I am using these this year as well for a morning family science/history lesson to discuss. I have the workbooks as well but finding that they are not really practical for each lesson as we will use them. Thanks for the Moving Beyond the Page referral - I will check those guides out. Has anyone used AIMS Historical Links Through Mathematics? I am using these as well and was hoping someone might have a schedule or has combined the 2 series (Hakim's Story of Science with the Historical Links through Mathematics). http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Connections-Mathematics-Resources-Classroom/dp/1881431355/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408801364&sr=1-1&keywords=aims+history+math

Thank you all!

Anyone have experience? Is there a thread already posted that I could read? Thanks!

:iagree: You probably made his day :)

I would love these recipes! Thanks - they sound great!

I think anything that allows a child to explore while learning would be good. Oak meadow comes to mind right off because it has a lot of hands on experiences for learning through.

2.0 refers to the new version of TT which is self grading. I have used both and there is not really any other difference that I have noticed. I think the content is the same and the problems are the same - you are just paying more to get the 2.0 version so that it grades the students problems for you. I also think that it falls a bit behind Saxon and other curriculum. My daughter finished singapore math 4B then tested into TT math 7.

I use straighttalk... Easy to use. $45 a month for unlimited talk, text and internet. They have an android phone now that runs off of verizon towers for excellent coverage....

:iagree:

We used k12 with 4 children... The language arts is a rich curriculum and can be implemented how you wish. Some people use all of it and some choose to minimize it. That is the wonderful thing about k12 :-)

You will do great if you just relax. I enrolled 4 children last year and will enroll 2 this year. There are some things I love and a few things I would change. However, for me it has been an awesome experience. I am in TN too :-) please email me and I will be happy to give you pointers on what I learned.

Our public library subscribes to lots of nice magazines and then we can buy the older editions for .25 :) You might call your local libraries and see if they are near selling any... That is the least expensive way to get the nice magazines without advertisements in them. I still have access to sell magazines, however I can only get magazines like Nat. Geo, Boys Life and American Girl at a deep discount - the advertisements in the magazines are where the companies are getting their money. On the flip side, if money or a budget is not the objective then Cricket, Calliope, Muse, etc are AWESOME at http://www.cricketmag.com I would like to hear other ideas of favorite magazines too :)

Yes, thank you all for the insights! Much needed here :)

Thank you both for your response... I found the ALA site just after posting this :) I have a friend complaining about the Hunger Games and I just wanted to show her some other books that she HAS read and loved that have been complained about by others... Thanks a bunch!

I am looking for a list of banned books that schools will not allow in their library. I know I have seen discussions here, anyone have a quick link or better idea for searching than 'banned book list'? I am not finding anything. Thanks!:auto:

Yes, yes, yes... just keep it for de-stressing with angry birds :)

I love this post! This is really something that I worried over when my oldest started kindergarten and now that I have my fourth child in 1st grade I would not use any curriculum. Kindergarten is a time for observing and learning about the world through imagination and exploration. It is a time for learning that numbers are everywhere and when a child learns that naturally through stories and play then they will blossom with an understanding of numbers. They do not necessarily need to sit and follow a curriculum based on the standards of other children. They can learn so much more if you give them some paper, pencils, pens, play money, other math manipulatives, and some stories about how to use them. They will begin to set up stores and sell their family things :) They will begin writing from watching parents and siblings and they will learn to count, add, subtract and tell time by listening and observing others.

Thank you for this, because it is my thought exactly :)

There is this little book and I can not remember the name of it - I would love to know if any of you know what it is... The setting is during the early AD years. It is about P. Benjamin Methusula (spelling??) who is a rich glutton of a little boy who has closets full of toys. He lives in a mansion on a hill in Jerusalem. Then the other character is little John who lives in the valley and has one room in the house where he lives with his widowed mom. She begs and mends then rich mens shoes and clothes. On Sunday it is time to go to church and give an offering. P. Benjamin gives 7 toys away and they make loud sounds when he drops them in the treasury box at church. Little John gives a penny - the only penny they have. P. Benjamin laughs when it is dropped in and barely makes a tinkle. While he is laughing and pointing at little John, he says, I gave that penny to them this morning as they were begging at the city gate. But Jesus says to them: What's 2+2+2+1? It's 7, my friend, only 7. But what's all plus all? It's very close to heaven. I do not tell this to my kids so they will be religious, go to church and give money (I am actually far against that for many reasons), but rather to help others with what little we have. This was by far my favorite book in the world from when I was little. I have told it numerous times before bed - it seems to put things into perspective if we seem to be greedy and unthankful.

