I was going to say to up your fat & protein levels to compensate for lowering the carbs. Also .. make sure the carbs you do eat are whole grain .. brown rice, sweet potatoes, etc. as the high sugar in some of the gluten free breads, cookies, cake mixtures will only cause hypoglycemia and that will cause the dips and spikes so you will be feeling hungry more often. I have my carb ratios to about 100-130 grams per day, my protein to about 130 and my fats to 30-50 depending on the day. If you are trying to lose weight I would keep carbs/proteins high and fats lower, and if you are at your goal weight and just want to maintain then you can lower carbs a bit (as long as you don't do heavy workouts) and up the fat gram percentage. Anyway .. good luck ... I am a celiac and have been eating this way for well over 10 years.

We just did that lesson today and it reminded my dd11 of the chocolate taste testing we did a few weeks back when a chocolatier friend of mine came to stay. Nothing like a blind taste testing of 10 different kinds of chocolate to get you ready for this assignment! I am just loving the excerpts!

That is absolutely fabulous Lewelma! Thank you for sharing this past season's science fair project with all of us. I am thrilled to see that it culminated into academic awards for him. It certainly makes time spent in that frigid water well worth it! How exciting. I am excited FOR you!

I love it .. I love the pups too! The couch is perfect, and IKEA just makes it look so organized! Good Job Halcyon!

We did it in line with WWS, so the sentences would match up for the weeks that we were given of ALL. We liked it and it was easy to incorporate into our day. After that I finished up MCT Town, and at the same time started on KISS Grammar.

Beta Testing for WWS2 has started already, but if I remember right the actual program goes on sale sometime in the spring of 2013.

Not to mention after nearly every excerpt that we learned to summarize my dc would want the full version from the library to read. They read Sherlock Holmes, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, The Book of Dragons and more this year specifically because of the excerpts that they read in WWS. So.. yes, if you have a lot of knowledge and know where you want to take your dc, then you probably won't need WWS. But, it teaches an entirely different style of writing than I was taught, and that appealed to me. I believed that if we could muddle through the more difficult aspects of the program, that something would come together. At that point nothing else had really caught my eye enough to want to use for academic writing, so once we started I just decided we were going to finish it. I am glad that I stuck with it, and I will continue to use it because I honestly need the hand holding. ;-)

I agree though that if you are using the first .. say, 12 weeks of the program and then pulling out, you are in the middle of the drudgery section in my opinion, and it does start to come together. We will be starting on the beta version of WWS2 soon and it seems to pick right back up where WWS1 left off, so I am honestly excited to see what else we will be learning this year. If I had the wherewithal to pick my own topics, find the resources that worked perfectly for the example I was trying to teach, and teach the method that SWB was teaching then yes I would just do it myself. My brain does not work like that though, and there were occasions (like the digestive section, the underwater vents, Marie Antoinette, etc.) where we learned a lot about science and history (a lot more than we would have on our own) by using her examples and going through the work.

Yes, by the end of it my dd11 had written several full narrative style essays that sometimes were upwards of 8-9 paragraphs each. She had learned how to properly site her work (well.. as much as an 11 year old understands the process). She was completing footnotes and a works cited page for the first time, and could look at a topic and decide if perhaps she wanted to write about it using a sequence of natural events, or a chronological narrative including a desc. of person or place paragraph, etc. She could adjust it according to the resources she could find and what she wanted to paper to be about. She still needs a lot of practice, but all that 'initial drudgery' paid off in the end, because it gave her tools in her tool belt to pull from when she wanted to write about a topic. It wasn't just the standard - pick three things about the topic and then include an introduction and conclusion that her peers were writing in PS. Hopefully that helps!

We finished WWS1 last school year, and I distinctly remember not liking the first section of the program. It was soooo different than what we had been using (Classical Composition Fable & Narrative) and it felt disjointed because you were learning pieces and parts to things and could not yet see the WHOLE of the program. However, my opinion changes soon after that, and by the end of WWS1 I was thinking, "Why didn't I get taught how to write this way?" At some point it just all started to fit together and I could understand why the indiv. sections were so important. Sure it holds your hand, but with writing I can't see the forest for the trees, and tend to get caught up in the details a bit too much. When the picture of what we were trying to get to finally emerged I was relieved that I had stuck with it, because I wouldn't have been able to teach that to my dc on my own.

Yes, it looks like the Beta version of WWS2 picks right up where WWS1 left off. 4 days a week. I will use this like I did the WWS version and load the student pages on their laptops and just work off of them. If I need to print something I will. Hopefully there isn't a ton of skipping around. I don't know how it would be helpful to beta test the program like that because all roads seem to lead to the next in WWS. It would be hard IMO to jump around it, unless we are just beta testing sections? For example a few weeks of the beginning, a few weeks of poetry, a few weeks of lit analysis? From the sounds of the email that came with the WWS2 beta test, we would be receiving 4 weeks worth at the end of each month?

