A 3.5 hour recital????? I would absolutely lose.my.mind! Do people seriously attend that (and stay for that whole thing)? The length of that alone would make me say, "Uhhhhhh... no way!" DS and DD have their piano recital tomorrow. 45 min is about my max. I'm thrilled our teacher tends to split it into two groups if it gets much over an hour. I cannot fathom 3.5 hours, no matter how well the students play and how diverse the music and ensembles.

I assume you have to be in the class though... Let me know if not! I'm really seeking something that is more long-term and open-ended, not controlled by a class.

Yes, ITA that having kids on our WTM accounts would not be good (for many reasons!). Some thoughts - - only kids of WTM posters (with >100 posts to request access via WTM PM to me) OR kids I know IRL - parents could have an account of their own also so they could post responses, too - "imitation of the day" or "imitation of the week" thread that kids could post (just for fun and practice, although responses are welcome, too) - private (nothing viewable by anyone who is not logged into the forum) - guidelines about how to respond (at least one positive comment in each response, constructive criticism only, etc...) - suspend/ban anyone who responds unkindly or otherwise inappropriately - subforums for particular curricula? More thoughts/ideas? I don't really know how much trouble this would be, so I'm just pondering ideas at the moment... but I'm hopeful! I know this would be a huge help to my kids...

Is there such a place? Or would anyone like to be part of such a thing? I'm just thinking of my own DS10 - he enjoys writing, but much moreso when he has a kid audience and feedback (not just mom). I've noticed how much inspiration it gives him to see how and what other kids write, and wonder if there is a way to do this online. For instance, starting a Killgallon-style imitation thread, where the first post could be an imitation assignment, and the kids could post their imitations below. It would be fun, and they could learn from each other. Another idea would be starting a thread for a particular assignment of a curriculum, like Week 18 of Writing With Skill (not sure what that assignment even is, just picking it for an example). Thoughts? Anyone have kids who would be interested in doing this sort of thing?

Is there such a place? Or would anyone like to be part of such a thing? I'm just thinking of my own DS10 - he enjoys writing, but much moreso when he has a kid audience and feedback (not just mom). I've noticed how much inspiration it gives him to see how and what other kids write, and wonder if there is a way to do this online. For instance, starting a Killgallon-style imitation thread, where the first post could be an imitation assignment, and the kids could post their imitations below. It would be fun, and they could learn from each other. Another idea would be starting a thread for a particular assignment of a curriculum, like Week 18 of Writing With Skill (not sure what that assignment even is, just picking it for an example). Thoughts? Anyone have kids who would be interested in doing this sort of thing? (I will x-post this in the Writing Workshop forum, too, I just thought it would get more eyes here.)

Anna Botsford Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study. It is *fabulous*! Even though it is technically written to the teacher, my DD6 and DS10 LOVE it. And even I like it (and birds are not really my thing). It starts out with general info about birds and then has chapters on individual types of birds. The link above is for a free audiobook version (7+ hrs long!) through Librivox. It is well done (as I recall - it has been a while!) and is a single reader all the way through, which is nice. I highly, highly recommend it! And it's free! :-)

I think this is a great idea, but you don't necessarily need a specific curriculum to do it. DS10 is definitely not an artist, but I do use Science as an art opportunity for him. Basically, when we study something, we google the topic for images, and then he reproduces the image he likes best (either a single image, or takes bits from various images he likes - for instance, the content of one image but the style of a different one) and puts it in his notebook. We reproduce images we find mainly because DS is still young, and I believe in the power of imitation. He ends up with nice images and he gets to experiment with some art techniques along the way. By the time he is in high school, I expect he will be able to come up with his own images more easily. Some of my ideas for projects for him are: - Reproduce an image - Reproduce the content of an image, but in a different medium (watercolor? oils? even collage or sculpture/diorama or who knows what!) - Reproduce a "flat" image but give it form (using value) - Reproduce an image, but in the style of a famous artist (how would Van Gogh draw a eukaryotic cell? How would Andrew Wyeth? Picasso?) - Reproduce an image multiple ways in different styles There are tons of ideas in Nature Journals, too, if you take a look at those on Amazon. Things like this or this or this. These suggestions are weighted towards Botany just because that is what we have done so far, but I'd think you could easily find similar resources on wildlife and human anatomy. Physics and Chem might be more challenging, but Biology lends itself really well to lots of artistic projects. I might also have DS10 practice some calligraphy for his labeling (now he just uses his "best cursive", lol. Same idea can work well for photography. Read a book or watch a course, and apply all of the assignments or elements learned to biological subjects. Use macrophotography to study a leaf or a bug. Take a pic of the same subject using different kinds of lighting, etc.

