I have Archimedes and the Door of Science... any other titles you might recommend?

Thanks, gals! These look like great starting points-- I appreciate your suggestions very much!!

Does such a thing exist? Something-- obviously-- that I could pare down for the younger and beef up for the elder... but at least have in hand to serve as a spine and give structure. Here's my deal-- for the past 3 years, our co-op has had science classes available for all involved. Well, next year the group is ditching the science classes (to spend more time on history), so I'm on my own. Having not paid much attention to the science threads over the last few years, I'm now at a loss as to where to begin. With 4 kiddos under my belt, finding a resource that these 2 boys could use together would be a dream. Not a necessity, but a dream. Does such a thing exist? My only caveat-- I'd like a Christian, creationist worldview. Any recommendations?? Or can I basically do that with anything? (and please pardon my ignorance... I haven't taught science myself in a while :)

SORRY!!! Wrong board :) Heading over to K-8!

Does such a thing exist? Something-- obviously-- that I could pare down for the younger and beef up for the elder... but at least have in hand to serve as a spine and give structure. Here's my deal-- for the past 3 years, our co-op has had science classes available for all involved. Well, next year the group is ditching the science classes (to spend more time on history), so I'm on my own. Having not paid much attention to the science threads over the last few years, I'm now at a loss as to where to begin. With 4 kiddos under my belt, finding a resource that these 2 boys could use together would be a dream. Not a necessity, but a dream. Does such a thing exist? My only caveat-- I'd like a Christian, creationist worldview. Any recommendations?? Or can I basically do that with anything? (and please pardon my ignorance... I haven't taught science myself in a while :)

Exactly!! Ds is studying latin (and will continue to do so for at least a couple more years), and he writes a lot as well. His grammar skills are already strong, and I'm thinking that by the time we wrap up AG next year, he should be very sharp. Periodic review should be enough... I hope! **** Thanks so much, everyone, for your feedback! Reading that passage caused me at least a moment or two of great angst! You have helped put my mind at ease :)

I'm currently using Analytical Grammar w/ ds (7th grade); we'll finish it up next year in 8th. For a while now, I've assumed that I'd used the AG High School Reinforcement books (for the sake of periodic review) in high school w/ no other grammar helps/curricula. And now I'm wondering-- am I kidding myself?? I just started re-reading the Rhetoric section in the WTM, and SWB says, "grammar is the single language-skill area that you should study every year through senior high... Plan on spending 45 minutes per day, 4-5 days a week..." Eek! So, have I been misinformed (or have I been working under an incorrect assumption) to think that a periodic grammar review in high school is enough? Also-- SWB suggests AG for 9th/10th as an alternative to Rod & Staff. Since I'm using it now, where do I look thereafter? Just jump into R & S perhaps? Help!

I still have a few details to hash out; this is what I know so far: Math: Singapore 6, Math Mammoth 6, LoF Decimals/Percents Latin: LfC C Writing: IEW SiCC-B Grammar: Analytical Grammar History/Literature/Geography/Church history: ToG Year 2 Science & Logic: ??

Exactly! AND... it allows kids to be part of a *team* experience. My boys swim competitively (year-round), and the *team* mentality is not stressed at all. Up here (in northern VA), swimming is very much an individual sport. Just last weekend, we attended a meet at UVa, and my boys LOVED what they saw-- teammates encouraging one another on! Team unity, team purpose, team spirit... they were enthralled (and inspired :) Membership (on a high school team) just may offer some of those same opportunities. In my opinion, there are valuable lessons to be learned through a true team experience.

Thanks, everybody! I've clearly got some work to do!!

Have any of you used VP's Intro. Logic course (with or w/o the dvds)? They use this course in their online Logic 1 class along w/ Intro 2 and Fallacy Detective. Is that course easy to use and teach? I've never taught logic before, and I've never really studied it myself. Ds has done Mindbender-type problems for a while now, but I recognize the need to start studying logic a bit more. How about Art of Argument enough (VP lists it as a secondary source; I don't think they use it in their online class)? Followed by Fallacy Detective? Do I NEED the Intro course or one of the others as offered by Memoria Press? I know MP has a few options, and truth be told, I don't know the difference between them at all! Informal vs. formal??? I have LOTS to learn! Anyhoo... just wondering how much I really need (and surely that's a personal decision, I know)... and where to start. What's enough? What's good? Where do i begin? And thanks!

Thank you, thank you, thank you-- one and all-- for your very thoughtful responses!! I think I need to head on over to the CLE website and take a very long look!

Wow! I have so much to learn! So here's another question then. If, for instance, my son takes Omni 4 (primary & Secondary) in 10th grade (as I have currently planned), will the "Ancient Literature 2" credit (which he'll receive for the Secondary class) be sufficient to satisfy the required 10th grade english credit? Surely there will be some writing required for that class... Will the work done therein be enough to satisfy a college admission's office? I'm just trying to get my arms around this whole 4-English-credits-needed on the transcript situation... and what effectively meets that requirement.

