We are close to this schedule. We start on the 4th but will do 8 weeks on, 1 week off, 7 weeks on (plus part of Thanksgiving week), then 3 weeks before the holidays when we take one week off. I didn't want to start this early (love the summer weather and being out in the pool!) but baby is arriving in Jan. and the flu usually hits sometimes Feb-March so I figure it's better to get ahead now and have more flex time later.

I haven't used this program (I'm still trying to decide what program to use!) but I've logged hours and hours here doing searches for "Science Explorer" and have gotten a lot of useful information. You may want to try a search to see if some of your questions are answered.

I use the Primer to teach my dc to read, then they go to the first reader. If they really enjoy that I have them continue on. I think the Readers are so beautifully classic and if I had to choose only one thing for reading, these would be it.

I use every level A-F and absolutely love it! The variety of activities is wonderful! I switched to ARFS after doing basic spelling for a year (giving a list of words, having kids copy, cover and spell, etc.). I really believe the application of their spelling words as ARFS does it is what sold me on the program.

I don't know if my opinion counts as I haven't actually used it, but I had my older 3dc sit through the samples online and I'm not kidding you, 2 of them were in tears they were so frustrated! Their comments were that the voice was so boring, the lack of an actual human being was strange, they got frustrated at the repetition (maybe all the lessons weren't that way but my 9yod finally shouted "GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!!!"). I made them watch every sample to make sure and at the end they begged me not to use it. Maybe if I actually got it and they got used to it, things would be different. But I figured if a small sample got them that upset (and they are not at all picky about curriculum) then I didn't want to even bother using the program at all. I wonder, though, if the fact that my dc have never used the computer for learning if that type of program was harder for them. They are used to a real person (me), not a notepad and black type on a screen.

Oh my goodness! I was in the pediatrician's office w/my newborn and another couple was there w/their new dd. The nurse came out and called out "Holly?"..."Holly Wood?" The entire waiting room stared at the parents when the stood up, and you know we all wanted to ask them what in the heck they were thinking? Were they thinking at all when they gave her that name??? I felt sorry for the girl.

Ah...now that I think about it that describes the women I was with last night. Interesting... I just love the diversity on this forum. I'm much reassured that I can hs and not homebirth. I feel stupid that their words affected me - unfortunately that is my personality.

I was part of a very interesting discussion last night: 6 hsing moms were talking about L&D. I was asked by one woman who my midwife is and I said that I have an OB. The woman then said with something like horror in her voice, "You don't deliver in the hospital, do you?!" When I said yes another woman said, "But you homeschool!" um, what??? Most of the women could not comprehend a hs mom not homebirthing! In fact one of the women began to really challenge me but thankfully one of the women (bless her) stepped in and said, "She has 7 kids, I'm sure she knows what she is doing" and changed the subject. I don't want to open a discussion on homebirth vs hospital, I just want to know if anyone else has come across this mentality. I was quite taken back and just didn't know what to say (I'm not confrontational at all). And it sure didn't help the pressure I've been made to feel by the midwife at my church who is constantly saying little things against the OBs/hospital here. :glare:

I was just thinking yesterday about how isolated we are. When we lived in the Phoenix area we were involved in things, had many friends who hs'ed, but when we moved north to a smaller community everything changed. There are a large number of hs families yet no one really connects. I dropped out of the hs group because the activites were good except you couldn't bring younger siblings, so basically I would have to drive 30 minutes, drop my older dc off and either wait in the van or drive back. It was just ridiculous. You can't even bring dc to the meetings as there is no childcare. Everyone is really spread out geographically, too. I am so lonely and frustrated although the same time I've had to strengthen myself as I'm completely on my own.

I've fasted once when there was a burden on my heart/soul so huge that I could focus on nothing else and needed to be in constant prayer (another such issue will come up this November...). I have never done a scheduled fast w/a church as none of the issues were a huge burden to me, and for me that is what fasting is all about (from a religious POV). Plus it seems whenever an organized fast is going I'm either gestating or nursing, lol.

As always I appreciate the input. I took a break for a few hours to regroup and calm down; hopefully I'll be able to tackle scienc tonight. I thought choosing a math program was hard...science has beaten math easily.

The dc I would be teaching are 9, 10 and 11yo. Possibly will include my newly 8yo but on a lesser amount of involvement. I love hands-on yet last year we did so much hands-on (bought science kits and had a blast) and there wasn't any reading. Basically I did what Brittney did - used habitats, did tadpoles/frogs, ladybugs, electricity, etc. And that was great for the elementary level but I feel I need something more for middle school. As far as topics to cover I really don't care except that we've done earth science a lot (although it's always good to do more and have that reinforcement). I want more reading than Rainbow provides and definitely more exercises (again, maybe the lessons/exercises get better but the sample ones were not what I am looking for). I know I could use Rainbow and add to it but I was hoping to find a program that I didn't have to do that with. I just looked again at Prentice Hall and am totally confused by all the different books listed to buy. Plus there is no information at all on their site (that I could find) about the labs - what are they, what materials are needed, etc.). I have been looking forward to middle school science since I first began hsing as I remember my 7th/8th grade science years as the best. I loved the books, loved the labs and want to find what I used (it would be helpful if I could remember exactly what books were used). I've not found any other program that my dc detested like Writing Strands. We tried several times and they just couldn't stand the way the author "talked" to them. That was one thing I noticed right away with Rainbow as well. Sorry to rant and rave but I'm just so frustrated. Science is my last subject to order and I fear it will be the first to be dropped if I don't find something.

