I have been working on next year the last two weeks.  I found so many choices, and finally narrowed them down to four.  I posted, I showed friends, I talked to my dh, and this morning ORDERED my teacher's manual.

Several friends and family members encouraged me to make my own.  I finally sat down, did a week and timed it.  Two hours to schedule one week.  Even after setting it up I figured it would be at least an hour a week (28 hours) now plus another hour prep time. 

Next I looked at what we had been doing.  Sonlight 2/6 split.  I spent 2 weeks or so last summer putting that together with another 2 hours or so a week during the school year.  I wasn't that satisfied with the end result either.

I found Tapestery of Grace and almost bought it.  The package looked SOOOO appealing.  I 'felt' intellectual just looking at it.  I printed off a week and sat down to read.  I quickly discovered that I would be planning out the year and wading through this each week.  Several looked at it with me and LOVED it.  I just didn't.  I knew I would be frustrated and we would only do a little of what they had scheduled.  The only advantage was the hands on activities, comprehension pages, maps and writing assignments.

Then I found Biblioplan.  At first I thought, WHY???  All it had was a one page set up.  I could do THAT myself and I tried.  I COULD do it myself, but WHY?  The cost is $24.95, I can easily change the readers/read alouds to what we have available.  I showed it to DH and he was impressed! 

This morning I ordered it.  I will add Story of the World Activity Guide, this will give me pre-made comprehension, maps, and hands on activities.  They even have 'shudder' TESTS.

This means next year is planned...

Biblioplan Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation

Considering God's Creation

Wisdom and the Millers for Bible

MCP Phonics for Mandy and Jon

Write Source 2000 for the Twins

R&S Reading if needed

Latina Christiana I

Singapore Math

SL PreK for Julie with R&S prek books

Spelling Power or Natural Speller (I have both so we'll see)

Art with Sister Wendy's Story of Pianting

and a Composer of the Month

Add a daily writing assignment, and we should be good.

I think planning is my FAVORITE part of homeschooling.

Joyfully,

Cheryl 

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Posted by dswescott

I've been thinking about this too! What were your impressions after looking at the schedule? We've been Sonlighting up to now as well, and I think we're ready for a change. By the way, I liked the washboard story! I so am not a homesteader! But I love living vicariously through the likes of you, Cheryl! Thanks for sharing your life w/ us!

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Posted by SDBookMom

Sonlight was just becoming to much for me. Up until now we were doing 2 levels sort of combined, this year we would have 3 and next year and every year after FOUR! I began feeling like I was drowning.

Biblioplan takes what I like best (lots of books) and combines it for a FAMILY. I can make an extra page a week for Science, Latin, Bible (all done together) and each child's LA and Math. I love that BP only schedules 3 days a week! I am looking forward to next year!

It is like a weight has been lifted.

Joyfully,
Cheryl

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Posted by MistyKrasawski

I'd never heard of it! But since I'm going down all the same mental bunny trails as you are (looking at Tapestry and SL and doing it myself), I figure I might like it, too!

I'd planned to do a 2/6 split this year, too--but 2 doesn't really "go" with 6, the readers aren't about history, and when I actually got into 6's schedule, I was blown away by how FAST it was running! We're (almost) through Story of the World I (which I really do like) but I'm not even touching Book II. No idea what we're going to do next year.

Thanks for the heads up!

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