We are jumping into a new co-op for 8th grade to spice things up a bit for ds. It's a STEM co-op, so I think he'll enjoy it. I'm also streamlining our choices this year as I hope to have a part-time job. STEM Co-op Fall classes: SCIENCE: Physical Science with Lab Handcrafting with metal & leather (fun) Beginning Programming/Coding (fun) MUSIC: Guitar I At Home: MATH: finishing TT Pre-Alg then move into TT Alg or Mr. D (Critical Thinking Co Middle School Math Games) ENGLISH: Essentials in Writing 8 with grading/ EIL 8? (there is only one novel scheduled, Night, so we will add more just for free reading, maybe adding in Boomerang guides for discussion: (still continuing with some Bravewriter Lifestyle activities) The Giver, Echo, Night, The Westing Game, Brightly of the Grand Canyon, Lord of the Flies(maybe), White Fang, Basher Five-Two, Lost on a Mountain in Maine Easy Grammar 8, Marie's Words, Word Root study HISTORY: Notgrass Civics Uncle Sam & You... D.C. trip and local field trips LOGIC: The Thinking Toolbox or Critical thinking resources BUSH CRAFT Club (organized by husband, 2x a month) PE: YMCA class ART: Masterpiece Art Society Ongoing Projects: '72 Ford Truck remodel & School bus remodel for teen hangout. Looks like a ton, but most is part of our lifestyle.

11th Grade Dd may be jumping into dual enrollment with CC in which she would most likely take ENG 111 fall (1.0 each), Intro to Computers, spring(1.0). English: Modern American Literature (mix of genres), if not taking ENG 111 & 112, Bravewriter’s Exploratory Essay RC&A & Literary Analysis or possibly Essentials in Writing 11, Fall ENG 111 CC, Marie’s Words vocabulary Khan SAT prep Math: TT Algebra II / Pre-Cal.(first 5 chapters) or back to Mr. D live class for Alg.II (1.0) Science: Anatomy & Physiology (no idea what we’ll use) Most likely use Apologia or PAC Anatomy (1.0) History/Social Science: 2nd half of American History (1.0) & possibly local AP Economics class depending on CC enrollment (0.5) Spanish II: Easy Peasy (1.0) Art: Masterpiece Society Painting/Acrylics & oils (0.5) PE: Track & Field / Cross Country (0.5 each semester) Electives: Nutrition….. (0.5) Loves animals….thinking of volunteering at Vet or Animal Shelter…. Outschool Intro to Veterinary Science possibly ?(0.5) Part-time job at Chick-Fil-A

Thank you so much! I have heard the writing instruction is lacking. We plan to take the 3 part series of the Essay Prep BraveWriter style. So now I'm wondering if OM would be a waste if we are just using it for literature, grammar, vocabulary....?

Thank you Lori D.... we have been putting together book lists for years now, pairing them with literature guides (Boomerang, arrow, Moving Beyond the Page, etc).... I think we still may plan a Bravewriter Writing class but really wanted to stream line all the Language Arts learning as I may be working part time next school year. I'd love something not too worksheet-y or busy-work-e...and something that is easy for my 8th grade boy to follow on his own. Just curious how Oak Meadow's all-in-one English serves others. I have always appreciated your insight and options that you throw out on the table! This big reading list looks right up his alley... He LOVED Hatchet this year and begged for more. I ended up buying all the Paulsen books for him to just read and discuss. Thank you again for chiming in! 😚

I'm considering going with Oak Meadow's Grade 8 English for my son next school year. I really, really need someone to chime in about what you liked about it and what you didn't like about it. Ds likes the previous edition book list with Lord of the Flies, Hobbit, Call of the Wild, etc.... The newest edition looks great, too, but doesn't excite him as much (Echo, Moon Over Manifest, Criss Cross, et). We may just stick with BraveWriter but I'm really wanting something that he can follow on his own when I'm unavailable for him. If you used/use Oak Meadow English, could you pretty please talk to me about it! Thanks in advance!

Thanks for the information!!

It is very competitive! They only take 12 people each year from our county. She does have all the basic courses out of the way (psychology, English, etc...) She will only have the dental courses to take. The program is based on a point system and I don't see anything about extra points for ACT or SAT scores or that they even look for that. Thank you for the advice!

My 12th grader will be taking the ACT again in October to see if she can score higher in math (she is taking her 4th math at CC this year through dual enrollment & was proficient in math on Accuplacer, but she is bothered that she scored 4 points less than she wanted). She did really well with the English & essay portion last April. Should I have her take the essay again or skip it? She is applying, in December, to the dental hygiene program at our local CC. So, she won't necessarily need the essay portion scores. She has taken Eng 111 and Eng 112 to satisfy the prerequisites for dental program. Also, when the time comes to send ACT scores, are you able to choose the best scores out of the two times she took the test..? Hope this makes sense. This is my first of three kids, so I am still learning the ins and outs of college & testing. Thanks in advance!

