5Wizards
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Posts posted by 5Wizards
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I also agree that buying the books from Lulu is worth it. I print out our own MM books, but I like the DO Lulu books.
As far as one of the other questions that was asked by another poster, I have no idea where DO fits as far as easy/difficult. My DD completed MM 6 before starting DO prealgebra, and much of the information was review for her. She does not care for math, but she is actually quite good at it (although she doesn't think so). She has also taken DO Algebra, and we will continue with Algebra 2 through Calculus. We have chosen to do Geometry on our own using Jurgensen as I don't want to use Jacob's. I love math and feel that DO does an excellent job explaining topics.
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My I ask what Houghto Mifflin books you used? Thanks
Hi,
I used an older version of this set of 5 books:
along with these smaller phonics readers that go along with them (about 10 stories in each little book):
I also used some of the pages in these for reinforcement/writing:
None of the items linked are my own listings - I am just using them as examples. My two oldest children love to read and are both above grade level, and my 3rd child is still making her way through these books right now.
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Derek Owens Physical Science - we've been very happy with it this year (8th). I feel it is an excellent program to transition to high school science courses. Con - not enough experiments for my child.
Exploration Education Physics - completed in 5th grade I believe? Too light for us, child disliked
Holt Science & Technology Earth - good year with experiments completed every week (outsourced to someone else)
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I have never used the online portion of K12, but I do have several years of their literature (I think 3rd-5th grade). I purchased the teacher and student pages cheaply on amazon along with the appropriate books for each. I have done parts of those grades with my kids when it has been convenient for us. I like the program and think it's enough even without the online parts, although I think now they do even more of it online. The lessons were varied and interesting, and my 2 children who have done parts seemed to enjoy what we did.
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My oldest used Holt S&T for Earth, Derek Owens for physical science, and Elemental Science for Biology. I am thinking that for my next one I will do Biology and Earth with Holt S&T and Derek Owens again for physical science.
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My oldest did spelling for one year. It was a complete waste of time for her. She's a natural speller, so after that one year, we dropped it and I couldn't be happier. She is finishing up 8th grade right now and I still have no regrets. Unfortunately, my next child is not a natural speller, so she will be continuing with spelling for a few more years probably.
All that to say...drop it! :)
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Royal Fireworks Press' Aesop's Fables: My Book about Reading, Writing Thinking 1-4
We used these for youngest DD last year in 1st and she loved them: a lesson lasted about a week, and included vocabulary, reading, summarizing, grammar and writing, and coloring/art activities. It was awesome and at only $5 per book when purchased all together, it was a bargain, too. Sometimes the writing portion would be too much for her so I would scribe, but other than that it was perfect!
I have these 4 books sitting on a shelf. I need to review them to see if my youngest might be interested before she gets too old for them!
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I am one of the few people who posts here who actually likes GWG. My oldest didn't like it at all, but my middle child enjoys it (and yes, she is getting it and remembering it). I haven't tried it with a first grader though, so I can't comment on that age. My goal for grammar is for it to be quick, easy to do, and easy to repeat every year. I want the basics covered, which GWG does.
ETA: My oldest really disliked diagramming, while my middle child seems to enjoy it - that may be the difference in why one liked it and the 2nd didn't. My youngest child hasn't started yet. My oldest is doing Easy Grammar Plus this year, which doesn't have diagramming, and she is easily coasting through that book.
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For 9th grade next year, my dd will tentatively be doing the following:
- Geometry (Jurgensen)
- AP Human Geography (PA Homeschoolers)
- Physics - Derek Owens
- OM Integrated Health and Fitness
- Latin - outsourced local class
- Lit/Writing: Use some EIL units & some lit. choices of our own; work on how to do a research paper somehow
- Spanish - tutor once/week with another student, kind of laidback, probably will use more as an extracurricular
- continue to dance several hours/week, figure out where she would like to volunteer
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I have used Houghton Mifflin books to teach all 3 of my kids to read. I tried OPGTR and PP with my youngers thinking that maybe it was going to be better in some way, but I quickly dropped those and went back to what I had used with my first.
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I have been with a program connected to a public school for a few years now. I have never had to report my time spent, but I do test every year (although I will be opting out this year). I am not opposed to testing, but I also don't take it too seriously (it doesn't hurt that so far it seems that my children test well and don't stress about it). I use whatever curriculum I want as long as it's not religious, which is not an issue for me. I look at it as a job - I spend some time doing some paperwork every month in exchange for the school paying for extracurricular activities. It doesn't change how I operate our homeschool, other than keeping better records/samples, and it has allowed my children to do some things that they otherwise would not have access to due to funds. It has been an overall positive experience for us.
That being said, this will probably be our last year with the program due to some changes that will most likely make it more restrictive. If those changes occur, I will no longer see it as an even trade, and it won't be worth it to me anymore. I am also not interested in looking at other charter schools due to their restrictions. I have had a very good thing going for a few years now, but I have always known that the amount of freedom I have had is not necessarily the norm. It seems to me that the longer a program has been in place, the more restrictions the participants seem to have. If the program goes in the direction that I think it will, I will go back to homeschooling as a private school.
You can always try it out and then withdraw if you're not happy. Make sure to ask questions so that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into and what the expectations are. Although I know that there are some on here who think that I don't "really homeschool," I don't really care what they think. I know that I am homeschooling and I am happy with my situation. Good luck to you in making your decision.
