This thread and others about labs in public high schools has made me very thankful for my school. We had excellent microscopes and used them often in advanced biology and some in introductory biology, too. Yes, we saw stuff and it was sharp and clear. We did use an oil immersion lens. Maybe that's why. We did lots of labs with bacteria and various staining techniques in the advanced class. Our chemistry and physics labs were also well stocked. Not quite like my college labs, but still very good. I do plan to buy a microscope for my kids. I'll need one in a year or two for my oldest. They already enjoy our Brock Magiscope. I also plan to stock as many items as I can for chemistry and physics. We have 6 kids so it will all get plenty of use.

DD spelled her way into reading, so she started word building at 3.5yo and formal spelling at 4. We started Latin and copywork in Kindergarten. We studied grammar informally in first grade and more formally starting in second grade. DH and I continued to read aloud books above her reading level. She has read voraciously since 4.5yo. She read a lot of non-fiction in kindergarten, as she could read anything as long as it was a picture book. My assumption was that having so many words on a page was overwhelming for her.

I use it with my middle school dd. It was more than I wanted to do with my younger kids.

Our favorites so far have been the Harcourt texts for grades 4 and 6. Fourth grade ds loves getting texts on various topics from the library to read, especially weather, natural disasters, and physics. Next year oldest dd will be using Apologia Chemistry.

More changes: Language Arts: The Lively Art of Writing with workbook from the Hive, Windows on the World with full year syllabus, Lingua Mater Math: Crocodiles and Coconuts & The Life and Times of Chuckles the Rocket Dog + BA as it comes out Science: Apologia Chemistry History: Connecting with History: Volume 3 Late Medieval through Early Exploration Religion: Chief Truths of the Faith, Church History part 1, Bible study of at least one gospel, Prayer Primer Logic: The Argument Builder Latin: still working on this one Outside classes: With our co-op she'll be taking apologetics, schola cantorum (studying music theory, sight singing, and latin chant), science lab, and gym. At the local yarn shop she'll be taking knitting and other fiber arts classes, usually one of each every semester. She will also be pre-k ds's main teacher, probably using MFW's new pre-k curriculum.

I could do something like that (though I would add a lot of books) with my oldest and she would learn a ton. She is a voracious reader and she will read almost anything that we allow her to. She also has an incredible memory (if she's interested). Could you add a basket of books from the library each week? Not that they are assigned per say, just to choose from as he wishes.

That first chapter in BA 3A is one of the hardest ones in all of the books. Even my very visual spatial son had a hard time with it.

We started BA 3A in August of her 4th grade year. We dropped Singapore and RightStart at that point. She finished BA 3A-3D plus 4A and 4B by June of the same school year. We didn't do a set number of pages a day. Sometimes she would do the whole assignment given in the guide in one day, other times less. She did 3+ workbook pages a day, but if it was a guide day we *usually* just did the guide. She loved the guide so much that she was super motivated to finish the workbook so that we could read the guide again. There were even some days where we would read the guide, she would do all of the problems in the workbook, then we would read the guide again. We were able to complete so many books because she was motivated to do so. BA really is the perfect math curriculum for her. The presentation of material, the types and amount of problems, and of course the fun comic book guide are a winning combination.

Beast Academy ended up being the catch up curriculum for my oldest. She had done a combination of RightStart and Singapore PM during grades 1-3. She finished Singapore 2A and was 3/4 of the way through RS C when she started BA 3A. By the end of 4th grade she had just finished BA 4B. She loved it and was very motivated to finish the workbook pages so that we could read more from the guide. She's in 6th grade now and working on Jousting Armadillos and BA as it comes out. BA is mostly too easy for her now but she loves it so much that we keep buying it anyway. ETA: actually covered all of Singapore 2A

Yes! My kids (and dh) all need to know the whys in math and science. My younger kids are using Singapore PM and my oldest is using Beast Academy and Jousting Armadillos. I also still use manipulatives if needed with the 4th grader on down for new concepts that make more sense when visualized or just make sure to word discussions so that they whys come through with the hows.

It's coming tomorrow! Can't wait!!

Good to know. I was afraid the math was going to be just a little too much for my dd, but that sounds like it will be just perfect.

I feel like I had already heard in a post on these boards that there might be some things we would need to edit (don't think it was specific, though). We are pretty picky about what we let our kids read so I knew I would be reading it to them. We are only on the first chapter. There is a discussion about The Symposium by Plato, which is a dialogue on love and the erotic. I only had to edit out a sentence or two, mostly just a few words. Not a big deal to edit, but I wouldn't put it directly into the hands of my kids. They do really like it!

