Is it an easy supplement to add to a high school schedule?

Thank you for the helpful replies! Georgia

I have 2 dc, grades 7 and 9. Both are a bit behind in spelling, my fault because I get so bored teaching it (not a good excuse) :tongue_smilie:( Actually I like spelling, just not teaching it). I say "a bit" because their spelling skills are pretty erratic. For example, they can spell some advanced words but get stuck on "Wednesday." One is a natural speller, the other not. I like that you skip words that they already know, which seems GREAT since my dc usually test at a low level, then know 80% of the words, and get annoyed. My questions are: If you use for older kids, do you like it? Is it easy to add in words from other sources, such as Natural Speller? Does it address suffixes/prefixes/roots? What components do I need? Just a book I can get used for cheap? Do I need the CD? Activity cards? Someone mentioned their kids teaching each other with it. Is it that easy? I was leaning toward just Apples drills workbook and no interaction from me, but then saw this being talked about. I was interested because my dd used a few books from Megawords, which was rule based and workbook, and it didn't stick. (Still a great program, just not the right learning style for my dd.) Thanks for any help, Georgia

Karen, that makes sense! I see how you arranged the bar diagram to group the leftovers, and it's easier to "see" them. I still think this is a challenging type of problem! Thank you everyone!

Regentrude, thank you so much! That's a very clear explanation. I had gotten to the 1B+1M=$24. I'll be going back over your solution to see if I can relate it at all to a bar diagram. It may be that this is not terribly conducive to the bar diagram approach. Thanks for the help! Georgia

Thanks, Meredith! I have the 2006 edition, page 10, #20. The answer is $6.

Yikes! I'm stuck on these type of problems!!! We're ok with others, but these particular ones have me stumped. We're trying to do this WITHOUT using algebra (since I don't think it's covered in level 5). Here's the problem from the book: 5 books and 9 magazines cost $156 altogether. 9 books and 5 magazines cost $180 altogether. How much more does each book cost than each magazine? We drew the following bar diagram: 5M 9M 24 = 156 ---- --------- ---- 9B 5M = 180 --------- --------- Can anyone explain the strategy for this type of problem? Thank you! Georgia ETA: Bar diagram should look like the typical kind - my symbols are not translating well

to go with living books approach for 8th grade?

For reading about reading...whether it's classic or modern, I'm enjoying "How to Read Literature Like a Professor." It's funny and written for the lay person, and designed to take the fear out of beginning the reading journey.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I chose Foersters for my dd because the reviews praised the clarity of the explanations. So far they seem pretty good. I did think it was supposed to be a rigorous text, on the comments from other users, but the problems are pretty straightforward, after coming from Singapore for primary math. I had no idea that it did not cover all state standards (haven't cross-checked it).

Thanks!!!

Did you like it? How are the explanations? How would you rate it compared to, say, Foerster's, which is what we're using right now for Alg.1?

Is anyone familiar with these textbooks for Algebra 1 or Algebra 2 and Trigonometry? We live in NY state and they use these books.

...logic stage history for the period from early renaissance to the U.S. Civil War? I'm looking for biography, nonfiction, and/or lliterature written by an author from the period. Music, art, science topics from the period would all be good. Thanks! Georgia

Can anyone compare these for me? This would be for 8th grade.

:)

What do you think of the accompanying guides? Do they promote logic-stage thinking/analysis?

I've heard the older (1994) KHE version with the white cover is better than the red one. I'm wondering if I can substitute the white KHE for the red one with the History Odyssey study guide, and still have the guide make sense. The page numbers don't have to match exactly, but the topics would need to be fairly similar. Is anyone doing this? P.S. my siggy is OOD!

Dina - Thanks for the link. I think it is for the hardbacks, and looks very different from the BCM that I have. JanaNC - thank you for clarifying this difference between the hardback and paperback. Creekmom and Matroyshka - we are using the book after Singapore 6A, and trying to fill in some gaps before algebra, so I'd go with the schedule that's outlined in the other thread - it looks good to me! Thanks for that link, and I think it will be useful for Introd. Alg. as well.

What a great text! Here's what I like about BCM: numerous examples clear explanations (not too long, and not dumbed down) end of chapter summaries are really good solid math vocabulary and laws cumulative reviews at the end of each chap (cover all previous chapters) I'm wondering whether to continue in Lial's or give Foerster's a try. I can't find any samples of Foerster's texts, but have read lots of great reviews. I don't think I've found any Lial's samples either. Is Lial's beginning Alg like BCM with respect to the above?

Rainbow Resource?

I agree with previous posters. If a human wrote it, it's biased. We are too complex a creature to avoid it. Imagine trying to drain all personal opinion and bias out of history - how dry and boring it would be. The best we can do is gently encourage our kids to be aware that there are many opinions on past events, thank goodness, and to learn to open our minds to differences of opinion. This is hard to do with young ones without creating cynicism. Lee was a bad man? You could do a Ph.D. or write a book on that comment from a historical/ethical/anthropological/philosophical viewpoint. Some probably have. :) That's the point of history study. To learn from our past - about human nature, and to take what lessons it gives us, good/bad/ugly/beautiful/confusing, and most importantly to me, hopeful. All that being said, we're still faced with choosing what kind of biased book to read. Some commentaries are certainly more agenda-driven than others. Even Primary sources were written by biased people, and that bias is part of the history.

Thanks!

BCM? Is it mastery approach? Would it be easy to use for filling in gaps before Algebra? Is there a solns manual for BCM? Is one needed? Regarding the Key to Algebra - do you like the explanations/instruction? Is the solns manual needed for this? I'm leaning toward not getting it, if the instruction/example problems are good. Thanks!

How are the manipulatives (in the Math U See curriculum) used to enhance learning of algebra? (beyond understanding decimals) Sorry, but I can't visualize how you would do this. It's been too long since I studied algebra, and if anyone can give me a description or example, I'd be grateful.