I think the SC for Elem. and the Story Grammar for Middle School are fairly similar in that they use correct grammar terminology when teaching the various exercises. I have not done Story Grammar for elem. but when I looked at it, it was a lot different than the SC for Elem. we just completed. So I am planning on moving right into Story Grammar for Middle School. I am not sure why it switches in the middle school books? Having said that I am certain there is value in both sets of books. My kids love the excerpts and they love coming up with their own sentence variations. I like that they are getting a thorough education and a lot of practice in the various types of sentence structure... ie. Appositives, Prepositional phrases, etc. I don't think there is anything super 'elementary' about the SC book, but I can't say how it compares to Story Grammar for Middle school because I don't have that one yet. It takes my dd11 about 15-20 minutes tops to complete an exercise.

haha .. you make me smile. I know with my dd she has a mind of her own when it comes to what she wants to write. Now if I could just get her to care about something OTHER than horses. lol. I find that making her do it the WWS way works for the assigned pieces, but I almost have to get out of the way when it comes to purely creative or descriptive writing. She KNOWS what she wants to say. I think your ds is that way with academic writing in that he reads something and comes to his own understanding of it and it shows in how he writes about it. I don't think you can teach that beyond continuing to fill his mental tool belt with options that he can pull from when needed. The world will box him in soon enough if he allows it, so I just love that you gave him this open-ended assignment and allowed it to just BE. I have a hard time with that myself because I innately think that all her writing needs to fit in to a pre-manufactured mold. I teach it because I feel I have to, but I love that he cared enough about the topic to go off in his own direction. It reminds me that THAT kind of writing is equally important.

I don't know if you can teach non-formulaic writing, because then it becomes formulaic. I will be interested to see what others have to add to the discussion. IMO you are doing everything right by opening his world up, having meaningful discussions about events both in history and current, giving him good examples to read. Clearly it is already taking root. I know it is so easy to want to tap that 'magic' that happens. I have read through some of my own dds descriptive writing, and the way she does it sometimes is very impressive to me. This was the beginning of a descriptive paragraph about the horse barn. (Opening the first gate, I walk into the horse stable. I look down the long, narrow corridor with horses poking their heads out of their stalls to socialize with neighbors. Their soft, barely audible whickers and whinnies fill the room, bringing it to life.) But, I have yet to understand HOW she does it or how to tell her to do it again. lol. I feel like she is a product of all the good things that have been shown to her, but at the same time it's just HER. She is a product of her environment, and you are certainly setting up a good environment for your boys. I do think that if they CARE about the subject they are likely to produce their best work, so for the non-formulaic writing I would continue to allow him to choose the direction and topic. So nice to chat with you Lewelma!

I would see if you could sign up to be a Beta-Tester for WWS2 as Patty has started sending those out. I would second Sentence Composing from Killgallon. We used the Elem. version this past year and my dc have learned so much. In fact that is the ONE thing they have requested doing every year.

Hey there Lewelma, I do have a question for you with regards to your son's essay. When he chose the topic from Scientific America did he go on to further research it before writing, or was this a synopsis of what he read and then he put it in his own words? I think that at 11 years old he had clarity of purpose in his writing, and also wrote it in order so that it was easily understandable. I know you weren't looking for reviews of the paper though, but to talk about the non formulaic writing. I really think it is fantastic that he can put thoughts together and have them be cohesive and make sense. I would say continue with WWS, but definitely give him the room to have these type of assignments to 'see' what he comes up with. I believe that can only create a level of comfort with writing. To give him a chance to create and explore and come up with his own variety would enhance any formula you teach him IMO. That being said, I love the idea of learning how to debate. If he's interested I could see setting up a blog for him to write like this about topics. As they say with writing a novel, it doesn't matter if you have grand ideas in your head .. it's what is put on paper that counts. I am learning that just WRITING .. the physical act of writing is sometimes enough .. at least initially! I say teach the formula .. whether its 5 paragraph, WWS or whatever so that he understands how to follow directions and do what is assigned. But I love the idea of giving him free reign as well. How to do that is up to you .. Bravewriter Style, Blog, Debate Club, etc.

Thanks Yvonne, They didn't test her, just asked what she would be going into next year and I told them our plan was to do Pre-Alg, so they moved her up a grade in math to their 7th grade pre-alg program. lol. I think it's a sink or swim sort of situation mostly. I agree our after schooling may be sporadic at first with all the busy work, so we'll wait and see. She is a quick worker, so I am hopeful. It's going to have to be a wait and see thing though, and in the mean time she will keep working through MM6A. My main concern was that MM6 was NOT in fact a pre-alg program at all, but a 6th grade math program and then we would not be ready for pre-alg this fall at ps. I was hoping that by doing MM6A she would actually be ahead of the game when she went back.

