My daughter just finished North Star Geography from Bright Ideas Press and we loved it. She loved it and still talks about all she learned. I thought it was a well-balanced program, easy to use for her and thorough in what it covered. It asked thought provoking research questions that she had to dig for. Highly recommended.

I'm going to type this all out before I read any other posts, just so I don't get distracted!!! So here goes: I'm holding my son back for a semester, at least, maybe the whole year. There's a ton of different reasons, but the main one is because he's not academically ready to deal with 6th grade content. I'm going to work on shoring up his math and paragraph writing, as well as taking responsibility for his own work during this six month period. But I do have a plan--planned before this decision was made so I don't want my hard planning work to go to waste... Bible--Starting Strong Math--A combination of TT, MUS and Math Mammoth Grammar--Glencoe 6th Grade LA History and Geography--We live in Brazil so I'm doing a unit on Brazilian history and Geography that will last 6 weeks. Then he'll be doing a History of Science unit I'm making up with a couple different resources. And for geography he's doing Mapping the World with Art and a Basic Geography workbook from Glencoe. Science--He's doing The Elements and Carbon Chemistry by Ellen McHenry with lots of reading and experiments for the first semester and then another semester of Physics using Bite-Sized Physics and Tiner's History of Physics. Art--Simply Draw Portuguese Tutor Typing with Rapid typing Logic--Reading Detective and then Building Thinking Skills--Figural--these are the highlights of his week Piano Lessons

I'm not sure if there was an occupational therapist amongst the staff that did his evaluations at the school. I'll look into it. I bought the book, the Mislabeled Child. Are there any other books that you recommend for these issues? Smart but Scattered is another one I have.

I pulled out several things each of you said and tried to bring it all together. Well make sure the eye doc is testing his visual memory. On the multiplication facts, you could get Ronit Bird's ebook on multiplication and work through it. As he gets the facts, put them into an app and begin drilling them. The short term working memory is sort of the scratch pad of the brain, allowing things to go over to long-term memory. So you can do something like heathermomster's metronome homework, adding in digit spans, and get that working memory up. There are lots of ways to work on it (kinesthetic, auditory, etc.) and I would do that. VSL picture/story sort of way of learning the facts So if you went back and did MUS with him, how would he do? It sounds like it might be more practical for you to do a mix of things, doing MUS with him for conceptual and then doing TT to follow it up and get faster. That could be a really strong mix for him! And that could get done. So BA, old Primary Math Challenge practice tests, logic puzzles, those sorts of things. Have you signed him up for Prodigy? My suggestion is to find a whole-parts curriculum, do conceptual math, and back up the facts with something like Prodigy. If he hates Prodigy something like a quick run through Khan My suggestion would be to move away from thinking about grade levels and focus on building a firm foundation in math skills -- besides math facts, that would include number sense and logical thinking I can't advise on specific programs, but I might suggest that you get some good manipulatives and games while you are here Maybe consider getting a full np eval when you return to the states. $2000!! If your child has working memory and processings speed deficits, you will need to accommodate those deficits by slowing down and reducing the number of problems during one setting. We have used manipulatives over the years. Mainly, DS needs to learn and master one concept at a time with plenty of review. But YOUR call as the parent is to ask whether the ADHD (or visual processing or...) is hindering what he COULD do and leaving him less successful than he COULD be. Clearly SOMETHING is. Look back at the achievement testing they did. How were his math test scores? There should be conceptual and computation scores. You can see where the problem lies. If his conceptual scores are fine and his computation are poor, that's probably the ADHD. And then your options are meds, getting his vision checked to make sure he's visualizing and using his visual memory well, working on working memory, etc. All those can make a BIG DIFFERENCE!! Personally, I'd give him a multiplication table, go through some RB, working on working memory *aggressively*, pursue meds, and get his eyes checked ​I absolutely agree that it is my responsibility to do this. I may have overestimated the public school evaluation because before it I did suspect working memory as an issue. (I'll have to educate myself on that.) And I don't want to be stuck to a curriculum. I want him to learn and to have that foundation I always talk with them about. I've got to make him more a priority now that the little ones are a little bigger (4 and 1). Here are a couple other pieces to the puzzle. He has horrible handwriting, never on the line, badly unreadable. He grips things strangely with his whole hand instead of his finger tips. He doesn't seem to struggle with any of his other school work, except perhaps in his composition. He loves grammar, science, etc, but composition is a struggle too, when I think about it. I just sit there and make him rewrite things I can't read, flesh out short sentences, that kind of thing. He's a natural speller. And to add to that are the constant struggles of losing everything, never being able to find a pencil or his assignment book, or the sheet of paper that was just in his hand. That takes up a lot of time in the day. We are traveling this week, so don't have access to the file the PS gave me on my ds. So I'll have to do that when I get home the end of the week. They're doing their national testing this week. Thanks, ladies. If you have any other thoughts I'm all ears.

