I agree with the others. Ds is going to go over Latin and Greek roots next year in 6th while studying Spanish and beginning Latin.

We'll be doing something similar in two years using Dolciani Pre-Algebra (1985), MM 7 worksheets, and Khan Academy. Dolciani is straightforward and clear in explanations.

Natural Speller is a great resource for us. I copied and pasted the main instructions in a composition notebook, copied all the lists by hand for each week (18 words for ds10) and have him study each week. When he's ready (roughly a week) he gets tested on Spellingcity.com. I preload the lists I choose from in Spelling City. He loves getting 100% and by using the books and the exercises he seems to learn quite a bit.

I like the World History Encyclopedia. We are using it the second time around in sixth next year. DS10 loves it, especially the internet links which take you to very interesting places. I think you can still get the encyclopedia on Usborne.

To me that looks like quite a bit. We (meaning when I was in 6th) didn't have to do anything near that. My DS10, who's finishing up 5th, just completed a two-page report- 5 paragraphs - on World War I weapons, without citations. In sixth I'm going to have him cite references and use quotes. I am pleased with his paper, and as my mom commented, his enthusiasm, which was evident throughout :) That said, I'm sure there are sixth graders who could handle your coursework just fine. You just have to see if your dc can.

I resoundly agree with both 8FillTheHeart and Lori D. Looks like Lori D. and I are a lot alike too ;) My suggestion would be definitely to save the money for those high school courses. My DS is 10 and starting 6th next fall when he's 11, and I'm starting to budget and plan for outsourced high school classes.

I'm like your dd. I get energy from people and I like it, but I need balance and I do also get ebert (feel recharged) after a break from people. Balance is the key. My ds is an extrovert who has a hard time being alone - finally convinced him that reading is making friends with characters - and he's in swimming 3x a week, taekwondo 2x a week. In winter he starts basketball where he's on a team. I try to get him there a bit earlier and have him stay later so gets a chance to socialize. That said, I think he would benefit from Boy Scouts for many reasons, including socializing and working as a team on something together.

Ha! :lol:

You could use it once a week as a reading comprehension source. I'm using The Way Life Works for this purpose, and for DS to learn how to take notes and outline from a textbook.

I had never heard of this. Thanks, Rosie. I think this could work. I'm going to research it further.

We've been using MM since 1A and are now on 5A. I love MM! I wish this is the way I had been taught. To me it's so logical, and DS, coming from MCP Math previously, understands so much better. He's a whole to parts thinker and MM works really well for him. He understands the why behind the mechanics, and Maria's explanations are so clear and incremental that, like a previous poster mentioned, I get it right away. Only now in decimals I find that for the first time Maria's explanations are not as clear as mine (to him), but I have no problem explaining to him. I had him watch Maria's free online videos on this subject as well. If he still is not clear on something, I reinforce with Khan Academy. I find no better program for me to teach (and relearn) than MM. Like BFSU, it has made our homeschooling much more effective.

I bought BA 3A, B, and C for DS to simply read and enjoy, no expectations. He says he understands the math, but who knows? This kid loves comics and cartoons, so I think that is the draw. I give a BA guide to him as a birthday or Christmas gift. He uses MM and is a get-er-done type math person (like me), so I imagine the fun of BA would end if I required him to work through the problems and worse if he has to discover them. This child did not do well with Miquon. BA could work for DD6, however, whom Miquon did/does work for. So does MM, though, and I like teaching MM more than I like teaching Miquon. BA may be just a supplement for her too then. I never got into the book. DS and DD both like to read the cartoons already, though. I'm hoping some math will rub off on my DD6 as well. I only bought BA to add some fun and excitement in math for DS.

Bumping with update above

Just downloaded the W&R Narrative I samples. Starting next week with my DS10 who needs practice writing.