I just enrolled all 4 of my kids in k12 this year after much reluctance, but I love it! There is really nothing to lose. We can withdraw at any time and go back to homeschooling. Here in TN we are under state public school restrictions because it is funded by the school system, but it really seems like it will be ok. It uses some things that we already used in homeschool: Wordly Wise, Vocabulary from Classical Roots, Hakim US history, Chronological History, Art that goes along with the history, and more - can not think right now :) It took a lot of time from me in the first couple of weeks and I was thinking to myself that we would never make it!!! However, once the kids learned their independence with it, it was so much easier. It takes us about 2-3 hours a day to get our work in if the kids will stay focused. We are required to log 6 1/2 hours a day, but I give the full allowed time for the lessons and then we do a lot of outdoor science :) and field trips. We can also log 8 hours a week for supplemental activities. I do not like the math, but we use singapore or other online games to help the kids understand the lessons and then they can do the assessments. I do not like the writing amounts so I don't make them do it all. I just choose a lesson or 2 to do verbally. The kids can log in and do 3-4 math lessons at a time or 3-4 history lessons at a time. We like this as it saves a lot of time and we have always like block studying. There are a lot of lessons that my kids can do on their own. Vocabulary and Spelling, for instance, need no help from the parent usually. So my 3rd grader will do 3-4 vocabulary lessons at a time and the next day they can focus on something else. We do our reading together as a family and they use classics which we love! If we need to miss a couple of days completely - I just email the teachers and tell them that we are doing weekend schooling that week. Good luck in your decision. It really took a lot of pressure off of me with time spent planning lessons and preparing weekly planning. Overall I feel very confident with it. Just make sure of your state requirements about reverting back to homeschooling and that should help you to feel comfortable with the switch (assuming that your state is funding it).

Which of the high school math programs have instruction on dvd or computer to go with them? I hear many of you talking about Aops, Lials, Jacobs, etc but not Teaching Textbooks. Why? I am currently using singapore with all of my children and my daughter is in 5A. I want to switch her to another program that will have some instruction so I gave her a placement test of math 7 in Teaching textbooks. She aced it, so I will have to look into a more challenging program I think. I like teaching textbooks because of the ease of using it and the kids learning on their own, however if it is not very challenging then I want to go another route... However, I have also heard that we should have a certain math plan for 8th grade so that she can get credit for high school. Can anyone show me a neat and easy path for a challenging high school program for a mom who does not have time to relearn math in order to teach it?

I have to second the recommendation for Singapore with the Intensive Practice Books. It is awesome for kids who do not want or need the repetitive programs like Saxon. We began in K-1 with saxon but changed quickly to Singapore. We used mostly the intensive practice along with a lot of math games and real life learning. My daughter just finished Singapore math 4B and we went to Teaching Textbooks Math 7 placement test and she aced it - so she is ready for TT Pre algebra, but only in 6th grade so we will hang on to Singapore 5 and 6 and do Life of Fred as a change up this year just to give a light challenge before beginning Prealgebra in 7th grade. I can not say enough about Singapore if you have a child who learns a new concept fairly quickly.

Yes, actually Colbert and John Stewart are our favorite alternative :tongue_smilie:news sources just because the horrors of the news are actually made humorous.

NPR and BBC via internet usually...

I talk to them a lot about the value of how much they have and what they could do with it in different circumstances. We go to the thrift stores A LOT. As long as they do not buy stuffed animals, I am flexible with what they get there. We bought a woody and wendy for .99 each (with pull strings in good condition). Then I took them to Toys R Us and let them compare. They realized that if they had bought them at a regular store they would have spent well over $50!! Thrift stores are great for a lot of lessons and then if they buy something and do not like it, it is not such a waste to donate it or put it in the garbage :) I think it is important for them to learn once the hard way by doing. I would probably let her get the subscription if I talked to her and she insists. Then when she wants something big later, you could remind her that she once had that much but bought the subscription. Ask at that time if it was worth it. Then encourage her that she can save again, but next time you hope she will think more before spending. I guess every child is different and will learn differently, but this is what we have done with our children and they LOVE the thrift stores and when we are in Target or other stores they will look at the toys, but hardly ever ask for anything. They always say they will watch for that at the goodwill ;)