Imprimis
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The one ride I can remember at Epcot is inside the dome/ball thingy (what's that called?). It's a rollercoaster. I don't really care for rollercoasters, as they give me headaches, and this one is no different. It's all in the dark, with tiny little lights showing you where you're going (most of the time), so if you like rollercoasters, you'd like this one too. I think it's really neat, except for the headache it gave me.
The ride in Epcot is Spaceship Earth, but it's not a roller coaster; it's a slow moving ride that shows how communication technology has evolved.
I think you're thinking of Space Mountain in the Magic Kingdom..it's a roller coaster in the dark. And it gives me a headache, too :001_smile:.
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While August is not our favorite time to visit Walt Disney World, we always manage to have a great time. Yes, it is HOT, yes, it is crowded (although the crowds lessen a little towards the end of the month when Florida schools go back in session), but there are steps you can take to make it more comfortable.
If you get to the park at or before opening, you can fit in more and swelter less. When you enter the park, grab fast-passes for one of the more popular rides, then head to another high-traffic attraction. Try to do the most popular rides/attractions before the park becomes over-the-top crowded.
Keep in mind that many attractions, including their queues, are air conditioned, as well as all the shops, restaurants, etc., If you feel like you need a longer break from the heat and crowds, you have several options: Have lunch at a sit-down restaurant (most require a reservation), or, if you are in the Magic Kingdom, you can take the monorail to one of the Disney resorts for lunch. All the monorail resorts have a choice of restaurants (sit-down and counter), and all have beautiful, spacious, and, most importantly, COOL, lobbies with big comfy chairs so you can relax and revive a little before heading back to the park. Even better, if you stay at Disney resort you can go back to your hotel during the heat of the day for a swim and/or nap.
In Epcot, all the attractions are indoors, and there are several wonderful sit-down and counter-service restaurants, so it's easy to stay cool and comfortable there.
The only park I prefer not to visit in August is Animal Kingdom. It is much more difficult to get out of the heat, as there are lots of outdoor attractions, plus, the walkways seem unbearably narrow when it's crowded. As much I enjoy this park, it's better left for cooler weather, imo.
Anyway, I think you can have an awesome time at Disney in August, as long everyone stays hydrated, you take frequent breaks, and you don't try to do everything in one day. We have visited in August 9 or 10 times in the last 13 years, and are looking forward to going again this year.
HTH!
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Dh does all the grilling in our household. Weirdly enough, I have never even used a grill.....
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I find most times when someone is out and about with little ones, and they are misbehaving, it's because too much is being asked of them. We live in a modern world, yet our babies/young children are still primitive in their needs. They want to be held close or allowed to roam with someone near by, have routine, etc. Meeting these needs are not always possible, and often adults have had little exposure to the needs of little ones when they were young adults, so when they have kids, they don't know what the heck to do with them.
I guess, ask yourself. If you had a boss, and every time you messed up, he/she slapped your hand, how long would you stay at that job?
Parenting w/o spanking is possible, and having well behaved kids. It just takes work.
I really like how you put this, Jenny; I wholeheartedly agree.
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So my question is... where do I get reading lists recommended for each of these time periods for high schoolers? I have an older version of TWTM but wondered if there are more for me to look but I don't know where to look.
Thank you,
Anita
I really like All through the Ages History through literature Guide by Christine Miller. It has suggested historical fiction, biography, and literature selections. It also has timelines for each period.
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First of all, we are a music-loving family; my daughters take piano, my son takes guitar, and we all enjoy listening to music. That said, it became a hot topic in our home about six months ago, when my dd started discovering genres I never even knew existed.
It began when she asked me to listen to a band called "The Devil Wears Prada," a Christian metalcore (sometimes called screamo) band. My first reaction was :eek:. It was pure cacophony to me. VERY heavy metal sound, mostly unintelligible lyrics because they SCREAM them, rather than sing them.
I could not fathom how my dd, who loves learning waltzes on the piano, and was exposed to classical music at a young age, could even stand to listen to this..........stuff.