Yes, my only concern is that dd is ready to go into a PS pre-alg program and be successful, otherwise I would have no problem with doing MM6 and then AoPS .. or trying AoPS and going back to MM6 for certain things. I just want her to be able to walk into the PS pre-alg and know what is going on. I've heard a lot of people say that MM6 was basically a pre-alg program or they moved straight into alg after MM6, so it makes me 'think' that is how it can be used, but obviously that wasn't Maria's original intention from the looks of things. Not to mention dd11 is moving into a textbook type math .. lots of boxes and colors and where do I look first type of thing. Connected Mathematics or something like that (http://www.phschool.com/atschool/cmp2/program_page.html) .... aye .. it's enough to make my head spin. My only goal is that it be relatively easy for her so that when we she gets home the real math work can begin.

I am coming from the Math Mammoth 5 & 6 thread and had a question for everyone who skipped most or all of MM6 to move into AoPS pre-alg last year. How did it go? Did you have times where you had to learn concepts first in MM6 before AoPS? Dd11 has been placed in a 7th grade PS pre-alg program this year (we are sending her back to PS), and I plan to work on AoPS pre-alg alongside of it after school. I know that A LOT of people have moved into AoPS pre-alg after MM5 or Singapore 5 levels were complete, but I have yet to hear how the transition went and if it was easy enough to go into a pre-alg program having completed MM5. I see that Maria has a whole section about what pre-alg books to choose after MM6 http://www.mathmammoth.com/complete/prealgebra.php and she also has 7th grade pre-alg worksheets http://www.mathmammoth.com/worksheets/grade_7.php That makes me wonder if I am missing something by not completing MM6 and REALLY has me worried that dd11 won't be able to walk into the PS pre-alg class knowing what she is doing. ugh .. so I am a little stressed. This summer we are working out way through MM6A and she is currently in the middle of chapter 3. So far so good, but I don't think we can get it ALL done before PS starts the end of August and I just want her to be ready and find success in PS.

I would have no problem with finishing MM6 before starting AoPS pre-alg except that dd11 has been placed in a 7th grade PS pre-alg program so I would like to be working on AoPS pre-alg alongside of it after school. I know that A LOT of people have moved into AoPS pre-alg after MM5 or Singapore 5 levels were complete. But then I see that Maria has a whole section about what pre-alg books to choose after MM6 http://www.mathmammoth.com/complete/prealgebra.php and she also has 7th grade pre-alg worksheets http://www.mathmammoth.com/worksheets/grade_7.php That makes me wonder if I am missing something by not completing MM6 and REALLY has me worried that dd11 won't be able to walk into the PS pre-alg class knowing what she is doing. ugh .. so I am a little stressed myself about this.

I am not completely sure yet, but I knew for a fact I wanted to get through the first half of MM6 before I dove into AoPS at all. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showpost.php?p=3895117&postcount=74 Here is one of the replies, but I am still looking for the other comparison. I know of quite a few people who opted to finish MM5B and then head straight into AoPS Pre-Alg without issue. So, it will really be a matter of how my dd works through AoPS. I remember when my husband and I sat down and compared them both a while ago it seemed as if many of the same topics were being covered by both, so it's mostly a wait and see if we can move into AoPS without finishing all of MM or not. If you have the time I don't see why doing one then the other wouldn't be helpful to any student, but then I have not worked through AoPS to really be able to know.

On a side note, dd11 is well into chapter 3 of MM6A and I haven't had to help her with any of level A so far .. go figure.

There were a few chapters as I mentioned in MM5 that dd had to review, but at the same time I can't way whether I would call her mathy. I will say that using MM has enabled her to do more mental math and there are times that she can come up with answers in her head quicker than her dad or I can figure them out. The main issue that we had with MM5 was the word problems because they quickly become 3-4 part problems and you have to be well organized to get them accurate and find the final answer. Last year in MM4 I loaded the pdf of the curriculum onto their laptops and required them to do the actual work on lined paper. I made them learn how to space the problems, show all of their work, and not jump around the page. They really couldn't jump around because they weren't working on the actual worksheets anymore. They still had a few pages or chapters they had to print, but for the most part requiring that level of organization really helped them get things right.

There was a thread about this exact thing a while ago and I wish I could find it for you. The consensus was that MM6 covered a few key areas that AoPS did not, but otherwise you should be able to do either/or. I remember someone posting that if your student could do MM6A Chapter 4 - Number Theory then they would enjoy AoPS Pre-Alg. At least that is how I remembered it! lol We've used all the levels of MM. My dd11 has finished with MM5 and there were a few areas that she struggled on and had to review after the test and then retake the test. I believe the fractions chapter and perhaps the geometry in the spring were the two issues. I do need to get her CWP to help with word problems because she sometimes has trouble setting them up correctly. We've started on MM6A this summer and hope to finish it before we move directly into AoPS Pre-Alg for the fall. So far she is doing well with MM6. The real kicker is that she is going back to PS this year as a 6th grader. She is being moved into their 7th grade Pre-Alg class, but I am not having that replace the work we will do at home with AoPS at all. Not sure how that all will go, but for now I will remain calm. lol

My ds just finished MM 3 last year and we didn't require any manipulatives at all. It should be rather self explanatory in my opinion.