We are using and will continue "Annotating Literary Elements" by Rooted in Language. Once you go through the lessons, you can apply it to anything you read. We incorporate the lessons in with our Brave Writer Literature. https://www.rootedinlanguage.com/shop/annotating-literary-elements https://store.bravewriter.com/products/annotating-literary-elements

Right, there is no printed book to purchase. You can either print out the worksheets or jot problems/answers down in a spiral notebook.

My ds placed a year behind when we began CLE a few years ago. We don't really stress the "grade" level as much as the "level," if you get my drift. That way he didn't worry so much about thinking he was behind. (We jumped the Saxon ship) He is where he is and we go from there! We work about 45-60 minutes a day on math (math drill, board work, lesson, practice... math game days)... 4-5 days a week. If there are back to back lessons that are pretty easy, we do those lesson portions together then only do review problems from the last lesson we worked on that day. I also go through and highlight the problems I want him to complete. Some days I'll have him do them all, like before a test, but most days I pick n choose. I do utilize the "board work problems" from the teacher manual the next day for independent work to see if he retains topics from the previous day. This helps me determine what we need to touch on more often/less. There are two quizzes and one end-of-book test for each light unit. If he shows me daily that he gets what he is learning, we skip the quizzes. (So, that can actually speed up the pacing per book) If we have gaps between lesson days due to vacation, sickness, etc., I will give him quiz 1 or 2 before moving on to the next lesson. CLE Math has been the best move for my ds because of how flexible it can be. Ds actually finished 1 1/2 levels (grade level) this year. He has a goal to hit Algebra I in 8th grade, but we are seriously taking one day at a time with math. Not to mention, ds's attitude about math has improved greatly since we have moved to CLE. Good luck to you!

I agree with those above about using Mr. D "at your own pace"..... the twice weekly "live" help sessions are a bonus, too! .... and he has a login code for ixl.com so your dc can have more practice time! My middle dd will be using TT Geometry at our co-op this year with a math teacher, no dvds. We may buy the dvds for home use just in case. Good luck on your search!

Totally check out Mr. D Math!! My dd took the Pre-Alg course over the summer last summer. It was great!

Our adviser gave us a credit sheet that public schools use to determine credit for college classes. Maybe check with your adviser on how public schools advise their kids. I don't usually care about what our local high schools do but I found it a good reference point. Around here, one semester (3-4 credit hours) of CC classes totals 1 credit of a full year high school class. My rising senior will be taking just about all of her classes at CC next year. She started DE her fall of junior year. She started slowly with ENG 111 (1 hs credit) and Intro to Computers (1 hs credit)... spring semester she took ENG 112 (1 hs credit), Psychology (1 hs credit), and ACA Transfer Class (1/2 hs credit). She is also taking three courses this summer, too. By the end of 1st semester of senior year, she will have completed the Transfer Pathway and the full Associates will open up for her. She plans to have her AA the summer after high school graduation. My dd is applying to the dental hygiene program at our CC that she is attending. Otherwise, she could transfer as a junior to one of our local universities. Since dd took two ENG courses (writing) for 11th at CC, she is only taking an American Lit for one semester in 12th to count as her English for hs credit (4th English). I can say that dd prefers to NOT have some CC classes, some co-op classes, some home classes, and some online classes in one year. She says it just seems all too much and would rather be held accountable by "one" avenue... with the Community College being her choice. I am glad she waited on her taking math and science at CC till 12th grade. She just finished Alg.II and Chemistry through online classes and feels more prepared for her upcoming math & science classes at CC. Imo, I would continue with math and not skip a year. Especially if your student is planning on a STEM path. We have stayed on the path for 4 English, 4 Science, 4 Math, 4 History/Social Science. It is amazing how fast your child grows in independence once starting college courses. My dd has pin-pointed every step and has been setting goals without me hanging over her shoulder. I'm so happy that she has taken her education by the reins, and so proud of her. I have two right behind her!! Yikes! Good luck to you!

There is also Oak Meadow. The updated Coursebook doesn't schedule the page numbers or textbook anymore. It leaves it open for the student to use what they want: textbook, internet, nonfiction books, encyclopedias, etc... Each week has learning objectives, suggested topics of reading, critical thinking questions, research, and activities. Throughout the Coursebook, there are lessons called "Building Connections" where the student stops to reflect on the material that they have covered thus far from previous lessons. It gives them a chance to choose a topic they are most interested in or have a connection to and complete more research/projects. This year, my 9th & 11th graders have used, along with OM Coursebook: DK's History Encyclopedia, Glencoe World History, Great Course lectures, living literature, and parts of Notgrass World History texts. (We just bought the coursebook and teacher book for World History from Oak Meadow. The rest from Amazon and/or used book stores.) If you go with Oak Meadow Coursebook....buying textbook/encyclopedia used on Amazon... your son could read through the assigned topics suggested in Coursebook using his choice of reading material, practice taking notes of key dates, people, events.....answer the Comprehension and Critical Thinking Questions from Coursebook...then at end of lesson, he could choose one of the activities to do. If you are going to break World History into two years.... each lesson could take a couple weeks. This is the most ideal pacing, imo. You would stop at Lesson 18 in Coursebook where there is a Semester 1 project & reflection assignment. Good luck to you!!