Well, after days (weeks?) of wondering where I went wrong, I realized that no matter how much U2 I made her listen to ;), she was going to develop her own taste in music.
I looked at our specific circumstances: Dd is a happy kid, with no disciplinary problems. She's level-headed, mature for her age, and has exhibited wise decision-making skills.
So, with stipulations, I chose to allow her to listen to what she likes. I don't allow lyrics that I feel are violent or vulgar, and I encourage her to listen to a variety of genres.
I hope you are able to come to a decision that works for your family!
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I've had my soon to be 6th and 8th grade boys use Phonetic Zoo for spelling, but I am thinking of having them use Spelling workout this year. What book should I start them on?
Hi Sue,
I usually see Level F marketed as a 6th grade workbook, so maybe that would be the place to start with the younger of your two boys.
Level G corresponds to 7th grade, and level H to 8th, but you could always have your 8th grader work through both G & H .
HTH,
Tina
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I think there are 18, or maybe more, labs included in various areas, such as observation, microscope, dissection, field work, etc. and the recommendation is not to try to do all of them, and of course I am guessing you can add to them if you wish. There is an instruction manual and then a student record manual for the labs. I haven't used it yet, but plan to, and it looks good. There isn't anything required for the labs that would be difficult to find- I use home science tools for my science purchases and have found them to be great.
Thanks so much for the information on Castle Heights, Jenny!
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I haven't actually done this yet, but my *plan* for next year, 9th grade, is to use the high school basic level Campbell (Exploring Life) with Castle Heights labs. I have the lab manual for the book but I don't see that happening- too much to pull together.
Keep in mind that there are other Campbell books, and my situation may or may not be transferable to yours. The other Campbell books are Biology: Concepts and Connections (often used for advanced or AP high school level) and Biology, a college level text. I have the Biology text to use if we need more information on something, but we are sticking to Exploring Life this go-round.
Hi Jenny.
I'm in the middle of planning biology for my upcoming 9th grader, and am leaning towards Exploring Life by Campbell. Can you tell me about Castle Heights labs? I have not heard of them.
Thank you!
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I'm looking for a follow-up for our 12yo ds after he completes Winston Grammar Basic and I'm considering Easy Grammar 6. (I want to give him a break between WG Basic and Advanced.)
Is it teacher-intensive? Or once the dc has memorized the prepositions does the teacher-time lessen?
Thoughts appreciated,
Well, I used Easy Grammar Plus with my then 6th grader after she completed five years of ABeka Grammar (and wanted a change of pace :)). I found it very thorough, easy to understand, and self-guided; she worked through much of it on her own.
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I found the Teacher's Edition to be very necessary. The test bank software from PH looked marvelous, but at $200 or so, I couldn't justify the expense. Instead, my son used the chapter reviews as tests, and I graded those from the answers found in the teacher's edition.
Hope this helps!
Blessings,
April
Thank you, April. Yep, I'm thinking the TE would be necessary for me also. Did you purchase the text and TE from Prentice Hall?
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We did Apologia Biology and I made it more friendly by using some of Charlotte Mason's ideas for including nature study and some other meaningful extras.
I put all my ideas together on a page:
Hope you find something that interests you. :)
Thanks so much for the link to your page, Barb! I especially like how you incorporated the Handbook of Nature Study into your program. I have a copy, but have never put it to use. I think I might try to fit it in with whatever biology program I go with next year.
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http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/syllabi/index.html I think I will go weak in the knees from joy having these excellent syllabi to help this mostly secular educator . I hope others find this as exciting as I do ,I am having a moment of pure geek bliss.
Thanks so much for posting this!
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I had several 9th graders in my class. Two of them (including my dd) took the AP exam. While American Government is typically a 12th grade class, the material itself is not difficult. It's a step up for many 9th graders, since it's AP level. IMHO, ds1's APMacroeconomics was more difficult than USGov as it had more economic theory and graphs and whatnot. Not hard, but harder than APUSGov. The only reason you might want to hold off would be to do it during an election year.
HTH,
Lisa
Thank you, Lisa!
