Anyone use Omnibus I for 9th grade?

[Kim in SouthGa]

I see that they have come out with IV, which is also ancients. We are planning for high school (will be in 8th in the fall), will be ready for our 3rd trip through ancients for 9th, but his writing skills are weak and we have not done a lot of lit analysis. So, I think Omnibus I, II, & III may be a better fit for us for 9th, 10th, and 11th, then do a year of government or dual enrollment at CC for 12th. Has anyone else done this? From looking at the books, Omnibus I seems very advanced. Will it be enough for high school?
Thanks

[Michelle in MO]

Yes, definitely! We used Omnibus I when my oldest daughter was in 9th and my middle daughter was in 7th, and Omnibus I definitely contained plenty of hefty reading material, more so than the average high schooler would ever tackle. In fact, much of the reading isn't completed until college by many students. No worries about counting it as h.s. level material.

However, Omnibus is rather weak on literary analysis. I would recommend reading the historical books, doing the Omnibus tests provided in the teacher's manual, and reading the entire chapters of either Western Civilization or World History: A Human Odyssey (both by Spielvogel). If his writing skills are weak and your ds hasn't previously tackled the progymnasmata (which comprise most of the written assignments in Omnibus) then I would have him substitute the Summa essay questions for the progymnasmata assignments. If you start him out on a standard five-point essay with the Summa questions, I think it might be an easier transition. Better yet, you might consider first orally discussing the Summa questions with your ds, writing down on a whiteboard the thesis statement or main point of what you have discussed. Then write down the three supporting points to your thesis statement, and then write the conclusion together. By modeling this for him first through discussion and showing him an example on a whiteboard, it might give him more confidence and practice on how to construct the essay.

Good luck!

[Moira in MA]

Seconding Michelle. Omnibus I is plenty for a 9th grader. My now 11th grader started w/Omnibus I in 9th -- her sister was in 7th.

Most homeschoolers do things their own way -- tweak here/add there.

I used Gileskirk lectures to boost the history component and dd took the Bravewriter expository essay class at the end of 9th grade, and English Language & Composition AP through PA Homeschoolers this year to boost the writing and analysis aspect. She also took AP Latin (Vergil) which gave her loads of lit analysis albeit just on the Aeneid.

Next year she'll be doing Senior English w/Scholars Online. She is ready for more formal lit analysis now and will get lots of it with Dr McM. My younger dd is currently taking the Bravewriter course and will likely do a modified Brit Lit (Sonlight) next year.

I have chosen to delay the introduction of intense lit analysis until my dd's have read broadly -- which Omnibus I-III provides -- and have a basis of understanding *and* comparison. I didn't want them to be put off literature because they had to analyze it to death -- which is pretty much what happened to me.

HTH
~Moira

[Caryl]

My oldest was 9th grade this year. We both enjoyed Omni I. I skipped a few of the units, and added more history- Spielvogel Western Civ plus a number of history movies that her younger siblings watched with her, and a few lighter books (Mara, Daughter of the Nile; Black Ships Before Troy; Bronze Bow; and a couple others I can't remember). I was very pleased with the way Omni required her to interact with the texts and apply Biblical thinking.

Some of the readings involve mature subjects. I would not have my 7th grader do Omni, but she is a "young" 7th grader. I actually think it is more appropriate for a 9th grader.

[againes]

I have never used Omni anything! But we are beginning our third trip through history next year. (We have been following Sonlight and bibloplan). I also have not required literary analysis but know it is time. I have been wondering what to do with my oldest. She will be in 10th grade but still wants that family reading aloud time with the family. Her comments when I told her I was going to get her a seperate program was, "but I love the ancients!".

Which Omni would be best for her. Would Omni 1 do the 8th and 10th. We are well read but little analyzed.

Thanks
Adelia

[Kris in Wis]

I think Omnibus I will be just fine! We used that - it was challenging even to my strong writer/reader!