Yes, I missed the March one by a long shot!! Thank you ladies. I'll try to keep my out out around Memorial Day Weekend.

Anyone know when they have their yearly sales? I'm looking to buy Biology Level 2. Thanks!

Thanks for chiming in!

How did I not see this thread until NOW!!! :confused1: Thank you Lori and Alte Veste Academy for those incredible lists! :grouphug:

We are not completely finished planning for next school year but pretty close. I will have a Senior and a Sophomore! Senior chick will take most, if not all, her classes at the community college next year. She plans to apply to the dental hygiene program after 1st Semester! They only enroll 14 students each year, but with having extra points, good grades, and experience (shadow in a dentist office), I'm crossing my fingers that she'll get in. 12th Grader Summer 2018: SOC 210 (Sociology @ CC) online 1.0 PHI 240 (Ethics @ CC) online 1.0 MUS 110 (Music Appreciation @ CC) online 1.0 Outward Bound Kayaking Trip through the Outer Banks Fall 2018: COM 231 (Public Speaking @ CC) 1.0 MAT 143 (Quantitative Literacy @ CC) 1.0 CHM 151 (General Chemistry @ CC) 1.0 ENG 232 (American Lit II @ CC) 1.0 (Apply in Dec/January to dental hygiene program) Spring 2019: tentative POL 120 (Government @ CC) 1.0 BIO 163 (Anat & Physiology @ CC) 1.0 Economics (home or CC) 0.5 Personal Finance II & Life Skills 101 (home) "Life after High School" 0.5 I'm sure she will audition for another Musical/Play..... Summer 2019: She plans on taking 2-3 classes at CC to fulfill her full Associates Degree. All Year: Home/work/extra She has a job!! Elective: Advanced Strings & Voice (home) 0.5 Shadow @ Dentist Office (Depending on hours, I may count this as credit) This girl has been buying used clothes and sewing & making them her own, then selling them online! She is fabulous at this & hooked b/c she's actually making quite a bit of money doing it. ? 10th Grader Honors English I (Blue Tent) 1.0 Literature: The Alchemist, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, The Hiding Place, Our Town, The Ransom of Red Chief, Rip Van Winkle, Sir Gawain & the Green Knight, Tuck Everlasting Geometry (Co-op) (Alg.I Review @home) 1.0 Chemistry (Co-op) 1.0 Spanish I -- tutor fell through....now WHAT!!?? 1.0 Government/Economics (Notgrass OR FundaFunda OR GAvirtualschool.org OR Idiot's Guide & Dummies books?) 1.0 Fitness: Yoga and possibly Cross Country or Kickboxing 0.5 Art (1st Sem) Masterpiece Society 0.5 Foods & Nutrition (2nd Sem)... our own creation 0.5 Logic: Art of Argument 1.0 Banjo I 0.5 Continue Volunteering at Therapeutic Horse Riding Center and possibly start at Elementary School **Might have her take the ACT in the spring for practice.... it counts as our yearly testing, too. **Maybe: Personal Finance II (home- last half of Dave Ramsey.... or I might wait closer to end of High School) ETA: ? I'm already exhausted!!

I spoke with dd about Learn Chemistry Better and this is what she has to share: Pros: -Weekly layout is organized and easy to follow. -Videos are easy to understand and she has full comprehension of material from watching videos & taking notes. -Practice worksheets or activities during video to check for comprehension. -Homework each day can take generally 1- 1 1/2 hours. -Everything is in one place.... can easily take school work on the go! -Feels like she is retaining information and becoming prepared for College Chemistry. Cons: -Power Points (these are what you take notes on top of while watching videos) print out HUGE and are annoying! Dd never prints out because the formatting is off. She jots down the power point info on paper, then adds notes to that while watching videos. This takes up a lot of time. -Tests are confusing! This portion of the curriculum has really defeated dd. She thinks everything is going well during homework/practices/activities... she makes good grades on them... but then tests are a struggle. Not sure if it's the wording... but she says there are things on the test that didn't get touched on much through the videos or homework assignments. This dd is not having a B or C apparently.... she is my straight A student. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Personally, I wish we had gone through a live class for Chemistry or more hands-on class, though Ms. Esslemen is available through email/phone. This class has an impersonal feel, but that is what we signed up for. I do think the knowledge of Chemistry is all there, just not in the way dd needed. Hope this helps some. Every student is different. What doesn't work for mine, may very well work for yours. Good Luck!

