Science Shepherd has a lot of detail. What we did: My dd took notes in outline form as she read. This was a huge help- making an outline helped her to see the main points and not get too overwhelmed by supporting details. It was a great exercise in learning to select how to fine tune her view as there is no way to learn everything in the book. I thought it a great prep for college. We discussed, using her notes, before she filled out the study page. She took the study page almost as a pre-test, helping her see what she was hazy on. Then she would use the book to correct her study guide and clear up any shallow understanding. After taking the test, she went back and corrected any missed answers using the book. Secondly, I allowed her to do two tests open book- her choice. That way, when there was a chapter that was completely overwhelming she could choose to treat it more lightly. That opportunity put the power back into her hands, and gave her confidence that she could finish the course. I graded those tests as quizzes. If I recall correctly, she chose one of the genetics chapters to do as an open book test. I also did the entire evolution section open book; I wanted her to experience that material as a conversation and point of view, not necessarily as fact that had to be memorized. It comes in the middle of the course, so it was a good time to chill a bit and just read the chapter/do the study guide. We spent the time (that would usually have been spent studying and test taking) sitting on the couch talking about faith and science. This girl is not a philosopher by nature, so I count that time more precious than any graded work. Science Shepherd is honors level work, in my opinion (though you should probably add evolutionary material to call it honors). If my non-science major son decides to use Sceince Shepeherd, I will focus on this as an opportunity to learn how to extract main themes from a text book, and will not ask him to memorize the details, which would be completely overwhelming to him. I would also then modify the tests to reflect a comprehension of themes, and ask for examples without worrying about the depth that a science major would be expected to go. Just my opinion! Hope that helps!

Well, we can't either, so I feel 'ya! :) We were on an old hughes modem (back when it was called direcway) and were only able to use 450m a day before falling prey to restrictions. For the same money per month we now get 20 gig and a significant speed increase. The promotion gives us 150 g for 6 months, then we go back to the 20g we signed up for. I am sure they expect us to miss the freedom and want an upgrade. On our part, we are finally glad to be able to do all the software updates we could never do! Now I just have to change the email accounts….ugh…..

Just throwing this out there: There is a satellite company offering a great promo deal. Check out Excede satellite to see what they offer in your area. The promo is not good for every area, but it is worthwhile to check, as the bandwidth difference is mind-boggling for those who have been on sat. forever (150 g for $99!!!). There are some bad reviews online, but they are mostly from people who are switching FROM cable and are stunned that there are bandwidth limitations :) Those who switched from other sat companies give better reviews. We have been on Hughes for years, and are switching to Excede today. If you want to pm me later to find out how the service is doing, feel free.

Dive ICP. You can use the lectures on disc with many physical sci. texts, which tailors the course difficulty to your liking. The disc also has an online textbook incorporated, which you can use in place of a standard textbook. I am on mobile and can't grab a link, but it should be easy to find via a web search or search here on the boards. HTH!

You might see if there is a Greek Orthodox Church nearby. Their services are often in English and 'Biblical' Greek (the amount depends on the constancy of the parish). If they are large, they will also often hold a "Greek Festival' (the one in Portland, OR is in October). They usually have great food and entertainment, and things are presented in both Modern and 'Biblical' Greek. I attend a Greek Orthodox church, so if you have any questions (like what you can expect if you visit) feel free to PM me.

I agree! My DD loved this course. I was really surprised, as it was a 'get it done' course in my opinion. She ran with it, though, and still talks about it. It also developed her idea that fitness is her own responsibility- now she is more fit than anyone in the family! Hmmm, maybe I should do the course….

Oak meadow has a syllabus using this.

Just bumping this for the night crowd. :) My real issue is this: Limited funds, with a STEM kinda girl. I am also caregiving for my husbands parents right now, so I don't have time to pull things together, as much as I think I could. We already have an extensive lab materials collection, so I am hoping that we can do a solid class without breaking the bank.

Free online Chem lectures from Trivedi Chamistry: http://www.trivedichemistry.com/index.php/online-chemistry-lectures Online Chemistry Dictionary: http://www.trivedichemistry.com/index.php/chemistry-dictionary

DD and I are intrigued with the idea of Trivedi, specifically the AP version. http://www.trivedichemistry.com/index.php/ap-chemistry (I am curious about the regular high school course as well.) Has anyone used this yet? Our budget is a little tight, so this seems like a (relatively) inexpensive way to go. We'll be doing some traveling this year, so the idea of the entire course on flash drive is great. I did a search, but the course is not mentioned much. I wonder why? I would love to hear your thoughts on this program! Thanks!

In retrospect, I wish I had gone this direction.

Thank you so much, Lori D. I have been stressing over Econ for a few days, and getting lost in WTM land. Having these listed in one post is extremely helpful.

I had to help my DD with a crying jag today. She is smart, accomplished, and funny, but this morning was stressed to the max. My mom, in a phone call later this afternoon, remimded me that some of the stress is natural for a smart girl facing changes that accompany growing. The world appears to be going crazy (especially to a teen paying attention), my expectations are high (even though I don't realize it), her body is still learning what it feels like to have monthly swings, the PSATs that count are coming up, And here I am waving college pamphlets and talking about AP. My mom reminded me that stress is scary if you have led a great homeschool life where stress is not a part of daily activities. Her stress handling abilities are just not developed yet. Hmm. I came home, wrapped my daughter in a bear hug, told her I loved her, and if she wanted to run barefoot and jobless in the woods forever that was fine with me. I told her I could see her potential, and that I handle that Incorrectly sometimes (thanks to my own mishandled youth). I told her it is all OK, and that the life skills of managing stress are just as important as the skills of leaning the life cycle of unicellular algae. I told her that I was not going to let up with pushing her, because that Is what friends do. I also told her the goal was that I prepare her to be able to love and accept love, and everything else was accessory. Most importantly I told her again I loved her, and that love has nothing at all to do with her smarts, and that her value is not dependent on her career path or GPA. My boys don't seem to handle life the same way, and DD is so practical and cheerful that I don't often see her struggles. Forgive me if this is not applicable, I just thought I would share, just in case it is.

I was just going to suggest this! I just finished it, what a great read.

There is a new edition coming out; you might want to clarify which edition your group will be using. I am not sure if any one has seen inside the new one yet.