I am seriously considering Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings for next year, but am also looking at simply using the free guides from Houghton Mifflin (http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/lordoftheringstrilogy/lessons/), or should I just add those in to LLftLoTR? The Garlic Press Guide for the Oddysey also caught my eye -- would this be good to add to LLoTR for unit 5, or would it be too much in that context? I really, really like the looks of the guide. And is there a similar guide for the Iliad?

Check out Project Passport from Homeschool in the Woods.

Aso, have you looked at Ellen McHenry's stuff? I think Cells and The Brain might be good, considering your dd's interests.

Elemental Science Logic Stage Biology CPO Life Science, may have math though... I'm not sure. Time 4 Learning has an interactive course

Some book recommendations: Culinary Reactions: The Everyday Science of Cooking Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, & Good Food Fennema's Food Chemistry What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained

I did read from the textbook. We did some of the suggested activities, and added in titles from The Scientists in the Field series, which are excellent. I also added in David Attenborough documentaries -- Life of Birds, Life of Mammals, etc. There is a workbook available, but I didn't order that.

After much thought, I think we will continue working through the Prentice Hall Science Explorers titles, as she really likes the animal one. I went ahead and ordered the one on plants to round out this year. Thanks for the suggestions and help!

My ds is very much looking forward to this. As he'll be in 9th grade, I am fleshing it out with additional resources so it will count as full credit for history and (non-lab) science. And I swear I saw something recently that said they've added some content to make it a full credit course for California social studies, but of course I can't find anything on that now. :glare: And I have to say that Rose (Chrysalis Academy) has been amazingly helpful in recommendations, etc.!!

I just don't know what to do with this child! She's very life science oriented, especially if it has anything to do with animals. She wants to be a wildlife specialist someday. But I know she needs exposure to other fields of science as well. She is only going into the 7th grade, so I feel she at least still has time on her side. Please note, she's dyslexic, reads at about a 5th-6th grade level these days, albeit somewhat slowly, and is just really getting into writing. So... I am trying to figure out her 7th grade science. Among the options I am considering (she's done basic zoology studies this year) are: a full biology course (I own Elemental Science's Logic Stage biology, never got around to using it) ScienceSaurus with the Daybooks, starting with Life Science, and then ? units from Ellen McHenry letting her just work through the Life of books and documentaries by David Attenborough, adding in some resources work through the middle school BFSU book have her check out books from the library on a regular basis and work through those Any ideas? I don't mind her doing more life science/zoology, obviously, but would like her to do a little of other sciences. I'd like good content, secular, some hands-on, and not horribly expensive or time consuming.

I so wanted to be on one of those shows one day...

:bigear:

I was going to suggest this as well. The Writer's Jungle has become an indispensible tool for me. And I love the Brave Writer Lifestyle tips on the author's website. Julie realy lays it all out there -- the how to's of copywork, dictation, writing projects, etc. that are the backbone of writing.

We took off much of the month of March while I figured things out, because hs'ing was feeling much the way you described. During that time, I sat down with each kiddo seperately to see how THEY view homeschooling, and what they feel works, and what doesn't. Turthfully I was a little surprised at what they loved and what didn't quite gel for them. It was an interesting exercise! We kept math, reading, and writing as daily basics, and kind of threw everything else out the window. I started reading aloud more again, and have limited screen time a little more than in the past. We did change up the math and writing though... back to LoF and Brave Writer, with plenty of poetry for dd as she loves it. Science for dd now is piles of library books, nature walks, and occasional documentaries. For ds, it is primarily books and videos. History is a read-aloud and documentaries (like Big History). For geography, we are watching reruns of The Amazing Race, and mapping their travels on a huge print-out map from National Geographic. Sometimes I throw in a travelogue, or other shows (Wild China for example). Besides that, each kid has chosen some things to learn, and to explore. It feels a lot better!

Anxiety issues aside, can he shadow a day at school and see that it is not what he thinks it is?

http://www4.ncsu.edu/~ckwarren/131/ I know Derek Owens used to use the text, but it appears not to any more. Here's a link to a thread with plenty of Conceptual Physics info: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/470118-hewitts-conceptual-physics-resources/

WinterPromise has Animals & Their Worlds for preK-4th grade, and Adventures in the Sea & Sky for 4th-9th grades Beautiful Feet has The History of Science for 3rd-6th Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding is fabulous, and could be used as a jumping off point to more studies. Guest Hollow has several year-long science studies that look really good as well.

I had one. I wrote it when ds was in 3rd or 4th grade. It has long fallen by the wayside as we've changed our path, interests, etc. over the years. Now I just have a vague plan for following the basics of the California state graduation reqs for ds, and eventually dd, with plenty of room to explore rabbit trails.

We adored that book!

I do assign him some of the end of chapter work. He does the reading, and then the assigned work, independently, and then I check the answers. I did buy a copy of the TM because I found it inexpensively, and that has saved me time in figuring out if his answers were correct, though most are pretty straighforward.

I'd like to know for certain what the high school series is too!

We had very good success with Reading Horizons, an OG-based program.

My ds has really enjoyed Hewitt's Conceptual Physics (the high school book).

Thanks for sharing! :wub:

Yes, definitely fun books!

Book list should be back up now! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk