Coffeemama
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Posts posted by Coffeemama
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After reading this thread last week, I only included my self-made homeschool transcript and class description document on the common app and requested the community college to send their official transcript. My DD has been corresponding with the EA schools, and today, Providence College asked for her math transcripts (Derek Owens). She's sending the signed grade report now. Hopefully that will suffice. Glad she asked if there was any other information the admissions officer needed.
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I loved the show! An amazing performance. I'd say the tickets at face value are worth the price. I bought tickets for my family last fall when a new block was released for American Express cardholders. It was one of those deals where you had to be ready to buy the tickets the minute they went on sale. All the Mez level tickets were sold out within 10 minutes. They were about $180 each. It was the best Christmas present ever last year--despite having to wait six months it!
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Ds has been accepted to University of North Georgia (safety), University of Alabama - Huntsville (safety, 100% tuition, thank u forum!), Oglethorpe University (scholarship weekend invite), and University of South Carolina (out-of-state tuition waived, plus some). Waiting for decisions from several other schools and planning to submit app to UGA. He would really like to go to Georgia Tech or University of South Carolina. If he gets into Tech, it may end up being the most affordable option for us because of Georgia's Zell Miller scholarship. I just really didn't know what to expect and am thankful that he's gotten in somewhere! Other than a handful of DE classes and a handful of AP's, all his coursework is unaccredited. Decent ACT scores, well-rounded kid, but no major "hook." I wish I had started following this board sooner - you are a fount of knowledge!
April,
If you don't mind could you explain how you got out-of state tuition waived? USC is on our list as well.
Thank you,
Kerry
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I feel the same way. I've been teaching co-op classes for seven years now and some certainly require more hours than others, but they are all time consuming. One tip is to work on planning during the co-op day while your kids are in other classes. My co-op consists of four one-hour classes with a 30 minute lunch in the middle. I try to devote one of those hours to class planning. Also repeating a class a year or two later for younger kids is easier than teaching it the first time.
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The state colleges and universities in my state (MA) require 4 years of high school math (minimum Alg II) and in bold print it states "including math in the final year of high school." I believe this requirement is fairly new. So you may want to encourage precalc to keep her options open.
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In my parish, about twenty minutes.
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I've used Singapore for all three of my kids up to and including, for my oldest, their integrated 7A-8B. We used the HIG with textbook and workbook, some years we added in Challenging Word Problems, but not consistently.
Now my oldest is taking Derek Owen Geometry online and is doing very well. I credit Singapore with her strong background. I'm so glad I stayed with it all the way through. It is working very well for my family of three different learners.
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My DD14 and I just saw the previews for this last night while watching Downton Abbey. We both think it looks worth watching. I checked the rating and it's listed as TV14, so it will likely be just the two of us for at least the first episode. I'm also hoping the violence won't be too strong since I'd like to have my 12 (almost 13 year old) DS watch too. But he is my more sensitive one.
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Clothing stores that tend to have everything 40% off every month or so (LOFT, Justice) means to me any discount less than that is not really a sale. But if a brand (like Under Armour) that rarely goes on sale is listed at 20% off, I consider that on sale. In a department store like Macy's, I view 30% off as a starting sale price.
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Khan Academy has some great self-paced courses. My 5th grader just completed a few of their coding classes.
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My DD learned well using Singapore 7 & 8. She used Singapore 2-6 and it was a bit of a leap to 7. We moved slowly through some parts and sailed through others. When she became stuck on a topic, she watched some Khan Academy videos for a different explanation.
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I recommend Junior Analytical Grammar. Last year was my first experience with both AG and JAG. My DD used AG in 8th and will continue/finish it this year in 9th. My son used JAG for 6th grade. It was on grade level, but much more gentle and clear, step-by-step. AG moves at a faster pace. He will now start the three year sequence of AG for grades 7,8,9. In my opinion, JAG would be better for your son's confidence.
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I'm planning a class similar to this for co-op too! Listening for more great ideas... Here are topics I have so far:
Logic Puzzles & Games
-magic squares-logic links-sudoku-red herring-grid with x & o-tower of Hanoi-riddles-Red Herring (categories) & Scattergories-mazes-IQ solitaire (peg jumping)-mancala-tangrams-deductive reasoning puzzles -
I agree with SevenDaisies. You'll be fine without the instructor guide. I believe there may have been one section that I needed to ask for support with b/c of singapore's unique method, other than that using the inexpensive answer key worked fine.
My oldest used their new 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B which integrates Algebra and Geometry. She received a very solid education in Algebra. We skipped a few of the later Geometry chapters in 8, since she will do a full Geometry class this year in 9th grade. My son will start this same sequence with 7A in a few weeks. If the Singapore style works well for your children, their junior high level books are fantastic and challenging.
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This is the schedule I used this past year for grades 4,6,8. I tend to change the way I schedule every year (sometimes twice a year) to get a better flow. On the attachment, subjects typed in blue is when I was working with a child, black is independent.
