Ta-Da!

Maybe it's a function of having made such neurotically detailed plans in the past, ones that began with first grade and continued all the way through twelfth being burned into the deepest recesses of my mind, or perhaps it's just that I am so darn elastic, but it occurred to me that before I pack all my books to be shipped back, a process that could take up to 14 weeks via sea freight, I'd better consider setting some aside to use with Grice when we get back, because -- and she does not realize this yet -- she will be returning to a home education situation, but lo! and behold! in under 30 minutes I had a complete curriculum lined up for her, one that not only meshes easily with her younger sister, Elle's, but maximizes the additional six months we have given the fact she is somewhere near the mid-point of eighth grade by Florida standards as opposed to having completed eighth here in Queensland, closes some obvious gaps left by her public schooling, gets her right back on track in our loosely classical way ready for a Great Books study the last three years of high school, and continues on up to twelfth grade fulfilling standard college prep requirements.

Phew.

If you had told me I would have to consider all those factors and submit an official timely draft to some homeschool authority I would have been fairly worked up about it, but as I was just tossing off an email to the mother of her best friend and homeschool buddy back in Florida to find out where her daughter was academically, contemplating an easier transition back to home ed for Grice if she and her friend were on similar tracks, I realized that in mentioning my 'tentative' plans for Grice I had basically nailed it the first time.

Without further ado, here are the resources for the remaining (bonus) half of Grade 8:

The World of Columbus and Sons (Genevieve Foster)
The World of Captain John Smith (Genevieve Foster)
The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way (Joy Hakim)
The Story of Science: Newton at the Center (Joy Hakim)

Shakespeare

Write With the Best Volume 1
Easy Grammar Plus; Daily Grams Jr./Sr. (continuing through Grade 9)
Henle Latin I (continuing through Grade 9)

Saxon Algebra 1/2 (continuing through Grade 9)
Critical Thinking Book 1