After hours here doing searches, reading more posts than I can count, looking at samples online I QUIT! I am in tears trying to decide on a science program! I want to teach my 3 older dc together, I wanted to cover more than one topic (I thought about doing 6 weeks on, a week off, repeat and covering botany, animal classification, human body, etc.). I looked at Rainbow Science's samples and was less than impressed. It seems so...weak, maybe? I know it was just one example from each section so maybe the other lessons got better, but when the first lessons didn't impress me at all I find it hard to have hope in it getting better. I don't think we are ready for Apologia. I also realize that I need to get serious and prepare for high school...I am so stressed!!! Please, someone help me out here. I do not want my dc to do solely independent work. I enjoy doing science yet at the same time my time is stretched a bit thin w/4 (soon to be 5) other dc to teach/take care of, so I need a good balance of independent work and mom-involved work.

That's exactly what he said, then he rattled off numbers and pixels which went completely over my head. :tongue_smilie:

I just bought the 6 DVD set (2002 edition) and what the guy at CD told me is that the only change is the resolution on the DVDs. I kept asking him if any content was gone/changed but he said no, so I hope he was right! It was very confusing to me why the number of DVDs changed and I'm still skeptical.

When I lived there Eagleridge began as a homeschool thing that many of my friends had their dc in, then quickly became the place troubled kids from public school were sent (my friends took their dc out so fast it wasn't even funny). Has it gone back to its original focus/purpose? I envy you moving there! I don't miss the weather one bit but I do miss 5wolfcubs :) and the P.E. group is absolutely unbelievable...Athletes In Training is what it is called I believe.

http://www.aclclassics.org/tmrc/catalog.asp?category=12&c= I really liked the selection they had! I ordered P16 which is all the charts P1-P15.

Never mind...found one. Love the internet!

Does anyone know where I can get a wall chart of the Greek alphabet? I sent away for a catalog to the address given in "English From the Roots Up" but never heard back. I also looked on ebay and Amazon.com with no luck. Thanks!

Our dc are almost the same ages! I have dd12, ds11, dd9, ds8, dd5, dd3, dd1 and babe on the way. :) Your chore routine sounds exactly like ours. I, too, have noticed attitudes getting worse and need to deal with it. I had them do an entire day of chores earlier in the summer (boy was my house clean!). I do tell them that I don't expect them to like doing chores but attitude is what counts. More than attitude I notice a sloppiness in the chores which I do not put up with one bit. They get extra chores for that. My dc are getting an idea of having free/personal time that I need to address...our time is not to be wasted and it is to be used wisely for the good of the family. It may take a while before they get that concept (a long while!) but we're working on it. I also notice that if I have them do their weekly chores first thing in the morning that it helps with attitudes. Once they get it done (and done right) then they know it is done for the day; having them stop their play is not as easy. Also, like your dc, my dc have great attitudes about helping other people. It would be nice if that same attitude was shown in our house! I am lucky in that my dc's attitudes are really not that bad...but they could become bad if I don't handle this well.

I will be using LL7 w/3 of my dc. What I need to know is how teacher intensive the lessons are. Do the chapters build on each other or can I take apart the SG, put it into chapters and have each dc take a section? Would it be better for me to have them all do one book at the same time or can they each do a separate book? I can't believe how much money I'm about to spend just to get 3 of the same books...our library system is so lame it has only 1 copy of 1 book. I like the idea of all going through one book at the same time, but my checkbook doesn't. ;) ETA: Spoke to a representative at Hewitt and she said I can get away w/giving the dc different chapters, having them work on different books, but only on level 7, not so much level 8. If anyone has other input I really need to make a decision fast.

Wow, thanks MIch elle!!! Very informative!

Today I tackled literature/writing for 7th grade (one subject/day...keeps me sane!) and the sample online I really liked. I've read many posts here that are positive regarding LL7 but before I shell out more $ (sigh) I would like to know if anyone found a weakness in the program. I already plan to do R&S grammar along w/our literature program. Thanks, ladies!!! Also, if I will be using this with 3 dc should I buy 3 student guides or can I buy one student guide and then additional worksheets? From the sample online it looks like I would need a student guide for each kid...yippee.:glare:

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for but we've used Meet the Master's at Home the last few years and we love it! I had tried several other art books/curricula but this one is so well laid out, we really like how the kids learn a bit about the artist and then learn how to do that style. I have learned so much from doing this program myself, and I am not at all "artsy".

I'm finally braving this site after lurking for way too long! I'm Karen, mama of 7, #8 due in Jan. and could really use some feel good thoughts...literally. I've been in bed since June due to m/s and am just tired and mentally foggy. I wanted to plan one subject/week but haven't even done one subject in a month. Hard to think when one is living on ice chips and not much else. My older 3dc are heading into middle school and I need to get it together, get focused and do something soon...maybe after I take a nap. :tongue_smilie: Looking forward to getting to know other hsers!