I have not tried Times Tales but have looked at it. I actually think it's in my Rainbow Resources wish list. And I have been considering something like Beast Academy. He is very visual. He can put together the most complicated Lego sets all by himself. He can concentrate on that. That's why it's so confusing.

Wow, ladies, thank you so much for your input. I'm reading through it, trying to process it all. I have to admit that I'm needing some education in this area of testing and difficulties. I'm not sure what most of the abbreviations mean. SLD, GN, VSL. I can guess and have tried to search for their meanings but haven't been able to figure them out. Sorry. I've copied your replies into Word and am highlighting all the recommendations and will probably come back with questions. But thank you. I do want to do what is best for him. He's such a sweet boy who doesn't understand why he struggles so much, why he gets so easily distracted, why he can't seem to remember things. So I appreciate your helping this mama help her sweet boy.

My 11 year old son, who is finishing 5th grade, has not had a great Math experience in life. His sister has done well using MUS from the very beginning. But when I did it with him, he just looked at me perplexed over and over again for months. He just didn't get it in kindergarten, we tried again in First grade and got through most of Alpha. But then he hit another road block. I took him out and did general things--teaching the clock, money, basic geometry, using the Math Mammoth Blue series topics. But there was too much on a page and it overwhelmed him. I tried to go back to MUS but the same thing happened. So in 3rd grade I moved him to CLE Math, but he placed in 2nd grade. He did really well, except he couldn't seem to get caught up. The volume of work for one lesson was all he could do in a day and he was behind a whole grade. Then before too long, in 4th grade (doing 3rd grade work), the volume of work completely overwhelmed him. We skipped problems, he'd fail the test. We'd give him longer to do the lesson, breaking it up into a couple days, and he'd get totally lost in what he was doing. We skipped problems (do the odds) and do it in one day. That's when the ADD symptoms seemed to really kick in. I believe in not moving on until he gets it but it was taking forever and the tears were becoming a constant, daily occurrence. We weren't making any progress. So last year, the beginning of his fifth grade year, we switched to Teaching Textbooks. He placed halfway into their 4th grade year and about three weeks ago he finished it. He still doesn't have his multiplication tables memorized, even though we reviewed them daily. We would play games online, he has one of those handheld machines. FLASHCARDS! We have our standardized testing next week and I've been doing some reviews with him, and he had no idea how to carry in a multiplication problem. What is going on? Is it Teaching Textbooks? Is he just not able to pay attention to it, like it's not sinking in? He finished every problem and gets a 100% on it. But he isn't retaining anything? Or is it him? He's been tested ADD and the psychologist didn't recommend medication because his is so slight. He didn't qualify for any services in the school system because it's not that bad, they said. He tested off the charts in visual/spatial, they recommended we point him toward engineering. How do I do that if he can't do math! To add to the conundrum, we live overseas. So the only resources we have are what we bring down with us or I can download from the internet. I have the next TT5 set. I have the complete Math Mammoth set. I have all the DVD's from MUS through Algebra. I'm willing to sit down with him and help him through it, to make sure he's getting it. Was I too lax and assumed that he was understanding it all because he completed the assignments and got good grades? I'm scared to see what the SAT is going to tell me. I do have a 4 yr. and a 1 yr. and perhaps I was too distracted to notice? I feel like perhaps I need to find out where he really is comprehension-wise and go back to that with some curriculum and plod along with him until he gets it. Any recommendations? (How do I do that?) Any advice on what resources to use and how you would do it? We are going to the States for the month of September for my parents' 50th, so we can buy something that I don't have if necessary. I'm willing to work hard with him. (By the way, I'm not the math whiz in our family, my husband can help a bit, but he's super busy. School is my thing.) Thanks in advance. ETA: I posted this on the K-8 board and they recommended I put it over here. One lady suggested perhaps a late-bloomer. Another suggested that it could be need for vision therapy. He did see a COVD optometrist last time we were in the U.S. and did well with the therapy. I'm going to have his eyes checked when we go again in September, even though he isn't complaining of the headaches or squinting like he was before.

