We have just barely covered "elliptical" sentences in R&S-7, where part of the sentence is implied (if you saw Janice in NJ's video, you'll know what I mean), and before I even clicked on your post, that's exactly what I was thinking - (boat) in the Pred. Adj. position with about boats diagrammed as a prepositional phrase underneath. :iagree: Rhonda

I don't think anyone can answer that, just because kids are all so different. (And the place to "draw the line" for any particular child can change *so fast* !!) My ds would never have been reading those books at 8yo, but that is irrelevant where *your* ds is concerned. All you can do is try your best to meet him where he is. Listen to him, listen to yourself, and make the best decision you can at the moment. If you're pushing too hard, or not hard enough, you'll know. hth, Rhonda

I would keep them all together in the same year of history. But, given how young she is, it probably wouldn't be that difficult to do both years. Another idea would be to pull whatever picture books come up in either the AG or a library search. My almost 3yo has loved reading the picture book versions of myths and legends that went along with SOTW-3 this year. (There haven't been too many pure "history" books at her level!) Still, I plan to just continue having her read (or listen to) just the corresponding library books until she's in 3rd grade - when she'll start SOTW-1 (because that's when we'll hit Ancients again). Best wishes, Rhondabee

I paid less than $15 for each book - and sometimes MUCH less. Sometimes you can even find the Teacher's Editions. Of course, I was using the 2001 editions (which is what our ps is currently using): Life Science: http://www.amazon.com/Science-Explorer-Michael-J-Padilla/dp/0130506214/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210776855&sr=8-24 Life Sci. Study Guide: http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Workbook-Prentice-Science-Explorer/dp/0130440000/ref=pd_sim_b_title_2 Life Sci. TE: http://www.amazon.com/Life-Science-Teachers-Explorer/dp/0130434337/ref=sr_1_29?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210776855&sr=8-29 To find the others, just search "Science Explorer Earth" and "Science Explorer Physical". hth, Rhonda

I will be the odd guy out. We had trouble there, too. But, what I did was re-teach it every time it came up in the Review exercises. Usually it will be in both the Oral Review (in the TM - and I would use this to re-teach) and in the "Review" (which ds did as written). Obviously, this was very hands-on for me, and I had to learn it to teach it. Also, we created charts - similar to our Latin charts. We would take one verb and conjugate it into the different tenses and voices. This made it easier to notice things like "always use a D helping verb with the emphatic - and the D helping verb determines if it's past or present tense." ymmv, obviously~ Rhonda

Yes, they do have the same info. We have all the bind-up books, and a few of the individual books. I really like the individual books better, just because they're easier to hold. But, the bind-ups were cheaper. hth, Rhonda

Oh, I agree it seems like it *should* be a "predicate adjective phrase" referring back to "what kind of book?". After all, it follows the linking verb "was". I even checked the additional adverb questions in R&S-7, and I don't think it really answers those, either. (How long, How much, In spite of what, Under what condition) In cases like these where the world doesn't seem to think I should have the final say, I would have to defer to the rule that says "adjective phrases always have to follow the noun they modify". Or, just say, "oh, whatever" and move on. not that that helps, but... Rhonda

It's been a long time since I've looked at Nesbitt. But, I think your ds is doing really, really well! If he became frustrated, I would just continue doing them as Read-Alouds, or take turns reading out loud. But, if he enjoyed the independence of reading it himself, and he wasn't bothered by the nitty-gritty details that he didn't get, then let him keep reading on his own. As long as he's getting the main events, I wouldn't worry about it either way. I know in reading 20,000 Leagues under the Sea (for my 7th grader) there were LOTS of details I just deliberately skipped! Best Wishes! Rhonda

Fallacy Detective and The Thinking Toolbox will cover everything in Critical Thinking 1 except Chapter 2. (DandyLion Logic will cover that) I don't know of anything that covers Critical Thinking 2. hth, Rhonda

