Homeschool Your Way

I've been thinking a long time about unschooling and how far I'm willing to venture into that philosophy.  In thinking about this year, and what I'd like to see my kids accomplish, and what they need to know, and what their interests are, I saw that this was really a perfect year to let them loose to a freer course of study options.  It's Ethan's last year before I have to navigate high school.  All of them have studied through a history timeline. We've covered botany, zoology, astronomy, and human anatomy together.  Why not let them choose what they want to study this year.  So a couple of weeks ago, I made a proposition to them.  Do your math curriculum and a little bit of grammar for me (a research paper and finished writing course for Ethan), and I'll let you choose what you want to study for history and science.  And it doesn't have to be a curriculum.  It went over quite positively.  They wanted to start immediately.