Do colleges want to see some sort of writing instruction listed for each year of high school? Or it enough to take an actual writing/comp. class in-- say-- 9th grade (and in years prior, of course), and then just WRITE? I'm looking in to Comp.1 & 2 at VPSA for 8th and 9th grade... but where do I go from there? They offer a fiction-writing class; Ds may or may not be interested in taking it at that point. IF he's writing WELL at the the end of 9th (assuming i follow my plan)... is that enough??? I think he'll be taking Omni Primary & Secondary 3-6, so surely there will be writing requirements for thos classes. Will that be enough? Or will ds need more writing "instruction" on his transcript to make college admissions happy? And thanks so much for humoring me here.... I really don't know what I'm doing!

I confess-- I don't know a thing about CLE's materials, but on the recent thread discussing Favorites (or was it "what you wish you had discovered sooner"?), CLE Math was mentioned time and again. So I'm wondering-- what makes it so special?? I've used Singapore for years, but with my youngest, I just might need to switch things up a bit... therefore, I'd love to hear your feeback! Thanks!

Well, that's the million dollar question these days, Yvonne! :) For the past few years, we've done ToG through a co-op, and it has been great. For this year-- I was afraid of the work load of both Omni Primary & Secondary (esp. since we had no prior experience with online classes)... so I registered ds in Secondary and stayed w/ ToG at co-op (no regrets there at all). Well, our co-op classes for the older kiddos seem to be fizzling as we look ahead to fall, so I'm currently re-addressing our commitments for next year. Ds will take definitely take Latin 2 online w/ VPSA, and I think I'll sign him up for Composition 1 as well (we've done IEW for years, but I'm ready for someone else to take over that teaching role!). Originally, I assumed he'd also take Omni 2 Secondary b/c we have LOVED level 1 this year (in 9th, I plan to do both Pr. & Sec. online), but now I'm wondering if I should attempt it on my own so that he can take Logic instead (I think 3 classes will be our max for 8th grade). So... to answer your question-- YES! I hope to take both levels online from Omni 3 on up. Doing both Omni Sec. & ToG has not been hard at all, but come high school, I'd love to have it all under one banner!

My 7th grade ds is taking Omni 1 Secondary online this year and it has been a fantastic experience! It's his first encounter w/ online schooling (he also takes latin), and I could not be happier with the results. His teacher is delightful (I often listen in to the class :), her explanations are thorough, and everything is covered from a biblical perspective. She prays before class starts, she encourages her students repeatedly, she keeps the class rolling along smoothly, and she gently pulls all the students in to the conversation in a very comfortable way. In class, my son has been stretched and challenged, and his faith has been strengthened (I believe) as a result of it all. As for the weekly work load-- it's not too intensive (I hear the workload for Primary is greater); in fact, it's very manageable... even far less than I anticipated. They've been working through the Narnia series (w/ a couple other titles thrown in thus far)... 1 book/2weeks. That leaves 4 class periods to discuss each book and the "Sessions" as outlined in the Omni text. Ds reads 4 chapters (generally) on Monday or Tuesday for class on Wednesday, and then 4 more chapters by the following Monday. The questions in each of the Sessions only take a small amount of time to review (we generally discuss them together before class)-- maybe 15-20 mins max. They write 4 papers (1/semester)-- so far, 5 paragraphs each. They, of course, take additional time. There was a midterm exam, and there will be a final, but other than that, nothing outlandish. Ds easily reads another novel alongside his Omni selection (to coordinate w/ our history studies; we used ToG this year). All in all-- highly, highly recommended!!

One more quick question-- On other threads, I'm reading a bit about Math Mammoth (and its raving reviews) but don't much about it. Would THAT be a helpful resource... or no? SOunds like a worksheet system-- print & go-- which would surely be convenient! But I also don't want to waste my time (and $$)! Thoughts on that one??

Wow!! Thank you so much, ladies, for all these suggestions! It's funny-- I completely forgot about The Keys to... series (I even a few on hand!), and the links to the other sites look fabulous! Since I'm such a fan of the Dolciani algebra text though, I just might try to find a pre-algebra book as well... just to have in my back pocket! Again, a thousand thanks!

might I use to keep those basic skills fresh?? We completeda Singapore 6 before starting Dolciani, but it appears that some of those basic skills (which aren't being used regularly) are slipping away. So... I'm looking for a workbook (perhaps) to work through a few times/week to keep those basic things fresh. Any suggestions??

Thanks you guys! I think I'll keep them on my list!

Trying to decide whether or not I'll buy the dvds for ds or not-- we've worked through LL and are going to jump over to LfC B. Do your dc enjoy the dvds, or are they a source of frustration? Do you consider them to be worth the time and cost? A few years ago, we started our latin journey with LC and *hated* those dvds (we only watched the first few lessons and then set the dvd aside)... are these any better? I'd love any feedback you can provide-- as my last-minute back-to-school shopping list continues to build, I'm trying to cut costs whereever I can! Thanks!

Thank you so much!! I'll look in to it~

OK, so tell me... will an iPad work for online classes, or is a "real" computer necessary? Ds will be taking 2 classes in the fall with Veritas Press Scholars Academy... our very first foray into the world of online schooling. To be adequately prepared, dh and I recognize our need-- another computer (so that ds can take it to another room... out of the earshot of younger siblings :) We're both wondering though-- will an iPad suffice, or will the screen be too small for viewing powerpoint presentations and what-not? Do tell!

Wow! Thank you, thank you, thank you for these suggestions!! I had completely forgotten about SOTW on CD and the Jim Weiss options. As for Librivox and the other online resources... what a fantastic find! Heading over right now to check things out. And again-- thanks!