Pamela in VA
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Posts posted by Pamela in VA
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I am also deciding between Junior or Senior High AP. My dc will be 8th and 9th next year and we've never done any formal art. We will probably start with the JH level since we'll have time to finish all four books.
You are correct in that the same concepts are addressed in both levels and that there is a bit more depth in the HS book. The HS book will address the student in a more mature manner also.
The rep also said that you only need one manual since there is nothing to be written in the books. You just need to have your dc do their lessons on different days or at different times on the same day. He also said that while it is not imperative that the books be done in order (drawing in b/w, then color), there are some color concepts that are better understood and applied if the b/w book has been completed.
HTH,
PameLA in VA
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We have been able to listen to the audio of these books for free from NetLibrary through our library system. If this is available to you, it might be worth a check to see if your library has chosen the series as part of their subscription. NetLibrary is a wonderful resource for educational audio!
Good Luck,
PameLA in VA
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Hmmm...we used Lively Latin (Book 1) in 6th grade and it was a good, but very gentle introduction to the language. I cannot confirm the credit assessment for BB2, but I would hesitate to give 1/2 credit at the high school level for BB1.
JMO,
PameLA in VA
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The third volume (releasing soon, but available as PDFs if you've pre-ordered) covers 1800-present (SOTW 3 and 4). You can buy tests if you'd like. There are plenty of written assignments (e.g., essays, timeline, maps, other) plus projects. It's divided into just 9 units (monthly) and has suggested reading in addition to the text and CD material that is included. You could easily add in SOTW 3 and 4 material. There is also art, music, and architecture.
You can see samples at her website or AIG, but they will be from the first two volumes.
HTH,
PameLA in VA
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This series will more than challenge you as an adult learner with no previous Latin experience. I would go read the comparison to Wheelocks that elegantlion posted. I used Wheelock's in college and LA is a similar format. The rationale for the progression of translation difficulty from LA1 to LA3(not released yet) really makes sense, especially given some of the more difficult grammatical construction of original Latin passages.
I would definitely recommend getting the DVDs that go with LA. The instructor teaches how to approach translation in a clear succinct manner and includes good tips.
Since your dc are already using the LFC series, it would be logical for them to move into LA, so it is a good investment for the future. Also, the structure of the lessons is going to be similar between LFC and LA and that can only be helpful for you.
Good Luck deciding,
PameLA in VA
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(also posted on Logic board)
I would love to hear your thoughts. I read ElegantLion's review of Art of Poetry and am interested again. I had looked at it at conference this weekend, but passed. I actually came here to ask if I needed two student books for the MCTLA poetry and saw this thread. Now I'm reconsidering which program to choose.
As for MCTLA, dc will be 8th and 9th and we've done NO poetry. It's my very least favorite thing to do and I don't understand it well much past a simple limerick. I was thinking we'd actually go back to the "Building" book, but would it be too easy? Should I start with the "World of Poetry" book instead?
TIA! ...and hoping to get some quick answers since I have an open shopping cart at MCTLA.
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I would love to hear your thoughts. I read ElegantLion's review of Art of Poetry and am interested again. I had looked at it at conference this weekend, but passed. I actually came here to ask if I needed two student books for the MCTLA poetry and saw this thread. Now I'm reconsidering which program to choose.
As for MCTLA, dc will be 8th and 9th and we've done NO poetry. It's my very least favorite thing to do and I don't understand it well much past a simple limerick. I was thinking we'd actually go back to the "Building" book, but would it be too easy? Should I start with the "World of Poetry" book instead?
TIA! ...and hoping to get some quick answers since I have an open shopping cart at MCTLA.
PameLA in VA
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...but here are a few thoughts based on what we've done and what OP said.
As much as I desired to cover history in three 4-year chronological cycles, it just didn't happen. Dc will be 8th and 9th next year and they have a pretty good grasp of the full scope of history and can make many connections, but certainly not at the depth described by E.M....YET.