-- kand & London-- She may be incorporating "WttW concepts" but just not requiring kids to read from the book.... I would shoot her an email to find out for sure & to inquire about the materials list. They seem pretty accommodating!

Dicentra, I would LOVE to see those writing samples! Please message me and I’ll send you my email address. Thanks so much!

Hi Everyone! After reading over the reviews here, I decided to contact Blue Tent about the time commitment for English 1 and I also expressed some concerns that I had. Brigid Thompson and Christine Proctor were extremely responsive and kind. The instructor of English 1, Christine Proctor, sent me a detailed message that basically sealed the deal for us. Dd is excited to have such a supportive and caring teacher. If anyone is hesitant about signing up for English 1, please read over the email below that Christine Proctor sent to me today. **She has given me permission to share it with the WTM Forum.** I would suggest calling or emailing Blue Tent if you have certain questions/concerns so that they may assist you with particulars. I’m so glad I did! Just to note: I appreciate this forum like you wouldn’t believe.... the reviews, helpful advice, support, and creative ideas that each of you have given over my nine years of homeschooling, is tremendous! See Ms. Proctor’s email below: “Hi, Jana. Thank you so much for reaching out. I ‘d be glad to help however I can. First off, my Honors 1 class will undergo some changes before next semester. We will be switching from Abeka grammar (three to eight pages a day plus quizzes about every two weeks) to Easy Grammar (a page a day, monthly grammar tests), as well as switching from using a text in the literature component (Windows to the World) to using other resources that require less reading. Streamlining the grammar component will cut down on the amount of time a student spends on the class, but how much is more dependent on the student. When I designed this class, I used my 8th grader at the time as my guinea pig. He spent about an hour to ninety minutes a day, Monday through Friday, on the class, with a little more when writing a paper (he’s a procrastinator). I still use this when parents ask for an estimate. Everything on our reading list is what most would consider “a quick read,†so being bogged down with book after book , reading assignment after reading assignment, was never an issue. Through the years, I’ve had students who spend less then an hour a day on the class (I can tell by looking at their daily logs) to those who spend more. I believe it varies with both the ability and the interest of the student. One year, I had a very bright and accomplished young lady who was spending up to two hours a day on the class, though from talking to her and her mom, we realized it was because she loved it so much, she was reading everyone’s posts, commenting multiple times in forums that only required one comment, scrolling through the glossaries available on the side bars, starting threads in the Tree House forum…..Once her mom set some ground rules with her and knew what was required and what was just extra from me, the young lady streamlined her time spent without losing her enthusiasm. I also remember a young man who was also spending more time than seemed necessary, but struggling with almost every component. Once he realized he could save time by just messaging me to ask for help, it cut down on his frustration and he was able to complete the work more efficiently. I think if the student feels comfortable with me and we establish a good working relationship, the class becomes more like a good friend than an adversary. Learning increases, proficiency increases, the time needed to complete any particular task decreases. I will not sugarcoat the truth here. This class is challenging. I want it to be challenging. I know I will not be able to please everyone with what I pick and choose to be the best way to grow one’s writing muscles. Some students can fly through my workouts without breaking a sweat. Others sweat tears of frustration. But time and time again, I’ve seen the results, the test scores, the letters from past students reporting how their college writing courses can’t match mine…..Results are the best inspiration, so whenever I feel like cutting something out (hey, less work for the student means less work for me to grade), I remember that it’s the little bit extra I offer, the little bit extra I ask for from my students, that one last rep and one last set and one extra ten-pound weight on the bar that builds and tones and gives my students the confidence they need to walk into a college English class with head held high. Now that’s not to say that I am unbendable. In fact, I feel I bend over backwards to help my students get the work done. Every year, I work with any parent who feels the need to streamline my class to fit their sons or daughters’ special needs. I have had students opt out of the grammar component if they are already aces at grammar. Or the poetry component if they already know their similes from metaphors and allusions from imagery. I have students who are in full time brick-and-mortar schools who take my class as an extra help. For those, I let them skip this book or that discussion forum when they are bogged down with midterms or other stresses. And then there’s life – sicknesses, family deaths, family weddings, college trips. I seriously keep a spreadsheet to keep track of students and their activities so I can best help them get their work done and still enjoy why they homeschool. Jana, I think it all comes down to how well we can communicate. You and I. Bella and I. I want my class to be a good experience (and that means a happy experience) for any student who takes it. And I will go to the moon and back to make that possible. If you would like to talk by phone, I’m available any time. I hope I’ve been able to help make your decision easier. Enjoy your weekend! Warm regards, Christineâ€

This will be dd’s first year taking the ACT! Saving some of these resources... thank you!