You might want to search for Angie W in TX's posts about Science Explorer. She has mixed and matched editions. Seems like there was a rewrite in 200? and things work better if they are all before or after 200?

Thanks, Kathleen! We are using Write Shop for 6th-7th-8th grade and will finish the 6th grade portion this week. I must say that I spend more time poring over the lesson for Write Shop than I do for any of our other subjects. It's a bit difficult for both ds and me. However, the results are completely worth the time we put into it. I really need to create an example of what his writing was like when we used Shurley Grammar, Writing Strands, and now Write Shop. I've been pleased.

1 digit 5/10 = 1/2 2 digits 5x5 / 10x10 = 1 / 2^2 = 1/4 3 digits 5x5x5 / 10x10x10 = 1 / 2^3 = 1/8 4 digits 5x5x5x5 / 10x10x10x10 = 1 / 2^4 = 1/16 5 digits 5x5x5x5x5 / 10x10x10x10x10 = 1 / 2^5 = 1/32 etc.

:iagree: Dh used LLATL with ds for several years, then I used Shurley Grammar 5. I was horrified when I saw how much repetition there was in Shurley Grammar 6. Schools may need to beat a dead horse, but I don't have to. Analytical Grammar is clear and concise. I love it.

How many digits are in the license plate? It's been 18 years since I tutored college level Probability & Statistics. I'm afraid that it's either too easy or too hard. Chances of all even in a 3 digit license plate would be: 5x5x5 divided by 10x10x10 because there are 5 even digits and 10 total digits in each of the 3 digits of the license plate. The 5x5x5 covers all the even possibilities in a 3 digit license plate: 000 002 004 006 008 020 022 .... I think you can extrapolate from there? Sue

I don't know what age/grade you are considering this for. We used Writing Strands 3 in 5th grade when we dropped the writing in Shurley Grammar. While it did get my ds to write, I felt that it was lacking in instruction for him and it didn't really help me to help him improve what/how he was writing. We did not continue with it after that year. I have to admit that I didn't crack the Evaluating Writing book much, so it could have been my own deficiency. We are using Write Shop for 6th-7th-8th grade. We've completed 6th grade. I have been much more pleased with it. It gives good instruction to the student and to the teacher.

We are on the final lesson. We've completed the Timeline Analysis. The directions are: ...choose 4-5 time spans where either a surprising difference, a powerful connection or an incredible coincidence occurred. Summarize these events in paragraph form... Does anyone have a hint for me? :confused:

It was essential when it cost $10 for a huge convention in TX. Now, it's optional because it costs $95 for a huge convention in FL. Don't get me started! :cursing:

We've used MUS from K through Pre-Algebra. I am confused about how you would just buy the DVD. The DVD is part of the teacher's pack. But, perhaps you mean that you would buy the teacher's pack? Drilling addition and subtraction with help of the Alpha/Beta DVD is a good idea. But, buy the blocks as well. That is what helps the children to SEE the math. I would hope that this would help it to 'click' in your ds's brain. Where ever you start with the student books, the nicest thing to do is to give ds the test from each lesson. If he does well, move on. If he doesn't stop and practice the concept taught in the lesson. That helps you move forward quickly if ds understands already. Alternatively, give him the placement test and start there instead of the beginning. Good luck!

We've used MindBenders, Perplexors, and Dandy Lion logic. They are all available through Rainbow Resource. Good luck!

We supplement MUS with Singapore's CWP a year behind the MUS level. I think it's a great combination.

I have ds12 write out the answers to the section assessments, the tests, and the workbook. But, I'm weak on science, and I'm probably overcompensating. :glare: It's easier than trying to get him to discuss it with me.

For 6th-8th grade, we are using Prentice Hall Science Explorer series. If you search the boards, you will see good reviews. We are combining it with TOPS for more hands-on learning.