Take a look at our disjointed history record (no gasping allowed). The grade is based on ds (oldest). It's fair to say that from 2nd-8th (current) we have really only done 1/2 year of history each year:
1 - SOTW Ancients
2 - SOTW Medieval (moved from LA to VA so spring history suspended)
3 - SOTW Medieval: in-depth projects on Renaissance/Reformation and Explorers (we started lapbooking/notebooking and did WAY too many projects)
4 - SOTW Medieval (finished in fall) and SOTW Early Modern: in-depth notebooking on 13 colonies
5 - SOTW Early Modern: finished in-depth notebooking 13 colonies, then began Amer. Rev.
* we skipped most chapters on other parts of the world
6 - SOTW Early Modern: finish Amer Revolution projects plus non-American chapters in first 1/3 of book
7 - TOG Ancients until November...we were in a co-op (tree fell through house...no more history or much else for that matter)
8 - SOTW Early Modern: we are currently finishing this book
GASP!!! I have never really written this down and it must look appalling to many of you (and me too...on the surface). We have NEVER formally studied 1800 to present day. Do my dc know what has happened? ABSOLUTELY! We watch LOTS of documentaries and read lots of books. Dh loves to discuss military strategy and political intrigue with them and how it relates throughout all of history. They love talking to him about it.
Here's what I have had to "resolve" within myself...the NEED for a tangible work product. Dc have BEAUTIFUL notebooks from the in-depth studies described above and they will be treasured for years, but obviously nothing from 1800 on. I also have to resolve that we haven't studied a big chunk of history formally. But I know they know as much or more than their counterparts in the system. I am confident that in the next four years (which will be full years of history, not 1/2 years) we will cover the whole cycle and they will be able to make plenty of connections. They have always narrated well and had a good understanding of concepts and relationships. It's just not down on paper. You know, it just doesn't matter. We didn't even start formally writing until a couple years ago, but did lots of narration, copywork, and dictation in the early years. They can now write well across the subjects with just a couple years of IEW.
Next year we will be doing 1850-present day for two reasons. First, they ASKED for it. More importantly, we have not studied it formally. It seems, for the OP, that these are the same two reasons why studying Medival next year might be the choice to make. JMHO.
Do I want them to have a grasp of the scope of history and all the connections to be made? Certainly. Do I care when it all falls in place? To a certain extent, yes; but I am willing to make concessions when I keep in mind that what is most important is where they are at the end of the journey. Life has happened in this family (you only see the digested version) and this is what it looks like. It wasn't what I intended 8 years ago, but I can be ok with it. In the end, the puzzle looks the same, even if I didn't do the edges first, then added the middle (hope that analogy makes sense).
Hope this helps shed another perspective for you to consider. Have a blessed day,
PameLA in VA
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It doesn't tie in literature as a subject you can give a credit for, but does incorporate art and music. It would be pretty easy to expand both and study an artist or composer concurrently. My dd hates history so I'm having her read historical fiction to go along with the units, and then am adding in a separate, unrelated literature course.
Just curious...what are you going to require of your dd to count as the history credit?
PameLA in VA
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This is the story of a young Jewish girl taken captive by Romans. It is a trilogy and wonderfully written. Your dd will not be able to put it down. It does present a very straightforward view of Roman society and the debauchery of the people, but there is great learning to be had along with the story. I didn't want it to end and can't wait to read it again when we get back to ancients. You might want to pre-read to see if she's mature enough for it.
HTH and blessings,
PameLA in VA
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...and I have two years of college Latin background. Here are my thoughts.
We started with Minimus when dc were 2nd/3rd, then added in Lively Latin Book 1 the next year. I wanted to keep it fun and both of those were gentle. They were definitely different approaches, with LL being a bit more systematic. That said, I agree with the other person who mentioned that chants are learned ahead of the actual application of them to translation. It didn't bother me too much and I do have to say that dc still know those chants cold.
We spread LL1 out over the next 2-3 years or so and then folded in Secundus. I kept waiting for LL Bk 2 to be released, but I was never able to see samples online, so I didn't order. There was a TOC, but in comparing it to LFC, I felt like LFC would have a bit more that I wanted since dc were now older. We skipped a year of Latin last year (long story), so I bought LFC-A for this year (7th/8th). We only did about 8 lessons and it was really too easy for them. However, it is presented in a logical, straightforward manner and IMO is the best of similar level programs. That said, I had avoided it for 2 years because I knew my ds would glaze over with it if I used it when he was younger. LL and Secundus were just the trick for him and he then made the transition to it later very well.