Wapiti--Thank you. I will do that right away. I've been leaning toward a combinations of MM and Beast Academy--interesting you have mentioned those too. Since I'm unfamiliar with BA though, it's hard to make a decision. Last time we were in the States he did see a COVD optometrist and did 4 months of therapy. It was amazing. My boy who couldn't do more than 5 min. of school work at a time, sat down to read for over an hour after only two sessions and getting new glasses. When we go in Sept. we'll go back to the same eye doc and have him looked at again. We won't have time for therapy but perhaps I can do somethings at home with him. Thanks for reminding me of that.

Kalusignan--Thanks for that recommendation, I'll look into it. hornblower--we are originally from Missouri and we have to do the Standardized tests every two years. Technically since we don't live there we don't have to, but since we go back and forth, I want my bases covered. So we follow their guidelines. He has issues with handwriting, so no I don't have him write it out. I didn't buy the workbook last year and so he just filled it into the computer. He asked me to get the workbook this year and is planning on doing it in there to help out. I'll look into Math Power. Thks!

​My 11 year old son, who is finishing 5th grade, has not had a great Math experience in life. His sister has done well using MUS from the very beginning. But when I did it with him, he just looked at me perplexed over and over again for months. He just didn't get it in kindergarten, we tried again in First grade and got through most of Alpha. But then he hit another road block. I took him out and did general things--teaching the clock, money, basic geometry, using the Math Mammoth Blue series topics. But there was too much on a page and it overwhelmed him. I tried to go back to MUS but the same thing happened. So in 3rd grade I moved him to CLE Math, but he placed in 2nd grade. He did really well, except he couldn't seem to get caught up. The volume of work for one lesson was all he could do in a day and he was behind a whole grade. Then before too long, in 4th grade (doing 3rd grade work), the volume of work completely overwhelmed him. We skipped problems, he'd fail the test. We'd give him longer to do the lesson, breaking it up into a couple days, and he'd get totally lost in what he was doing. We skipped problems (do the odds) and do it in one day. That's when the ADD symptoms seemed to really kick in. I believe in not moving on until he gets it but it was taking forever and the tears were becoming a constant, daily occurrence. We weren't making any progress. So last year, the beginning of his fifth grade year, we switched to Teaching Textbooks. He placed halfway into their 4th grade year and about three weeks ago he finished it. He still doesn't have his multiplication tables memorized, even though we reviewed them daily. We would play games online, he has one of those handheld machines. FLASHCARDS! We have our standardized testing next week and I've been doing some reviews with him, and he had no idea how to carry in a multiplication problem. What is going on? Is it Teaching Textbooks? Is he just not able to pay attention to it, like it's not sinking in? He finished every problem and gets a 100% on it. But he isn't retaining anything? Or is it him? He's been tested ADD and the psychologist didn't recommend medication because his is so slight. He didn't qualify for any services in the school system because it's not that bad, they said. He tested off the charts in visual/spatial, they recommended we point him toward engineering. How do I do that if he can't do math! To add to the conundrum, we live overseas. So the only resources we have are what we bring down with us or I can download from the internet. I have the next TT5 set. I have the complete Math Mammoth set. I have all the DVD's from MUS through Algebra. I'm willing to sit down with him and help him through it, to make sure he's getting it. Was I too lax and assumed that he was understanding it all because he completed the assignments and got good grades? I'm scared to see what the SAT is going to tell me. I do have a 4 yr. and a 1 yr. and perhaps I was too distracted to notice? I feel like perhaps I need to find out where he really is comprehension-wise and go back to that with some curriculum and plod along with him until he gets it. Any recommendations? (How do I do that?) Any advice on what resources to use and how you would do it? We are going to the States for the month of September for my parents' 50th, so we can buy something that I don't have if necessary. I'm willing to work hard with him. (By the way, I'm not the math whiz in our family, my husband can help a bit, but he's super busy. School is my thing.) Thanks in advance.

