I used to hang them in the bathroom and on the fridge.

I've also heard that big sellers are okay with not making a big profit on these little sales because they might also get positive feedback which is worth some $.

I had an idea- what about a mirror? Looks even more like decor then those prettied up frames/whiteboards and you could still write on it.:D

We also have a hard time working when little ones are free. Mostly I do focused things with the olders in the morning before the little ones get up (fortunately the sleep late), or in the afternoon during quiet time. We also do lots of switching around so that one of the big kids can play (read take the littles outside) while I work with the other big kids (in the past I have also had my sis for a lot of school, but next year she'll be in college).

I get up with the big kids early and we do a couple quick things together and go over math, grammar, and writing. We have about 1 1/2 hours for this. Then we get up the little ones and have break fast. (take care of animals/get a few minutes outside) Everyone starts school together after breakfast- handwriting and memorywork. Then the boys boys work on thier school while I work with the little ones- this is 3 hours of our day, but the littles are done after about 2 hours so I have some more time to work with the older ones. Next a short break (outside) and lunch. After lunch the littles have quiet time. The big boys check thier work/finish what is left and are done! The do some checking, I do some checking- whatever works out. Right now we hardly every need this after lunch time as we are winding down and dropping/finishing subjects. But for the fall I expect between 30 min-2 hours here. I do have another hour of reading scheduled at bedtime. So my logic aged boys have about 6 1/2 hours of school plus some reading scheduled. I wish we could have more of a recess in the morning, but I find it really hard to get everyone back on track (they're all outside building things or fishing or hard to find). Sure they'd say they want a morning break, but I think they'd really rather get it done and have hours of free time in a row. We do a lot of volunteer work on T/Th so two days a week we do about half that (and it is things the boys like- History/Science/Art/Music). As the winter gets on, we sometimes move that early morning to the evening before, because when my room is dark I don't wake up so early and there is so much extra time in the evening when it is dark outside.

I just write on the windows and glass doors (ours have the blinds inside the glass and work really well because I can close the blinds behind what I am writing and we can see it well). We like to leave up fun notes and assignments all the time, but of course when we erase them then they are just windows and doors!

I think that so many of the "labs" in RSO are really going to seem like busy work for a 9yo. Just from the samples- for arachnids you'll read that student notebook page (that is a little simple itself for 4th grade, basically just spiders have 2 body parts/8 legs, insects have 3 body parts/6 legs) Then the two activites are singing a made up song about that and doing the busy work cut and paste activity to put the right number of legs on the right body. For echinoderms you read the notebook page and the two activites are using a banana peel to make echinoderm shapes- spread out like a starfish, long like a sea cucumber, or short and fat like an urchin and making a page in your animal book. I'll admit that both of the fish activies are a little more appropriate for older kids, but they are the exception rather then the rule. The first requires that you have a live fish but weighing the fish and measuring its temp are fun and the careful study and drawing of the fish are good. I also think the fish floaters lab is fun, realizing you can get things to float in the middle of a bottle of water is worth the time. Hope that helps.

I don't believe RSO is enough for a 4th grader. I think it is a great K/1st program, but if your child has already studied some bio then it won't be enough. Have you looked at samples? There used to be some at the pandia Press site. Here is a thread where I tell about my biology plans for a 4th and 5th grader, maybe it will be helpful. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199456&highlight=biology

I forgot to add that the maps are much better and for some chapters the map activites are a little different.

Here is an old thread where I had what used to be on the peacehill press site copied- http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97836&highlight=changes+in+activity+guide Basically the text, the activities, and as far as I know the book recomendations are exactly the same. The only thing that has changed is the formatting and the pictures (although even then they are often of the excact same scene, just better done).

I think most of them would take between 1-3 months depending on how often you do science. Some are very scheduled- like the ones with growing plants, designed to be done in about 4 weeks usually. There are lots of samples on the website, we can often get 1-3 lessons done on one day. There are also 3 available for free from NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/main/education_outreach.html We have enjoyed all the TOPS we have used.

I like Auralog better then Rosetta Stone. The only problem my 5th grader has with Auralog compared to Rosetta Stone is he is such a terrible speller that he often skips the parts where you have to type in the word. My 6th grader is an average speller and he doesn't have that problem.

I agree that most of those names aren't names I'd pick, but I don't hate them. Which I agree with but- I've got a Tracker. Whose name is from combining the names of my husband and his siblings- TRavis, Amanda, chuCK, christophER Since this kid goes fishing almost every day (he's the 6yo and hasn't been allowed out the door with out his life jacket on for years), I've started hoping maybe someday Tracker boats will give him a nice sponsor ;) The rest of my kids have rather uncommon but normal names.

