Go ask Alice is something that I would prefer be high school age. 19 Minutes is an excellent book but probably better for later. Many of the books on the most challenged could be replaced with other books if teachers want to explore a theme, but I can't think of another book similar to Flowers of Algernon. The book changes people.

No. If I needed the olders to watch the youngest on a regular basis I would, but since it is only every so often I don't.

Have you actually read the book? The entire book, not just portions of the book? Anyone who read the entire book would know that the book, while containing brief sexual scenes is not about sex, and sex is not a theme of the book. My frustration isn't that people prefer it not be read, but that they haven't read it but want to censor it for others.

This book does not have significant sexual themes. His mental retardation to the point he didn't have anything in common with his teacher, and then the very brief time they were equals, and then his increased intelligence which made her and most people intelligently inferior to him. Friendships, relationships, mental retardation, birth, growth, death, awakening, playing God, empathy. These are the significant themes of the book.

This is one of my favorite books and definitely on my list of books everyone should read. There is so much to this book that the very brief sexual situations were not even on my radar. The passages on the website, when taken out of context do seem very mature.

I buy a new sponge mop head and wash the walls every year or so. Spic and Span and a little bit of bleach removes everything and anything.

I thought you were asking about serving spoons and the containers, not plates and utensils to eat off and with. I can't imagine such a thing and have never heard or attended that type of potluck.

I think the exact opposite. Small back pockets rarely flatter anyone's backside.

Many of mine were mentioned. Show off either leg or cleavage. If you show off both you cross from sexy to skanky. Every woman needs a great pair of khakis and a white shirt in her closet.

You look fabulous!

And how a person presents themselves is an indicator of mental health and depression. Ask any therapist when they see a new patient and are doing an initial assessment. Not the cost of fashion but the presentation.

Reading the title I thought about the frumpy thread which I don't equate with needing makeup, perfume, or high dollar clothing. I rarely get out of my pjs until 11am, and love jeans and t-shirts. I also have dressier clothes and enjoy them as well. But I love thrift shops and a person can be the opposite of frumpy very inexpensively. Jeans that flatter, t-shirts that fit instead of engulf. Clean hair with a flattering wash and wear cut. There are things that say I care about myself and my husband without costing much if any money. Half painted toe nails.......go bare or paint them, half way is skeevy Use lotion. Most perfumes give me a headache but lotion can do double duty if it smells good Ditch the Mommy jeans. Jeans that fit do not cost any more than others. Get fitted for a bra. I often don't wear a bra when I am home, but a bra that fits makes a person look a lot thinner and better. Silky sleepwear is just as comfortable and cheap as a large t-shirt And my personal favorite.......If you don't like or wear makeup and I don't unless I am going out of the house, try mascara and lip balm. A swipe of mascara makes everyone's eyes look better and more awake and lip balm keeps lips from peeling and soft. Easy, cheap and fast, yet makes a huge, huge difference.

472 posts, so I haven't read ahead. I somewhat get why your saying. I think people should make an effort for their partners. I like to look nice for him and for me, but it isn't at the top of my list of most important qualities. As for the kids, they are kids. They don't care until they get to be preteens or teens. Then they don't want their parents to embarrass them. I try to look nice when I go out of the house no matter what, because I notice that the times I don't, I am guaranteed to run into lots of people I know.

I don't agree. All about spelling made my son a reader. I think any phonic rule based spelling program really reinforces reading, chunking and digraphs. There are a lot of subjects I would drop before dropping spelling for a first grader learning to read. But it looks like you are planning on using Hooked on Phonics and if that is the case it might work for spelling.

CLE Math (I am secular and still love their approach to math) Miquon Math Writing Tales Apples and Pears Spelling

I make list based on a few things. First is history. We did US History this year so I went looking for historical fiction. I look at Sonlight and other curricula providers to get their recommendations and then reading levels to see if they are independent or read aloud books. Then I look at the library for our book basket for non fiction history add ons. I also look at CM for literature choices and of course read any threads here that list best books or must reads. I often put them in my Amazon wishlist and then when I need to decide on books my choices are all in one place. As for making sure they are reading, I ask questions about the book, if they like it, why or why not, what is the funniest, scariest, hardest thing that happened? Who is their favorite character? As they get older I ask them about setting, plot, conflict. For a couple books a year I find comprehension sheets on the web and they fill them out or I ask those questions. Also they choose non fiction books based on their interests in sports, or a biography if I want them to learn about a person. But those aren't assigned reading.

Sons of Anarchy is my guilty pleasure, it reminds me of Modern day Shakespeare. Excellent TV but I wouldn't let the kids watch it until they are older. Sci-fi is usually safe. The boys really enjoy Dr. Who, Warehouse 13 , and Eureka.

Brewer testing. They are inexpensive and to proctor the test you check a box that you are qualified.

I am guilty of being one of those people. The prices make it a good opportunity to consider things I might not have thought about before. But I have a list of what I know I want, and then anything else is just bonus.

I wonder if the people that sold them the guns were criminally charged and seriously punished. I don't remember hearing much about them. Edited after more research........One of the people that sold them weapons was sentenced to 6 years and the other 4 1/2 years. So they were charged.

I didn't realize that. I just read the Wikipedia page on Columbine and it is horrifying how close they came to killing hundreds.

We take classes at a weekly Co-op and I allow my son to choose his classes. He also gets to choose his independent readers, but I give him a large list and he can decide from those choice. Last year he decided he wanted to learn US History instead of Modern History so that choice changed a lot of our curricula. As he gets older I want him to take a more independent role in what he chooses to learn. I make our Math and Language Arts choices based on where he is and how he learns. But if he preferred something else I would certainly listen.

Forget about it......pool of field trip to a place with AC.

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. I don't believe there is anyone on this forum that doesn't want to be part of the solution.

Criminals do not seem to be the problem in school shootings. Colombine, Newtown, and Oregon shooters all got their weapons from a family members arsenal in their homes. The Virginia Tech shooter bought his gun easily, quickly and legally. These aren't criminals buying them on the black market, stealing them from a neighbor, or smuggled across the border. Gun control and regulations could have stopped those shootings. If gun owners secured their weapons their kids couldn't get them. If there was a background check for mental illness or cooling off periods in Virginia. The vast majority of school shootings are kids getting legally obtained guns at home. It should be a wake up call to parents, but it won't be because it is impossible to imagine your child could do something so heinous.