I'm still working on this year's schedule since some of the curriculum will be different and will require different amounts of my time with individuals or two together. I'm pretty sure I will schedule a 45 minute conference at the end of each day to go over everything my high-schooler ( :scared: ) worked on that day.
ETA: We try to follow a schedule 4 days a week. One full day id at a co-op with lots of extras for the kids which is why there may seem to be some things missing.
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Typing Instructor Platinum has been working well here with those grades.
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Kolbe course plan arrived yesterday and it is using the Dragonfly book. I just ordered a copy of the Dragonfly book for $13 off Amazon, so I'll just go with that. Does anyone know of any updates/changes that I should cover with my daughter? Someone mentioned the Macaw iPad version is under $20. If I know of any important updates, we could just go over those sections. I'm assuming the majority of the content is unchanged, just a new format. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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Fifth grade plans for my youngest DD10:
Math - SIngapore 5A/5B and Life of Fred Fractions & Decimals and logic puzzle workbooks
Science - RSO level 2 Bio (reading at home; labs at co-op)
History - SOTW Middle Age (plus supplements at co-op)
ELA - JAG; AAS 6; Vocabulary workshop
various types of literature w/ discussions and some written responses
And I am going to try Writing Strands with this child. I tried it with my oldest years ago, and failed, but it might be a better fit now.
She will also continue piano lessons, a Nature/art class, and musical theatre.
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There are some really fabulous plans in this thread. I'm following along to see if there is anything I should investigate for ds's 5th grade year. So far this is the plan:
Math: Math in Focus Course 1, EPGY/Redbird Mathematics, some Zaccaros and CWP
Writing and Grammar: WWS 1 as our main text, however I will be omitting certain exercises so that we can get through the grammar and copia lessons in CWP Homer.
Lit: Mosdos Press Pearl; novels from a variety of genres from my lit list, and self-selected IR. We'll start studying some literary analysis in earnest this year. He knows many elements of plot, different types of character and conflict, and certain types of figurative language. This year we'll go into a bit more depth and start writing simple analyses.
Logic: Ds will finish Art of Argument and then do The Basics of Critical Thinking. I don't anticipate these texts taking him very long, so after he finishes both of those, we'll do Traditional Logic.
History: I have both The Human Odyssey and OUP's The World in Ancient Times, and I'm undecided about which to use. Ds has already read much of HO just for fun, but without any discussion and study. I may use that text for him to practice outlining and study skills. Knowing ds, he will probably consume the OUP books just because they are lying around. We will also be reading Black Ships Before Troy, The Wandering of Odysseus, The Golden Fleece, Julius Caesar (The Young Reader's Shakespeare) as well as excerpts from the actual play, and a few others.
Science: I have CPO's Life Science to use as a spine. He'll also read nonfiction trade books. I have several ideas, but would love suggestions. He will have biology-themed activities twice a week.
Foreign Language: This is the real kicker, as ds wants to study Japanese, but I am hoping that he and his sister will study the same language, and she wants to learn French. What I really need is a program for each child to study a foreign language relatively independently. Hmmm...
Other: martial arts, swimming, piano, programming, stop-mo, tinkering.
The CPO teacher guide has trade book suggestions for each chapter. I found them fairly useful.
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I started a similar thread in the spring, and had some encouraging replies:
http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/550835-biology-sat-subject-test-wo-ap-success-stories/
My plan is to go through the Baron's test prep book concurrent with the M-L book so we can catch gaps as we go along.
Are you going to wait for the new Kolbe course plan? I just called recently, and ETA is August.
Thank you! I just ordered the course plan a few days ago. Since they are no longer selling the Dragonfly book, I was thinking this plan was for use with Macaw, but since I wasn't sure I haven't yet ordered either text. I saw message from a year ago mentioning the switch and didn't want to wait any longer. My package should arrive by the end of the week. How long ago did you call?
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I use a generous amount of a dry rub consisting of chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper.
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At that age, I use the Maestro picture books as a spine. I think there are six in the series; very easy to add activities to.
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My DD14 plans to use the Miller/Levine Bio text with Kolbe syllabus for 9th grade. If she has a thorough understanding of the topics covered, is this enough preparation to achieve a high score on the Bio subject test? Also, does this text do a better job in covering material for E vs M? It is unlikely that she will take AP bio later.
TIA!
Kerry
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I'm trying to find more books my son would love for the summer. He has enjoyed both the Hatchet series and My Side of the Mountain trilogy. He also like the Percy Jackson books and the Hunger Games, but has asked me to find more books like the outdoor Gary Paulsen novels. Any suggestions? His reading level is right around 6-7th grade.
TIA!
Kerry
PSAT PSA
in High School and Self-Education Board
Posted
Our local high school, which is fairly homeschool friendly, in Massachusetts said they are not giving the PSAT this year due to state and local restrictions. She told me to keep watching the College Board website for a virtual option. This was from head of guidance department, I'm wondering if I should ask the superintendent about it bc I know other towns in my area are giving it. Has anyone else heard news about a virtual PSAT?