DS is almost through with Beginning Algebra. I'm sure we will use all of the books Stan will write. It's wonderful!

You're not helping....... :D Thanks for the input. I guess I was hoping for more positive reviews. I think I may just use a list and misspelled words until we need more. Thanks, everyone!

Vacations in the poconos in PA are very inexpensive this year. Many 4 BR houses very close to the lake were about $1000 and I know you won't need something that big. There are lakes, hiking trails, boating, lots of woods and commercial things like indoor waterparks, mini golf, PA raceway, if you want a day of that. There are some colonial history spots in NJ, especially Morristown, NJ (an hour or so from poconos.) Of course, you might have had enough of that era being in VA. HTH,

:lurk5:

My 7 & 10 yr old loved these. We used both the grades 1-3 and 4-6. Both children enjoyed each level. There was more info in the pockets than I expected and there is more than *just coloring, cutting and pasting, although that is lot of that. We checked out quite a few library books because the HP topics interested the kids and they wanted more info about the topics. I think HP are great!

Another thought is to find a TRUE Montessori. True Montessori schools don't separate by age and have multi-level activities in each class. Also, the child has most of the day "free" to wander about the classroom and work on something that is interesting to him. A good classroom will have many, many neat activities, most of which are not numbers and letters, but learning about nature, sorting and creating. The do not encourage fantasy play, though. *I* disagree w/Maria Montessori on this point. :thumbdown: I think Montessori schools are excellent for gifted children because there is always something new to learn. Once you've learned all of your letters, you're done, but you can always learn more about birds, turtles, butterflies, and plants. Most preschoolers are not experts in all of these areas. Best of luck finding something that suits him. ETA: Would he be happier going to school in the morning, then having a nanny? I have no idea if that works for your family, but maybe a combination would fit his needs.

I've read reviews at both ends of the spectrum. Do you find this helpful to kids who tend to spell well? Do the children retain the spelling rules? Do you really need to start at level A? Do you have any other recommendations? Thanks!

We love Horizons, so I'll try not to be defensive. ;) What does she detest about it? Does it move at the wrong pace for her? Too many tasks in each lesson? Too much color? Ds finished Horizons and moved to L of F.

So many of them have boring songs, imo. Our favorite songs are from School House Rock. The tunes are catchy and the images (if you watch the DVDs) are memorable.

We're following an Alg I, Alg II then Geometry schedule, but I'm not worried about ds hitting Geometry proofs in 5th or 6th grade. He is such a linear, anlytical thinker that I believe this will not be a challenge for him. Subjects that "follow the rules" (grammar, spelling, science) are not a problem for him as long as he knows the rules. The same probably goes for many 'math minded' people. ETA: We spent more than half the year working on problem solving, probability and other math topics so we didn't rush into algebra. There is plenty of math out there if you don't want to/aren't ready for geometry proofs. JMO,

Thank YOU! I've been looking at your products and a free summer trial will help us make a decision. Thanks for your generosity!

We use just the worksheets and love them. Could someone tell me about the TM? What does it contain? Thank you!

Paige, Thanks for posting the info. Your program looks really neat!

Two thumbs up for Noeo Physics I. :thumbup: I used it w/ds 8/9 with little dd 5/6 tagging along and retaining more than I ever expected. I knew that it would be hard for me to assemble the materials for the experiments that year so the YSK were well worth the money to me. I loved the schedule. We did science 2 days/week. The notebooking was fun for ds--he liked drawing along w/his written explanation. I do not like having 6 books going at once, but Noeo doesn't do that. You might have 2, but one might be an encylcopedia and the other a biography. I highly recommend this program.

We use Bible Study Guide for All Ages. I did not get the TM, but just use the worksheets. Even though there are some cartoon drawings on the pages, I found them to be pithy. The child reads the assigned Scripture, then answers questions about the passage and some decent questions of how to apply it to his/her life. I've found the retention to be excellent w/this program. http://www.biblestudyguide.com/ Rainbow Resource sells them and used to have samples of the worksheets.

Does anyone have the address? The webpage won't load.

Great idea! I'm in!

I just started using it, but I think it's a bit light for a 7th grader. Your 7th grader would have higher vocab (Wordly Wise) than her younger sister. You might want to make the writing assignments a bit longer for the older child &/or have her revise them a time or two. SL recommends Grammar Ace to use one year. I haven't used it, but that would help your kids remember the names of grammar terms. HTH,

I've seen some of the suggested Logic resources, but what do you like and why. This resourced would be used by a 10 yr old. Thanks!

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!

This site (mentioned above) http://www.homeschooldiscountproducts.com/servlet/StoreFront has free shipping over $50 and you get a 'free' book with a $50 purchase. I plan to get our Pictures in Cursive there. :D THey have some other neat things, too.

Young Scientist Kits are very good. Some are better than others as far as interest, but all illuminate the concept well. rainbow resource sells them.

I did pull ds out because he is advanced. The rewards have been so much richer than simply having him challenged, happy and accomplished. I made a list of pros and cons to public school, private school and homeschool. I suggest anyone who is considering homeschooling also make lists. I found it very helpful. You can actually address your concerns about every situation and you can also see the benefits of one over another. Best of luck,

It's cool, isn't it?? In my family, my kids haven't hit any concept that they were ready for academcially, but not developmentally (like symbols, time, money or math theory.) It makes sense that it would happen, but it hasn't. I'm glad he's enjoying math and you are enjoying watching him!

We really like Artistic Pursuits! Since we were studying Am Hx this year, I got the gr 4-6 book 1 for my 1st and 4th graders. It was perfectly fine for my 1st grader. I think it could be used for your older kids, too, since they aren't 'serious' artists. There is a lot to learn so each child can take what s/he wants out of it. Since the lesson might be about "line" or "shading" each child can draw at his/her level. I think the gr 4-6 book may not capture the interest of your youngest. I think this is a great program!