Appreciate your post, and I could not agree more! The ironic thing is, this already IS one of those "stealth by-invitation-only carefully-selected" co-op groups! Only 4 families, 9 kids total, and super careful about preserving the dynamic and being on the same page before the group allows others to join. I am SO *not* a joiner, but if I can't make *this* group work, then no group will! That being said, part of what makes the group great is that while we are like-minded on many things, we are also on the same page when it comes to respecting the fact that different families have different styles, rules, etc. The teacher who was part of DS's exchange doesn't mind that kind of thing from her own kids, but also wouldn't mind my correcting her kids if the situation were reversed (though I wouldn't, in this particular example). So all that to say, I do feel freedom to deal with this however I want to, but I was just trying to gauge the Hive's opinion to see how much of an outlier I am, to hopefully keep myself from over-reacting.

Thanks for all the helpful responses! Btw, the student was my DS10, I was out of the room, and the teacher was another mom at the co-op. She didn't really respond much, but from watching her in the past I would assume she probably did an internal eyeroll and said an ironic, "Very funny." I only heard about it because DS (who thought he had been clever) told my DH about it, and DH told me. I appreciate all the input because stuff like this can drive me *crazy* and I needed to guage whether I'm over-reacting. I just feel like it is disrespectful and smart alecky, trying to get attention and amuse his friends rather than learn and be a blessing to his teacher. If left to myself, I'm liable to come down hard on DS for it. We have had a good conversation about it, and for now I've told him if I hear him make another comment like that he will end up sitting next to me for the rest of the class period. Probably still over-reacting for lots of folks, but I just can't totally let it go. It's the kind of thing that he sees other kids do, and I think he is testing the waters, you know? So I am going to make the water very hot :-)

Pondering this incident from co-op this week - Teacher: "If you need more help, just say so." Student raises hand. Teacher calls on student. Student: "So." (Other students giggle.) How would you respond if the student were your child and you witnessed this interaction (or heard about it later)? How would you respond if you were the teacher and the student were not your child (and parent did not witness)?

Yet another Fernando Ortega fan here! Also love piano hymn solos (no singing) from the ONeill Brothers, David Nevue, and Chris Rice (particularly Peace Like a River Hymns and the Living Room Sessions). If you happen to be looking for piano CDs of accompaniment (to learn to sing along with as a family, for instance), I highly recommend Susan Beisner's Listen While We Sing set. I believe the arrangements are from the red Trinity Hymnal, but include lots of familiar hymns that would be in other hymnals, too. For multi-part traditional arrangements in a more formal church setting, the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir in London and the Cambridge Choir both have lovely music available on Amazon.

This scope has been amazing for us: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006MX03Q0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It has a built-in camera that was SO easy to set up (just install the included software, then plug in with the included cord), and it allows you to display the scope view on a computer. It does go up to 2000x (oil immersion) but the 800x is plenty good enough. As far as I can tell it is a better scope than the one Apologia recommends, and it is only about $50 more. We are part of a co-op doing Apologia Biology this year, and we hook this scope up to the laptop and then the laptop up to a flatscreen tv, and everyone gets to see exactly what is on the scope at all times. This has been a lifesaver since we only have 2 scopes for 9 kids at co-op. Everyone takes a turn at focusing and such, yet everyone still also gets a constant view of the specimens. Also, frankly, it is so much easier to look at the laptop or tv screen than trying to look through an eyepiece!