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I don't think there would be any problem rearranging things. I would do the animal kingdom work first as you need to find worms, snails, roly poly bugs, etc.... I would do the first part of he book (human body stuff) last.
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Lightning Literature
MCT
WWS
RS4K
I know there's more, but this is just what I can think of at the moment.
ETA: RS Math
NL Science
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Government/Civics? My 8th grader is doing Civics this year and is enjoying it. We are keeping it pretty light as I wanted to focus on other things to prepare for high school next year.
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Liberty's Kids? It's $5 on amazon right now.
Maybe it's too young, but I know my oldest still liked it at 10. We haven't watched it since, but I will be revisiting it with my younger kids next year when we do US history. It doesn't cover all of US History of course, but it's fun (even I like it).
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I think Thinking in Threes could work for 7th grade. You might also want to look at hands-on-essays, which can work for a variety of ages.
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I'm sorry about the piano lessons. Are you using an actual piano or a keyboard? If the latter, perhaps check out Synthesia and MusIQ? My kids have learned a lot from those, not quite as much as with actual lessons, but they've been better than nothing.
Art. . . I really want to do more art with my littler ones. But time.
We have a piano which was given to us years ago. Two of my kids have taken a couple of years of lessons, but my youngest only had a few months. Thanks for the suggestions. This summer I am going to explore what is out there and see what we can do.
I am also hoping that I will do art this summer. I have tons of resources here - I just need to use them. You are right, though, it's the time more than anything else.
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We are having a great year overall.
Things that are working well:
- Derek Owens Algebra and Physical Science, MM, RSO Chemistry and Life Science
- EIL Intro to Literature, Hands-on-essays, Thinking in Threes; my own writing assignment with books read aloud w/my younger kids
- outsourcing 1 class each for my kids - oldest is loving Latin
Not so great:
- I have completely ignored art, which my younger kids want to do but I have not made it a priority
- due to finances we had to stop piano lessons
- I haven't had any real duds this year.
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Thank you so much for your input. Is there anyone out there who have used the Nancy Larson Science? I just read about it recently and am curious if it's a great program compared to RSO. I am narrowing my choices now to those two. Thank you!
We tried NL Science with another family. The other mom really liked it (it does have a lot of good information and is well organized), I did not. It was too scripted for me. My kids tolerated it but asked if we could switch to another program when we were done as they thought it was boring.
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Keep us posted on how it goes with the physics. Not as many people have used it, that I can tell, and I am always interested in knowing more about it.
Will do. :)
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How much math is required? And since there is no teacher manual would it just work to buy the lecture DVD for the teacher and let her watch that to prep for teaching?
I just went to his site and his About section and FAQ are not up yet. Is his material taught from a Christian perspective and if so is he dogmatic about YE?
Thank you!
My daughter is taking DO Physical Science concurrently with Algebra. She is not finding it to be as easy math-wise/conceptually as another poster's child, but math has never been her strongest subject (she is a language girl, but still decent at math). The first half of the year was more challenging for her. I think we only have about 6 more weeks left of the program, and I am very happy that we used it. I think it is preparing her well for high school.
We are secular homeschoolers (I am an atheist). My daughter says that there was one time that DO said something along the lines of "that's the way god made it," but it was more just a passing remark and not really pertinent to the material at hand. She is sensitive to and gets frustrated with materials that are religious (complains), but we discussed for a minute and she laughed it off. It was an unnecessary comment, but I understand that the video lectures come from a class Mr. Owens teaches at a religious co-op or something I think. It may have been totally appropriate for that audience. Other than that, there has been no religious material, and he is not teaching YE. The focus is very much on science.
I have been so happy with the program that we will be continuing with his Physics program next year.
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I'm going to be a dissenter. My kids like RSO Life and have enjoyed RSO Chemistry even more. We supplement with books from the library and Bill Nye videos (more for fun. I don't think it is a must). We usually do 1-2 labs each week. If asked, they'd probably say it's one of their favorite subjects. My recommendation is to try their free samples on their website and see what you think. Not every curriculum is going to be a good fit for everyone.
I agree with everything written here. My kids really enjoy RSO - 9 year old likes Chemistry better, 6 year old likes Life better. Either way, though, they both love doing all of the experiments. We have never done RSO Earth & Space, so I can not comment on that program. I also have not tried Elemental grammar stage, so I have no opinion there. My oldest did ES Logic stage Biology a few years ago, and it was a decent year, but my understanding is that the grammar and logic stage programs are very different.
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We only use one math curriculum here through 6th grade (MM). I have some extra things here, but we never seem to get to them, so I have pretty much given up on that idea. My oldest is in Algebra now and is doing very well. MM gave her a very strong background, and I do not regret that she didn't do more. :)
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I ordered some materials for next year during holiday sales in December. I do searches to see if any materials I want to buy regularly go on sale during any particular month. I also keep an eye on used curriculum sites/ebay/amazon, hoping for a good price. If I don't think I can find something used or on sale, then I buy periodically as I sell old stuff or have the money.
R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Physics...
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
I'm really excited about this. We did Chemistry this year (for the 2nd time in my house), and I figured I was just going to try ES Physics next year. Now I can stay with RSO! I will be pre-buying it this weekend with the sale. :)