We started Latin Alive 1 halfway through this year and it's going very well. I think the DVD presentations cover the material thoroughly and the author has very good explanations and emphasizes being systematic in the approach to translation. There is solid vocabulary/root work and I really like the philosophy behind the progression of translation difficulty in the levels. There is a good comparison of LA to Wheelocks on the CAP website. I used Wheelocks in college and was planning to with dc until I found this program. There is some very good reasoning as to why LL is better for middle/hs students v. college students for whom Wheelocks was originally written.
Just so you know...the Latin goal I have for my dc is to have a firm basis in roots and vocabulary, and to gain a better understanding of english grammatical construction because it is so connected to the Latin. We'll have "fun" learning to translate increasingly difficult passages, but I'm not going to push it. I plan to have them complete all three LA volumes, but if it takes more than a year per book, I'm ok with that. If one of them wants to take the NLE, great, but it's not a goal at this point. I'm going for mastery and solidification of the vocabulary primarily. BTW, the CAP website has a study and games area called HeadVentureLand that is great for practicing vocabulary. We still use the LFC levels to review.
As to the mistakes in LL and LA...I really just see them as proofing errors. In programs that are newer, I think some of it's to be expected. I will say that I have a bit of an advantage because the Latin is familiar to me.
I'm not sure I totally answered your question, but I've tried to tell you what I know of the programs you asked about.
Blessings,
PameLA in VA
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This program has everything you mentioned wanting and there are wonderful CDs that integrate with the topics. There are only 9 units in the year and each week focuses on different aspects of learning for that topic. There are a number of samples you can see online at her site (it is also sold by AIG).
http://www.dianawaring.com/index.html
PameLA in VA
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Jenn,
The LA program does start back at the beginning, but goes through everything at a much faster pace. It's nice for review, and even in the early chapters there are longer passages to translate that are good practice for transitioning to the harder work.
Good Luck!
PameLA in VA
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We are in the first book of Latin Alive and I agree with the other poster who is using books I-III for the first three Latin credits. We will be doing the same. Love the program!
PameLA in VA
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Lori, you're probably right about GMV not being suitable for pre-teens (forgot her dd age). I've seen most of the films you listed and they are all great ways to connect with the times. I'm putting them in our list for next year.
PameLA in VA
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Didn't see this one mentioned. You'd have to decide if dd is mature enough for some of the material.
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My son (12) likes that the application problems are real life- not made up silly things. The explanations are extremely clear.
I got Lial's Basic College Math and Algebra I last year for 99 cents each off Amazon.
I agree with what everyone has said. We recently re-started Algebra with Lial's and are loving it. I really like the real-life applications also. Today we did the one about decimalization of stock prices and I was amazed to understand it because I never did before. Ds even got it!
PameLA in VA
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Why don't you give Right Start Geometry/Intermediate Math a look? It's meant to practice all the basic math skills, but does it as applied to geometry. It is not a proof-based course, but will lay some nice groundwork for hs geometry. It comes with a set of drawing tools and some of the exercises look very interesting. Both dd and ds have been using it as a supplement to pre-algebra and algebra, so we're taking it a bit slower than one year.
HTH,
PameLA in VA
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I know you said you've ruled out Latin Alive and I agree with the person who said it might be difficult for a first exposure, especially since you have no Latin experience. However, I would encourage you to take a look at Latin for Children. It is the elementary series by the same publisher (Classical Academic Press). We used part of LFC-A before moving on to Latin Alive 1...we had finished Minimus/Secundus and BB Lively Latin I and it was too easy. That said, I do not think it is too easy or too childish for your boys' ages. It will be easy for you to learn along with them.
The DVDs are well-done and the information is presented very logically. There are also a number of good supplements you can get, including an activity book (games and puzzles) and latin readers with simple stories to translate. The Clash Cards game plays like war and there are a number of variations. My two dc love practicing vocabulary with them.
There is also a website area called Headventureland where students can practice chapter-specific vocabulary and complete charts for verb conjugations and noun declensions. I think there are even little "books" to translate.
Hope this helps!
PameLA in VA
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I could use some practical help here on how to do it/how you do it.