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One of my favorite resources, and something that may be helpful to you, is All Through the Ages History through Literature Guide by Christine Miller. In addition to timelines, she has suggested books listed by reading level.
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Puzzles and Games:
The Continent Puzzles from A Broader View
Human Anatomy floor puzzle from Melissa and Doug
Wordigo
The Amazing Labyrinth
10 Days in Europe
American Trivia Board Game (we have the junior edition)
SomeBody
Brain Quest (the board game and the cards)
Software
Critical Thinking's Word Roots
Critical Thinking's Academic Challenge Cup
Critical Thinking's Revenge of the Logic Spiders
Other fun stuff
Fischertechnik engineering kits (these are pricey, but wonderful!)
Thames and Kosmos' science kits---we've had and used one for chemistry, and one called Perfume Science
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I taught APUSGov at a co-op last year to 10 students. This class is very manageable on your own. I'm a former practicing attorney, but the material is predominantly about the structure and function of the three branches of government along with politics -- demographics, voting history/patterns, political parties, role of the media, etc. College Confidential often lists it as one of the easier APs to self study.
I felt the Wilson book together with the Wood review book thoroughly covered the necessary AP material. I don't know my students' scores yet so we'll see how much information made it from the text/me to their brains and #2 pencils. :tongue_smilie:
The question of text choice came up often on the list-serve. From your list, I recognize the Lineberry text as one that many teachers reported using. But I don't know anything about the book.
Great information, Lisa. US Government is the first AP I plan to do with my dd.
In your opinion, can a ninth grader who is a strong reader with an interest in politics/government take the class and test with success? Or is it better put off until later grades?
Thank you!
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My brother's a science teacher and this is what they use for 9th grade biology. He highly recommends it. My dd (rising 6th grader) looked at it and likes it so much she's appalled that we're not using it for next year (using CPO Life Science, saving the Campbell's for 9th). I told her I'd "let her" read the corresponding chapters in the Campbell's if she wanted to. ;)
The Way Life Works is also a great supplementary book. Or if you're talented at teaching science, maybe more - my brother said he had a homeschooler who'd used that for science in middle school come in and take AP Biology in 9th grade.
Thank you! I have read such good things about the Campbell book. Do most homeschoolers use it without a teacher edition? While I enjoy science, it is not my strongest subject.
Thanks, also, for the mention of The Way Life Works. I will look into this also.
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The Self-Teaching guide does not include any discussion on the Theory of Evolution or Mendel's genetic work. I will probably not use this book because of this.
I'm waiting for another book to be delivered before deciding what to use. I'm trying find something to use as a spine and will add extra readings and research in areas. The standard hs text is too dense for that.
Thanks so much for this information, Kathy. Would you mind updating when you make your decision?
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Have you looked into WinterPromise?
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We really enjoyed Five in a Row. All of my children loved the books in this program. We also had success with Phonics Museum from Veritas Press. For K math, we liked Horizons.
The biggest kindergarten hit here, however, has always been nature study. Ventures to the backyard to collect leaves and bugs, and trips to the beach to collect seashells and play in the sand were (and still are) favorites in my family.
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I found that adding Getting Started With Latin to our schedule gave both my kids more confidence and made their primary Latin courses (Henle for one, LfC for the other) less intimidating. The lessons are very brief and can be completed in minutes, but have been quite helpful to us.
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Hello,
I am new to posting, but have been gleaning SO much valuable information from these forums for quite some time.
I am exploring the biology choices for my rising ninth grader, and am currently looking at Campbell's Biology: Exploring Life, as well as SWB's recommended Biology: A Self-Teaching Guide by Garber (along with the suggested primary sources).
I would appreciate input from anyone using either of the above texts with a child for whom science is NOT a strong subject.
Also, is it possible to purchase a teacher's edition for Campbell's text? Do I need one?
Thank you!
Read any good mysteries/suspense/thrillers lately?
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
I really enjoyed Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.
It's about a young woman who meets and marries a wealthy widower, moves into his large home on the Cornish coast of England and finds herself constantly walking in the shadows of the deceased wife.
It was written in the 30's. Very suspenseful and a bit eerie.