In this planning update, I’m walking you through my real-life brainstorming process for next year—specifically what I’m doing for history and science (and yes… there’s a twist you probably weren’t expecting). I share how I think through what worked, what felt like “too much,” and what I want to keep simple so we can actually be consistent. If you’re in that stage where you have a million ideas and you’re trying to narrow it down, this is exactly the kind of planning chat I wish I had when I was starting out. For history, I talk through a few different directions and resources I’m considering, including options like Beautiful Feet and Guest Hollow for early American history, and then some of the spines and extras that can make a cycle feel rich without being overwhelming—like Story of the World, timeline-style books, and historical fiction read-alouds. I also share what I’m leaning toward for science and why, plus how I’m trying to balance “fun and hands-on” with what my kids can realistically handle week to week. The big takeaway is that I’m planning with flexibility on purpose—so we can adapt as we go and still have a really solid year.