My 3rd child took Derek Owens AP Calc class his senior year. He had a great ACT score and was also taking DE classes. We opted to NOT take the AP, and then start with Calc I in college. It was a good move. He has been VERY confident in his Calc 1 class and it has been good for him to review all of those calc 1 topics so that he is SOLID on them. First semester of college, away from home, has enough struggles. For this kid, it was good to be confident and not struggle in his first math class on campus. Now, with the semester almost over, and DS feeling comfortable in college, NOW he is ready for Calc 2. You just need to know your kid and what they are ready to handle. Glad we waited. Just my two cents, Brenda

What about a Physical Science?

For my last high schooler....DD is taking this..... Bible( BJU Bible Truths Level C) Geometry (Derek Owens) Physical Science( Apologia with a weekly co-op style class) American History I ( Biblioplan Year 4. Did Year 3 last year.) English (Rod and Staff Grade 9, Lively Art of Writing, Assorted Progeny Press and Smarr Lit guides, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots) French I (BJU Press Distance Learning) Health (Alpha and Omega: 1/2 credit) Fine Arts: Beginning Band, Concert Choir, and piano Brenda

If you ask him, he may have one he can send you, as long as you send it back when you are done. We did this for PreCalc. Yes, from our experience, we only needed the text for Geometry and PreCalc.

Here is what we are doing with my last little chickie at home. She LOVES writing. Comes natural to her. Vocabulary from the Classical Roots Rod and Staff Grammar 9th grade Along with Lively Art of Writing Using a lit list from Biblioplan Year 4(May not do all the titles) Along with assorted Progeny Press guides, Smarr Lit guides, and maybe some TTC style (Just depends on what I have on the shelf.) Hope that helps! Blessings, Brenda

We used Daily Grams! We used Rod and Staff in the early years, followed by AG in 9th/10th, and then did Daily Grams for the rest of high school. I too had a lot of kids and didn't have time to reteach grammar! I just wanted to keep those grammar rules fresh. So, we used Daily Grams. So, far, ALL of my kids have scored in the 30's on the English subtest of the ACT. Hope that helps! Blessings, Brenda

We may go with BJU Press. Right now they have their French and Spanish Classes(recorded) for either Online and Books OR DVD and books for $79!! Just it is a dated program, but the language hasn't changed. I have never used this. But just something I thought I would throw out there. Blessings, Brenda

Wow! Thanks so much for those words about the Writing & Rhetoric series. I so understand that feeling when you are using a newer curriculum and you say, "Boy, I sure do wish I had had this curriculum for DS #1" However, the curriculum had not even been written when that child needed it! But now that I have graduated a few, new curriculum or not, they got what they needed at the time they needed it. It may not have been what younger brother or sister got, but they were not hindered in their academic pursuits. Many of us here graduated our first ones with BJU, Rod and Staff, and the first edition of Tapestry of Grace(anyone remember yellow and blue pages.....) and they turned out just fine. Don't quite know where I was going with that post...... Blessings, Brenda

I did see an extended sample of these on the Rainbow Resource website. About three chapters per book. That helped. And I also read Cathy Duffy's review on the set at her website.

Well, Heather, I took the plunge. I bought a set of book 5 and book 6. When both sets get here, I am going to go through them carefully. I can give you some of my thoughts, if you think that will help. I am going to use this with a 14 yo dd who has been brought up using the WWE and some of the WWS books. So , she is used to this approach. We just took at year off and used Wordsmith this year, as her brother was in that "senior year, dual classes, college competition, and Eagle Scout project" mode and I had to simplify her schedule. (I am an old homeschooler..... Can't keep up like I used to do......) That said, she is ready to start writing essays. So, even though no one responds, maybe I can give you some thoughts on this curriculum in a week or so. Hope that helps, Brenda

Yes, that is where I thought we might start with my 14 yo. Brenda

Has anyone ever used any of the upper level books in the Writing & Rhetoric Series with a young high schooler? Just wondering....Looks a bit similar to the WWS books.... Blessings, Brenda

We used Singapore with my oldest son. He became a math major, but don't know if Singapore gave him enough review of basic skills at a young age. We used CLE with my youngest son. He really liked the review and needed it at a young age. He went on to use Derek Owens for Algebra II through Calculus. He is entering College this fall as an engineering major. (But we shall see....he LOVES physics thanks to Jetta!)

