We are using this for a semester course and would rather not reinvent the wheel. Thanks so much!

We used Life Of Fred as a supplement to Teaching Textbooks. My ds said it helped him understand several concepts in a different way and was very helpful--and fun!

I so understand how you feel! My oldest will be starting 9th grade in a couple of weeks. I would prefer to bury my head in the sand and pretend it's not happening. We have homeschooled him since first grade and cannot believe how quickly the time has gone. What a blessing to have them home with us!

These boards have been my favorite and best resource. I also read every book my library had on the homeschooling high school. My two favorites are WTM and Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admission by Jeanne Gowen Dennis. My homeschool co-op showed a video series by Inge Cannon that really helped know what should be on transcripts which helped me plan my 4 years. A great website with more info is thehomescholar.com

My ds used LOF Algebra in 7th grade after completing Singapore. We used it as a supplement to Teaching Textbooks Alg. instead of a stand alone. My son said it showed him a different way of looking at problems but he said he learned more through TT. We did the same last year with TT alg II and used LOF adv alg as supplement. My son told me recently he did not want the LOF geometry book, which surprised me. Not sure that helps you any, but thought you may benefit from our experience.

I've never used Abeka but always thought it was taught and laid out similar to Horizons in format. If you want to supplement, Singapore gets kids thinking in a different way, which I feel would be more of a benefit than Horizons. If you are just looking for extra practice, Horizons would be easier to plug into what they are learning with Abeka. I've never used them both at the same time--I used Singapore K-6 with my oldest and Horizons 1-5 with my middle child. I prefer Singapore, but my middle child's learning style would have made it difficult. But if I had to choose one as a supplement, I'd pick Singapore hands down.

We're heading into 9th grade in the fall and I felt overwhelmed and lost a couple of months ago. All the advice given so far is great and helped me a lot. I also bought the book Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admission (New and Updated) by Jeanne Gowen Dennis Probably the biggest help in trying to put together what courses my son needed was by searching this form for 9th grade schedules. Then I made a list of subjects listed and that gave me a great basis to start putting our own together. Good luck!

I am not happy with my rising 9th grader's handwriting--printing and cursive. He has always hated handwriting and I probably didn't have him do enough in the early years. We didn't start cursive until the 4th grade because he hated printing so much. I've given him cursive handwriting books to work on every year since in hopes of keeping his cursive current and improving. I'm trying to find some age-appropriate copywork for next year that he'll do in cursive. I may just have him copy a paragraphy a week out of his history book or something. He has handwritten (print) all of his reports to date because his keyboarding isn't up to speed yet. This coming year he'll be typing his reports, though.

Last year I had ds do only 1/2 the review problems but for every one he got wrong, he'd have to correct it and do another one. That still took too long so I was hoping to not do Horizons at all this year. After reading posts on Fred, I'm thinking it's not enough for a 6th grade stand alone year. (or is it?)

A little background--we used and love Singapore Math with ds #1. I knew ds #2 wouldn't do well with it so we used Horizons Math for the last 5 years. 4th grade and 5th grade were a huge struggle trying to get lessons done. ds hates math and drags on and on for hours. Although I like Horizons, the thought of repeating it next year with the same attitude makes me want to :banghead: I have a copy of Life of Fred Fractions and Decimals & Percents and wonder if I could use that instead of Horizons 6. I can't really tell if LOF is meant more 5th or 6th grade and how it falls in with what Horizons 6 teaches. It's hard to compare their Scope & Sequences. Has anyone switched to Fred after Horizons 5? Can you tell me if I'd be "going backwards" a year or not? Thanks so much

My son would like to do a semester on horticulture and I have had no luck finding a curriculum. Is there one out there? I don't have the time nor the energy to pull something together myself. It's pretty much find a canned curriculum or move on to something else. If anyone has seen something out there please let me know! Thanks so much.

My ds will be starting high school next year so I'm doing a lot of reading. Last night I was reading a book called Homeschooling High School by Jeanne Gowen Dennis. Excellent resource! However, there was a repetitive theme regarding high school graduates not being well prepared in their foreign languages--mostly not being able to speak it well. The book included many quotes from different college admissions officers regarding the weakness in lab sciences and foreign languages. (in homeschoolers) I want to know why the emphasis on foreign languages. Why does it really matter if they have taken 3 years of Spanish or French? How many of us took foreign languages in high school and how has that helped us in college or the "real world?" I don't see the relationship between being able to speak a foreign language decently and doing well in college. I'm actually a bit irritated after reading all of those references in that book! Can someone enlighten me? Sure, if you are going into business or doing something that would use a foreign language, I can see it. However, the majority of kids won't use it so let them focus on something useful. Rant over. :rant:

I'm looking at buying something from homescholar.com, specifically her "Preparing to Homeschool High School" DVD. I'm even considering her "Convention in a Box" but it's pricey and I'd like to hear if her materials have helped anyone here before shelling out the money. Any reviews on these? Thanks!!

