This is fantastic, thank you so much for sharing! I agree, I think I will use the general idea of schedule B since it leaves so much extra time for experiments, research and such. I'm also planning to add in The Great Courses Plus: Understanding the Universe. I don't think we will be watching them all, but definitely finding some that will enhance the chapters. And hopefully the nearby planetarium will be able to be open by spring.

I have the 3rd edition of TWTM, which contains the very loose scheduling, but was hoping to schedule in more hands on work, videos, and possible field trips. I'm also thinking we might cut back on the number of source readings to account for the added experiments (using Janice VanCleave's A+ Astronomy book). I think the biggest hurdle I'm facing is trying to decide how to divide up the chapters and sections. I have the 8th edition of the astronomy guide. I would love to compare plans if you would like too!

Has anyone used the book Astronomy: A self teaching guide in high school, and if so, how did you schedule it out? I got it on recommendation of TWTM but I am struggling to divide it up into a course of study.

We are using RS4K Building blocks of science for the first time this year, book 5, but I am drawing a blank as to how to schedule the readings and activities. Anyone with a game plan they might like to share? ?

I second the podcast- my kids enjoy it while we get dinner ready. You could also try out the Maestro Classics CD's, which we also really like and delve in even more. If you do need a musical instrument class, one of my kids is trying out the online, can be used as free, Hoffman Academy Piano course while I'm taking a break from teaching.

I *think* I've finally settled on Jacobs algebra 1 for my DD in 8th. She's OK at math, but it's not her favorite and she lacks confidence in her abilities. I am toying with the idea of letting her do this year as an easier algebra course and next doing something a little more in depth like Foester's so that she gains a really solid grasp of algebra and hopefully builds her confidence. I'm wondering if I should/ need to go with the pricey DVD's from Dr. Calahan or if the book is pretty good on its own?

Something possessed me to buy a Boogie Board Jot 8.5 for my kids to used during LOF and AAS. Why paper and our white board are not good enough I will never know... :confused:

Welcome to homeschooling! It can be fun, it can be hard, but so can PS and we all get to pick our own kind of craziness! I agree with the thought that the reading skills might still be developing or maybe out of practice. Even my usually avid readers will have points where they move away from reading so much and can struggle getting back into the habit. My 6th grader just mentioned something about it yesterday! Sometimes enjoyment in reading is a skill that must be worked on before it comes naturally. Read aloud time is an excellent idea. Have you ever heard of the Read Aloud Revival Podcast? The lady who hosts it is amazing and has amazing guests on it, discussing so many topics. Look it up :)

Ok, so we have totally cut back to basics and things are going better. I did throw in a short morning basket again this morning because some kids were missing it, and the point of all this was to add to our joy, right! All of your support has helped me remember that I need to give myself more grace. I get too uptight about getting everything back in order and running smoothly, but we've only been here less than 3 weeks! And the previous 2 1/2 months my husband was working out of state and only came home on weekends. Plus the stress of selling our beloved house and living in a rental for 6 months this year. I guess it's time for healing, not nit picking :)

Thank you everyone for your support and advice. I think cutting back for a little bit will do us all some good, sometimes it just gets hard to see that by myself. I already started planning out a much simpler day in their daily notebooks (Sarah Mackinzie style (; ). We have a weekend back in our "home state" coming up and that should be good for our souls too. Sometimes I think I just need someone to talk me off my wall of craziness!

Right now I just want to throw in the towel and send everyone off to the nearest public school- surely they would get a better education there, right? :confused: I have one in 6th, 4th, and 2nd with a 4yo and 18 month right behind them. Our days haven't been joy filled in so long, months and months, even when I try to be diligent about things like morning basket time and such. The most basic coverage of each subject seems to take soooo long that we have no time for enrichment anymore. No one seems to be able to get their school list done in less than 6- 7 hours. Here's my 2nd graders list for today: Scripture reading: 7 min. MM math 2 pgs AAS3 Lesson 10, half lesson usually Reading (self) 20 min Christmas story FLL2 Lesson 131 Spectrum Writing 2 2 pgs History Read about Hanukkah (Usually 1 entry in Usborne EWH) Typing 10 min. lesson Piano Practice 10 min Art 10 minutes from doodle book PE 20 min running and working muscles time Chores Make bed, brush teeth, sweep kitchen, and clean bedroom for 10 minutes. And the others lists look very similar, except my oldest has LFC as well. Does this seem like too much? We hardly even have read aloud or family poetry time or anything extra curricular because this all takes from 9-3 or so, and often there is still things left undone. I spend the whole time rushing from helping one person to getting after another for extreme dawdling to caring for the very needy toddler and cleaning up meals. And preschool time for my 4yo is virtually non existent. It doesn't seem to help that due to my husband needing to change jobs we have moved twice in the past year, settled now but in a completely different state from family and friends. I'm just so tired, tired of being grumped at every single day, especially by my 6th who feels they know best, tired of doing the grumping myself. Where am I going wrong?

