We are about to finish MFW Ancient history with my 9th grade son (14), and I am really at a loss as to what to do with him next year. The first half of the year went well when we could work together, but there were some family circumstances that "abridged" our homeschooling this year. Suffice it to say, he read the textbooks and the reading books, but most of the work was done orally(not much writing was done since we stopped MFW when the writing part kicked in). The text he found kind of dry, and the lit selections for the rest of the year(The Illiad and the Odyssey) too difficult, so we have been covering history with Diana Waring Ancients and reading historical fiction books along with translations of the Illiad and Odyssey to finish out the year. We are both enjoying it so much more! He is using the Critical Thinking questions in the History to write a paragraph or so.
My problem is that I really do need something more scheduled than Diana Waring's history. We also need to cover writing in a comprehensive way. Looking at HOD the reading seems so much more interesting and living, which we have found actually sticks!
My actual question is do you have any recommendations as to what year of HOD we could use with him? He reads well, is on level in math and science, and can work well independently. We covered world geography in 8th grade, and he is completing Algebra I and Physical science this year. MFW only goes through Greece, so I don't feel comfortable counting that as a complete World History. We will need to continue World History and complete American history and Gov/Econ for high school.
So, do you think we could use HOD in a way that would accomplish our goals, for this upcoming 10th grade year and beyond? (finish World history, complete American history & Gov/Econ, literature, and really delve into writing) I really don't want to go back to MFW for next year. I like the idea of it, but we are both finding it so dry.
Any guidance is greatly appreciated!
if you decide to start there. Also, what about foreign language? Have you got that covered already? We are moving on to WH next year, and this year in WG has been quite an adjustment 
, but I am really impressed with the way my ds has taken on the responsibility after realizing it wasn't an option 
). I am really looking forward to using HOD with both of my kiddos! We're using the rest of our year this year to make sure we have all the bases covered in order to step into the new year with HOD all prepared.
That's why the support and information and kindheartedness of this message board is priceless to me, especially right now being so new to HOD.
It's such a good option that he can view the labs. (Mom's going to dissect anyway...I love that stuff! 
) We have plans to do the guide as written, continuing on in Videotext Algebra which will push the Geometry to his junior year.