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Kay in Cal

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Posts posted by Kay in Cal

    Has anyone used RS4K Level II with a younger child?

    in Accelerated Learner Board

    Posted · Edited by Kay in Cal

    Ok... so we started yesterday on RS4K II. I'm trying to teach him to read and take notes for information, so he read a section, wrote down vocabulary words, then defined them orally for me as I asked questions. This was all easy intro stuff, but his interest level is high, and he does test as PG, so the level isn't that surprising. Part of the challenge of teaching him is that his handwriting is atrocious. He can spell just fine, but he can barely print... he says his hand just cant keep up with his brain.

     

    I should have the Science Explorer books by next week. If we hit a wall in RS4K, we'll jump in there to supplement, back and forth as we see fit. My dh (with whom I share homeschooling duties) loves chemistry as well, so we'll probably have a fun year.

     

    Then... what to do for physics next year?

    Has anyone used RS4K Level II with a younger child?

    in Accelerated Learner Board

    Posted · Edited by Kay in Cal

    I had thought about Science Explorer, and will soon have those books as well through our charter. Since we have both, I can pick and choose what we want to use. Which do you think would be easier--SE or RS4K? Would one follow the other, or do they cover the same ground? I have no idea what to do afterwards for HS lab science either. Ds hasn't had pre-algebra (last year we were doing grade level 4 in EPGY, we haven't registered yet this year), but seems just fine at what I think is basic pre-algebraic thinking (ie, you could say "If 2x equals 32, what is x?" and he can tell you, he understands negative numbers and knows how to use them arithmetically, etc). My guess is we'll be hitting agebra pretty soon.

     

    I think we'll do Physics next year, but if he continues his passion for chemistry, he'll probably want to do that as well. I know 7 is young, but he's loved chemistry for three years now--not long in the scope of things, but almost half his life!

     

    I'm going to check out "Exploring the World of Chemistry"--maybe our library has it, if not I'll order it. Thank you so much!

    Has anyone used RS4K Level II with a younger child?

    in Accelerated Learner Board

    Posted

    We finished Level I last year (just for fun, in addition to Science Explorer Earth Science), and my ds7 says he wants to give Level II a go. He paged through the book today, and though it intimidates me a bit (AP Chem was a LONG time ago), he says he thinks he can do it. His goal is to be a chemist.

     

    Has anyone done level II with a younger child? If he wanted to move on in Chemistry next year, what would follow this?

    EPGY question

    in Accelerated Learner Board

    Posted

    We've used EPGY math with our oldest. He loved it... we stopped using it last year because even with the financial aid, it was too pricey for us at this time (came out to about $75 a month).

     

    The thing that amazed me the most about it was how NOT exciting it was --- no animations, dancing animals, and a very "math professor" voice. Ds loved it because it was math, it was on the computer, and he didn't have to do too much repetition.

     

    My dh (who does most of the teaching in our home) really wants to budget to get ds back in EPGY. Ds seemed to learn so much more than he does with our 2nd choice, Singapore.

    PLEASE!! Need help with RS4K Chem Level 1

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    They don't share all their electrons... they only share the outer members of the electron cloud (in my day, we used to draw little orbits for the electrons). The first energy level is 2, the second 8, the third 18, the fourth 32. This level is called "valence". Only the outermost members are usually available for sharing.

     

    Now, I'm remembering all this from high school chem plus reading the same book with ds last year--so I'm sure there are clearer explanations out there!

    What one-year American History survey instead of SOTW4?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Thinking ahead to next year (gak! :blink:), and I'm pondering doing a full-year focus on American History instead of using SOTW 4. My boys will be 1st and 4th grade next year, and I'd really like to get a basic grounding of US history down one time, and then go back to start ancients again the following year, going back to using SOTW1 for my younger son, plus some other resources for my older son.

     

    So I'm looking for suggestions for a good US History resource, keeping in mind we've been doing a fairly basic SOTW, activity book and a few library books for good measure. I want something fairly well laid out, easy to implement, fun, but covers all the bases.

    Landlords fixing our air-conditioning... advice?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    OK, here's the set-up. We just moved into a house that we rent. We pay a total of $3000 a month, including a separate flat that our friends live in.

     

    The house had stood empty for several years, and even though the owner did a lot of "work" on the house, there have been many repairs to be made by the management company. A door that wouldn't close (it was installed upside down). Parts of the deck had to be replaced (crumbling insect-eaten boards were just painted over, but would give way underneath you). The management company has been pretty cooperative doing all this stuff.

     

    The problem now is air conditioning. When we first moved here, we knew it was going to be hot. Summer temps are usually in the low 100s. My dh has health issues that make him susceptible to heat, and he's a SAHD. When we had the tour of the property, I specifically asked about the AC, and the property manager assured me that it worked (or would, by the time we moved in).

     

    Well... it's hot in the house. The AC cycles on all day, is costing us a fortune, but in the "cool" part of the house will only get down to around 80 degrees. That is in the bedrooms. The kitchen, dining room, living room--all the places you want to be in the day--are 10 degrees hotter.

     

    They've sent 2 people to "check it out". The second one was supposed to be an AC guy, but he was just driving a logo-less pickup with a few tools in it like the usual handyman. Both said it needed freon, and charged it, though neither mentioned leaks. The second guy said he thought the unit was too small. Mostly they both said that the AC was just designed wrong, didn't have enough vents, etc, but was "working fine". The landlord says the AC is working fine, so everything is OK. But according to anything I've read on the net, air from your furthest vents should be 18-23 degrees cooler than inside intake air. Ours is maybe 5 or 6 degrees cooler.

     

    Meanwhile, we are sweltering. I don't want to be the lousy tenant (we have a one year lease), but I'm losing patience. I hate the heat. Advice?

    Don't put too much info on the internet!

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Sorry... I've been busy teaching Vacation Bible School and not checking threads... my short answer is Sure! Why don't we start a group? I've talked to the people at Cokesbury (the Methodist publishing house) several times about the need for a Methodist homeschool bible curriculum. We could put our heads together about that! Pm me or email me and I'll start a yahoo group---but not until tomorrow. I'm swamped today! (I'm running the "bible bayou" in VBS... get it... swamped? )

    Don't put too much info on the internet!

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Yep. I'm "public". My church web site has pictures of me, a bio, contact info... I use my name or similar screen names. There are a few articles that mention me, as well as plenty of United Methodist related resources and sites--I know for a fact that in our denomination clergy salaries are considered public (voted on by churches) and you can find them online on our regional conference site. I don't worry about it any more than I'd worry about people knowing who I am IRL. And I know LOTS of people IRL.

     

    I've always tried very hard to comport myself online as I would in any other public space. There may be a few embarrassing rant about in-laws out there, but I really don't think they'll go looking. I don't expect privacy on the internet... though its fine that others do.

    Has anyone sent their child to school in another country?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    My brothers started school in Germany--K and 1st grade for one of them, just K for the other. They had a wonderful time and were not "behind" when we moved back. It would have been nicer for them to school there longer, since they retained little memory of it in the long run.

     

    I went to a school in Norway for two years when my mom was stationed there (8th and 9th grade). It was a great opportunity, and I did learn to speak Norwegian fluently. I can still understand (though not speak well). I'd do it again in a heartbeat. At that age, I did supplement by "afterschooling" some subjects, but for younger kids I wouldn't think there would be that much needed.

     

    I'd go for it!

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