Thanks for the support :). I think that's what I needed to hear. We have a pretty decent library so I had been thinking somewhere along those lines, I even picked up the Libert Kids DVD the other day, but I think I just needed to hear from someone that it was an ok plan. That it was ok to not do things on a big scale, that my kids will be fine for now. Sometimes homeschooling here is so....lonely.

Due in part to life craziness and only deciding to continue homeschooling two weeks ago, I am at a loss for what we should do for history, grades 1-5. I should be using SOTW3 but I just have a hard time with that book- too much in the way of tragic details that we do not need to deal with right now. I want to do an early American history study, but not sure if I should try to put something together (which is such a time drain right now and really intimidates me) or try to find something that will work for everyone. We start school in about a week so time is crunched and budget is getting low :) any suggestions? Anything one way or another would help, just so I can stop dreaming about curriculum choices!

We loved doing ancients in first and again a few years later! I may be biased though, as that's my favorite time period ;) there are so many projects to work on, books to explore, resources to find! But if you're really not feeling it this year then going with something that stirs your excitement more may be a better choice. I know we we're suppose to be studying early modern times this year, but every time I look in SOTW3 I want to bang my head on the table. I just can't find the joy in that one for some reason! So now I'm trying to throw something together for just early american history and feeling much more hopeful that we all we not be dreading history time but keep up our love for it.

We aren't starting until the first week of September, mostly because my kids like to follow their public school friends schedules, and partly because half of our new curriculum is still in the mail!

We used it in math- If three kids had three giant buckets of candy, and their mom paid them 5 cents per piece they didn't want, how much did the kids make? A total of $6.20! So worth it to have that much less sugar here:lol:

SOTW vol. 3? We've been through vol. 1 and loved it. Had a blast with vol. 2. Now we're learning from vol.3 and it's so boring :001_huh:. I'm teaching it to my 3rd and 1st grader, reading a section two times a week while they color to keep them busy, questions and map work one day, activity the other (which we're not enjoying as much this year), and our first attempts at journaling. I see so many grumpy faces- should I keep at it, we're only on ch. 3, or does this sound like a downward spiral of doom for us at this time? Is there a better way to teach this? Help Me!!!;)

I have just about given up on anyone completing anything today, but I'm fancying trying out this poker chip idea as a way to renew the day , if only my kids would keep to the time limit when I'm putting the baby down....:tongue_smilie:

Somedays I declare a state of emergency, for mental health reasons :tongue_smilie: or just the plain fact that I can't see the carpet or tabletop anymore!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for also not having a "traditionally" perfect family! You are free to be perfect just being you! And also for standing up and admitting such- I'm sure the sender has a few unmentionables hidden in their perfect grades.

I personally don't drink for religious reasons, but if consuming alcohol was an accident then I wouldn't worry or be upset at the person. On the other hand, if someone were to purposely try to deceive me into something, anything, against my personal beliefs than of course I would have reason to feel upset. Who wouldn't?

I <3 my geek! Awesome site, crazy stuff. Gardeners have garden catalogs, geeks have Think Geek. When I'm prego my DH loves it when I wear my "Geek Inside" shirt he gave me. And where else would you find stuff from Dr. Who?

:iagree: Childhood is too short not to let imaginations run wild every now and then. Our kids do only get to ask one thing from Santa, usually ends up being random stuff they really want like flashlights :tongue_smilie: , any thing else is just for fun or from each family member.

:iagree:

Handmade baby gifts are so unique, one of a kind, personal. Who really wants their kids to look like everyone else?