Dh and I both work, just to get by. I also sew crafts at home and get paid per piece to pay for extracurriculars, plus I tutor two kids, each once a week, which helps a little.

$125 a month dues for fencing classes (ds) $45 monthly in roller derby dues (dd) Of course, there is also equipment. Dd's skates cost $110, and that was with a hefty discount. I need to buy her new pads, probably about $80. Ds needs a bunch of fencing gear since he wants to start going to competitions... fencing pants, new shoes (he goes through a pair every 2-3 months), 2 epees, electric bodycords, etc. We also take advantage of free events at the library, though there have been fewer intriguing ones lately. We have a regional parks pass ($70/year) that allows us free parking at a large number of parks, and a free night of camping each year. We go out to the river in the summer for swimming. Our budget is very limited, so we have to be very selective about paid activities, and we try to take advantage of free ones when possible!

Can I just say that this thread is kind of freaking me out? :scared: Some of those days look SO long... now I am totally worried that we are not doing enough, and that I am stunting my son's academic development. :001_unsure:

I'm always SO torn between schooling and unschooling my kids. Wish I could just make up my mind!

A Book in Time is often helpful.

Can you find other activities to teach these concepts (lightly) over the summer? Games, online activities, and such? Some links for you: http://www.math-play.com/decimal-math-games.html http://www.coolmath.com/prealgebra/02-decimals/decimals-cruncher/addition(has addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) https://sites.google.com/a/pvlearners.net/sweigand-games/multiply-and-divide-decimals http://www.mathplayground.com/index_geometry.html http://www.mathwire.com/archives/geometry.html http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/geometry.html http://rwp.excellencegateway.org.uk/Interactive%20Materials/Numeracy/Level%202/ http://activemaths.edublogs.org/2011/07/09/human-graphs-charts-and-diagrams/ http://www.mathsisfun.com/sphider/search.php?query=graphs&submit=Search&search=1

:iagree: Our homeschool group includes any family who is, has been, or will be homeschooling, whether independently (the majority), or through an ISP, or charter. I've always liked that it is all inclusive, as I think all homeschoolers, regardless of the how-they-do-it bit, should be supportive of each other.

We are. We also have about 6 weeks left, and I'm thinking about what we have not done that I would like to get finished. I've also been working on plans for high school, which is a bit distracting!

I use a combo of Math Mammoth's topical series (Blue) and LoF for my dd. I've also heard of people supplementing it with the Key to series.

I studied Coriolanus in a college Shakespeare course. It is pretty dense, very political. Here's the SparkNotes summary: In ancient Rome, in the aftermath of a famine, the common people, or plebeians, demand the right to set their own price for the city's grain supply. In response to their protests, the ruling aristocracy, or patricians, grant the plebeians five representatives, or tribunes--a decision that provokes the ire of the proud patrician soldier Caius Martius, who has nothing but contempt for the lower classes. At this time, war breaks out with a neighboring Italian tribe, the Volscians, who are led by Martius' great rival, Tullus Aufidius. In the campaign that follows, the Volscians are defeated, and the Rome takes the Italian city of Corioles, thanks to the heroism of Martius. In recognition of his great deeds, he is granted the name Coriolanus. Upon his return to Rome, Coriolanus is given a hero's welcome, and the Senate offers to make him consul. In order to gain this office, however, he must go out and plead for the votes of the plebeians, a task that he undertakes reluctantly. At first, the common people agree to give him their votes, but they later reverse their decision at the prodding of two clever tribunes, Brutus and Sicinius, who consider Coriolanus an enemy of the people. This drives the proud Coriolanus into a fury, and he speaks out intemperately against the very idea of popular rule; Brutus and Sicinius, seizing on his words, declare him a traitor to the Roman state and drive him into exile. Desiring revenge against Rome, Coriolanus goes to his Volscian enemy, Aufidius, in the city of Antium, and makes peace with him. Aufidius is planning a new campaign against the Romans, and he welcomes Coriolanus's assistance, although he soon feels himself to be falling into his new ally's shadow. Their army proceeds to march on Rome, throwing the city into a panic--Rome's armies are helpless to stop the advance, and soon Aufidius and Coriolanus are encamped outside the city walls. Two of his oldest friends come pleading for mercy, but Coriolanus refuses to hear him. However, when his mother, Volumnia, to whom he is devoted, begs him to make peace, he relents, and the Romans hail Volumnia the savior of the city. Meanwhile, Coriolanus and the Volscians return to Antium, where the residents hail Coriolanus as a hero. Aufidius, feeling slighted, declares that Coriolanus's failure to take Rome amounts to treachery; in the ensuing argument, some of Aufidius' men assassinate Coriolanus.

We loved The Phantom Tollbooth, read by David Hyde Pierce. Now we're going through the Percy Jackson books,which I am enjoying more than I thought I would!

Did you know (you probably do) that Twelth Night is the play being performed by Shakespeare in the Cannery this year?

Yes, her spelling is definitely a few grade levels below her reading at this point, so I am prepared to "backtrack". Since you both recommended it, I will definitely check out Apples & Pears. I think level C is where it switches, but has both print and cursive side-by-side. Question for you, is the spelling from Rod & Staff explicitly religious?

I will continue searching then, and will check out the recommendations you all made. Thanks!

My dyslexic dd has only really made huge progress in reading this year, going from about a 2nd grade reading level to just about on grade level (6th). Since we were so focused on reading, we did not focus a lot on spelling, and it turns out she has terrible spelling... very phonetic approach that is not working well. I am looking for something simple and straightforward, and like the looks of Spelling Workout, but I have no idea where to place her! Any advice? I don't mind starting her fairly low in the sequence and working though it more quickly if that works for her.

Thanks! I will check this out as I am always a big fan of free!

Go for a walk out in nature Collect some wildflowers for pressing Make a nesting mobile Plant something Read a good [picture] book -- some of our old favorites include: The Lorax The Great Kapok Tree The Giving Tree The Curious Garden The Tree Lady On Meadowview Street Miss Rumphius And, not a picture book, but a handy one all the same: The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth Make some pine cone bird feeders Write a letter to your representatives about an environmental issue that concerns you Have a picnic at the park, or by candlelight at home Ride a bike instead of driving

Mid-late June through the end of August. We still read over the summer, and the kids generally work on some projects, but there's also a lot more relaxation!

I've got some figured out for my rising ninth grader, some not. :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly:

The Messner biographies are very good as well. http://www.valerieslivinglibrary.com/messner.htm

What are your summer plans? Do you continue academics over summer, but maybe lighter or different? What fun activities do you do? Our plans include: ds finishing Conceptual Physics (at his request, because "why should (he) limit his learning to a school year?") some field trips related to our current study of California history, and some for fun listening to Ian McKellean reading Fagles' translation of The Odyssey, and reading The Glorious Adventure by Richard Halliburton Dd (my slooow reader) has pledged to read Gone Away Lake and Return to Gone Away over the summer break lots of swimming, fun with friends, lazy mornings, some camping if dh can get the time off from work....

I put together, some time back, a link list for some of my favorite living subject sources. I apologize of any of the links are outdated, but I hope it helps!

No, sadly there is not. Some people have followed them up with K12's Human Odyssey, vol. 3, or Pages from History, also by OUP.

:bigear: My dd is only going into 7th now, but plans to be a wildlife specialist/researcher, so I will be watching this thread!

:bigear: I am thinking of this for my dd in a few years, so eager to hear any feedback!