X-Post ~ So Thoroughly Bored w/Homeschooling

[Negin]

We didn't used to be. We're in a rut. We used to love, love, love the material we use. No more. None of it really excites us anymore. Everything seems dull, dry as dust, and boring as ever. If you have any engaging, effective, you get the idea, workbooks and other good resources in ANY subject area, please, please share. I need to start ordering things for the coming year and I'm really not thrilled with much at all. Our children will be 14 and 12. Thank you all. :)

 

Here are things that we've used and loved. Some of it we're still using.

 

All About Spelling - for ds - very effective and happy with it.

 

Dd has loved Apologia Jump In. We're dreading finishing this. We wish there were more in the series. Suggestions anyone?

 

Wordsmith was okay. Not as good as Jump In. We used the first two books, and then fell in love with Jump In. May go with the 3rd book if there's nothing else.

 

Have loved Key To and Calvert Math.

 

ANY suggestions in any subject area would be greatly appreciated. I guess, my main concern is creative writing that's fun and nice. :)

 

Thank you. :)

[Mandy in TN]

So, you are looking things that are scripted and have baby steps. I don't have suggestions, but wanted to clarify and give you a bump. :)

Mandy

[FrogMom5]

Maybe you need to go a completely different direction and develop your own writing curriculum. You could try brainstorming fun ideas with your kids and then develop something out of those ideas.

 

Here are a few ideas off the top of my head:

 

- write and produce a play based on a good literature piece of their choosing,

 

- make several observations trips to the ocean to study animals or plants and then present a research paper on what they studied, along w/drawings, photos, etc.

 

- choose several places to visit where you live and then research some topic about each area or something that connects the areas and develop a presentation on it.

 

Frankly, I want to travel and then produce my own travel brochure for each place. But, that's for another time in my life. :001_smile:

 

All of this involves researching and writing good papers. If you have them do a presentation, they get public speaking and probably computer skills too.

 

Is this kind of what you're looking for? Or have I completely missed your question?

HTH

Denise

[txhomemom]

I have been trying to find similar curriculum, not boring, not dry, something different.

 

Here are a few things I have considered for this year:

 

Giggly Guide to Grammar - I just bought this and we started it a few days ago. It is for grades 6-12 and it has really hilarious sentences throughout that are used to teach grammar. I ordered the book with the CD which comes in handy so you can print worksheets and other lesson info. I am glad I got the CD because the book is so nice I would not have wanted my dd to write in it.

 

Igniting Your Writing I and/or II - We already have the first book, but I just have not started it yet. It looks fun and interesting. It covers quite a bit in such a little book and is really inexpensive.

 

IEW's Rockets, Radar, and Robotics Technology - this is a new program by IEW. My dd likes technology so I thought this would be a different way to approach writing.

 

Literary Lessons From Lord of the Rings - This looks like an awesome literature study, something different. I may wait to use it until 9th grade, so until then we will read the Hobbit and use a Total Language Plus guide.

 

We have loved Key to as well, but needed something for prealgebra so I am debating between Derek Owens Prealgebra (there are free lessons online) or Chalkdust Prealgebra. There is also Kinetic Books as another option that is a little more interactive.

 

Jump at Home Math - I picked up one of these workbooks on Amazon and it looks really interesting. There are free teacher's lessons online on the Jump Math website as well to go with them. We are going to use them in a supplemental fashion to look at math from a different angle.

 

Patty Paper Geometry - I have heard great things about this, but have not seen it in person. Might be a fun way to introduce geometry.

 

Trail Guide to World Geography - we are using it this year along with the notebooking pages and we might coordinate it with a geography text as well and go a little deeper on studying cultures.

 

Story of Science - Joy Hakim books, different more historical way at looking at science. There are also study guides to go with the series.

 

CK12 science online - free science curriculum for middle school and high school. I think they have a few other subjects as well. The material looks great and there are pictures on the pages so not too boring to look at.

 

Excavating English by Ellen McHenry - kind of interesting history of English language. She also has curriculum for science and geography as well.

 

The Accounting Game - I found this at a used book sale and the premise of the book is to use the idea of a lemonade stand to understand finance. It looks like it would be a fun way to learn about a boring subject.

 

Inspire Motivating Lessons for Teen Writers - I bought this from Rainbow Resource and it is a really cool writing program that is geared towards teens. It covers descriptive writing, narrative writing, expository writing, persuasive writing, mechanics and punctuation, and spelling rules.

 

Hope this helps a little!

[Negin]

Thank you all so much for your helpful suggestions. Copying and pasting all your recommendations and off to soon start researching. :D