This is the new curriculum by the Rainbow Science people. I am considering this next year for ds10 who will be in 5th. Has anyone used it this year? I would like to know what you and your dc thought of it, and if you think it would be suitable for 5th grade. I would also like to know how independent it can be for your dc to work on on their own, and how much parental involvement is necessary. Thanks.

Does she get her own pet rabbit at the end of the movie? I remember a movie like that when I was in school, and I think I just watched it in school. I don't remember the name though.

I have a Canadian Paypal account and it is linked to my savings account. I only keep a small amount of money in there for Paypal purchases. I didn't want Paypal to have information about our main chequing account either.

She was past 12 weeks along. She and her dh already have 2 girls, and they found out that this one was a boy. Since she lives in Ontario, and I live in BC, I have emailed her to express my condolences and I asked her if she would be up to getting a phone call from me. I heard this news from my sister who lives near my cousin, and she said that my cousin is quite upset about it. I was just wondering what else I could say or do for my cousin being so far away. I also heard from sil that a date had been set for a c-section already (July 26). I don't usually phone or email my cousin, but when I am in Toronto (which could be once every few years), we enjoy getting together and seeing each other.

I haven't done any literature study with ds12. Next year, he will be in grade 8, and I feel that I should start doing it, or even start now if I can get my act together. I have been reading the WTM section about literature study and would like to know if anyone uses that approach and if so, how well is it working. What other curricula would you recommend for someone who hasn't done any before? Thanks.

I am using Apologia's Swimming Creatures (Zoo2) with dss 10 and 7. Ds10 loves it, and is learning a lot with it, but most of it just goes over ds7's head. I think there is too much information/reading (I read aloud to them), and most of the time, he can't tell me what I've just read. Also, he loses interest quickly and will start playing with his younger brother or doing something else. He is in grade 2, but just turned 7 in December so he is a very young grade 2. His reading and writing skills are not strong. I was thinking about doing RS4K pre-level 1 chem with him next year, but I don't know if that curriculum would suit him, or would it just be better to do what ds10 is interested in, and let ds7 listen in if he wants to. I haven't decided what to do for ds10 next year yet. Last year, we did Exploration Education's primary curriculum, and ds7 liked it for the most part. The lessons were short so they kept his attention, and there was usually an activity of some sort. I'd prefer not to do 2 separate science curriculums for dss 10 and 7 since I also have an older ds12 who already does a different curriculum. Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

We are using Knowledgequest outline maps. I have the book and the CD. It's very convenient to be able to look through the book so see which map I want, then print it out with the CD. There are labelled and blank maps.

Shari, the flip chart looks like it will be very useful. Plaid Dad, thanks for the Garlic Press link. I may let ds choose a book and guide from there and try it this year. Jenny, I'd love to hear more from you about this. Thanks!

Ds12 is doing CD pre-algebra, and he had the hardest time with ch.5 there so far. I just checked, and it was also polynomials (and monomials). He did badly on the chapter test (but didn't fail). He's on ch.6 now, and doing much better. It's good to know that other kids have trouble with the same thing.

I am considering Rainbow Science for ds12 next year when he will be in 8th. We may try to do it all in one year. The only concern that ds12 has is the smell of the chemicals. He was in school last year for 6th and did a chemistry unit at a university with his class, and he said that the smell of the chemicals gave him a headache. He is quite sensitive to smells in general, and will even tell me he has a headache from smells in our car when we are driving around. For those of you who have done Rainbow Science, do the chemicals for the experiments have strong smells, and do the experiments result in strong smells? He said that faint smells still bother him sometimes. Because of his sensitive sense of smell, he said that he doesn't like chemistry. Thanks.

Ds12 is in grade 7, and we have not really done any literature (I guess you'd call it English). I don't plan on doing any for the rest of this year, but I don't know if reading books like the Famous Men books for history counts or his own personal reading. He's read Sign of the Beaver, Treasures of the Snow, Indian in the Cupboard, and Star of Light on his own. We don't usually discuss them except for me asking him where he's at and if he is enjoying the book so far, and then when he's done, if he liked it. I remember doing English in high school, but I did not like analyzying books. Am I doing ds a disservice by not making him do those things? Is there a curriculum that has literature study laid out? I don't think I'd get it done on my own, and I'm thinking that I should do something for literature next year since he'll be in high school. He is doing Aesop and Homer for Older Beginners also now, but is that enough writing? Any comments appreciated.

I'm in Surrey.

Hi Colleen, My oldest went to school last year for grade 6 (Christian school), and we are homeschooling him again this year for 7th. He would not give a second thought about going back to school if he had the choice, and is frequently telling me how much more fun school is and how school is way better than homeschooling, and how he's never going to homeschool his kids. Luckily my next two are happy to stay home and have said that they don't want to go to school (for now anyways). I did have a long talk with ds12 about why I am homeschooling and why I think homeschooling is better for them right now. He seemed to understand, and actually told me afterwards that he figured out that homeschooling is not that bad now (but I know he would still prefer to go to school). I think ds really likes the social aspect of school, but I told him that we are not spending all that money so he can have fun, and dh and I don't want to send our dc to public school. Anyways, just writing to let you know I know how you feel. I wish that we had a homeschool academy here, but we are considering letting ds take one or two classes at the Christian school next year for grade 8 if we can fit them into our schedule, and I'm going to sign him up for some online classes as well, so I hope that he will be satisfied with those options.

You're right, Beth :001_smile:. I have to remember that it's self-study. I was trying to follow the suggested schedule that Kathy posted, but it doesn't look like we'll be able to keep up that pace.

Junior high Latin 1 sounds like the one for my ds, then. Thanks.

My ds will be 13 and in grade 8 next year. Would I register him for the junior high Latin 1 or the high school Latin 1?

I didn't know that there were cd-roms of the classes available but I guess there are none available for the Older Beginner's which is the one my ds is in. Too bad. I feel like we are already getting behind.

I've signed up my oldest ds for the Maxim/poetry class for the fall. It'll be so nice to have someone else teach it.

For those of you who use Lively Latin (either download or cd), do you print out the lessons on one side of the page or on both sides? I'm just starting it with ds10, and am trying to figure it all out. Thanks.

My ds is in the Older Beginner's Forum, and he has posted two of his stories so far. He is enjoying being able to share his stories and reading other students' stories, and I think being part of the forum also gives us an incentive not to slack off.

Beth, does Lingua Latina start at the beginning or does it assume that the student already knows some Latin? How difficult is the course? I will also email Mr. Spotts later on. Thanks.

Hi Beth, Could you tell me more about the online Latin class your dc are taking? My ds12 is not enjoying Latin (says he hates it), but I think it's important for him to learn it so I was thinking of enrolling him in an online Latin course, but haven't decided which one. I think it's probably too late to enroll him anywhere now, so I'll probably have to wait until September. Ds has taken Latin up to the middle of LC2 (grade 5), when to school for one year (grade 6), and this year I just started him with Latin Prep 1(end of ch.2), but he's not enjoying it. Thanks.

I would like to know what the differences are between the ones by Christine Miller and the ones by Guerber. Are they suitable for grades 8 and 9? If you are using these books with your dc, how are you using them? Thanks.

Are there educational shows as well? And how long does it take for the dvds to arrive? Can you find the shows that you are looking for? Thanks.

Melissa, would you recommend BJU's Life Science for 8th grade? I am thinking of that for my ds 12 who will be in grade 8 in September, but I don't want to use it if it would be too easy for him. Or would BJU's Earth and Space be better? Thanks.