Weekend Links ll Aug 29, 2025

 

Top High School Electives

Free Human Anatomy Coloring Notebook

How to Finally Organize Your Board Games

Minecraft Themed Student Planner

World's Smartest Animals ll Fun Pages, Worksheets, &Videos

Finding Hope and Purpose in an Ordinary Life

What I Read and Our Homeschool Read Alouds ll Aug. 2025

What I Read:

Momentum by Eric and Bill Johnson

I've had this book on my shelf for quite some time.  It covers the idea behind why some revivals thrive and why some die out after the first generation,... it addresses the question of how to steward a revival and set up following generations for continued renewal.    This father/son team shares their own experiences with revival culture and how they see it shaping the church.  I came away from it with mixed feelings... encouraged to build a spiritual inheritance for my children and sphere of influence... and scratching my head at the idea of revival at all costs.  I do think that Christians are called to grow personally in order to  carry the weight of revival.  And the Johnsons seem to miss that.  This book, for me, felt a little formulaic.  I found myself embracing some ideas and discarding others.

It's Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn by Greta Eskridge

See my full review here.

Why Curse the Darkness by Patti Garibay

This autobiography follows the Garibay family as they grow as a family.  As a loyal Girl Scout leader, Patti Garibay started to see some shocking changes in the organization.  Ultimately, Patti and her husband formed American Heritage Girls as an alternative.

Christian Heroes: John Wesley by Janet & Geoff Benge

We got our hands on some more Christian Heroes books.  I love these.  These books don't shy away from some of the mistakes missionaries have made, but they're also not heavy-handed in condemning them either.  Rather, they give a well-rounded view of the missionary's life and ministry, inspiring us to live as though we were on mission.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M.Montgomery

Who doesn't love Anne of Green Gables? I've read this book so many times over the years... I've simply lost count.  A young orphan girl adopted by an elderly brother and sister... raised on a farm... finding her "family,"... It's just a beautiful story full of hope and love.  I'm happy to be revisiting it again.

The Bait of Satan by John Bevere

Just finished up this book.  It covers how offense and bitterness are destructive in our society, and how they're infiltrating our churches as well.  Very good read for anyone who is human, because really, offense is inevitable in life.  How we choose to deal with it, or not, makes all the difference in life and ministry.

Our Homeschool Read Alouds:

Coming up Cuban by Sonia Manzano

We are studying BJU's  Human Geography this year with my 9th grader, so I've packed our read-aloud list with titles from around the world.  We started in Cuba, following 4 pre-teen/teenagers and their experiences around Fidel Castro's takeover.  This book gave us a lot to discuss, especially in light of today's political atmosphere.

The Puffin Keeper by Michael Morpurgo

Quick, easy read about the family we choose, and how a little kindness goes a long way.  Great for elementary students

What are you reading?

Our Morning Basket for 12th and 9th Grades ll 2025-26 Picks!

Morning Basket has been a part of our homeschool for so long.... I don't even remember what year we implemented it.  It must have been a long time ago because I just can't imagine starting our days any other way.  As I've said before, Morning Basket became a foundational part of our homeschool day out of necessity.  A way of bridging the gap between waking up and charging full force into learning.  A way of sweetening our morning, building shared experiences, and finding time for delight and beauty.

Now entering year 14 of our homeschool, morning time is still going strong.  It grows and changes with our family and needs.  But it still unites us... it still brings us into shared experiences and stories... into rich discussions and lively opinions... into family memories and fine arts.

Today I'm sharing with you how we make morning time work with our older kids.  How we hit the subjects that bring us the most joy and keep challenging them, even in their teen years.

Folksongs/Hymns:

I love the idea of learning hymns and folksongs in our homeschool.  There's so much rich theology and history woven into music.  However, I have one student who really hates singing and one who really loves it.  Instead of requiring my kiddos to sing the songs, I use them as a call to Morning Time.  We utilize Folksongs and Hymns on YT and rotate through Hannah's songs of the month.  This way my students hear each song every other day, and it gives them 2-4 minutes to gather their things for meeting at the table.  My kiddo who loves to sing can do so, and my other child just has to hear it and meet us to start.  We do one song a day.