I think Campbell's is harder, but I could be wrong. I'm planning on using The Way Life Works as guided reading for my DS to help take notes from a science text. Since it's interesting and highly visual I'm hoping this will work. I'm planning on using Campbell's college text in high school. DS10 is a very good reader. I think I may have him try reading National Geographic and Scientific American. I don't know if he'll be interested, though. He likes kiddish things, so these may not appeal to him (yet).

My kids LOVE these! Not sure if they would be considered "living" in the CM sense, but they did learn a lot :) They picked them up on their own from the library.

See, and the way my ds is, I think he'd love it. He'll be 11 in September and he still prefers cartoons and illustrations and fun. He loves The Way Things Work by Macaulay too. His favorite of everything is of course Calvin & Hobbes, but that's another story. DD6 loved the looks of The Way Life Works. She was perusing the whole book as soon as we opened the package last night. DS10 knew it was school-related, so he didn't even look :001_rolleyes: I was looking through it after she did, then I handed it over to DH to look through. I think once we actually start with it its going to get DS' attention. Of course DD is going to love it when she gets there. By the looks of it she may even join us as we're working through it. She's my artsy girl. BTW, we're going to be using it once a week alongside our main curriculum, BFSU 3.

I was lucky enough to download the samples for Narrative 1 and we're starting this Friday - maybe a trial on Monday since I can't wait ;)

Just So Stories. Gave it to dh, who didn't mind at all. On the other hand, dh had a hard time (and didn't like) reading Little Britches out loud.

Thanks for the helpful responses! Kristinannie, I'm Catholic as well, and wish conferences could stick to CM methods instead of focused on nuances of faith. I thought the prices were reasonable considering how expensive the Ambleside Schools International ones are - and far from me. I think the last one was in Minnesota. The workshops are literally altogether more than $1000! 4blessingmom, the conference in Peoria sounds wonderful. I live in FL, though, so the NC one is closer to me. Oh, to have a solid CM conference in FL!

We mostly watch experiments online, and they get it. We do a few activities, but they are easy, painless, and not messy. I do like Delta Science in A Nutshell Kits, though, in case the kids wanted some. Ds did it independently. Here is what I posted in another thread. I love BFSU: After a few years I found my groove with BFSU. We're in our fifth year using it now, currently with two children, and now finishing up BFSU 2 with eldest. Most of the time I don't pre-read. What it looks like: -Create a sequence/list flowchart based on my preferences for that year (this takes the longest prep, but once I'm done with that, well, I'm done for the whole year -Before the year, get relevant nonfiction books to go with the topic -Start the topic of the week, just read and discuss as I read (sometimes I skim ahead), do relevant easy activity (only if it's easy) -Elaborate on whiteboard as necessary -Find relevant videos through NeoK12 or Bill Nye and watch to deepen understanding. Discuss some more. -Have DS narrate back what he understands as we discuss -Have DS read the nonfiction books I have already gotten from the library (I am quite well organized at this, but not in much else in life LOL) -On the last day when we are done with the lesson, have him complete his science notebook where he fills up a pre-numbered page with descriptions and illustrations of what he has learned (as per BFSU's recommendations) -With DD6 we discuss more informally, I have her draw what she's learned (she loves art), sometimes write about it, read a book maybe or not.. She checks her sundial, she gets it. She also absorbs much of what I do with DS. Our house is not too large, and she understands much more than her brother did at the same age.

The Magic Schoolbus has picture books as well as chapter books on science topics. I second the Let's Read And Find Out books. Another good series is One Small Square.

Just got our copy in today - I'm going to use it with my sixth grader (11) next year to begin to take notes and understanding a text. It looks really interesting and highly visual, just right for an intro to all this.

http://www.charlottemasoninstitute.org/2014-conference-information-and-fees/ If you are going, could you tell me how it is? I would really like to go within the next few years. Does anyone have any experience?

I was going to start a thread about this, specifically to supplement Dolciani Pre-Algebra and MM 7 worksheets. Bump