We started SOTW-1 when they were in 2nd and 5th grades. We're about to finish 4th and 7th grades and SOTW-3 (9 more days to go!!!!). I've used it in a variety of ways - trying to straddle the fence between grammar and logic stage for my oldest, who just started hs'ing in 5th grade. There's no one "Right" way to use it. I am *very* happy to have had SOTW, especially since I needed to hit the ground running, and wasn't sure AT ALL how to go about doing history all on my own with just an encyclopedia and a library card. My ds really needed the "stories" to hook him into history. Simply outlining, and then reading text-book-ish library books wasn't cutting it. I've asked him more than once (when we got in a really good library book) if he'd like to drop SOTW-4 in 8th, but he most definitely wants to keep it! :001_smile: Rhonda

Thankfully, Jean in Wisc responded to my post on the high school board, and she posted her plans. I'm thinking about doing 5th grade science per WTM, but we'll be doing Physics (for 4th-year studies). Anyway, hope this helps! Rhonda http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?p=223489#poststop ETA: I think NOEO science is loosely based on WTM-recommendations. (Maybe not "based" on them, but they have alot of similarities.) I've never done NOEO, but you might want to check it out.

Thanks!

Thanks! nt

I also think it's more about being able to think abstractly. So, inferencing and predicting and cross-curricular connections just sort of naturally happen. Yes, you ramp up the expectations in 5th grade, and you talk and talk and talk, and one day, out from underneath all the emotions and immaturity will come some pretty profound statement that will just blow you out of the water and you think, "Wow, I guess we're there," even though you couldn't tell you were going ANY-where. :001_smile:\ Rhondabee

We did the CAT test at home after the first year, and it was hard for my kids not to ask for help (and it was hard for me not to give it!). It was very hard to have a quiet testing environment with my toddler demanding attention. And, so we just thought it would be a good, if not enjoyable, experience for the kids to have a more "professional" atmosphere. And, my dh *really* thought it would make me feel more confident in what I do. Being a high-straight-A student, it is hard for me to relate to my very phlegmatic boys (dh included) who are thrilled to get B's as long they don't have to study, because that's still "above average". (And who would probably be happy to get C's.) It seems I am constantly pushing, and it is hard to tell, "Am I pushing too much? Am I pushing enough? Is it *ever* 'just right'?" If we do test next year, I think I'll opt to do it at home again. (I also cut out the Social Studies and Sciences when I did the test two years ago, though we'll be finishing our history rotation next year, so maybe some of that will come up. We'll see.) Thanks! Rhondabee

Yes, of course I've saved a whole bunch of other stuff that I'll *never* look at again, but the one thing that I want.... I didn't save them before because I thought I could do that on my own by just following WTM, and I failed miserably. But, rather than looking up the schedules, I just ran to a textbook. Now that my 2nd ds is reaching 5th grade, I wonder....could I succeed if someone else told me what to cover when? I'm just horrible at knowing/deciding what's important and how to organize it. But - hey! - I'm planning on your Apologia Physical schedule for my 8th grader, so don't delete them without a warning!!!! Thanks, Rhonda

Oops - I think you might be right! Rhonda

I think I had this on my old computer - it's a blog (it may be defunct by now) that had several years of science lesson plans. I know it had logic stage science following WTM recs, not sure about grammar. I'm not even sure if the blogger was still active on the boards when I first found the site. It was maybe a farm-type theme, and seems like some of the blog was about other parts of their lives, and some was about homeschool. Anybody? Thanks, Rhonda

Can you tell me what the "national stanine" numbers mean? I mentioned before his Language scores were okay, and now I see for the "Core Total" his grade equivalent is 4.5 (which I'm happy to notice - I know he's an average kid). The National Stanine number beside that is 5. But, I don't know what that means? What really pulled him down was scoring 2nd grade equivalents in Social Studies and Science. Again, I think that will move up as we move into logic stage next year. If only they had asked whose horse was named Bucephalus- LOL! Thanks, Summer! Rhonda

