I love this time of year, because it is the time that we begin sharing "sneak peeks" from our new upcoming guide!
It is especially exciting for me to be writing high school level guides right now, as we have our own high school student using each guide right upon my heels as I'm writing! As we complete the high school path through HOD, we are finishing a journey in writing the high school guides in such a way that students who go through all 4 high school HOD guides will have everything needed for graduation and college entrance (with the exception of Physical Education). Our planned scope and sequence can be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of the following link: http://www.heartofdakota.com/scope.phpThe target age range for our new United States II History guide will be ages 16-18. It is important to note that only those 16 year olds who have first come up through the HOD World Geography, World History, and the US1 guides should attempt the US2 Guide. All other 16 year olds would be better served by beginning with one of the earlier HOD High School Guides. Our own 16 turning 17 year old is currently using and enjoying the US1 guide this year for his junior year of high school.
He will use the US2 Guide for his senior year when he is 17 turning 18. So, for those students who are 17 on up, if they fit well in this guide placement-wise, they could enter it without having done the prior HOD high school guides. After having our oldest son go through high school without the benefit of having HOD guides written for his level, I cannot tell you what a blessing it has been for me to have the HOD World Geography, World History, and US1 guides written for my next child in line (who has used HOD for his first three years of high school thus far)! I am a less frazzled and more sane momma/teacher with my HOD guide in hand than I was with my older son (who had to endure my less than polished sketchy, chicken scratch type plans).
With our oldest son graduating from high school two years ago, this coming school year my husband and I will have a college student, a senior in high school, a middle school student, and a fifth grade son at our house.
Since our own high school senior will be in need of the new US2 guide, I am eagerly anticipating this guide as much (or more) than many of you! Our plans for the US2 guide are to follow a similar pattern to what we have been doing for the US1 Guide this school year. This means that we have decided to allow families the option of receiving this guide's plans in parts as it is being written. This will enable families to use the US2 Guide a year earlier than if we waited for the guide's completion prior to making it available.
To save me the deadlines, and our company the added expense, I once again considered only making the US2 guide available in rough form for my own son (and for my sisters' kiddos) for the 2016-2017 school year, and not making the guide available to the public until it was complete. However, this year we have many families that are happy and appreciative to have the opportunity to use the US1 Guide as it is being written, so we plan to continue on a similar course for the US2 Guide this fall.
I look forward to sharing the journey with many of you!
Our very first sneak peek for the US2 Guide is one that is near and dear to my heart, so I am excited to share this peek first! I consider Bible to be the most important area of study for our students all throughout their schooling. But, as our students get ready to exit their homeschooling years and embark upon adulthood, their final year of Bible takes on a special significance. How can we prepare and arm our young men and women to face the world, to live in the world but not be of the world?
With these thoughts in mind, I am excited that we will be scheduling the outstanding study I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. This study has an excellent student workbook published by Apologia paired with the very readable, best-selling book I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. We will schedule Bible daily utilizing these two resources.
Description of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist:
To some, the concept of having faith in a higher power or a set of religious beliefs is nonsensical. Indeed, many view religion in general, and Christianity in particular, as unfounded and unreasonable. Norman Geisler and Frank Turek argue, however, that Christianity is not only more reasonable than all other belief systems, but is indeed more rational than unbelief itself. With conviction and clear thinking, Geisler and Turek guide readers through some of the traditional, tested arguments for the existence of a creator God. They move into an examination of the source of morality and the reliability of the New Testament accounts concerning Jesus. The final section of the book deals with a detailed investigation of the claims of Christ. This volume will be an interesting read for those skeptical about Christianity, as well as a helpful resource for Christians seeking to articulate a more sophisticated defense of their faith.
Sample link to view the Table of Contents and to read an excerpt: http://www.apologia.com/index.php?contr ... chment=154
Description of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist Workbook:
Introducing Apologia’s first apologetics curriculum for high school students! Based on Norman Geisler and Frank Turek’s best-selling book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, this study will prepare teens and young adults to defend their Christian faith with boldness and effectiveness. During this course, your student will tackle the question of absolute truth, demolish the follies of postmodernism, debunk moral relativism, and march logically and surely toward the inescapable truths of the Christian faith. This is a companion study, so your student will need a copy of the original book.
Workbook Table of Contents: http://www.apologia.com/index.php?contr ... achment=69
Sample Workbook pages: http://www.apologia.com/index.php?contr ... achment=52
This is a deep study, requiring significant thought which makes it ideal for students' final year of high school. Students completing this course will earn one-full credit in Biblical Apologetics.
I am excited for you to get a chance to peruse the links above to get a better feel for this incredible program!
Blessings,
Carrie