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: "to" is often a preposition, but not when it is connected to a verb this way. A prepositional phrase is basically a preposition + a noun (the object of the preposition). If "to" is (wrongly) interpreted as a preposition here, this particular phrase "to see the latest iPhone" would be a Preposition + Verb + Noun, which just isn't correct. Instead, "to see" is an infinitive, and "the latest iPhone" is the object receiving the "seeing". Whether or not the sentence has "only one verb" is an interesting question. If by "verb" you mean a part of *speech* - then the sentence clearly has two words whose parts of speech are both "verb" - "went" and "to see". If, on the other hand, by "verb" you mean a part of the *sentence* - then the sentence only has a one verb - "went". The other word that is a verb (by part of speech) is actually acting like an adverb. If my student could analyze the sentence and make a valid argument to me for it only having one verb, I'd be totally happy with that. If not, then I might have them change it. I say "might" simply because my assumption is that the assignment is actually about proper use of subject pronouns, and by requiring two pronouns and one verb they were trying to make sure students wrote sentences like your DS's (with compound subject pronouns) rather than essentially compound sentences ("He went to the store and she stayed home," with two pronouns and two verbs). I assume they don't care if there are infinitives, gerunds, participles, etc... But without seeing it, I could totally be misunderstanding that.

Both freezers are part of fridge combos (no separate chest freezer). One is a traditional top freezer. The other is a bottom freezer; basically two large drawers that pull out.

I just cleaned out my freezer and threw away lots of stuff that had simply been in there too long. I do label things, but I just forget they are in there and don't like digging around in the cold. How do you organize your freezer so that that does not happen to you? Looking for tips!

I think I understand what she is getting at. However, she should not use the term “passive voice†(or even just “passiveâ€) in this circumstance, since, as a PP mentioned, that is a particular grammar construct in which the receiver of the action is made the subject of the sentence. That is not the case with the sentences you gave; they are all already in active voice. A sentence that is in *active VOICE* already, can have *more* or *less* action occurring, depending on the verb used. That doesn’t affect the *voice* in a grammatical sense – all of the sentences are still active *voice* - but there is more action occurring within the sentence. For example, all of these sentences can convey the same reality, and all are in *active voice*, yet there is more action occurring in #5 than in #1: There are trees by the house. (state-of-being verb with a bland pronoun, so the least action occurring) Trees are by the house. (state-of-being verb, so still not much action, but at least trees are the subject now) Trees stand by the house. (now the trees are doing something) (pattern: Subj + AV) Trees tower over the house. (now the trees are doing more) (pattern: Subj + AV or maybe Subj + AV + DO if you consider “tower over†to be a single verb) Trees shelter/enshroud/protect/shield/crowd/etc. the house. (now the trees are doing something TO something else) (pattern: Subj + AV + DO) So, even *within* active voice, there is still a continuum of how much action is actually occurring. In general, a linking or state-of-being verb has the least action occurring, an action verb has more, and an action verb with a direct object has even more. Btw, this is a good and valid correction, just incorrectly explained by the teacher. Your DD’s teacher should never use “passive†or “passive voice†to describe this correction. She should say “less action occurring†and “more action occurringâ€. IEW incorporates this same idea, but they do it by banning “to be†verbs, and by requiring strong verbs. But their goal is the same thing – a sentence where there is *more* action occurring (they just don’t actually explain it that way).

To my knowledge, the CDs are mostly pdf documents, so should work fine on either as long as you have an Adobe PDF reader installed.

:bigear: (Wish I could help, but I'm in the same exact boat! But hopefully this will give you a bump :-))

Sowell is a free marketer, in a similar vein as Friedman and Hayek. He is not a Keynesian (leftist) but there are lots of folks further right than he is. One thing I like about his writing is his extensive use of real world examples, and his direct comments on (and answers to) Keynesian ideas. Brilliant stuff.

Me too! I *adore* that man. Seriously. My husband and I have joked that he is my "celebrity crush". :rofl: I have to admit anytime I hear his name my heart skips a beat because I fear he has died (he is well into his 80s). Thankfully he is still chugging along :thumbup: His Basic Economics text is ***fabulous***. I knew nothing about economics, but one day my DH bought me that book (I didn't even know who Sowell was at that point), and I read the first 60+ pages without setting it down once. His writing style is incredibly clear, captivating, logical, and humble. I learned SO much from his text. I even just bought it on audiobook, with the intention of listening to it with my DS10 next summer (it is not a book for kids by any stretch, but DS asks a lot of economics questions so I think he would enjoy it). :patriot: Sowell For Ummm.......... :leaving:(nevermind)

