Curriculum Planning 2008-2009 a.k.a. Where's the Tylenol!

Well, I have officially begun the wrapping up of the school year and the planning of the new year. This is actually new for me, as I have put off the planning until the end of summer most years (okay, every year.) I am feeling bittersweet about our upcoming school year...it will most likely be my last year of homeschooling ds2! After 8th grade we let ds1 choose whether or not to attend public high school, and we will let ds2 choose as well. He is leaning toward public. I will miss him greatly...he is my talker, my clown, my sweet boy. We can talk about anything (and he does lol!) Ah, well.

So, on to the planning. I have started with ds2.

• For math we will stick with Abeka. It's a wonderful program and ds has done well with it.


• For reading I choose about 6 "classic" books for him to read and study, then end the year with poetry. Here's what I am considering for this year; The Diary of Anne Frank, The Hobbit, Gulliver's Travels, Maniac Magee, Huckleberry Finn and The Secret Garden. I also have a "backup" list of The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Franweiler, Dear Mr. Henshaw and The Old Man and the Sea. I learned this year to have the "backups"...a few of the books I picked just didn't "agree" with ds lol.

For just about everything else I'm stumped. I'd like to cover some chemistry in science this year, and world history for social studies, but have yet to find a program we both liked. I also need a good spelling program for ds, as this is the subject he needs the most help in. I would also like to introduce him to some famous artists and musicians (something all the boys could be part of in some way) and keep up with our nature study. He is an excellent artist himself and I'd like to encourage that. For Language Arts I'd love a program that emphasizes writing and just kind of reviews grammar...he's proficient in that department.

So, any and all advice is appreciated! I know my fellow homeschooling moms will have super ideas that have worked for them. And coupons for Tylenol. Thanks in advance for any help.