Our New Plan: LA: AAR 2, lots of readers from the library, AAS 1, HWT 1, and copywork Literature: American Tall Tales, The Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit, Best-Loved Folktales of the World, plus chapter books from various reading lists Math: Singapore PM 1A & 1B, possibly with some RightStart B added in History: Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans and Fifty Famous Stories Retold Geography: might do the family geography suggested by Mater Amabilis Science: James Herriot's Treasury for Children, Among the Farmyard People (and others by Clara Dillingham Pierson), and Seed Babies along with activities from Janice VanCleave's Big Book of Play And Find Out Science Projects Religion: Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism, read through a children's Bible, Once Upon a Time Saints & More Once Upon a Time Saints, Just Like Mary, and The Mass Book for Children

Our read-alouds will mostly be with ELTL and to go along with the first half of world history. I just borrow books from the library for dd to read. I look at online book lists and then just pick them, one at a time.

Our new plan: Math: Singapore PM 3A & 3B LA: AAS 3, ELTL 2, maybe W&R Fable in the second half of the year History: A Child's History of the World, first half, with supplemental literature (TBD) Science: Harcourt Grade 4, half of the book, with supplemental labs (TBD) Religion: Baltimore Catechism No 1, part 1, A Life of Our Lord for Children, Saints for Young Readers for Everyday

The current plan for my upcoming 5th grader (subject to change): Math: Singapore PM 4B/5A LA: AAS 4, ELTL 3, W&R Narrative I & II World History: The World's Story, first half, with supplemental literature (TBD) American History: From Sea to Shining Sea, first half, with supplemental literature (TBD) Science: Harcourt Grade 6, half of the book, with supplemental labs (TBD) Latin: Prima Latina? Religion: Baltimore Catechism No 1 (last 1/3), Bible History (part 1), 57 Stories of Saints (part 1), St. Patrick's Summer

Study materials for the You Be the Chemist Challenge: http://www.chemed.org/programs/challenge/study-materials/ The Disappearing Spoon, though I'm reading it out loud to edit out some things The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry

What are you favorite textbooks or other books about chemistry applications for the upper middle school or high school level? Thanks!

What are you favorite textbooks or other books about chemistry applications for the upper middle school or high school level? Thanks!

My oldest used ELTL 4 independently when she was in 5th grade. Right now I'm using levels 1 and 2 with my 2nd and 4th graders. We read a chapter of a good book, read a few things from the lesson book, then do copywork and in level 2 a little exercise (underline nouns, etc.). The lessons are only 3 days a week.

This is exactly what we did. DD got through all of BA 3 plus 4A & 4B during her fourth grade year.

Looks good. I'll have a 1st grader next year, too. I was going to use CWH 2 years ago with my then 1st and 3rd graders (and also my 5th grader). My oldest is still using it and it works well for her, but it was just too much for the younger kids. So, this is the current plan for their younger brother: LA: AAR 2, lots of readers from the library, AAS 1, HWT 1, and copywork Literature: American Tall Tales, The Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit, Best-Loved Folktales of the World, plus chapter books from various reading lists Math: Singapore PM 1A & 1B, possibly with some RightStart B added in History: Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans and Fifty Famous Stories Retold Geography: might do the family geography suggested by Mater Amabilis Science: James Herriot's Treasury for Children, Among the Farmyard People (and others by Clara Dillingham Pierson), and Seed Babies along with activities from Janice VanCleave's Big Book of Play And Find Out Science Projects Religion: Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism, read through a children's Bible, Once Upon a Time Saints & More Once Upon a Time Saints, Just Like Mary, and The Mass Book for Children

So funny to see this. We started this week, too!

Some things have changed. Still working on a few areas. Language Arts: Elegant Essay, maybe something else for writing once we finish this??, Windows on the World, Grammar?? Math: Crocodiles and Coconuts & The Life and Times of Chuckles the Rocket Dog + BA as it comes it (I think, these are getting to be too easy for dd but she loves them) Science: Now dd wants chemistry. Still deciding what we will use. History: Connecting with History: Volume 3 Late Medieval through Early Exploration Religion: Chief Truths of the Faith, Church History part 1, plus a few other things Logic: The Argument Builder Latin: ?? Outside classes: With our co-op she'll be taking apologetics, schola cantorum (studying music theory, sight singing, and latin chant), science lab, and gym. At the local yarn shop she'll be taking knitting and other fiber arts classes, usually one of each every semester. She will also be pre-k ds's main teacher, probably using MFW's new pre-k curriculum.