We have second breakfast too, but only if you got up early enough for first breakfast- which is usually something quick and easy- fruit or toast, maybe cottage cheese. Yes, I do limit what games we can play in the morning, and we have a couple of really quick ones everyone likes that we can play even if the littles have started to get up (Quick Pix Animals and Apples to Apples especially). If you didn't want to do games, what about taking him outside? He could get out some energy, you could sit on the porch, dd could sleep and everyone would be ready to do school after breakfast. What if he did the online things early in the morning? What if you did read alouds in her room before she even gets out of bed? Yes that does mean you are waking her up, but it is such a nice way to wake up. You could do -read alouds and even FLL from 7:30-8:30 -then have breakfast/get ready for the day/maybe go for a short walk from 8:30-9:30 -then do the school from 9:30-11:30 -and have lunch early 11:30 That is 3 hours for school by 11:30 I also think this will be less of a problem as they get older. Even if they are still in the same math or writing book in 4 years, he could get going on his in the morning. It is just now when they are doing the same things and need you for most of it that it is hard to get it worked out. Um... 8:00...I don't think so the bus goes by my house at 6:45....

After years of trying to wake up sleepy kids and occupy awake kids, and otherwise be more productive in the early morning, this past year we have been doing games in the morning. We have such great board/card games that hardly ever get used and are such a great way to learn so if you are up early then you can play games with mom :D Of couse I am one of the early risers, so this works for us. School probably isn't taking to long, maybe you could just start later maybe 10 or even after lunch.

How big is this download? I have looked around the site and even ordered it, but I can't seem to find the size of the file?

Trying not to bring up issues with my own boys father, but when we started homeschooling I thought he would be interested. I tried to anticipate what he might be wondering or caring about, but I don't have that time. I also tried to get him involved, but quite frankly he really doesn't care. Because of that, when I read your post I just end up with a list of questions for you. Feel free to ignore them if they don't apply- Have you talked to him about homeschooling before? Does he know anyone that homeschools? Has he asked about plans for school? Is he just assuming ds will go to public school? Would he be expected to help pay? (for home or public or private?) Would a much less detailed letter be good enough? (at least then you could answer what he brings up, instead of trying to foresee every thought). If he makes some effort I would love to bring my ex him into the boys schooling, and I regularly (say once or twice a year) send a brief note so the gates are open on my side and leave the next step for him. I would probably just write something like- I have been thinking really hard about ds's school chioces for next year. There are some charter and private schools around here, but we will probably homeschool. I have been looking at texts for the 3 R's and some fun things too. (Then I might add a link or two, maybe to the tuition page of a private school and to the laws for homeschooling and see what he sends back).

We don't even use a formal curriculum until about 4th grade. ;) Just a math lab, where they play with the math and logic things we have.

I started book 6 with my 5th and 6th graders last year- up to that point thier entire formal grammar consisted of FLL 3 a couple years before. It was fine. I have spread it out and we will be finishing it next year, but that was just because our year was crazy and I'd rather do grammar 2 or 3 times a week, but it isn't too hard for them (and my almost 11yo isn't a strong reader or writer).

I really don't know what happened to school this year- no babies, no moves, ????. I am not sure but we didn't get much done. So at this point I have cut way back on extras (you know things like memory work and art ;)) and they have a very minimal schedule that we need to finish to be done with this year (mostly math and writing). And then I am already way ahead for next year because the two big planning things are already done (history and science) since we will just be using all the stuff I planned for them last year :D, and we have done the first 7-9 weeks of lessons :lol:.

:D I am pretty sure we are going to use it next year, I hope it turns their writing into rich brown symphonies!

Everytime I see "Sentance Composing," I think "Sentance Composting." I can't decide if it is because my boys sentances should be thrown in the compost or if I have been spending too much time in the garden....

It looks like this thread has some ISBN's http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181702&highlight=calculus+chalkdust+ISBN So does this post http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showpost.php?p=866709&postcount=55

We went on to Singapore. My kids also wouldn't do well with too much repetition. We have found the U.S. edition using text, IP, and some of the CWP (no workbook) to work good for both boys. We also love Life of Fred!

Little baby ducks old pickup trucks slow moving trains, and rain (What can I say, we've been on a big Tom T. Hall kick lately ;), sneaky snake anyone?)