Yea! I haven't been back to these boards since k-8, but after all these years, my daughter just got her acceptance today from the University of Washington! First Choice! We homeschooled through 9 and 10; then full time homeschool dual enrollment. And, she's also been named as a Phi Theta Kappa scholarship winner! Happy Day! Thanks for all the years of support ...

I was thinking I would use these as a science spine for my 8th grader along with some living books, but I have two questions: First, does anyone know if the teachers' guides with the answers are available? Second, if I choose to use this for my 9th grader, are these high-school level sciences? Are they worth a credit or just supplemental? Please reply! Thanks!

Our children's grandparents got us a double waffle iron - the kind you pour the batter in and rotate over while it cooks like in a hotel. It's by Waring. I'll bet you could look it up at their website. I know it was $$$ but for us, it's a lifesafer! My 5 kids make waffles every morning. Or check out other restaurant supply companies. Good Luck.

My daugther is 13 and started babysitting this year. She does have experience with her younger siblings, but we gradully stepped her into this responsibility. First, she took a certified Red Cross course in First Aid and CPR. Make sure they include the child-training portion in the class. Just call your local Red Cross chapter. We were able to put together a combined class of Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts and home schoolers at a reduced rate ($10/student). I know that YWCA'S usually offer a complete babysitter training course or sometimes even your local fire department. Best advice - call around. Then, we scheduled some time with the prospective clients "in-house." The child's mom was able to go outside and do some gardening or even take a shower while our trainee was there. If everything goes well with all parties, then we know that she can do the job. We also make sure that our daughter babysits only in our neighborhood when I am home. That way, I am "on call." Just in case. Also, the first "real job" should be short. We used to make sure that dinner and dishes were done and the bedtime routine was nearly complete before we left for the evening. Hope this helps!

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Hi! I'm starting to plan our family very first, and possibly only, vacation to the East Coast next May. I know there's so much, I don't even know where to begin. We live in Washington state and have 5 kids who will be ages 10-16 then. This could very well be our only homeschool adventure together to the East Coast. Right now, of course, we're thinking about D.C., New York, Boston and Philadelphia as the can't miss destinations within our two-three week time frame. We will most likely be driving. Please, do you have any suggestions of where to go, what to do, from a home school perspective? Any hidden gems like National Parks or re-enactment sites that are really worthwhile? Any other tips or advice? Thanks ... Busy5mom. :auto:

Don't know much about this curriculum, but you could google it. One lady at our hs co-op is proposing this for next year. Also not sure about grade level. Sorry to be so vague, but it could be a possible lead for you.

Apologia! That afternoon, I walked into our local academic bookstore to browse...and they had Apologia on the shelf! So, I forked over the credit card before I could think about it ...again. I'm really glad I did, because he's already read all of the first "module" and completed the "On Your Own" questions. We just want the credit, so I think this will do the job for him. Of course, just one program is not enough ... so I ordered Thinkwell Bio off Ebay too. Campbell's sounds impressive and I probably will order it anyway for my 7th grade daughter who is very capable. She complains when things aren't hard enough! I just got scared that for my ds, there would be no teacher, and I'd have to pull it all together. Apologia is written with that in mind - it's all taken care of for me. As for any philosophical differences with the curriculum - I figure what a great time to explore both sides of any debate. We have Holt, so we can throw in some evolutionary theory, as vague as it is, and have a great lesson on comparing sources at the same time. Anyway, the only good curriculum is one you actually use! We're already "into" Apologia, so my fingers are crossed that we keep it up! Thanks for all your discussion, and, I'm looking forward to how you do with the "Pre-Baby" Campbell.

Hi! STILL trying to decide what to use for 9th gr. Biology. I've decided my deadline has got to be TODAY! So, I like Apologia because it's written for home schoolers and the labs are all there. However, the reading on this forum suggests that Campbell's is the way to go. So, I was thinking of Campbell's Exploring Life with the Lab Manual. My son would also love the online activities. But, how easy is this PS program to use at home? Thanks for all the advice! I may not post much, but I do lots of reading here!

Our alternative school english teacher has selected Night by Eli Weisel as one of the books for next year's 9th grade class. Although I have not read the book myself, apparently he wrote it in the mid 80's and won a Nobel for it. From what I understand, the book graphically depicts a survivor's memories and reflections upon his experiences at a Nazi concentration camp which leads to his questionning faith in God and other equally sobering themes. It is also on Oprah's book club list. My 14 year old will attend this class twice a week and we round out the total education plan with classes at home. To give you some perspective, other books chosen for the course include "Fahrenheit 451," "The Great Gatsby," "A Christmas Carol," "To Kill a Mockingbird," and one work by Shakespeare. I have no doubt that "Night" is an astounding work and should be read at some point, but is this the right time? Just because all the high schools read it, should we? Are you more familiar with this book? Is it worth dropping out of the course just to avoid that book? Am I being the stereotypical, over-protective, home school mother? Please discuss!