I know it's hard. But just keep persevering. I agree with starting with short times in a gated area. Try to do your content subjects where you have be involved before he's wide awake in the morning and during his afternoon nap. I find I can get a few minutes with my one year old in a high chair and each day I have a different activity. A zip lock bag with a dab of paint in it. Large crayons on scrap paper that I tape to his tray. Pipe cleaners in a colander. Fuzzy pom poms in a plastic container with lid. I put a towel under his chair and give him a small basin with bubbly water and a few different small bowls and cups to play with it. If you don't mind a little mess, then you can snatch a few minutes to teach. The problem with this age is that things only keep their attention for a few minutes and the next time it's not nearly so entertaining. But you can keep looking for easy no cost/low cost ideas that can keep him busy. Once he stops putting things in his mouth the possibilities are endless. But I find that the stage before that is the hardest. It won't last forever, it will get better in a little while. Hang in there.

I'm going to be using North Star Geography from Bright Ideas Press. I also noticed that Wayfarers from Barefoot Meanderings is based on literature centered on geographical areas and culture. It looked really interesting, but I decided not to go that way. If I had been doing it a little earlier I may have though. I really liked what I saw. But, North Star is physical maps, cultural geography and industry, etc. I think it's going to be really interesting. Another one that is an oldy but a goody is Around the World in 100 Days. I looked through it and it looks very flexible. More research based and you get out of it what you put into it.

Is it possible that it could be considered a science credit if added with experiments to demonstrate the science being discussed?

All along I've been considering doing the typical preparation for college highschool sciences. My plan has been to use BJU Science DVD's for highschool since we live overseas and it's pretty impossible for me to do the lab sciences here at home. 9th--Physical Science which is considered an Integrated Chemistry and Physics course according to the boards here 10th--Biology 11th--Chemistry 12th--Probably Physics or allowing her to do something more along her interest levels, like an advanced Anatomy class or doing some community college science course But lately I've been looking at all the other great science courses out there and longing for her to have one year to do something that interests her, either Earth Science/Astronomy or a History of Science course with the Tiner books that Master Books has put together. Am I shooting her in the foot by doing that? She plans to go into some sort of graphic design, but does enjoy science and math. So she may decide to Veterinary Technician or something along those lines instead. Of course, she still has time to change her mind. Or maybe it's just me not wanting her to grow up...

I just looked upthread and realized that this thread is old. Oh well :)

I like it. I've been thinking about some Biblical names I had never considered while I was naming my kids that I now love and have added a few recently. Girl: Galilee -- Nickname Lily Genesis -- Nickname Gennie Jubilee -- Nickname Juju Eden Boy: Judah Zion Jordan I don't mind names that have origin in place names. How many of our now common names are old English/Gaelic or other language place names? Glenn, Brook, Dale, etc. All gorgeous,

This is a great thread. I'm struggling with this same thing for my upcoming 6th grader. He struggles now in 5th grade to get things done and I have to be there alongside him helping him move from one thing to the next. I'll start implementing more breaks, I think. Could someone give an example of how they do block scheduling. I was considering doing History for a quarter, science for a quarter, then history then science. Is that what you mean? Is that more like cycles? I'm just confused. He just struggles with the transitions more than anything...

Thank you for sharing, Merry, about what resources have helped. I'm listening in on this post because I'm struggling with the same thing. My son, 10 years old, still struggles with the exact same thing he did two years ago. He has sensory processing and ADD tendencies, but the testing results were inconclusive. The professionals at the public school were extremely helpful though and typed up a 40 page document with lots of advice and strategies I could use, even though he didn't qualify for services. I would also encourage you to bring your son home, but remember that for therapies and resources, the public school and some other programs are available for your son. You will not be completely on your own. So if you need help, ask for it and see what resources are available out there. I can't imagine sending my son to school. He would be lost. And even though it has been difficult, I wouldn't trade learning with him and helping him through his difficulties. We're in this together and he will grow and mature through a lot of it.

I have no experience with OPTGR and 100 EZ but loved Phonics Pathways and am planning on using it again.

