I am wondering about the 2 different rodeos: the Stampede over the fourth and the nightly rodeos. What is the difference between the two? Thanks

We are planning a trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons this summer. On our way out, we are considering stopping in Cody, WY. I'm wondering if this is a worthwhile stop. I know they have a rodeo every night which makes me wonder if the rodeo is just average or if we should look for one that is part of the rodeo circuit. Is there anything else in Cody that is a must? Did you like the rodeo? Thanks for your help, Mary

I'm looking to switch up science and am interested in BFSU. My kiddos are in 6th and 8th grade, should I get the middle school book or start with a previous book? Thanks for your help!

My son(junior) is considering a career in health care. This year I am considering Apologia's Human Anatomy course for him. I would like to have a course that will prepare him for when he has to take his human anatomy course as a freshman in college. Any experience with this?

Any recommendations? I'm not sure Further Up Further In is what we are looking for based on what I read on these forums. My kids are 12 and 14. Thanks for your help.

When I retired from teaching six years ago, I found some curriculum I used in teaching an Honors 8th grade math class. As I perused through the material it struck me how much more demanding the math curriculum was 25 years ago. I did not think too many of my Algebra 1 students could handle what was taught in that class. Teachers receive so much pressure from parents/students to give A's, everyone thinks their kid is going to Harvard. Also, the administration does not want to see F's; one teacher was called into the principal's office and was told she could no longer teach her current classes because she had too many failures (never mind that kids were lazy and didn't do homework). Then there is the crazy amount of extra credit that is given out to "raise grades" often times for meaningless things/work.

I was totally amazed once again watching fireworks and am wondering how the different designs, colors, noises, etc. occur. My son is totally into fireworks (what boy isn't?) and I thought it would be an interesting unit study, research project for him. Any ideas of books or other resources? Thanks

What age did you use this with? Thanks!

I love this. It seems from looking at the website this would cover not only science but also writing and art. Do you know if it is open and go? Or will there be planning involved? Thanks for this resource!

What a great list of books. I've looked them up on Amazon and want to order all of them. Thanks! :)

Thanks, Clear Creek, this looks promising. Any other ideas on something that is for the most part planned out with hands on activities?

Do you have some resources/ideas you could share to help me get started on planning for a class on Exploring our Natural World. I'm thinking pond study, animal tracks, habitats, insects, etc. I would like it to be hands on and not too bookish. Thanks for your help!

Totally agree with everything you said! My son loved Spanish until he got to Mr. Gamache. At times he would come to the dinner table in tears because of this class, the lack of organization, the remarks made to him, etc.

My son (sophomore) is working through Singapore's Additional Math. He can solve difficult equations with ease and he has great number sense, however, he can't remember topics that he has done in the past. Example: Last week he covered solving systems using matrices, today he had no idea what a determinant was and what it tells you about the system. Then there was a question about finding an angle of a right triangle; he knew 2 sides of the triangle but looked at me with a blank look when I suggested he use trig. I was going to DE him in a Calculus 1 with review class but I am having second thoughts. Do you have a recommendation on how to proceed? I think he needs something that offers more review. Thanks

Any other ideas? Names we are tossing around: The Local Kernal, Rooted, deVine Organics, Growing Up Organic, Bee Haven, Miss-Bee Haven, and Gooseberry Farm (my husband "thinks" he likes gooseberry jam, so every year he somehow gets my daughter to make him some and then he doesn't eat it--it's the only jam we have left in the freezer). Anything to add? Any thoughts?

I love that you have the name Squawky Acres. Very cute and clever.

We have an organic farm and will be going to the farmer's market this summer. We plan on only selling sweet corn and tomatoes this year but maybe expand to honey, eggs, chickens, etc in the future. We are doing this to give the kids working experience and earning potential. Can you help us come up with a name? Let the creative juices begin flowing. Thanks, Mary

My ds will be a junior next year and has done several years of IEW. He is currently taking Advanced Communications through a co-op. He doesn't like to write at all and is not gifted in that area. He also has trouble going deeper in his reading as he does some lit analysis. I am wondering about an on-line class for him. I have read the reviews and am looking at Blue Tent and PA Homeschoolers. AP Language and Comp seems like it would be a class for exceptional writers, is that fair to say? Does anyone have a child, who was not a gifted writer, take this class from either vendor? Was it a good choice? Thanks for your advice.

Thank you so much for this---it really is encouraging. I wish I knew Latin so I could figure out how to help him. I will let him read this and the tactic you recommend. One of the reasons I like Lukeion is the high standards--I keep telling myself that he learns more listening to Mrs. Barr for 1 hour/week than he probably would if he was in a Latin class in a school going to class everyday.

My son is currently in 2b and the translations are killing his test scores. Up to this point he has achieved A's, however, his last 3 tests scores (which are heavier on translations) have dropped each time (85,81,76). He knows his vocab, clauses, etc; he does well on those parts of the test. If he continues this trend, Latin 3 will certainly be disastrous. I'm wondering if there is a learning curve to doing the translations well---when I read his answers they seem very cumbersome and awkward. I never had Latin so I can't help him. Earlybird registration is right now--I'm really not sure what to do.

Thank you for all the great suggestions so far. Does anyone know about Folly Beach? Crowded? Nice beach?

We want to do VRBO. What area (beach) do you recommend staying at. Two of my kids love to go shelling. Also, we plan to do a plantation, Fort Sumter, and the slave market. Any good biking trails/rides near Charleston? Any other great things to do/see that you would recommend? Restaurants that are not too pricey? Kids ages are 15, 13, 13, and 11. Thanks, Mary

My daughter is in 7th grade and is thinking she is missing out by being homeschooled. We are involved in many things so it is not because she is stuck home everyday never seeing friends. I don't think starting in ps in middle school is the wisest thing to do because of girl drama, hormones, and the non-strenuous curriculum. I don't know what to do. Our relationship is being challenged because of her attitude toward getting her work done at home. Part of me wants to send her so that she can see that getting up at 6 AM everyday, riding the bus, sitting through classes that she will probably be bored in (ie math, history, science), and then having to do homework and practice piano at night is not the greener grass that she thought. Just wondering for those who have been in this boat and have sent your kids to school how it has played out for you, your family, and your child. FYI--I am not against ps. I loved school--cried my eyes out on the last day of my senior year. I just know that she has more opportunities at home and is not tied to a certain curriculum mandated by the state. Thanks for your help.

My 2 7th graders have gone through all the previous Singapore books as well as the Intensive Math. It seems there is a huge jump from 6B to the Discovering Math 7 book and it is time consuming (as in 3 hours a day sometimes just to do 1/2 a lesson). I love Singapore--my kids have great mental math skills and problem solving skills, but they are now really hating math and I must say I dread that part of the day. Any recommendations for a different curriculum? Thanks, Mary

I taught ps math for 26 years and am now teaching a math class through a co-op. I understand your mom's concerns; I am appalled by the low skills of many of my homeschool students. (That is not to say that I wasn't also appalled when teaching ps.) The big key is to make sure your children know their facts and WHY they are doing what they do. Why do you have to have common denominators when adding fractions, why do you multiple numerator and denominator by the same number when getting an equivalent fraction, knowing why dividing by a number is the same thing as multiplying by the reciprocal, knowing why the area of a triangle is 1/2 the area of a rectangle, etc. Just memorizing algorithms will not help a student do well in classes such as pre-calculus, they must understand why the foundations of math and how it all relates. I think teaching writing and teaching math are difficult to do well.