Memory Work:

We use a memory box system.  I found a nice Sterlite box from Dollar Tree a few years ago, and now it's filled to the brim with Scripture we've memorized over the years.  We use this system for memorizing Scripture, but itwould be great for any memory work you have in your homeschool.  Adapt it to work for you. Again, this is something we do every morning.

Current Events:

We found World Watch News 2 years ago, and love it.  It's 10 min segments of world news presented at the student's level.  It's very similar to CNN10, but from a Christian perspective.  And it's been great for me to learn what's going on in the world as well.

Bible:

We're continuing our way through Rod & Staff's Bible series.  This year, we're picking up about 1/3 of the way through level 8.  Level 7 and 8 both go over the New Testament, specifically the culture, customs, and background information of the time.  And then the curriculum ties it into what the authors were actually saying when they taught.  I introduce the lesson on Monday mornings, the kids work independently throughout the week to cover the material, and we discuss the lesson on Friday mornings.

Ballet Study:

This year we're using a study I personally created covering Coppelia.  It utilizes several easily available books to study the ballet from several angles.  We did a ballet study last year from Delightfully Feasting.  We enjoyed it immensely, but wanted to study some ballets that she didn't have study guides for.  I spent the summer preparing a few studies of my own that we're excited to explore.  We will do this once a week, and this study will cover approximately 12 weeks.

Artist Study:

We're again using Ambleside Online's artist study.  I love that this one is free and only takes about 5 min a week.  It's taught us so much about artists we've never even heard of.  This year we'll be studying Pissarro, Fragonard, and Bierstadt. 

Shakespeare:

Shakespeare and I have a love/ hate relationship.  I love Shakespeare, but I couldn't find a way to draw my kids into it... until last year. We used Lamb's Shakespeare and Nesbit's Shakespeare for Young Readers to read a paraphrase of the play.  Then we found a YT production to watch together, broken into approximately 12 weeks. making it bite-sized for morning time.  We're going to watch the play rather than read it as that's how it was originally meant to be enjoyed.  I'll have a written copy for my 12th grader if she wishes to follow along with that as well.  And we're pairing it with lots of discussion.  We'll be studying Othello in the fall.

Nature Study:

We really enjoy nature lore books.  While my kids are aging out of them, there is still something there for my 9th grader to delight in.  We'll be picking up a few books here and reading a few chapters a week.

Misc:

I also try to include picture books related to our curriculum as they apply.  It's a good way to whet my kids' appetite for further study.

Read Alouds:

We always end our Morning Time with a read-aloud.  I still like to read before bed, but as the kids have gotten older and are out more evenings of the week, we've also added a block of reading in our mornings so our books don't linger.  I shared our Read Aloud List for 25-26, but it's ever-growing.  Sometimes we detour off that list.  However, I try to at least prioritize the read-alouds that go with our history curriculum.

So, that's what I have planned so far for our 2025-26 Morning Time and how I'm making it work with older students.  

Do you do Morning Time in your homeschool?

And what are some of your favorite resources?

It's Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn {Review}

 

Just reading this title probably strikes fear into the heart of a parent.  "Wait... WHAT?  I can't talk about THAT."  We've all been there... stuck at the crossroads of "I want to prepare my kids for real life" and "Wait!  No!  Too Real!"  But the world isn't afraid to talk to our kids about porn.  In fact, the world isn't afraid to get our kids addicted to porn.  So what is a parent to do?

Enter Greta Eskridge's newest book.  This quick read is packed with information, questions for crafting a family plan, scripts for having hard conversations, and more.  Written with grace and frankness, How to Talk to Your Kids about Porn gives parents tools to wade into very murky waters.  Biblically supported, Eskridge offers resources and hope for families, no matter the children's ages.  This is a great book for both new parents and seasoned parents as they attempt to have an open dialogue with their kids.  Full of information, this title would be wonderful for anyone who parents or works with kids and teens.

