Thanks so much for the encouragement and ideas! You all are an awesome group!

This college is close enough for her to stay home, and dd's friend is staying home, too. The only other school close by is a technical college. I don't want to put tons of pressure on her about her scores, but she'll have a better shot of choosing where to go if they are high. I'll do all I can to help her prepare, and we'll try to get SAT prep books or classes. I'm just praying her good standardized tests thus far (every one of them is extremely high) will carry over to the tests that really count. Thanks for the support everyone!

Dd just told me about how her friend's experience is going at the closest 4 year university system school. It was very bleak. This is the school that we thought dd would need to start at. We really can't afford much in the way of tuition (at least with out situation now). First off, we are somewhat conservative Christians, so things that bother us may not bother others. Dd's friend says there's a huge amount of profanity on campus from both students and professors. She has not really made any friends because she doesn't really fit in with most of the student body. She says she sits in class, listens and takes notes, and thinks the professors probably don't know her name. This friend is a serious student who is definitely not into a pop-culture type lifestyle. She went to a small, Christian school where she was valedictorian. Dh and I went to a great, Christian college. My college years were so much fun, and I certainly never had to deal with some of what she is (I didn't say everything because I don't want to start a debate). I want a great experience for my dd, but how can she get it without us having much money. The college we went to is in the area where I have family, but it is expensive. They have some great scholarships if you have high scores, but I don't know how dd will do yet. She scores 99th percentile on her ITBS, but I don't think that's necessarily going to mean she will on the ACT/SAT. I think the school has a four year scholarship for 31+ on ACT or 1400+ for SAT. What do we do if we can't afford to send her anywhere else?

Anyone?

Has anyone used this, and did you like it? Could it be used with younger kids? Are there good suggestions for activities? Thanks!

:iagree:

We are taking the whole week off, but my dh teaches school and is off the whole week. I plan our year to follow his.

Dd writes Hunger Games fan fiction. She's very active on the Stacks Hunger Games message board and posts it there. She's currently writing a book telling Johanna's story. I think she just likes to think about the "rest of the story" and wonders how it would be. She likes posting to the board and getting feed back from others as well.

Of the two of these mentioned, I think I would want something that includes cultural geography as well as the physical. I looked at the samples of Trail Guide, but I can't get a feel for what we would do at home and what we could do at co-op. Has anyone used this in a co-op and can you share how it worked?

Can anyone recommend a geography that would go well in a co-op setting? We would probably meet every other week and do work at home in between. Sorry for all the co-op questions lately! My mind is a real frenzy right now with ideas. I direct an enrichment co-op that has become large, but with many families who are arriving late or who have little ones they can't leave or even choose not to leave(like 4 year olds) and help teach other classes. I've got to revamp it so that I have parents who are serious about what we are doing. I also need it to be accomplishing more of what I do at home.

You know, I normally wouldn't do that early either. Dd and I talked about it and did it last year, and we really had fun with it. We got up and went out, shopped awhile, then we had breakfast and coffee. It was fun seeing everyone who was out, too. We haven't talked about this year yet. We'll be coming in from out of town Thanksgiving Day, so I'm not sure we'll be as up to it as before.

For those who are doing it in a co-op, what other subjects do you do in the co-op?

And it tastes even better baked with brown sugar and fresh, cracked black pepper on it! Here's a recipe.

I think vocabulary is something that really comes with experience and reading, reading, reading. Wordly Wise has this site where you can listen to explanations of the words from their books and play games reviewing them. You have to click on students, then choose a book. I'm going to have ds start with book 2 and do a lesson a day, then review games where they fall.

:bigear: I have been feeling so much of this. We just don't have truly hard work to give our kids. We live in a subdivision on less than half an acre. I hope that is going to help. Her chores are easy, though. She helps with laundry, empties the dishwasher, sweeps the sidewalk and entryway, etc. My dd is not motivated to be physically active, but she and I are going to start walking a schedule I found to be ready to walk a 5K in the spring. She's doing this as part of the Congressional Award. The physical fitness goals are a big reason I wanted to do it. The award is helping get her out more. She's volunteering at the library now and working on the video production team at our church to learn more about it. She'll be taking a Cotillion class next semester, so I hope ball room dancing will be more activity, too.

:lurk5:

While looking at online course programs, I found that GA Virtual School has a whole lesson on Beowulf as a sample with essays, printables, and discussion questions. Here is a link.

Thanks so much. I'll definitely be looking into these with her. I do believe that Monarch is SOS in an online format.

Has anyone used Flying or Swimming Creatures in a co-op setting? A friend and I are considering doing a co-op next year that would meet every other week. We would do writing (IEW) and science. If the families use the book at home, would you just do experiments/activities, or would you do more? I think we will have 1-1.5 hours for the class. How many children would be the most you would allow to join? We will probably keep the writing class to 2nd/3rd grade through 5th/6th grade. I've never used Apologia, so I'm not sure the best age range for it.

some sweets in your house (hot cocoa mix, ice cream, etc.); do you kids have to ask for it? At what age, if any, do they no longer have to ask?

I wanted to share how much my ds is enjoying BJU's cursive in case anyone is considering it. He did not do their manuscript program, but has transitioned well. I had tried a couple of other approaches with a workbook from RR as well as printing from online programs. Here is a link to all BJU's handwriting books. I am using the 2nd grade book without the TM and it's been fine thus far. We also skipped the review of manuscript.

:001_smile: Anyone?

I'm thinking of getting this and trying to offer it as a class. I would want to do the 15 week schedule but meet every other week. If you've used SWI-A in a co-op type setting, how long were your meetings?

Thanks, I also just found out she is in the integrated math courses and is in Accelerated Math 1. Is there any source online that offers integrated math?

Are there any online programs a person could start mid-year? I have a friend who is considering pulling her dd out of 9th grade to homeschool, but the mom is single and works. I know the girl is in some AP and honors classes now and wants to become a vet. Thanks for any suggestions