In three weeks we'll be done with a couple classes: biology and algebra 1.

We're going to go straight from Algebra 1 to Algebra 2 and Geometry at the same time. They are interrelated and we couldn't decide what would be better, to do geometry or algebra 2 first, so we just decided to do them together.

We'll be moving on to chemistry when we're done with biology. We're starting some nature studies this week and S will be continuing those while doing chemistry.

S is almost done with "Shelters of Stone" by Jean Auel. It is the last book in the series (until she writes another which will take awhile since they are extremely well researched) so S will be moving on. The next series I have her reading is the Geodyssey series by Piers Anthony. The first book is "Isle of Woman". Though Piers Anthony is widely known as a science fiction author these books have been heavily researched by him and have a slant of history to them which I love. They are still historical fiction but they also have real stuff in them which is great. And after all, these are English books, not history books. They are merely meant to emphasize the things she is learning from her other books.

S is still working on Spanish (of course). The book that she's working out of now is "Spanish Now" and it is pretty good. It is set up like a textbook and it is really pushing S to keep up. I'm trying to get her set up with the Spanish version of Rosetta Stone in the next week or so. It is a wonderful program (I myself am learning German, French, Spanish, and Mandarin from it!) and I think it will really help her to get the feel of the living language.

We've been sorely lacking in the religion department. So, starting next week she's going back to reading the Bible. I'm probably going to give her a chapter to read each week.

S doesn't like to write but her writing skills need some work. So, next week I'm going to reinstate the paper about everything concept. Basically, every assignment each week (with a few possible exceptions) will require a one or two page paper to be written about it and given to me at the end of the week. By every assignment I mean that if I assign her to read ch. 1-5 then she needs to write a paper on what she's read about in ch. 1-5. Nothing extremely long, I just want her to work on her writing.

I'm not sure how that will work out however so I'm already thinking of a back up. She can write her own fiction stories. Already as I'm typing that I'm thinking that that is a better idea and I will likely skip the other to do that. I will have her write a few essays however, just to prepare her for college.