*Disclaimer: I recieved a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Twelfth Grade Homeschool Curriculum Picks ll 25-26

Here we go again... another senior!  I have no idea how this happened, and I can tell you that I'm certainly not prepared for it.  This is going to be an interesting year as I get ready to graduate my only daughter.   

We are true eclectic homeschoolers, so you'll notice a variety of curricula planned for this year... secular to Christian, traditional with a little Charlotte Mason, and some dual enrollment thrown in as well.  She's chipping away at her A.A. as well as eyeing a culinary arts certificate.  Therefore, she's utilizing our local community college to fulfill some of her credits.  All that to say, I'm pretty hands-off with her this year. It feels weird to be checking in so little, and I'm really hanging on to the few things I'm assigning.... really,  I'm just hanging on as long as I can.

So here we go with my lovely daughter... planning out senior year!

American Civics:

I saw this course when it first came out, and I've been excited for one of my kiddos to take it.  It's presented by Michael Farris, the founder of HSLDA.  This full-year course appears very rigorous and challenging.  Scheduled for 30 weeks, there are videos, field trip ideas, writing assignments, quizzes and tests, and more.  I feel very confident that she'll have a thorough understanding of government and civics upon completion.

Anatomy:

I really wanted her to have one more science on her transcript, and she absolutely DID NOT want to take chemistry.  We tossed around the idea of doing a DE class, but then she mentioned that she does enjoy anatomy.  This seemed like a good fit as she's been a dancer since she was 5 years old, and occasionally talks of owning a studio one day.  I'm hoping this will give her some very practical knowledge about her own body as well as knowledge that she can pass on to her students.

Economics:

This is a course that we'll add on in the spring.  We've used Notgrass in the past for World History, as well as US History, so we're both very comfortable with the format.

Performing Arts:

She'll continue to take dance classes, and this year we'll label that time as performing arts as well as P.E.  I can definitely see this girl dancing throughout her life.  Between classes and performing in our local theater, she'll have more than enough hours for a credit in both.

Bible:

Besides establishing a regular devotional time, we'll also be using  Rod and Staff's Bible curriculum.  This curriculum runs from level 5-10, but that doesn't necessarily coincide with grades.  Rather, each level looks at a different part of the Bible, what was happening culturally with the people, what was the background, etc.  This year she will finish level 8 and move on to level 9 to take a deep dive into the New Testament.

Dual Enrollment:

English IV:

For English this year, she'll be taking Eng 102 at our local community college.  We're not quite sure what to expect as it's a "new to her" professor, but we're thankful that she has the opportunity to take college classes at such a low rate while still in high school.

Intro to Hospitality:

We were trying to decide on a second DE class for the fall when she mentioned Hospitality.  This will go well with her Culinary Arts classes, as well as peek her interest in other hospitality areas.  My only hesitation is that it's a 3 credit course smashed into 8 weeks while she's also balancing other class so we'll see how it goes.

Morning Time:

I'll go more in-depth into the specifics of our Morning Basket soon, but some subjects we'll explore this year include apologetics, Shakespeare, and the ballet.  These are enrichment topics that we'll be learning together with my 8th grader.

Outside Classes:

BSF-- We're trying BSF for the first time this year.  I've been trying to fit it in for years so this fall we decided to take the leap.  She loves studying the Bible and our family feels this is a lifelong habit worth developing.

What curriculum do you use in the high school years?

Pros and Cons of Dual Enrollment in High School

 Having graduated one high school student, and getting ready to graduate a second, our family has had some experience with dual enrollment in the past couple of years.  The term Dual Enrollment refers to when a high school student takes a college level course for both high school and college credit.  This is most easily (and inexpensively) accomplished through a local community college.  However, there are a variety of colleges and universities that offer Dual Enrollment to both homeschoolers and public schoolers.  The challenge is to be aware of whether your student is ready for DE and to find the right program for your family.   And with everything, there are pros and cons.

Pros:

*Your student can take one class and earn credit for both high school and college.

