Maybe this is a secret... ;-)

[water2wine]

Also just want to say that I completely agree with Monique on beefing up the guides for older kids. My preference would be to stay with HOD all the way and I completely think doing the last history program in 10th meaning the second American would be more than fine adjusting science and adding to it other things. In fact I asked Carrie about that not too long ago.

[Carrie]

Ah, Ladies! You don't miss a thing do you! We do have a plan now to add a Geography guide after we complete the four year history cycle, so this will be the third guide in line after RTR. The guide will bridge the threshold into high school for grade 9 and will count for gegraphy credit. We are thinking at this point in time that it will be set up in a similar way to our current guides (CTC/RTR). It will be suitable for those who finish the history cycle early and need to use it with an 8th grader and also be suitable for those who need to use it for 9th grade high school credit in geography.

We are looking to schedule a Bible study as well that will likely count for Bible credit. We will add additional reading material in the geography area to Ellen McHenry's truly excellent Mapping the World with Art. On a sidenote, this decision comes upon the wings of the fact that in its completed stage Ellen's guide is even better than we had originally hoped and will be the main spine for projects and mapping activities.

For additional geography content reading, we are thrilled to have found Synge's Book of Discovery that matches very well with Ellen's Mapping the World with Art. It is linked for you to preview here: http://www.yesterdaysclassics.com/previ ... review.pdf

Here is its description: A Book of Discovery by M. B. Synge
A fascinating account of the world's famous explorers, including the early travelers in ancient times, the discovery of the New World, explorations in Africa and Australia, and the expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. Many of the explorers tell part of their story in their own words. Amply illustrated with reproductions of early maps and charts, as well as old woodcuts, drawings, paintings, and miniatures. Emphasis is placed on the explorers' 'record of splendid endurance, of hardships bravely borne, of silent toil, of courage and resolution unequalled in the annals of mankind, of self-sacrifice unrivalled and faithful lives laid ungrudgingly down.' Ages 12-18
527 pages $17.95

One other book that is under consideration as part of the geography reading spines is Great Adventures of the Twentieth Century by Ron Tagliapietra (published by BJU). It is linked here: http://www.bjupress.com/product/114116

We will also likely schedule grammar, a writing program, options for literature study, a science option, poetry (either within the lit. study or on its own), and additional readings of biographies and historical fiction to enhance the study. There will be some form of an extension package, and we will make recommendations for math.

We would be looking for the areas of language arts, geography, Bible, science, and math to be high school credit worthy recommendations, depending on your state's requirements of course. As always, you would be able to substitute your own favorites easily in the language arts, math, and science areas.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Mom2Monkeys]

Do you know how many of us have prayed for this?! High school HOD?! I am ginning from ear to ear Carrie. I love where you are going with it already! (always love anything HOD)

So, I assume lab will be included with the science since you are looking for high school credit? Doesn't look like there is much that we'll have to add in for our state's hs requirements!!

Ladies...Keep praying for Carrie and her family, b/c our prayers for high school guides has been answered for at least one of those years, and I pray the other 3 will be there as well! I hope you don't feel pressured by us wanting high school guides, Carrie! I know we all feel so blessed by HOD and we truly mean our desperate begging to be an encouragement to you as well as a huge compliment

[water2wine]

I was going to say are we calling this "high school"? Or must we call it 9th grade. Hehehe!

[Shimmer]

I'm beyond excited and we're on LHTH all the way in the beginning. I feel like HOD is just perfect for our family and I am so excited to see it go into high school. Thank you Carrie for all you do!

[pollo_la]

I'm beyond excited too, and we are only on the second guide. We have a long way to go, but I do believe we will be sticking with HOD for the long haul, and I am VERY pleased to see that another guide has been added.

[Kathleen]

9th grade - CHECK!

Looks like a wonderful plan, Carrie! Praying for you and your family, and thanking God for giving your family the ability to do all you've done so far to bless my family and so many others!

Kathleen

[Tiffini]

Thank you, Monique and Brenda, so much. I'm really going to chew on these thoughts for a bit. I can't stand the thought of not using all of Carrie's things with her my oldest. I appreciate you taking the time to reply. Brenda, I'm going to spend a while on the PM you sent. Thank you so much for taking the time to type that up for me.

[3musketeers]

Hurray!!!!!!! Woo Hooo!!!!!!

And as always, Carrie, you are the master with your choices (from your guides, I know the real Master who is leading you )
You are just beginning to work on this, but it looks fantastic. What else could we expect from HOD?

Still praying for you and Julie and your families during this busy season

[Carrie]

Ladies,

Thank you so much for remembering us in prayer and for upholding our family as we strive to follow the Lord's call on our lives. We know each of you are striving to meet His call on your lives as well, and it is strengthening to know that we are striving together.

Our current plans for the geography guide come after much prayer in this matter and also come as the Lord has laid it upon our hearts to help enable more families to homeschool beyond grade 8. We currently only have plans for the geography guide, but we are most certainly in prayer over any future guides that the Lord may desire for us to write. As we explored the options already out there for our oldest son's grade 9, we became convicted of the need for the geography guide. The planning of it and it's design is up to the Lord.

As to the questions, it is our plan to schedule labwork along with the biology study, in order for it to be truly credit worthy. While we know that you may choose to use a different math, language arts, or science from what we'll schedule within the geography guide we feel it is necessary to give parents the option of doing what we schedule in order to lighten their load (and still prepare their children well for what is to come).

We know that by high school students will have definite emerging areas of strength and that will need to partly direct their paths. But, we pray that our guide will enable parents to feel less overwhelmed by the first year of high school and feel more confident that they won't need to come up with an entire course of study but can instead tweak a bit if needed to suit their particular child.

Blessings,
Carrie

[deltagal]

Carrie,

I just read about this last week and I was (and still am) ecstatic! I'm so thankful that God has a grip on you.

Also, you and your family are very much in my prayers this convention season - may travelling mercies and blessings abound.

With Joy!
Florence

[Carrie]

Florence,

Your prayers for traveling mercies and for our family are much appreciated! We are in our busy season now, where it is important to lean on the Lord more than ever. We are so grateful for the prayers of those who feel led to offer them on our behalf. We know our Lord hears and answers in amazing ways!

Blessings,
Carrie

[dianeh47]

Carrie,
Teaching and training our kiddos with a Christ-centered currriculum is so important, and it is a lot easier with HOD. You have helped a lot of families. Thank you so much.
I'm keeping my three boys in HOD straight through high school. When the geography guide comes out, they will be in 9th, 11th, and12th grade. I was planning on using biology next year with my 9th grader, but I can wait until 12th grade with the geagraphy guide, So would I just follow the science in the other guides and supplement or do something else. Doyou have any suggestions?
Blessings,
Diane.

[deltagal]

As to the questions, it is our plan to schedule labwork along with the biology study, in order for it to be truly credit worthy. While we know that you may choose to use a different math, language arts, or science from what we'll schedule within the geography guide we feel it is necessary to give parents the option of doing what we schedule in order to lighten their load (and still prepare their children well for what is to come).

Carrie,

I'm currently using the Biology 101 DVD's as a supplement with my 13 yo in CTC (based on your recommendation). I know this is a long way off, but are you thinking that you might be using these DVD's. Just wondering if I should scrap them OR continue and look forward to a redo with more depth in a few years. Any thoughts?

[Carrie]

Florence,

We are not planning on scheduling those into our high school plans at this point, even though they are wonderful. Instead, we are looking at a full-blown Biology program for credit and with labs as well. So, continue on with your path!

Blessings,
Carrie