That's a great idea. A short search on Amazon didn't show much to work with. I would probably pick a favorite large Newspaper or news site and scan them for the main events of the last two years. Aren't there usually LIFE or People magazines or something like those that do year-end recaps that could work as a source. I can't help but think of this in relation to world regions, so perhaps searching for main news items per continent would work. Sorry I couldn't be more help, but I think some other topics to think about would be: the Syrian civil war and the refugee crisis the spread of Islam in Worldwide (per continent) the spread of Christianity worldwide Afghanistan The development of India over the last 20 years has been pretty remarkable The Tsunami in Indonesia would be a huge one The recent plane crash surges How reality TV shows, cell phones and selfies, Instagram and Facebook have affected society world-wide Haiti, Nepali, Turkey earthquakes Israel/Palestinian conflict The Chilean miners who were rescued after so long Iranian Nuclear Missile crisis I'm sure you would want to include something about Russia even though I'm not sure what at this point. Anyway, a fun activity would be to make a magazine of the top events of the last 30 years or something like that. It could be as complicated as scrapbooking or as simple as hand-drawn, but would work on research and reporting skills. It would also end up as a wonderful keepsake, especially if each child does one and they can work on composing the reports in their own words from their own perspectives. You may have a totally different perspective or goal in mind, but I love the idea and am just running with it. Hope you have a great time doing this together.

I'm planning the same thing this next year for my 9th grader but I'm using the Mapping the World with Art and North Star Geography together for cultural geography. I'm not sure what grade your planning for, but I agree that the physical geography in some ways is similar to Earth Science. I have balked at it as well. What I've decided though is that the physical geography workbook I'm going to be using for my 6th grader (Basic Geography) covers more of landforms, ecosystems, talking more about location and how it is all laid out, why countries function the way they do, instead of earth science that talks more of the how it all happens and works together to make the beautiful world we live in. So, he'll be doing that this year along with a history of science History/Science (including physics and chemistry and some other fun add-ons) and then next year (7th) Earth Science and 8th Life Science . He took Earth science three years ago so he's really due.

Thank you all for those suggestions. The Great courses look great, but I think a little over this one's head. I might use some for my 9th grader though, so thanks! I am not planning on incorporating all of his math work into this unit study style but will mention the mathematics (and demonstrate/explain it) when necessary to explaining the concepts the scientists discovered. I just had a thought and now am not sure what/how I would do this. When I looked at the build your library site, I saw that they incorporated the History of Science as a one year world history program. I was already planning on doing World History next year. The plan is to do lots of hands on in the different science field (this year will be chemistry and physics, and maybe some astronomy too). The problem I am having is that this is a boy who gets math if he doesn't have to think about it. I'm not sure if that makes sense. If I make him memorize his math facts or write down the problem and figure it out long-hand, he doesn't get it about half of the time. But if I don't mess with him, he gets all the answers right. We're taking this next semester to cement math facts before he advances to higher math. I've been reading lots about it and see how necessary it is for those facts to be automatic so he can concentrated on the higher math. But I don't want him to be bored so that's why we're going to concentrate on a very hands-on/experiment-heavy, conceptual science year with a unit-study feel so that lots of things get incorporated in it. I agree with a PP who said that this does not need to be a heavy science year, in that there isn't pressure. I want him to love school and get lots of my attention (we have four, he's second with two very little siblings who have taken most of my time the last three years). So we are going to have a table time each morning, just him and I to work on these areas he's struggling with. All that to say, this is a very special situation. He has been tested and didn't qualify for services, but does have some needs that I didn't know how to address until now. So that is what we're going to concentrate on. As much as I like the looks of the Joy Hakim series, I'm scared it's going to be too advanced for him. But maybe I could do two years with it, and combine it with our Notgrass Adam to Us that we will be using next year for 7th. Just a thought. I'm willing to put forth effort to see him love science and school. Anyway, I believe I am now rambling, but thank you all for your suggestions. Please let me know if you have any other suggestions. :)

When I looked at Currclick to buy the Bite-size Physics I was confused. Do I buy the Physics book or the Forces book or the kit that has the videos with it. I'm just confused as to what we're talking about here. And is it for real that it's only $7 ish right now?

Am I wrong that the Joy Hakim series would last longer than a year?

I know someone who did Sonlight with all four of her children while they traveled for a year across the U.S. and Canada. Just add Language and Math for each kid and voila. I know it's not as easy as it sounds, but it would be a great time for cuddling together in a hotel room, or reading while you drive. Now there are two caveats: you can't get carsick while reading with this method and it's not very independent, unless you have their math and language be their independent subjects.