*Your child is responsible to someone else for their work.

*Your student earns a grade from someone other than you, which can add some legitimacy to their transcript.

*Your child can explore interests that might not be as easily accomplished in homeschool... culinary classes, vocational classes, speech and debate, etc.

Cons:

*Maturity is key.  Students must be ready to take responsiblity of for their learning and these grades will be on their transcripts.

*Not all colleges accept DE credits... at least not for both.  Your child may be put in a position where they must choose another college, or choose to put the classes on either their high school or college transcript.

*If attending an in-person class, your student must display a level of maturity that matches the class.  They may also be exposed to material and ideas that you're not prepared for them to face.

While DE shouldn't be feared, these are all issues to consider before jumping into college classes.  Take your time, research your colleges and professors, and know what track your child is on.  If college is in their future, DE COULD be a great option.

Has your child ever taken DE classes?

What was your experience?

Ninth Grade Homeschool Curriculum Picks ll 25-26

Wow!  Where did summer go?  Here we are already in August and getting ready for Back to School.  And this year is extra crazy in our house because we are welcoming our youngest child into high school.  It's hard to believe that we're officially out of the elementary years and only have four years left.  Where has the time gone?

My 9th grader is young (hello, fall birthday!), but beyond capable when it comes to high school level work.  We are true eclectic homeschoolers so you will notice a variety of curriculum planned for this year... secular to Christian, traditional schooling to a little Charlotte Mason, and more outsourcing than I've used with him in the past.

So here's to two kiddos in high school and a great year coming up!

Math: 

We'll be transitioning from Sadlier-Oxford (which we love in the elementary years) to Saxon Algebra I.  He did quite a bit of Algebra last year with Sadlier-Oxford, so I'm confident that this will be just fine for him.  I'm actually debating putting him into Shorrmann Algebra, so if anyone has experience with that curriculum, let me know.

LA:

This year, I want to put a greater emphasis on writing.  We've had a good experience with IEW in co-op classes in the past so I'm hoping it will work for us at home.  We'll be using level 1C this next year as it's a good starting point for high school.  I'm hoping this will be a good launching pad for college-level courses in a few years.

My 9th grader is a very strong reader.  However, since IEW is not a full 36 week course, we'll be using Rod and Staff on the lighter weeks.  We didn't quite finish level 8 last year so we'll pick up there.  Rod and Staff has a lot of high-level literature.  We also appreciate the fact that all the selections are clean, and build into our children's character.

In the past, we've used Rod and Staff grammar.  While I love that program, we've gotten to a point where it's college-level.  This year, we're looking for something quick, to the point, and effective.  I've used Easy Grammar with my oldest and liked it.  So we'll be returning to that for my 9th grader.

Biology:

My daughter LOVED Abeka, but I've heard a lot of good things about Apologia.  Since I was able to get a free copy of the Apologia curriculum, we're going to give it a try.  I've purchased a student notebook, and found many of the labs online.  Hoping to give a more thorough review after this year.

Human Geography:

I'm really on the fence about this one.  We used BJU's Human Geography for my daughter in her 9th-grade year, and it's TOUGH!  We ended up using the tests as a study guide and giving her extra days in the schedule before the tests.  It's a very challenging curriculum. I'm planning to fill out this course with lots of historical fiction.  If we get into it and it doesn't go well, I'm looking into Thinking Tree's Seven Amazing Continents.

French:

I've tried to get all three of my kids to take Spanish.  I've been out of luck all three times.  So online French it is.  My oldest used Rosetta Stone, and I wasn't very impressed with the voice recognition.  However, I haven't been able to find a course that our charter will pay for, and still covers the speaking element.  Any advice?

Computer Science:

This is probably the class that he's most excited for.  He is heavily motivated to learn coding and programming so we've signed him up for a computer science course through Acellus.  He started the course over the summer and is putting extra time into it because he's just enjoying it that much.

PE:

He's still taking gymnastics/ trampoline classes, but to round out his PE credit, we'll be adding in swimming and cycling, and weight lifting as the weather turns.

