Thanks. I will definitely check out Chalkdust.

For Aesop, you really don't need to add grammar. If you faithfully follow the plans laid out, and your dc are in 2nd or 3rd grade, then you will have plenty of grammar given to you. As far as spelling goes, the authors encourage you to use a separate spelling program, but to supplement it with words from the CW model. You can, however, build your own spelling curriculum from CW. The SWR (or WRTR) method of teaching spelling markings is what works best with CW. They provide a chart that you can use to have your dc alphabetize words, write them with spelling markings, and list related words (i.e., synonym, or words with like phonograms, or rhyming words). For Homer and later levels, you're supposed to be using a separate grammar program as you work through the course. However, I must say that the explanations given in CW, and the practice in applying grammar is so thorough, that I'm able to skip sections of my grammar book. We only used our Rod & Staff grammar once per week. The rest of the week, we're doing the applied grammar from CW. HTH,

n

I use this as well, and really like it. And yes, they have HWT fonts, both manuscript and cursive.

Our Latin book (LiCT, Vol 2) describes the pluperfect tense (or past perfect in English) as referring to something which has happened a long long time ago. Example given: perfect tense: I studied yesterday. pluperfect tense: I had studied a long time ago. I thought that the pluperfect tense refers to a past action that, when compared to another past action, has already been completed. Example: By the time I turned 40, I had given birth to 4 children. This would be the opposite of the "imperfect" tense, which describes a past action that was still going on when compared to another past event (or any continual past action). Example: I was drinking tea when the lights went off. So is the "way long ago" definition just an easier one for kids to understand at first? Is that why its used? I need confirmation or correction. Thanks!

Wow! I'm turning a little green here!

History centers on the study of documents and artifacts, but especially documents. The prehistoric era has no written documents coming from it, hence the term "pre-history" (i.e. "before the time of written records). Because of this, you just can't teach it like the rest of the time periods you're covering. The best fit would be either science, or Bible, (or both), depending on your worldview.

They're called "Think-Write" questions. Of course, it might be too expensive to buy it just for that part of it, but maybe your friend could find a copy to browse through. HTH,

Was this room the breakfast room for the previous owners? It looks huge!!

I was thinking that Omnibus might count for 1/2 credit history and 1/2 credit English Lit. Classical Writing Diogenes and later levels are what I'm not so sure about. The amount of work for CW seems to merit a full credit, but maybe I should just count it as an honors class. Is anyone using both of these programs? How do you assign the credits for them?

Well, these aren't wooden, but the Math-U-See fraction overlays are really nifty. They're a bit pricey ($30), but they allow you to do all kinds of things, like adding 1/2 to 1/3 (i.e. fractions w/o common denominators).

I'm planning on: 9th - Jacobs Geometry 10th/11th - Foerster's Alg. II & Trig. (which I didn't know existed until today), 12th - Calculus (don't know which book to use)

n

I'll send the stuff your way. :)

Homer A & B in one year, while possible, will be rigorous. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you don't have to spend 4 weeks on each skill level. The IG and workbooks are structured this way, but if your ds has mastered a level in 2 or 3 weeks, you can move on. (There's more stuff about this in the Core Manual.) If you are using the IG and want to skip a week, you may need to make some adjustments, because they spread the lessons out over a 4-week period, so skipping a week may have you miss a lesson, unless you make a point of covering that lesson with the next model. I hope I wasn't too confusing!

I'm reading a lot of your posts, and now I picture you as looking like Flannery O'Connor! :)

I did Algebra I and II back-to-back, taking Geometry in 10th grade. I got a 650 (old scoring method, of course) for the math portion of the SAT, so it obviously wasn't a problem. I'm not sure what to do w/ my son, though. We may go from Jacobs Elem. Alg. to Geometry.

I was wondering this because Trig. always seems to be paired with something else. When I took it in high school, the course was called "Trig./Analytic Geometry." I've also seen it paired with pre-calculus, and with Algebra 2, I think. Does it matter? :confused: I'm trying to lay out my ds13's plan for math, and may be picking and choosing from different publishers, so any advice you can give will be great. (My ds is using Jacobs Elem. Algebra right now, and will finish this spring.) Thanks,

Well, I actually tried to find a way to mass-produce them in plastic, but didn't have enough start-up capital to do it. (Great home business oportunity for someone!) Making them ourselves out of polymer clay took quite a while, and wasn't cost-effective. I was able to sell one or two sets with clay that I got 50% off at JoAnn. To be honest, I got bored with making them. I'm much more of an idea person than a follow-through person. I do still have the templates and directions, if you'd like to make your own. Just let me know, and I can email you the info.

Sharon -- never mind my question. I went to their website and saw that they have "real" textbooks in addition to the supplemental "Key To" books.

Thanks, Sharon. When you say "Key Press" do you mean the "Key To..." series?

I'm pretty sure that you can't respond to reputation comments, because they're anonymous.

for example, "Peter was frightened by a screech owl." :eek: In that case, Peter would be a passive subject, and "was frightened" would be the verb phrase showing the action that the owl took upon Peter. Does that make sense?

Classical Writing, hands down! (What exactly does "hands down" mean, anyway? :confused: )

I have heard that completing Jacobs Elementary Algebra and Geometry is the equivalent of completing Alg. 1, Geom. and Alg. 2. Can anyone verify or refute this claim for me? TIA,