If it helps to compare, we'll be using:
-a mix of Windows to the World (IEW) & TOG for Literature & Analysis (I'll be making selections from 2 units of TOG - not the full program)
-The last 1/2 of SICC-B & The elegant Essay for composition
Zee - I am planning to use these same things you mention and have been wondernig the same about how to schedule it all and not overdo it. Which TOG year will you be using?
Also, I agree with you that the instruction in TOG Writing Aids is not as straightforward as IEW and so I know we'll apply IEW techniques to the TOG writing projects that we choose. I am also going to tweak the lessons from SICC-B so that the source material is related to our history or science for that week. Ditto for the EE lessons.
My biggest dilemma is which year TOG to use. It's really an issue for another thread (I'll post sometime...), but it will either be Ancients or Modern.
I'll be interested to hear what others say. Blessings,
PameLA in VA
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Thanks for all the suggestions! Now to decide which approach will work best for ds.
PameLA in VA
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OK...I just looked again at Hotmath and there's not anything for free. I do see a $29 annual subscription fee and found Ed Burger (Thinkwell) teaching the College Algebra. I suppose those would work just as well.
If I had one of the textbooks listed, would there be a code to enter for access to those lessons? I also seem to remember someone saying that the Thinkwell videos were linked to a Holt textbook that Ed Burger authored.
I'd really love for someone to set me straight on all this. :confused:
Thanks for reading my endless list of questions in the last two posts :001_smile:
Blessings,
PameLA in VA
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I seem to remember an older thread mentioning that the Thinkwell videos were available for free on Hotmath.com. I've looked there and see some, but they do not seem to be organized in an easily accessible way. Please let me know if this is the best way to go, or whether I should just bit the bullet and invest in the online course with the CD supplement.
I'm also hoping to coordinate them with Lial's Algebra and wondered if anyone has a schedule for that. This was also mentioned by someone recently.
Thanks in advance for the help and advice!
PameLA in VA
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Thanks Kristine! Your approach sounds very much like what I "see" for ds. He just works much better with me nearby. I've looked at the Interact site and think it could be helpful. Does it have any video instruction, or is it just problems with explanations?
Also, someone mentioned coordinating Thinkwell videos with Lial Algebra I and I'd love to know more about that. Ds really liked the sample videos we watched. Ed Burger's sense of humor really struck a cord with him. I tried looking for the free ones on hotmath that someone recommended, but I couldn't find an organized list.
Thanks!
PameLA in VA
BJU Physical Science 9 for Jr High
in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges
Posted · Edited by PameLA in VA
Note: Biology major/Forensic Science masters/research lab and forensic lab DNA Analyst/former HS science teacher speaking here...
I must say, this is one of several very frustrating things about Apologia for me. While I do think the Apologia courses are solid, their sequence of disciplines is not as traditional as most science courses. Also, the narrative presentation is not nearly as easy to outline as other texts.
Typically, Earth Science incorporates geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. BJU and other traditional texts do this. However, Apologia divides these between its General Science and Physical Science books. It also incorporates Life Science course material into GS, but you don't get nearly as much. Unfortunately, I did not investigate this closely before we started with GS last year and now I am sorry (I taught the GS labs in a small home-based co-op of friends). I would have started with BJU Life Science and continued on their track.
Here in VA, Earth Science is the 9th grade course and we are scheduled to do Apologia Physical next year with our co-op, which I committed to teach. Well, half of what is considered ES was in the Apologia GS book and the other half is in their PS book. Argggghhh!
My dilemma is that dd really wants to do the BJU ES book and I LOVE it, especially all the charts and diagrams to learn to interpret. Apologia does very little of that application. Dd wants to pursue geology and paleontology, so I feel like she needs the depth of info that BJU will give her. She's also looked at the BJU PS book and wants to do part of it also. She has time, since she'll only be 8th next year, but ds will be 9th.
The other part of the dilemma is that I'd like dd to take bio in 9th, but I don't see how she can do both BJU ES and PS in a year. What I might do is ES this year and bio next at the regular pace and have her work on PS at a half-pace over two years. Ds, being in 9th this year, is just going to do BJU ES.
OK, the bottom line to my ramble and vent here is that the sequencing of Apologia is not only wacky to me, there are disciplines in the PS book that don't belong there (e.g., astronomy, meteorology).