Bible:

We're continuing with Rod and Staff level 8.  This curriculum runs from level 5-10, but that doesn't necessarily coincide with grades.  Rather, each level looks at a different part of the Bible, what was happening culturally with the people, what was the background, etc.  This year, he's in level 8 which takes a deep dive into the New Testament.  Additionally he'll keep reading through the Christian Heroes series.  I've picked out 12 books for us to read and be inspired by this year.

Morning Time:

Next week, I'll go more in depth into what exactly is in our Morning Basket, but some subjects we'll explore this year include apologetics, Shakepeare, and the ballet.  These are enrichment topics that we'll be learning together with my 12th grader.

Outside Classes:

Choir--He will be continuing on in the senior high choir and will be involved in that for about 12 weeks in the fall, and then 12 weeks in the spring.

Youth Group and Worship Team--He'll be entering his first year of high school youth group where he'll be a part of a discipleship group and attend camps and Bible study intensives

Trampoline-- 1-2x/week, he'll continue trampoline lessons in big trampoline, double mini, and some tumbling at our local gym.

BSF--We're going to try BSF as a family this year.  It will be the first time we've done something like this,  and I'm hoping it's a good fit.

A lot of the curriculum that we're using this year, we've used in the past with great success.  While I try to tailor our year to each child's needs, I also find that when we find something we like, it's best to stick with it.  So many of these curricula are returning from previous years.  Plus, he's been very lucky to find several outside opportunities that fit his interests this year.  He'll certainly be busy, but I don't think my social butterfly would have it any other way.

What curriculum did you use for your 9th grader?

What I Read and Our Homeschool Read Alouds ll July 2025

 

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

The Franke family rose to fame when mom, Ruby Franke, picked up a camera and created her family vlogging channel.  Over the years, she chronicled the events and happenings of the Franke family of 8.  But behind the scenes, the kids were reeling, the couple falling apart, and the family disintegrating.  In The House of My Mother, daughter Shari Franke pulls back the curtain to reveal a broken childhood littered with narcissism, abuse, and brainwashing.  This was an incredibly tough book to read when considering all that these kids went through.  I couldn't believe all the twists and turns this family's journey took.  And to see that any of these kids have come out half-functional is a complete miracle.  Fascinating read!

Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula

This one has been on my list for a long time.  It's a collection of 40+ short biographies, highlighting heroes of the faith.  Trial and Triumph is divided into sections by time period, so it's easy to sort and add to your history curriculum.  I loved that the biographies were short.  This could easily be read during a morning basket time slot.  One word of caution: some of the selections can be scary depending on what time period you're reading in.  Particularly theos people who lived when Christians were heavily persecuted.  But overall, well worth adding to your home library.

Rasmus and the Vagabond by Astrid Lingren

This book was a really interesting find.  Astrid Lingren is the author of Pippi Longstockings, so one day we decided to see if she'd written anything else.  Rasmus popped up at our local library, and I thought I'd check it out.  Rasmus is an orphan who decides to run away one day.  His first night away from the orphanage, he meets up with a vagabond who takes him under his wing.  Together, they get mixed up with a sheriff, bank robbers, hidden loot, and more.  The two must unravel the mystery to save their name.  And in the process, find an unlikely family.  This was a well-written story about honor, perceptions, and home.  While I didn't enjoy it as much as Pippli Longstockings, I did enjoy the story and loved discovering new books from a favorite author.  This would be an excellent book for introducing topics such as adoption and family.

The Four Hour School Day by Durenda Wilson

Packed with practical examples from her own real life homeschool, Durenda Wilson casts a vision for an education that leaves both mom and students thriving.  I love how down to earth this book is and really wish I would have read it earlier in my homeschool journey.  This one definitely goes on my recommendations list.

Better Together by Pam Barnhill

This is an annual reread for me.  Morning Basket is the heart of our homeschool.  It's time when we connect and grow in truth, beauty, and goodness.  I love rereading this title to be inspired and gather new ideas for our next year.  I always read this one with a notebook and pen nearby.  I have definitely gotten my money's worth out of this book.

