[WA State Homeschooling Laws]

There are quite a few field trip oriented homeschool groups in Tacoma; I've lived here for the last 10 years.  If you have any questions about the area, feel free to send me a message.  Best of luck to you on your move.  :)

[What are you excited about for next year? Top three]

Mandy, I'm intrigued by your first item. Googling didn't narrow it down for me.  Would you mind sharing a link and/or more info about Plague! Problem Solving for One?  TIA!

 

I'm not Mandy, but I am going to venture a guess that she's referring to this book.

[Kalanamak asked me to relay a message. :(]

Natalie, I live close to Kay and would be glad to receive cards for her and deliver them together. Let me know if I can help. :)

[Pi Day Planning]

We will be doing a few activities and reading a few books from this list: 3/14 = Pi Day

[Kalanamak asked me to relay a message. :(]

I noticed Kay was missing the other day and thought about stopping by her house, but I'm not good at stopping by unannounced.

 

This is sad, sad, news. I will hold my treasured memories of her even more tightly today.

[What do we do this year when we get materials?]

I've had both new and used items.

[What do we do this year when we get materials?]

I've had a few things trickle in, include some things that were not what I had ordered, but most of our stuff isn't here yet. Let me know if you have any luck getting a hold of someone in the office, I have had no luck so far.

[Okay, 2nd Saturday in August it is]

I've got it on my calendar. Hurray! I'm looking forward to it. :D

 

Not sure yet what I'll be bringing. I'll try to update this response when I have it figured out.

[Favorite educational software?]

My kids have loved Timez Attack, Universe Sandbox, and playing with Google Earth.

[MCT Box Day!!]

We used Angela's schedule last year and it worked great.

 

MCT Island Schedule

[Newest FB rollcall (again)]

I'd be glad to have some WTM friends on FB. :D

 

ChiknGirl

[Similar to Piggie and Elephant books (Mo Willems)? For new readers...]

My Elephant and Piggie loving son also enjoyed the Fly Guy books.

[RSO vs. RS4K]

We tried RS4K Biology and didn't like it. We switched to RSO and have completed Biology and Chemistry. RSO is a winner in our house. The kids love it and I find it easy to do. RSO does not require a lot of writing and is easy to add extra reading to.

[Readings for snapcircuits, chem kits, microscope grade 2-3?]

This has been a favorite for us, as well as anything by this author.

 

Greg's Microscope

[Standards & Approved Curriculum]

When I dropped off stuff at the CVA Roadshow on Monday I got some information about MP3. The Superintendent that they had for this last school year, that said they would still pay for CBIs, has left to go to another school district. It is possible that the new Superintendent will not allow CBIs this year. There was also something about MP3 having committed to a 23 billion building and they didn't get all the funding they expected, they now have a 10 billion deficit to make up.

 

I expect there will be more changes to all ALE programs this year.

[How do you document STEM>]

My girls are part of an ALE here in Washington state.

 

This past year I would either take a picture or have the girls real quick write a blurp about it. I'd like to do something more consistent AND I want to document all STEM they do.

 

Me too, me too, me too! I'm all :bigear: waiting for responses.

 

I'm thinking of some kind of spreadsheet with types of STEM subjects along the top and dates along the side. Then I can fill in descriptions of projects by date and type. I wouldn't include all the dates in the school year though, just the dates that I have a project/activity to add.

[What did you decide to do for next year?]

I ended up staying with CVA as well. My AT had no problem with me ordering from any grade level in the catalog, so I was able to get very nearly all of the curriculum I had planned to use. She told me that they would be adding to the catalog each year, but they had to cut-off adding to it this year so that folks wouldn't get upset that something they wanted showed up after they ordered something else. Also, we are under no obligation to use any or all of any curriculum package they send us. They have to package them that way to meet state standards, but we can meet WSLP goals however we choose. I didn't use much funds for CBIs in the past, so I don't think this coming year will be much different for me with the exception of not having to do monthly reviews any more. I am looking forward to that part. :D

[Combining History Odyssey/Classical house of learning lit?]

We used HO Ancients Level 1 and CHOLL Ancients grammar stage together this year. The timelines didn't match up exactly, but it worked out ok. The kids didn't seem to mind and enjoyed finding the connections to prior readings when they could. I don't know how logic stage would work since there is significantly more reading in HO than there was in the grammar stage. I would say it's worth a try. My kids really enjoyed the books from CHOLL.

[Anyone else waiting on curriculum releases/updates?]

I've given up on RSO physics, and have just moved on.

:iagree:

[Secular Science program for 1st and 5th grade?]

 

http://www.explorationeducation.com/ may be a good choice for you. You could combine them in the same level or have them in different levels because the concepts covered would be the same, just at different depths.

[MCT Island level - advice from experienced users?]

We followed Angela's (SatoriSmiles) schedule and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

We did some the writing activities in BL and we did them aloud. We took turns with the similies to see how many we could come up with. Sometimes it devolved into nonsense and giggles, other times we struggled to come up with 1 or 2 good ones.

[Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire...]

I just got it from the library, too. I'm almost finished and will be re-reading it to take notes. It feels like every page has been an ah-ha moment. His 6 levels of thinking have really made an impression on me. I plan on asking dh to read it too.

[Frustrated and don't know what to do]

I was very surprised that we were fired. It wasn't as though he didn't know that we chose not to vaccinate. We had only been with him for 6 months, but we had seen him a few times, including when my son had chicken pox.

 

Thanks for the PedsNW referral. I will check to see if they accept our insurance.

 

Hopefully MP3 will allow me a little latitude in turning in the exemption form.

[Frustrated and don't know what to do]

My forms arrived in the mail yesterday along with a letter firing us from his practice. So, now the search begins.

[Frustrated and don't know what to do]

The last piece of paperwork I needed to enroll with MP3 was the vaccination exemption form. I dropped it off at our doctor's office the other day and they told me I could pick it up today. This morning I get a phone call from the nurse. She says I don't need to come pick up the form today because she put it in the mail to me. Oh, and by the way, she mailed it because the doctor refused to sign it because he had never seen that form before. I explained to her about the law changing and the new form that went along with it, but she didn't care. Our insurance won't let me see another doctor without changing primary care providers, which can take up to a month, and I don't imagine any doctor we haven't seen before will sign the form without a visit. I am not willing to fully vaccinate my children to enroll with MP3.

 

What do I do now?