I used to use Swagbucks to get Amazon gift cards. Now I have a new computer and am wondering if this is the best option. Should I do swagbucks again? Bing has a similar program, right? Anything else you recommend? I really only use the toolbar option and would like something as transferrable to real money as Amazon cards (which are like $ for me).

I've used Homeschool Curriculum Swap a few times, based on a friend's recommendation. So far, my experiences there have been very positive.

I've been so impressed with the science plans you have on your blog! I didn't realize your were on the WTM forums, but I'm glad to "run into" you here. What a small world it is. :)

Combining a wide age range may be the biggest challenge--engaging the older children without losing the younger ones. National Center for Biblical Parenting has a Treasure Hunters book that has activities for kids while parents are in another group. It is designed for a variety of ages and has fun activities. Very well done. We did this as a family, but it's designed for a group of children. Group has a book series called All-In-One Sunday School that I've used successfully in a similar situation.

Zumdahl seems to be the go-to text for chemistry these days. I've been impressed with the plans at Quarks and Quirks.

Perhaps sitting down with some options and allowing him to have input on what he would like to do? Perhaps choosing one short item per day that is "Mom's choice"? When there is resistance to something, I've found that doing it during or immediately after breakfast seems to cut down on that resistance. They don't have to interrupt something else they are invested in to do something that I require. But, honestly, I think it's trial-and-error and a constant quest for balance in these things. Every child and every family is so unique that what works for one doesn't work for another.

Truthquest is centered around living books and has Christian worldview in the commentary. It's a very flexible program so there is not a day-to-day schedule.

Honestly, I would wait and talk to the teacher to find out what is expected. Both my kids went to kindergarten in public school, and the class did very basic math at the beginning of the year--counting, 1 to 1 correspondence, shapes, etc. Even if expectations are higher in your dc's school, it's surprising how well kids can pick up information, catch up if behind, or fill in gaps without any additional help.

What I'm looking at is a download product (some of the Truthquest history supplements). It doesn't seem to go on sale when a lot of their other items do.

Does Currclick ever have an across-the-board sale? I'm not in a rush, but I've been eyeing their Truthquest supplemental materials for a while. I don't think the ones I want are ever included in their sale items. I'm debating either purchasing now or waiting to see if they happen to have a % off sale on everything.

Worldview for elementary students would make a wonderful co-op. Here are some things that might help if you are still interested in forming a class around this: The Young Historian's Introduction to Worldview that you mentioned is doable and very co-op-friendly. Karyn Henley has some worldview resources for elementary that may be helpful as well. You can see those resources at the bottom of this page: http://www.karynhenley.com/site/Product-family-pages/Apologetics.html Kids of Courage has *wonderful* free downloadable units. Most focus on specific geographic regions, but they often incorporate charts or comparisons of the predominant religion in that area with Christianity. You could just print off the pages that would be relevant. http://www.kidsofcourage.com/?page_id=166 The book Operation World has similar information in it--http://www.amazon.com/Operation-World-Definitive-Prayer-Nation/dp/0830857249#

The timeline cards may be helpful. My son enjoys reading them, and we keep them in order with binder rings. Another resource he enjoys is a chronological history encyclopedia which seems to help with understanding the place that various events/people have in history.

There's nothing wrong with trying some instruction and seeing what happens. My 2 y.o. *begged* me to teach him to read, and I thought he was too young. He ended up teaching himself, and I regret not working with him. Different kids are different, and it's hard to predict how it will go. If he's not ready for phonics or math, it will be painfully obvious very quickly. You will both be very frustrated. In that case, simply set it aside and try other things. No harm done.

My guess is that your son will start strong, continue to advance in science recreationally, and then become interested in a science plan that includes more complex and advanced materials. If you're both on board for the current plan, then go for it. Just don't be surprised if he finds that the information is not challenging enough after a couple of years. Kiddos who love science often do enough self-instruction to skip years of science curriculum without having "gaps". ;) My son's science skills are quite advanced while his writing is probably below average. I totally emphathize with how difficult it is to manage that kind of asynchrony. It can be very hard to do long-term planning in this situation because the learning curve is so unpredictable. Plans are good, as long as they are flexible.

For chemistry, we *love* Ellen McHenry's programs.

We used a combination of Youtube videos about Cornell notes and Scholastic's Note Taking Made Easy. The Scholastic resource has some fun, interactive activities in it.

We used a Charlotte Mason memory box (divided into daily, even/odd, day of the week, day of the month, etc) with flashcards. I spent 1 minute per day on it and saw big results. Before they know many, maybe spend 30 seconds and put the incorrect ones in the "daily" file. The next day, start with Daily" and then go through the stack of new cards until the 1 minute is up. You could increase to 2 minutes if more thinking time is needed. We did this over breakfast so it would never be forgotten (since breakfast never is!), and the improvement was dramatic. The memory box helps ensure you are spending time where it's really needed. After all facts are re-learned, you can review them monthly on the 1st of each month and then re-distribute cards in the file as needed. HTH! It made a huge difference for us and took very little effort.

To understand The Elements, a child needs to understand that the world is made up of tiny building blocks that can't be seen by the naked eye. They also need to be developmentally ready to handle black-and-white pages.

I tied clipboards around the headrest of the front seats to dangle in the back. Always within reach but not in the way.

My son was quite advanced in K at public school. There are so many hands-on activities, songs, stories, games, etc that he had fun. He didn't learn anything academically, but I still feel like it was a valuable experience for him. He didn't have time to get bored because they don't have down time at that age. (His K was half day so maybe that helped too.) If you are really concerned about curriculum matching her academically, you can request a grade skip (whole grade acceleration). My oldest went through one at public school. There is an assessment process. Even after it was approved by the committee, we weren't obligated to go through with the skip (though we did). But at that meeting, the principal, teacher, gifted coordinator, and school psychologist were all present. They told us to let them know if something wasn't working well and accommodations would be made. At this school, there is no screening for giftedness or gifted programming until 3rd grade, and my ds was in K. He was suddenly on their radar screen and wouldn't have been without going through the whole grade acceleration procedures.

Is anyone else have trouble with Shutterfly? I'm trying to upload photos from my computer to an online album there. I've never had trouble before, but I've been trying daily for 3 weeks now with no success. I have tried using Firefox and Chrome (both updated to latest versions). I restarted my computer. Any other suggestions before I contact their Help? Is it just me?

Ellen McHenry's programs are just fantastic. She doesn't simplify science but delves deeply into topics. She has such a beautiful way of making complex concept easy to understand. Combined with the songs, games, and hands-on activities, it's such a kid-friendly curriculum. We have thoroughly enjoyed all of her science programs.

I don't know these compare with Prentice Hall, but there is a set of living books called Stop Faking It . . . Finally Understanding Science so You Can Teach It that works well for many kids in the logic stage. They have a book on light and a book on sound (among other topics).

We are using Hakim's Story of Science series and Science: The Definitive Guide (which is chronological) as we go through world history.

If your dc used this book, how helpful (or not helpful) was the included CD-ROM? I found a used copy for 75 cents but can't find a copy with the CD for less than $25. Thanks!