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Everything posted by Melissa B
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Just a hunch, but many of the people using this curriculum are likely to be off the boards on Sunday and/or over Lent. :)
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S/O Family doctor/dentist visits
Melissa B replied to joannqn's topic in General Education Discussion Board
Our dentist office allows the whole family to be seen at the same time. For us that is four appointments. It is a pediatric office only. They also allow parents in the rooms with the children. I think they are a little bit nosy, perhaps because we homeschool, but by far the best dentist office I have even seen. Our doctor's office only allows two appointments at a time. But, I've never been in a position to need more than two children seen at any one time - so it's never really bothered me. ETA: Our eye doctor will see all six of us at the same time for yearly check-ups. -
Elementary Literature Program; Does one exist?
Melissa B replied to cin's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
There is the Suppose the Wolf Were an Octopus series. http://www.rfwp.com/series24.htm#441 -
You can contact Tanya at Memoria Press to purchase them. If you have any specific questions - I have Adam of the Road, King Arthur, Robin Hood, Hobbit, Iliad and Odyssey BUT I haven't used them yet. :)
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when do you become the next grade?
Melissa B replied to Jodi-FL's topic in High School and Self-Education Board
According to our local library and YMCA you enter the following grade upon graduation of the previous grade. So over the summer you are in the grade you will be entering in the fall. I assume our school system agrees as they do offer summer reading programs through the library. -
Fourth grade is the last of the "elementary levels." It is very parent involved. It is outdoors focused with the student studying the local geography, building his own outdoor environment, studying the local plants and animals for science, and integrating science and art. There are drawing lessons throughout. It is a great year, but very hands-on and parent led. Fifth grade is the first grade that separates history and science into different books/classes. It is the first year where the text is written to the student and the student is expected to read, write, study on his own at least part of the time. The writing assignments are more specifically related to the material and art has become more project based. This is the first year with a list of assignments for each lesson where the student is expected to choose which to do (within limits.) There is quite a bit of flexibility to the levels, but the assignments in OM 5 do expect a child to be able to write a paper, maybe one page in length. The written work increases a great deal at the OM 5 level. (But, if you are doing it on your own you can obviously re-work the assignments to the level of the student.)
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What is the most rigorous literature/history ...
Melissa B replied to Luanne's topic in High School and Self-Education Board
I think using AP classes would be one way to go. You can use the recommended syllabus, texts, etc without actually taking an outside AP class. http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/subjects.html -
Resource for outlining American history? (logic stage)
Melissa B replied to creekmom's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
I tried having my daughter outline Hakim when she was in 5th - it did NOT go well. :D The Pearson history books that supplement Core Knowledge work great for outlining. But, I found mine used (very cheap.) While I really like the books, I do not think they are worth the new price. -
Language Arts Plan Middle School though High School
Melissa B replied to mom31257's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
6th - 8th M.C. Thompson's Magic Lens / 4Practice (grammar) I, II and III Galore Park's So You Really Want to Learn English series I, II and III Campbell's Excellence in Literature I and II online writing, vocabulary and Latin 9th - 12th no grammar / vocabulary finish Campbell's Excellence in Literature series III, IV and V online writing and Latin CC classes (Comp I and II, Speech, Lit) -
Are you a gifted parent?
Melissa B replied to melmichigan's topic in General Education Discussion Board
I did not vote although I was in the gifted pull-out program throughout school. I come from a family with a gifted/highly gifted father, mother, 2 brothers and sister. I was pushed through even though I didn't test quite high enough - how embarassing is that!?? :lol: The only family member that did not test well enough. The school thought with my family background I was close enough! I'm not sure what that says about the program, but there it is. My husband tested gifted though. -
Feedback- What are you using for 5th grade curriculum?
Melissa B replied to Maddysmom26's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
My fifth grader this fall: Math: Singapore Primary Mathematics Science: Singapore My Pals are Here Science or working with older sister History: Memoria Press Famous Men of Middle Ages or working with older sister English: Michael C. Thompson grammar and Galore Park - So You Really Want to Learn English French: Memoria Press - First Start French (second half) Literature: Memoria Press - Adam of the Road, King Arthur, Robin Hood and Hobbit or working with older sister Latin - online Geography - online Religion - online Guitar lessons -
My favorite Teaching Company course is ....