ACK...I have a review written by a mom who used both IEW and Write Shop. Email me if you would like a copy to help you wrestle with your decision more. :D

I am not sure if a child who likes writing would like Write Shop. They may look at it as too much specific direction or they might like the fact that they are learning new ways to make their writing more interesting. I don't think that my son will ever be a great writer. My goal is that he be a competent writer. If I thought he could be a great writer, I would have used Classical Writing. I investigated and seriously considered CW and saw it's potential to build great writers. Almost every Write Shop assignment is 1 paragraph, generally 5-7 sentences long. If you think your 5th grader can handle that, she will be fine. Sometimes, I panic because when my son was doing Shurley 5, he was writing 5 paragraph essays. They were awful, but he was writing them. I guess Write Shop's goal is to teach the children to write 1 excellent paragraph. It has definitely succeeded with my son.

I will say that the RS4K student text was EXCELLENT, and I loved (being a math major) how she tied in math with physics. Have fun! :bigear:

I called. They faxed me something to sign that said I was a homeschool teacher. Now it's on file, and I don't have a problem ordering. I always order over the phone because I never figured out their ordering system. I know other have though.

:iagree: Math-U-See has 2-3 lessons and some review on it. We revisit it when we are studying Roman times or when we see them. I love it when he divides the wheels on a big rig by pi, too. Other times I've seen them used: Super Bowl Olympics

:iagree: We used Noeo Biology 2 for 5th grade and found it boring as well. I don't know that I have an alternative though. We used RS4K for 4th grade Physics and the bottom line was that it was very expensive for a 10 week long program. I have heard that Chemistry is the author's specialty however.

Write Shop website is https://www.writeshop.com/index.htm. We are using Write Shop 1 & 2 for 6th-7th-8th grade. We have completed the 6th grade portion of it. This consists of 11/30 lessons covering descriptive and informative writing. Pros: • Extremely detailed instructions for the teacher (this might be considered a con if the teacher didn’t need extremely detailed instructions) • Extremely detailed instructions for the student • Teaches a variety of methods for brainstorming • Teaches many ways to make writing more interesting and requires the student to use them over and over (ex. paired adjectives, participle sentence starters, similes, etc.) • Helps the student use vivid words by providing them with thorough lists of words to choose from • Strictly limits dull writing (to be verbs, weak words) • Guides the student to edit their own work by giving them a checklist • Guides the teacher to edit the student’s work by giving them a checklist • Nearly secular Cons: • Learning curve for the teacher Teaching writing is not my favorite task. Writing is not my son’s favorite task. I have seen his writing improve tremendously with Write Shop. I have been able to teach writing and help my son improve his writing through Write Shop. The thoroughness of the program has benn very beneficial for us.

I have used Write Shop this year with my 6th grade ds. We are on the 3 year plan and are on 11/11 assignments for this year. I like Write Shop. My ds's writing has really improved using it. Here is a thread with my impressions so far: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18614 I would LOVE to have my son use Write Shop in a co-op because then I wouldn't have to teach it. Writing is not my favorite subject. WS is good for me because it is extremely detailed, and I need that. That might be considered a con if it was easy for the teacher to teach writing. The only con that I can think of is that there is a learning curve for the teacher. That's why a co-op would be great. HTH!

I use the TM and student text as Lisa does. I also use the Guided Reading and Study Workbook. Email me if you would like a sample. I have the Lab Zone CD, but it doesn't get used much.

I found Red Herrings unsuitable for homeschool. It really needs a (big - my opinion) group to pull it off. They are mysteries that the kids have to figure out, but they use vocabulary that I had never heard of - like a word that had 2 meanings - one was common and one was part of a ship I had never heard of. We've used MindBenders, Perplexors (similar but more problems for your money), and the DandyLion Logic Liftoff series. HTH!

We have the CDs, and there is zero instruction in there. There is a Hint button, but the times we've needed it, we couldn't figure out how it worked. Sheesh! Last year, ds (5th) finished the A series with little difficulty. This year, he took one look at the B series and opted for Perplexors instead. We'll return to the B series next year.

I'll 2nd Hitler Youth. My (then) 11yo ds and I listened to it on tape. I gave him the option a few times to opt out (and I definitely would have) but he found the whole thing fascinating.