Thanks everyone! This was very helpful.

I think I have seen italics used more frequently.

YES! I'm thinking that I'm doing something wrong because we can barely get our work done by 3pm! I have 8yo twins, one has aspergers, spd, and hypotonia. The other has a lot of trouble reading.....oh yeah, and a 5 year old that is outright refusing to do anything! Ugh. So I am spending a lot of our time doing just what you said.

Looking for some online Latin practice for a friend. Is there anything out there? We are no longer doing Latin and I'm out of the loop since I'm not on these boards as much as I was 15 years ago!

Yeah, I was kinda wondering if 24 weeks was a good thing..... I thought maybe it could be done September through December (lots of weeks off there) and then March thru May. That way there are many weeks off to do some other things. Or maybe it would be better to 3 weeks then a week off? Maybe that would break it up? She likes videos, loves the steampunk look, has a very hard time reading and writing is a boring drill. I sure wish I could test drive it. I hate purchasing new stuff only to have it "fail". pfttttt.

I'm looking for something different for my 11th grader to do for LA. I realize this is a middle school curriculum, but she has some processing/IQ deficits and needs a simple, interesting choice for this next year. I have drilled grammar into her as much as I think she can handle and we need to put the focus elsewhere. Could someone provide a review for this? Thank you!

I already posted this below. Sorry I can't figure out how to delete it. Thanks!

Does anyone have a link to, picture of, or document of the original schedule with times for each grade level that is in the original book? I can't find mine anywhere and I really need it. Yes, I'm flexible. No, we don't follow it strictly. But, it helps center my planning. Thank you!

I'm a little late to the game, but I was here with the old timers too....probably about 2003. I remember many of your names and even met up with some others that used to be on here. I stopped viewing and posting when the boards switched. I still don't prefer this format!! So I'm not here much, but after so many years homeschooling, going on 17 now, WTM will always be my foundation and anchor. And I also remember Ree before she became famous. And I remember Butch...thought she was fun. And I think I was even first to post after the board flip one time! I miss the close camaraderie of the small group old boards.

Thank you everyone for your input! I so appreciate the time you took to answer. I would really like to try the idea of looking through the Usborne books for pictures of different things each time. I'm going to check into the other things mentioned. Thank you!

Good Job, Mama! I probably wouldn't have lasted very long. But, Good Job!

Hi Friends, I'm looking for recommendations for a history curriculum for my 6 yr old twins, one of whom has HFA. I have been homeschooling for a long time, but the things we used before just may not work well with him. He is highly visual and very concrete. Doesn't understand abstract concepts well at all and has very limited pencil/coloring skills because of his low muscle tone. Is there anything out there that you might recommend? Thanks!

Hi Friends! I am wondering what different history curriculums are out there for little guys. Years ago, when the first book came out and my oldest was my only, I did exactly what WTM said and used the Usborne history book, M W F, wrote and colored a page.....but now I have twins starting in the process and I find that I just don't know what is out there to choose from. There are many things I have heard of over the years, but when it comes to history we have either used the Usborne book process or SOTW. I really love story of the world, but I'm going to use that when they are older. I would like something very visual and rather concrete because on of my twins has Autism. But I'm not too concerned about his understanding things....he has a long time to go. Some of the things I remember are: Mystery of History, Sonlight, Time Travelers....sheesh I can't remember others. Too early in the morning? lol I am going to post on the special needs board, but for general purposes I just need a good list to look at and see what has come out in the last 15 years! Thanks!

You all are being very helpful, thank you. I am going to try and respond in depth this weekend. I just had a long email discussion with her online literature teacher and, after chasing after twin 4 year olds, one of whom has ASD, and an 8 month old, I'm simply BEAT. Everyday, actually! The "self talk" does make sense. she doesn't do that. no dyslexia. I'm not in shock now, this was last summer. She doesn't have a problem staying with something, or staying on task. Not at all. Processing it? Yes. We have been doing meds since august and they aren't helping anything. Boooo. More later. I'm tired and falling asleep. Thank you all, I will respond! Lisa