This may not matter at all, but my oldest took a few classes out of his sequence and he didn't like them because he didn't KNOW anyone in his class. They were all sophomores and juniors. He felt very out of place. Lonely. He did well in the class, but told me this AFTER the class was over. So, if you have a social student, this might be an issue. Just my two cents, Brenda

Alley, The neatest experience we had with Community Service involved my son, who has just graduated high school. DS #3 was beginning to make plans last summer to build a walking bridge for his Boy Scout Eagle project at our County Veteran's Museum. He was told by the Museum Director that he would have to contact the city code manager to make sure that his bridge was "up to snuff". She gave him the email address of the city code manager, but he didn't recognize the name. But when he sent the e-mail, asking to make an appointment to with the city code manager, her first reply back was, "Do you and your family work at the local food bank? We know each other." Come to find out, the city code manager was one of our local food bank directors and we had worked along side of her for years. She had seen DS#3 and his character. It really helped to make him at ease when he went for his appointment with her. It opened that door. We had been working the food bank for about 3 years at the time, just doing our thing. Never knowing how that was going to open a door for DS#3. Other than the food bank, we have worked at our local library, and assisted our American Legion by putting out flags for all national holidays for our city. Just ask around. Talk to people in your city and see where the need is. We have also found that it is FUN to bring other homeschoolers with us when doing community service. Socialization, you know!

One other thing we did with our younger two was to do LOTS of community service. Get them out there. Can not say enough about this. These opportunities have opened SO many doors for my kids.

Alley, As far as research papers, if the curriculum we might be using didn't dictate a topic, then I would let them choose a topic of their choice, but somehow tied to a history or science topic that we might be studying. #4 littlest chickie did one on Jonas Salk, the man who discovered the polio vaccine. She fell in love with the idea of being a virologist through that. Not sure if she will stay on that path, but that is where she is right now. #3ds just did some research for a dual class on STEM education. Very interesting. He also did some research on social media/screen time among teens for another paper. Start small and work up to bigger papers. Hope that helps! Brenda

This is a GREAT topic. I have four kids. They came in sets of two. With my first two, I was shy and didn't seek out many outside classes for them. This might be for the areas that I was weak in(science/math) or the areas that I didn't want to battle with them anymore(writing essays). With my younger two, I have not hesitated finding a dual enrollment class, co-op class, or one of dear Jetta's science classes, when needed. This REALLY helped to challenge them and helped with OUR relationship. I have also not sweated so much about days completed. We have to do 180 days in the state of TN. But concentrated more on the quality of class and keeping the bar high. I don't know that I challenged my older two enough. The bar has to be set high to give them something to reach for. A challenge. That bar is set differently for different students, but you don't want their first academic challenge to come in college. And my second child tells me from time to time, that we should have done more research papers. (Which the younger two are getting a chance to do.) Think that is about it. Brenda

My STEM minded 3rd child used Derek Owens. LOVE DO!! I would highly recommend. Algebra II was his favorite course. He did Algebra II, PreCalc, and Calculus. Blessings, Brenda

I have now graduated 3 students. They all did Rod and Staff in their elementary/middle school years and then moved to Analytical Grammar in High School. It was money well spent. They all had 30's on the English portion of the ACT. I was shocked each and every time they did this, especially with my STEM son, who just graduated. But he KNEW his grammar, just as well as his siblings. They all went on to do well in their Dual Writing Comp classes their senior year. We used the two year approach with AG. Going to use it again with my last little chickie who starts 9th grade this year. AG works! Blessings, Brenda

No, Jetta, don't give up your garden/yard. It is simply beautiful! Just like the classes that you create and put your focus into....they are a thing of beauty. So, PROUD of you my dear friend! Go, Jetta, go!! But let's do coffee soon!! (((HUGS))), Brenda, mother to one of Jetta's first physics "guinea pigs"

My kids have volunteered once a month for the past four years at our local Food Bank. They are responsible for taking food out to the recipients vehicles. We invited other homeschoolers in the area to join us with this. And we go eat lunch afterwards. It has been an activity that ALL the kids don't want to miss. My son, who is in scouting, has also helped our American Legion by setting out flags for all "flag holidays" in our local town.(Memorial day, Independence day....etc...) He also built a walking bridge at a Veteran's museum as his Eagle project. My daughter has just recently started volunteering at our local library.

DS #3 -University of Memphis to major in mechanical engineering. Has received Presidential and engineering scholarships, along with the state lottery scholarships. Has also been invited to join the Engineering Living Learning Community. DS is SUPER excited to join the rest of his family and friends at UofM. Go Tigers, Go!

For those who use Derek Owens for your Geometry, "about" how long does it take your student to do their daily work? AND do you follow the online syllabus, week by week, or do you take it a bit slower? We have used DO for Algebra II through Calculus with #3 child. But we didn't use DO for his Geometry. But we are looking into this with #4 child. Maybe.... Still thinking at this point. Any thoughts?

Child #3 has been accepted to three universities. Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN Union University in Jackson, TN and University of Memphis in Memphis, TN Wants to major in mechanical engineering. Passed his Eagle Scout board of review in November. Super proud of this boy! Brenda