastes
Hittite Warrior
Gilgamesh the Hero
Black Ships Before Troy
Science (1 credit)
She needs a biology credit, so I decided to go with Biology 101 DVD course with the Accreditation guidebook. She will do science three days a week. I plan to add some fun hands-on projects for her at the end of each unit as well.
History (1 credit)
We will all be studying Ancient Civilizations together as a family subject. I’ll read the daily portions to all three of them and we will do a few activities (maps, crafts, writing assignments). She will have extra readings and research and writing assignments. We will do this three days a week as a family, and she will have one day a week for her extra assignments.
Electives: Horse Care 101 (1 credit)
Mercie has horses that she trains and barrel races with. She knows a lot about horses because she cares for her horses totally on her own. I thought it would be a great elective to learn more about caring for horses especially since she is planning to be a large animal vet. I’m going to go through these books, write out lessons for her to do three or four days a week.
Electives: Spanish (1 credit)
Foreign language is a required credit for Louisiana TOPS program, so she will be learning Spanish this year! Luckily my parents speak Spanish since they are missionaries to Nicaragua, so they’ll be very helpful tutors for her to practice with.
This seems like a pretty full and exciting year we have planned! We will be homeschooling four days a week with our Thursdays spent at co-op. This is new for us and I’m anxious to see how it all works out. She may even be able to rack up a few more credits with some classes (and maybe not). I’m ready to hit “order now” and get all of these books in!