Hello friends! I'm not sure I'm posting on the right board, as I haven't been here to the site in a few years. I hope you might be able to point me in a good direction. Long story short: After years of struggling with mostly reading comprehension and math, we had my daughter (13 8th grade) do extensive testing with a private, very highly regarded doctor. The result was an average IQ and a few minor things but mostly ADHD. This was a SHOCK to us because she, even being a girl, does not exhibit typical ADHD behavior at all. She is not inattentive to her work, people, situations, etc. She is not a daydreamer. She doesn't sit and stare out the window. She is very social, reads social cues well, has tons of friends. I could go on and on. I told the doctor, "but she doesn't get distracted by anything. I watch her read and focus. She is trying hard to understand her work and not miss anything." He says, "yes, SHE is paying attention but her BRAIN is not attending to the information. She has great coping skills!" Hmmmm.....okay. So, fast forward to now. We agreed to try medications because we have tried everything else. Curriculums, learning styles and methods, different ways of testing/presenting info, blah blah blah. We use every study method we can, but much of it just create more work for her. Notes, highlighting, audio, visual, adding movement, flashcards, games, drills. We spent 3 months with Strattera. No change. We have now spent 2 months with increasing doses of methylphenidates. No change except she's grumpy as hell. But here is what I have figured out about how she is processing information and here is where I need some input as to what this may be: She has a weak working memory. and it seems to be limited to what she READS. She has very weak reading comprehension. *Unless the answer is specifically in the paragraph, she has trouble finding it. *Even if the answer IS specifically there she may read it over and over, even aloud, and never find it. *If the wording is changed, she won't connect the meaning...even though her vocabulary is good and she understand what the words mean. *She has a terrible time finding the deeper meaning. It is agony and torture for her. Only in what she reads. *She cannot "read between the lines". Only with things she reads. *She constantly reads directions wrong and misses key information on what she is supposed to do, how its done, when it's due, etc. That sounds ADHD like. She cannot skim a page to seek out bold or keywords. She says she tries but it never works for her. She has never "eliminated choices" on a multiple choice test. For example: When asked about the colonial settlements, you may quickly rule out Canada and Washington state, leaving you with two choices. She can't do that. Never had even thought of it. She sees it as a whole, get's overwhelmed and can't rummage through her information to make a good choice. She can pretty much forget a whole book. She just read Watership Down. REALLY read it. I witnessed it happen. She remembers almost nothing from the book. She will be failing her essay that is due because you can't write the essay when you don't remember what you read. She can't even fake her way through it. lol :001_rolleyes: These things are only slightly improved listening to an audiobook/mp3. This has been going on for years, but now that she is in higher grades it is REALLY showing its head. Its so bad and we never thought it was going to get this hard for her. She studies and studies and studies.....and fails tests. She reads and reads and reads.....and has no insight into the story and is unable to meaningfully answer questions regarding it. There has GOT TO BE some piece that we are all missing. I am desperate for her. And this medication thing seems to be a joke....my older son was on medication during his school years and it was a miracle for him. I have been homeschooling for 14 years. I like to think I kind of know what I'm doing. This is throwing me way out of my league! Does this sound like any type of LD that I have never heard of? Thank you for any help you give. If nothing else, I have been able to write this down to send to her doctor and maybe get somewhere with him. Lisa

Hello, WTMer's! My dd12 is currently working on Ch 35 & 36 in SOTW which covers the space race with Russia, the Cuban missile crisis, JFK assassination and civil rights. We are spreading these topics out but I need some other ideas, in addition to the activity guide, that are good for a kinetic learner...not a tactile learner...and I'm having trouble finding ideas, not to mention coming up with my own! We can always do the reports, movies, books, activity pages, etc. I need a way to help her "move" the information to her head! Any thoughts? Thanks! Happymainemom

Yes! This is very close to what I was looking for. I'm still hoping to find something printable but if not, this is a great find to show the borders and controlled areas. Thank you! Happymainemom

Thank you! I should narrow my search...I'll try that. :-) Happymainemom

I was wondering if anyone has links to a site or sites that show a printable map of Israels borders from 1947/48 to current times. I know it's a tough request....I was hoping to make one map and then do overlays of how the borders have changed since the UN partitioning in 1947. Maybe it's not even possible because of all the changes and disputes? Thanks Happymainemom

Anyone have an idea? This is technically for the math 7 level. thanks! Lisa

Thank you so much! I have never understood the progression--or maybe just didn't make the effort--and am very glad to have some clarity! Lisa

funny. That's what I've been doing for the past few years!

Wow, you are all awesome! I really think I see a pattern here and need to implement that in my own life. Picking one room a day sounds like a great plan (duh...i knew all this before I had twins two years ago!) and need to go back to it. I used to get up at 5:30 and do a load...bow its hard! But just within the last few weeks my twins began sleeping all night in their own room so I feel I can return to a good schedule. Keep em coming! It inspires and motivates me!

Would anyone be willing to post their own daily schedules? Not necessarily a school schedule, but but what you do in between all the instruction time? I often find myself wandering, wondering what to do in those time and feel I need someone to direct me! And I have 4 kids, 18, 11, and two year old twins! I think my brain is just adjusting to a new phase in life. I don't have a schedule and method for chores, school plans, bills, shopping, etc. for myself, and I think I need one! But i do have a schedule for the kids and school. Thank you, all. Your always here when I need you!

I would love your red marks and critique on my daughter's writing. It is not my strong point in the slightest. She has been working on this for about two weeks, starting with a page of information, talking notes in a keyword outline, writing a rough draft from the outline and finally writing her final copy using IEW techniques -- mainly the "dress-ups." I welcome your red "pen" and specific comments on how I can encourage and direct improvements to pay attention to in the future. Thanks for your help! African and Asiatic elephants dwell in dissimilar places and have diverse characteristics. African elephants, of which there are bush and forests elephants, are bigger, fiercer, and live in the Sahara desert. Its shoulder and the rump are equal. They are dark gray and they have a smooth curve on their back. The bull is 11 feet and the female is 9 feet. Mostly all of their ears go to the size of 4 feet. Both female and male have tusks and weigh about 50 tons. They have knobs of flesh at the tip of their trunks and have wrinkles because of all the skin. Each have 5 toes on the forefoot, which can be utterly strong, and 3 toes behind. Asiatic Elephants are different from their counterparts in a couple ways. While African Elephants are enjoying the blazing desert, Asiatic Elephants live in South East Asia where its moist and humid. There are over 36,000 of them and they live in the lonely forests and jungles. All of the elephants shoulder height is equal to the rump. The bull is 9 feet and weighs 4 small tons but the cow is 8 feet and weighs 3.3 tons. Almost all of them have light gray skin and sometimes light pink spots. Asiatic elephants have smaller ears. Their trunks are smaller and they have only one knob of flesh. Although they are the same species they are different in many ways.