I won't retest because I know if I do he'll feel like he "failed". He scored in the 24th National Percentile Rank, which I know is a little skewed given that we don't do a traditional curriculum for "Social Studies" and Science. (And I already knew his proof-reading skills are crazy-making.) But, Yes, they did end the sessions early. (this was given at a "homeschool academy" - classes two days/home three days sort of deal) The administrator told me (in front of my child) that if everyone was "finished" with their test before time was called, she would call time early. And, my ds called me an hour and 15 minutes before the scheduled ending time to come get him. So, I'm wondering if this was a select group of kids taking the tests - I found out later that only one other kid in my son's group was even homeschooled - the rest were public school kids?!?!? Anyway, my ds said that "everyone else was finished" so he figured he should be, too; that he was the last one to turn his test in, and that everyone else was "so smart". I wonder, knowing how fragile his "bravado" is, if he was embarrassed that it was taking him longer, and so he just blew off part of the test. I know he didn't answer questions because the Performance Profile tells you for each individual skill: total items, number attempted, %Correct for your student, %Correct Nationally. In the skills where he attempted all the questions, his %-rank was between 65-100%. But, he attempted less than half the total questions in 24 of the 56 skills. IDK, you know how certain people just rub you the wrong way? Well, the remark this administrator made about how "now I would know if my curriculum wasn't producing positive results" really irked me. I could tell she wasn't the sort of person who would appreciate my dc being in her school, iykwim. So, I'm sure that is also affecting my emotional reaction to this piece of paper, which really only confirms his strengths and weaknesses. His Reading and Comprehension and Language Usage scores were much better than all his other scores, and his brother, who's in 7th this year, scored really well all across the board - even on the things we haven't "studied" - like maps and reference materials. This ds will be getting the same schooling his db had - or better - So, we'll just keep on keepin' on. I guess it's particularly bummin' because my dh made a big deal about how great my kids' education was, and this test was gonna be a no-brainer, and he really thought our kids would be over the top. (I knew better because I refuse to teach to the test!) And, now, I can't show my ds his results and have a big "woo-hoo! we're doing great!" moment even though we *are* doing great. Anyway, thank you for letting me whine here! Rhonda

There were just *so many* questions that my 4th grader didn't attempt to answer. I know he was nervous, and that the test ended an hour earlier than it was scheduled to. So, I wonder if he felt rushed.....or if he just really didn't have a clue. (This is the same kid who quit answering the questions after the word fiesta appeared in one of the questions - and he insisted the whole way home that "the test was in Spanish!" Yeah, I know ~ he's wierd.) Anyway, if I could *see* the test, I could hopefully figure out if this was test jitters, a lack of time, or a lack of mom's efforts. Thanks, Rhonda

I can't imagine finding time to POST all that. I can't wait to have time to look through it all. One quick question - are all the photos one you all have taken? Very beautiful! Rhonda

But, it's not that I don't have enough to choose from. Part of my dilemma is a matter of wanting to emphasize literature vs. history in our lit. time - and really wanting to know how hard I should push this guy. Fourth grade was very coddle-y for him. Too many abridged books, and - well, really in every subject - he just seemed to have an easy go of things. A part of me really *wants* to push him - and do the 8th grade books all together (if you've read Nan's posts about her boys, something like that). But, frankly, I'm too ignorant to know. If only the example on the old website hadn't skirted the 5th grade lit issue - It was describing *exactly* the situation we have in our home. I know Susan has been ill and away from home, so I'll wait patiently (or, not so patiently, but at least in quiet impatience!). Thanks! Rhonda

Barb, Wow! You are an inspiring teacher! But, I'm not familiar with how to do a "Nature Study". Does the handbook you mentioned teach you/tell you what to do? I need something with some definite objectives or lists of things to do. (Sorry, I've never read Charlotte Mason, so maybe it's in there?) Thanks, Rhonda

Bump (please!) =)