Tame Your Thoughts by Max Lucado

See my full review here.

Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

This was one of those books that I didn't discover until my kids were a little older, but I wanted to go back and read it for my own benefit.  Betsy is mistakenly sent to live with a distant relatives when her aunt falls ill.  Although she's heard troubling things about this family, she soon discovers that their love for her makes a warm and happy home.  Written similarly to the Little House books, this would make a fun read for 4-5th graders.  And a light summer read for mom!

Our Homeschool Read Alouds:

The Time Garden, Magic or Not?, The Well-Wishers, and Seven-Day Magic by Edward Eager

We're continuing our way through the Tales of Magic series.  And we still love it!   This month we read books #4-6, and they were fantastic.  Book five introduces us to a new cast of characters so it took a minute to adjust, but the writing is still amazing, the tales imaginative, and the journey so much fun!

What are you reading?

Tame Your Thoughts {Review}

 

The Bible warns us that our thoughts have consequences.  Numerous times, we're challenged to "take every thought captive."  But what do we do when we're hounded by chaos and regret?  Swirling thoughts that leave us confused and depleted?  

In Tame Your Thoughts, author Max Lucado identifies three thought-management tools and applies them to some of today's most common problems: worry, anxiety, and other mental traps that threaten to keep us from the full life of Christ.  In this battle of the mind, Lucado uses the Bible to help his readers combat toxic thoughts by:

*taking every thought captive

*renewing our minds

*testing our thoughts against Scripture

*and interrupting destructive thought patterns!

Tame Your Thoughts is Biblically rich, and Lucado does a thorough job of making it practical to today's world. He reminds his reader how important it is to take our thoughts captive and not create stories in our heads.  Furthermore, he doesn't just show what we're trying to avoid, but rather creates a vision for the glorious life that awaits all of us as we mature in our thought life.  This book includes questions for further reflection and would make a great resource for a small group study.  While a lot of the focus is on worry, the tools outlined apply to a variety of scenarios.  This is a great book for anyone wanting to mature in their thinking,

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

The What's and Why's of the Morning Basket

 *This post was originally shared on 6/25/19.  Enjoy!

 For the past year or so, I've shared our family's morning basket here and on our Youtube channel.  Each month, I lay out the resources, books, activities that we are using to start our homeschool morning together and enhance our family's learning.  And over the months, I've been asked a handful of the same questions.  So I thought I'd take a few minutes to address some of those questions about the What's, Why's, and How To's of the morning basket?

*What is a morning basket?

A morning basket is a collection of resources to start your homeschool day with beauty and excitement.  In our family, it's a way of fanning the flame of curiosity for the lessons to come, and a way of reinforcing what we've studied previously.  It's often stored in a basket and thus labeled a morning basket.

*Does it have to be a basket?  Does it have to be in the morning?

No, to both.  We currently keep our morning basket items on a shelf in the living room.  But these items can be stored in a number of places: crates, shelves, baskets, desk area, etc.  We like to use our morning basket as a way of launching us into our school day.  But it can be used at any time of the day.  Some families use their at lunch and others at bedtime.  But really any time that works for your family, works for your morning basket. 

*What do you put in your morning basket?

Morning baskets vary from family to family, but often include several books, games, and some music.  Currently ours include: a book based on our history and science units, some poetry, a devotional, CC cards, Scripture memory box, and a read aloud chapter book.  Other ideas could be items related to music and art appreciation, math or language flashcards, logic books and games, other games, etc.

*How long does morning time last?

Our morning time runs about 30 min, but some families will linger together up to 1 hour.  You can make your time as long or as short as yourand your children would like. 

*Do you cover all your topics each day?

Again, it's what works for your family.  We rotate our history and science books based on our block scheduling, and sprinkle in music and art 1-2 days a week.  Daily, we read from our devotional, chapter book, and poetry, as well as our memory work.

