Hi, We are starting 7th grade this next year and I am struggling with our science choice. For those that have used the upper levels of BJU and Apologia science, which curriculum did you feel did a better job of teaching applied thinking? Which curriculum did your child seem to retain long term? I do not want a curriculum that focuses on rote memorization (memorize and plug it into the answers), but a curriculum that actually applies scientific principles and makes the student think about how these principles are used in the curriculum's problems, labs, and applications. I am more concerned with my student's learning the principles that they can retain and apply to their lives as facts without application tend to be quickly forgotten. Thank you for your input!

Hi, We are starting 7th grade this next year and I am struggling with our science choice. For those that have used the upper levels of BJU and Apologia science, which curriculum did you feel did a better job of teaching applied thinking? Which curriculum did your child seem to retain long term? I do not want a curriculum that focuses on rote memorization (memorize and plug it into the answers), but a curriculum that actually applies scientific principles and makes the student think about how these principles are used in the curriculum's problems, labs, and applications. I am more concerned with my student's learning the principles that they can retain and apply to their lives as facts without application tend to be quickly forgotten. Thank you for your input!

Lori D., thank you for the reply. This gives me a great starting point of possible curriculum / expectations. I am starting to plan early, so I will have plenty of time to develop a class syllabus.

Lori D. I am wondering what curriculum or book choices you are using to teach a rigorous co-op Lit/Comp class? I am interested in teaching these at my co-op and am wondering what works well in a co-op setting. Thank you!

We are enjoying this one: http://lcms.dadeschools.net/math/Pizzazz%20Books/Pizzazz%20Pre-Algebra.pdf

Glencoe Geometry Textbook: Glencoe Geometry ISBN-10: 0078651069 2005 Online Class? Free online videos Mr Hammys Math Class Teacher Guide/Additional Materials: Yes. Available on Amazon.

Hi, Searching through the forums here, someone had posted these you tube videos of a geometry class: Mr Hammys Math Class They are a complete geometry video course that a teacher had posted. The only confusion I think was over which textbook was being used in for the course. I did some research and contacted the author of the videos and his response was that the course was based on a Glencoe Geometry textbook about 8 years ago. He was not sure which edition. I believe it is the 2005 Glencoe Geometry ISBN-10: 0078651069 as the chapter topics line up. This might be an inexpensive way for someone to have a complete Geometry course with video teaching for their student this year. I personally have never seen the textbook so am not sure how it lines up next to say Jacobs or Jurgenson. If someone has looked at it and can do a comparison that would be great.

I would keep them in totally separate math curriculum programs,so as not to foster bad feelings amongst siblings. Have them play some math games together though for practice, maybe the Right Start card games set?

This blog (Spark and All) shares their experience using FIAR and she does the recipes from the cookbook. You could get a better feel for what the recipes for each book actually are and if they are something you would make by perusing the FIAR volume 1 link at the top of the blog page.

IEW Fix-it grammar seems like good follow-up to Rod and Staff grammar. Fix-it grammar is more of an applied to your writing grammar. It has you edit for grammar and style errors. There are 6 levels. IEW'w website has a placement test that can be taken to see which book you would place in. I think it is a nice grammar for highschool as it trains students to look for errors in their writing.

Here are some ideas Evan Moor Workbooks- these are easy open and go and do not require much if any planning: Learning about Animals Animals with Backbones Animals without Backbones Animal Habitats Maybe couple the workbooks with the books from the Memoria Press Kindergarten Supplemental Science and Enrichment Set to focus a little more deeply on certain animals and insects. Plus Homeschool Share has some lapbooks on various animals, insects, and birds that can add a hands on element. Also Hubbard Cupboard has some really nice and large science notebook pdfs for free that are supposed to go along with the Apologia Science series and make it usable for young kids (K-1st grade)

I was actually thinking the same thing except with Abeka Grade 6 New World History and Geography. I want my kids to do a geography study of South American and was having a hard time finding books to use for it. I have not yet used it, but am thinking one day a week having them read the A Beka book and do some map work.

I would drop the random things that take you out of the house for only an hour or two- like Awana and dance. I have noticed that the small lessons here and there really eat into my day as in reality they take time to get everyone in the car, time to drive, time to do, and by the time we get home school is usually off track for the rest of the day. Co-op sounds good as it offers a variety of things for each child and especially as your kids get older they will like the social aspect of it and you might like the academic help a co-op can provide. Juggling is a struggle, but it is good to focus on a few quality activities that everyone can put their heart into rather than being burnt out running around all of the time.

I agree with quality over quantity. I have tried to go slowly and deeply through a few books each year with my children and have noticed they internalize them to the point they come up at random points in conversation even years later. I struggle with the few vs the many and slow vs fast readings as many prepared curriculums are based upon rushing through many books. I end up having to do a lot of my own prep and planning using various resources to make this happen. Also, it is hard to narrow the scope as I think we tend to want to cover everything and thus leave no "gaps" on paper. What helps me is in my own personal reading, what books did I internalize to the point they are with me for life, the ones I read over a weekend, or the ones I savored over months. For ideas to take root they need time to roll around in the brain. I think it comes down to needing to narrow down what your goals for your children's education are and then you can decide depth vs. breadth.

Why not try Writing aids for a semester and see how it goes. Aren't the W&R books a semester long each? So you wouldn't really be "behind" if you took a semester to try Writing Aids. I can see the appeal of having your writing based from what you have discussed and learned about in history for the week. It seems like a great way to apply your learning and integrate some subjects.