You all have given me much to think about. The information on Global Student and doing some "unusual" things as Nan pointed out are totally new concepts to me. What is NARS?

We'll be starting 9th grade next fall and I'm petrified and overwhelmed! I would love some recommendations for books or dvds that will help me plan and provide some guidance. (I have WTM) My library has limited selections so I wil probably have to make some purchases. I'd like to spend my money wisely! Thanks!

I'm really concerned about the weather. If anyone has done this in early March, please let me know if it was worth doing in the cold. We cannot go in September. Is it worth it to save the money or is it really too cold to enjoy it? Thanks. (We'd also do Jamestown)

I just bought another one as a Christmas gift at the request of my 13 yr old son! We have one and all three kids fight over it. The weight limit is 165 lbs so even adults can ride!

We used Horizons 4 last year. The only thing we used was play money for problems that asked him to make change. My ds thought that was way more fun than working the problems on paper.

My son finished up 4th grade last year. We started with Apologia 3 years ago and each year I let him pick which one interested him the most for that year. We've done Botany, Astronomy, and this past year we did Swimming Creatures. (We loved it!) We go through one book the first half of the school year and then I pick something more hands on for the second half. For instance, after we finished Swimming Creatures we did N.O.E.O Physics. That seems to keep him from getting bored of Apologia.

I have a huge rubbermaid bin stuffed will ALL my boys' workbooks and stuff--7 years worth. :blink: I can't put last year's stuff in because there is no more room! I want to spend today sorting it out but I'm not sure what to keep. My oldest finished 7th grade so how far back should I keep samples? How much of each year's worth of work do I need to keep, if any? This is for 1st -7th grade so far. Thanks!

Last year we used: First Language Lessons 4 A Beka Readers Wordly Wise 3000 Grade 4 Spelling Power punctuation supplement Handwriting Without Tears Cursive Writing--did my own thing Horizons Math 4 SOTW 2 with lots of supplements Apologia Exploring Creation with Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day N.O.E.O. Physics II State geography Daily Geography Practice 4th grade Logic Lift-Off Editor in Chief Beginning A Beka Health & Safety 4 Co-op classes Cub Scouts Baseball We really liked everything we used this year. Wouldn't change a thing.

My son was a reluctant reader and I almost gave up hope until I came across the Hank the Cowdog series. He loves them! Plowed through all 53 books in less than a year. (I would find him reading with his flashlight when I came to bed at 11:30 at night.) My library has most of them. He also liked the I, Freddy books.

Thanks for all the great advice. Now I have lots to think about.

I have a couple of questions. My ds did great in Singapore math finishing 6B in sixth grade so we went to TT Algebra I. He liked the program a lot and came out with a solid 85% at the end of the year. Although 85% is very respectable, I think I was expecting higher from him and wondering if I should be pleased with that or if I pushed him too hard by putting him in Algebra in 7th grade instead of 8th. (He also worked through LOF Alg) What do you consider mastery? (85% in TT equates to missing 3 or 4 problems out of 24 each time) I'm doubting myself and wonder if I should move him on to the next thing or what? :001_unsure: Secondly, if we continue on with TT, I can't decide if it would be better to do Alg II first and geometry in 9th grade or do geometry in 8th and Alg II in 9th. I don't want to overwhelm or push the boy but I also don't want to hold him back. How do I tell which one I'm doing?! Please help! You always have such wonderful insights. This is the first time in 8 years of hs that I'm confused and nervous about what I'm doing. Thanks!

Not sure this will help you, but wanted to share our experiences. My oldest ds just turned 12. I didn't start cursive with him until 4th grade because his printing was so atrocious! In 5th grade he did another cursive workbook and struggled. Last year (6th grade) I had him do the 5th grade Bob Jones cursive handwriting and after about the first half of the school year I noticed his writing was much better and it was easier for him. That's when I slowly began having him write some of his other work in cursive. I started with a short book report and later he did some longer writing. This year for 7th he will do Bob Jones 6th grade cursive workbook for additional practice and I will continue having him write extra. My second ds will be in 4th this year and also struggles with his printing--even more so than my oldest. He will start cursive in the fall and I will probably plug along slowly with him as well. To me, having them be able to write in perfect form by 3rd grade wasn't an issue. I don't mind if it takes them years to get there--we have the time! Beauty of home schooling!