Melissa B replied to MIch elle's topic in High School and Self-Education Board
Jackie, I'd love to hear what you think of the Greece/Rome courses you use. I'm thinking about doing the same for an ancients studies next year - we will begin with Greece in September. The only ones I have right now are Famous Greeks, The Iliad of Homer and The Odyssey of Homer. I'm on the fence with a few others. It would be great to hear how these or any of the others went over for you. Especially since we are both enjoying Bob Brier's course. :) -
My favorite Teaching Company course is ....
Melissa B replied to MIch elle's topic in High School and Self-Education Board
I decided last month that we were all getting burnt out on history so I packed it all up and decided all 4 kids and I would spend the spring on a study of ancient Egypt. I purchased Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt during that sale and put together a history plan around it. The kids are loving it! They older two say it is the best history program they have ever done and even my ds5 watches the lectures and colors pictures from a Dover ancient Egypt coloring book. They really like the TC lectures and so do I. It has caused me to re-think our future history plans. Mich elle, if you bought several sets and plan to resell them through the spring, I am on the lookout for some additional programs. But, I think Quantum Mechanics might be a bit much for us. :D -
Well, here's my plan 7th - Magic Lens I / finish Essay Voyage 8th - Magic Lens II / Academic Writing I 9th - Magic Lens III / Academic Writing I and II 10th - 12th - complete Academic Writing II and III I don't plan to teach any grammar after 9th grade. Our English at that point is all writing and literature.
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Kitchen table schooling. What does your kitchen look like?
Melissa B replied to MrsMe's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
We school in the dining room which is only separated from the kitchen by a partial wall. It is a good size so I have three small bookcases and a file cabinet in there so the books don't have to be moved far. On top of the file cabinet and one of the bookshelves I have caddies to hold pens/pencils, etc. One of the three bookcases holds different types of paper, a container of crayons, science equipment, etc. The other two bookcases hold the school books. All papers get filed in the filing cabinet (different folders depending on whether they are completed or on-going) before lunch and again before dinner. -
bump :)
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I just purchased the Singapore Science 5/6 books for dd10 to use next fall. For those that have used them, did you find this to be enough science for two years? Were you able to transition into middle school material easily? (I do not want to use the Singapore 7th/8th grade books.) Did you feel a need to supplement and if so with what? I'm really hoping to hear that many people have used this curriculum with success and without supplements. I do have the text books, activity books, homework book and critical thinking book - HOTS. Thanks!
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The Literature class and the Socratic Discussions class are two separate things at Great Books Academy. The 4th grade books listed above are part of the literature program. Here is the site for the Touchstones/Touchpebbles books used in Socratic Discussion. http://www.touchstones.org/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1
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Could I get info on MCT's online writing courses??
Melissa B replied to Karie's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
Mr. Thompson teaches for the Northwestern University Center for Talent Development. I believe the Enrichment classes are the only ones available for elementary aged students. Here are the spring classes. It may too be late to enroll in these now. I don't know whether the summer classes are available yet - or even whether or not he teaches in the summer. But he generally has several classes in both the spring and fall terms. http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/gll/courses/enrichment/courses/#English -
home school "reference library"?
Melissa B replied to Lucy the Valiant's topic in K-8 Curriculum Board
We have three sets of bookshelves. The first set of shelves are for the books that can be found in the bed, under the bed, in the car, outside, etc. I really don't worry about what happens to them at all. The second set are the kids reference/school books. These can be used at any time, but need to be kept "good" and put back. The third set of shelves are the reserved books. These require permission to use. They are either expensive, OOP, needed by more than one child or contain adult content. -
There is Math & the Cosmos, but I've never used it. http://www.wildridge.com/mc_overview.html
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You can contact Memoria Press directly - I believe Tanya is in charge. They are in the process of making everything available through the website, but she can inform you on what is available from the school, but not yet on the website. I have not heard of them being available online - except maybe if you enroll in the online classes. But I am not certain on that. Mine are all comb-bound books, although I think they are planning to have them all printed similar to their Famous Men study guides (at some point down the road.)
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Need wisdom on Science Sequence & Outsourcing
Melissa B replied to Handmaiden's topic in High School and Self-Education Board
For Sea has six sets of lesson plans for high school. Each program has between ten and thirty units. The Oceans:Historical Perspectives Ocean Currents and the Open Ocean Tides and the Rocky Shore Ocean Waves and Life in the Surf Zone The Deep Sea Our Home: The Estuaries http://www.forsea.org/fsguide.html