*How often do you change the items in your morning basket?

We rotate some of our subjects on a monthly basis, while others last a few months at a time.  Some families rotate on a seasonal basis or even by term.  My favorite morning basket to prepare is always our December basket with a focus on Christmas and some of the handicrafts and artwork that are an added bonus to the season.

*Still have questions?

Feel free to search my Youtube channel for recommendations and resources.  Or leave a comment below and I'd be happy to help.

Do you use a morning basket in your homeschool?

Weekend Links ll July 25, 2025

Back to Homeschool Word Search

Learning Through Literature: Science & Nature

Teaching Zoology in Elementary Grades

Strategies for Scheduling High School

Why Picture Study is for Everyone

Summer Break or Summer Planning?

*this post was originally published on 7/9/14.  Enjoy! 

I don't know where this summer's gone... Wait, I take that back.  I don't know where it's gone: VBS, baseball, ballet, swim lessons, ... on and on.  And here I find myself over a month into the summer and this homeschool Mama wants to make the most of what's left.  So while, I'm trying to soak up some rest and relaxation, I know that school is just around the corner.

Thus, summer planning it is.  I'm looking over the past year and reworking what's best for our family.  Just to get me started, these are a few things I'm working on:

• Start with the Basics--For us, my non-negotiables are Math and Reading.  Any time we have a field trip, we try to hit at least these two subjects.  After that, my kids love Science so I work that in next.  And then we  add in History and Writing. 
• Get into a routine and don't overwhelm in the first month-- I learned last year that we just went too crazy, too fast.  I have to remember that we're going from the lazy days of summer into 5 subject school.  Even I feel overwhelmed.  So this year, we're easing in, bit by bit, and finding our groove before we get in too deep.
• Look for discounts and used deals--I'm spending a good chunk of my time this summer searching for used curriculum.  There are lots of curriculum exchange groups on Facebook and you can find lots of used books on ebay as well.
• List some read alouds--We've had a read aloud list going this year with the kids.  So I'm planning ahead in case there's any unit studies I want to coordinate our reading with.
• Determine priorities for your kids--Usually my kids so some kind of sport throughout the year so I can count it as their PE.  But your family might have other priorities to work into your schedule: music lessons, art classes, co-op classes, language learning... now is the time to prioritize and see how they will fit into your fall schedule.
• What do your kids want to learn this year?--Ask your kids if there's anything specific THEY want to learn this year.  For us, we're doing California history, and my oldest has always wanted to visit the state capitol.  I'm thinking my youngest wants to learn more about animals so we're working that into our Science curriculum.
• Don't compare--I have to constantly remind myself of this one.  I see moms writing their own curriculum.  Or other moms planning fantastic field trips.  Or even other moms who's kids are skipping grades, and learning third languages, and taking engineering classes at 5 year olds.   I wouldn't compare my kids if they were in public school.  So why am I putting so much pressure on myself and them in our homeschool?  Part of homeschooling is having the chance to celebrate our time together and I'm not going to ruin in by comparing any of us to someone else.

So is anyone else back in planning mode yet?  How are you planning for the fall? 

Our 2025-26 Homeschool Read Aloud List

Putting together this year's read aloud list has been quite a challenge.  We finished up our second round of Story of the World last year, and that's what I based a lot of our list around.  It was always fun to add historical fiction to our reading.  Now going into high school, we'll transition to BJU's Human Geography.  So I've been working on building our list around the continents that we'll study and the people that live there... their history, their culture, their lifestyle.   I have no idea where this year is going to take us.  Every title on this list is new to us (except for the holiday reads), so I'll keep you updated on our impressions.  Have you read any of these?

Coming up Cuban by Sonia Manzano

The Puffin Keeper by Michael Morpurgo

The Crow-Girl by Bodtl Bredsdorff

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements

Turtles of the Midnight Moon by Maria Jose Fitzgerald

Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai

Ice Drift by Theodore Taylor

See-Saw Girl by Linda Sue Park

Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by Sy Montgomery

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

What would you add to the list?