We do a ton of memorization in our homeschool, and we love MCT... but no, we did not memorize the prefixes or the subject and object pronouns. For the prefixes, we study lots of Latin and so we learn vocab and such that way. For the subject and object pronouns, I *do* ask them sometimes to tell me the subject pronouns, or the object pronouns... but we don't have them "memorized"; they simply figure it out on the fly using a sample sentence, based on what they know about the parts of the sentence. If I ask for subject pronouns, they think of their sentence and substitute out the subjects, going through the three persons singular and plural. Ex: Me: What are the subject pronouns? DD6: *I* love dogs, *you* love dogs, *he* loves dogs, *she* loves dogs, *it* loves dogs, *we* love dogs, *you* love dogs, *they* love dogs. Me: What are the object pronouns? DD6: Dogs love *me*, dogs love *you*, dogs love *him*, dogs love *her*, dogs love *it*, dogs love *us*, dogs love *you*, dogs love *them*. So... no need to "memorize" these.

oooooh GSWL all the way!!! Totally no frills but super easy to implement and learn.

Interruptions drive me insane, too. DH works at home and was in the habit of walking in and asking questions anytime without regard to what else is going on. We finally had to agree that if the door is shut, he at least needs to think twice before interrupting. If we are out in the open - such as in the kitchen while I'm making lunch - he still needs to listen first before interrupting, since we are often still reviewing or discussing something with school, and so his "off-topic question that can wait" is still a major disruption. Frankly, even if I'm *not* doing school at the moment, I pretty much do not want to talk to anyone. I just need a break from talking!! But that is a hard one to communicate without sounding rude and selfish, lol.

My kids fly through math, too. I don't like "slowing them down" per se, but I do like to take a little time off every now and then to focus on something related to math but not usually taught in school. The main two I focus on are computer programming and formal logic.

I started with TOG with my DS10 last spring (we are currently in Yr 1, Unit 2) and I have to admit I use it *nothing* like intended. This is what I do. I read through the pages for the week and note the questions it is asking and then write up my own list of questions based on those. I typically read all the UG and D stuff, and dabble in the R stuff when it isn't too crazy. ;-) This is time-consuming for me, but well worth it since I learn a lot as I read and come up with my questions and answers. We don't do many/any hands-on projects but he can do them on his own if he wants (which he doesn't). Then I get all of the books on our shelf that are relevant to that week's topic. We have a zillion carefully curated books around here, and honestly they are plenty good enough. I have yet to buy anything specifically for TOG (though we do already have some of their recommendations on our shelves). Then I give my DS10 my list of questions that I want him to look for. He can read freely in the stack of books I give him, but he needs to be focusing particularly on the chapters relevant to the subjects covered that week. He doesn't have to write answers, but in general needs to be able to discuss the answer later (and can make notes for himself if he wants; it doesn't have to all be from memory). Sometimes we read together (especially if he is having trouble figuring out an answer). There are always some questions that are not answered in his readings, and he knows not to worry about that; he knows the questions are particular to the topic rather than the book and we discuss it all through the week anyway. By way of example, here is the list of questions I gave him for Yr 1, Unit 1, Week 2. This might seem like a lot, but it isn't actually all that bad once we got the hang of it. Btw some questions have a page number on them, and that refers to the TOG week's page numbers; sometimes I will include that though that is more for my benefit when discussing with him since he doesn't read from the TOG parent pages independently. History Where was the new capital of the unified kingdom? What did Egyptians believe happened to morals in the afterlife? Who was Akhenaten/Amenhotep IV? Tutankhamun? Amenemhet I, II Ramses II, III Tuthmosis I, III Hatshepsut Senusret I, III Cleopatra VII (30) Mark Antony What are/were the 7 Wonders of the ancient world? What are mastabas? Step pyramids? Straight sided pyramids? Egypt timeline - p 28-30, 35 Historical Geography Where was/is Memphis? Abydos Thebes Sphinx and Great Pyramids Valley of the Kings Midian Kush Nubia Upper Egypt Lower Egypt Alexandria Avaris Kadesh Bible How much time passed between the end of Genesis and the birth of Moses? Did Moses have children? Was Moses a logical choice as leader of God's people? Why did God choose him? Describe Moses' call by God. (Ex 1-2, mine) Compare Noah and the ark with Moses and his basket. (mine) What does Egypt symbolize in Scripture (p 47) Who are Noah's sons? Bible Geography Ur Haran Shechem Hebron Sodom & Gomorrah Beer-Sheba Gerar Negeb Goshen Zoar So anyway... that is basically how we do it. Not everyone's cup of tea, but we have found it to work pretty well for us so far :-)