Exploration Education? I am ordering this for my 5th grader next year. We haven't tried it yet but are very excited to start.

I've done this and it's been intentional and not due to illness or anything like that (though I've been glad for it when we've gone through the moving process.) I want my kids to play, play, play! I start out very basic. K we work on hand-writing and learning to read. That's it. For 1st, I add a little more. This year, my first grader worked on Singapore Math, Handwriting, Phonics, and I started WWE in January. We also focus a lot on practicing her reading. She also does MindBenders for fun. I would have started SOTW with her this year but my oldest is finishing up SOTW4 so we'll start again with 1 next year. For 2nd grade, I add a bit more. We'll add spelling next year and maybe some grammar. But I might hold that off on that until 3rd. My son is in 4th this year and he does EPGY Math and Language Arts, Singapore Math Intensive Practice, Winning With Writing, Soaring with Spelling, U.S. Geography, SOTW4 (we listen to it on CD along with LOTS of supplemental reading). We also have Building Thinking Skills 2 on CD, Word Roots, Editor in Chief, Mind Benders and Balance Benders. He does these when he wants to. Next year, he will do a formal science program (Exploration Education Advanced) and Latin for the first time, but this was due to his request. They both take piano once a week and are on swim team. They take a monthly science class at our local nature center but I don't think they learn anything from it. Having said this, I think my children are extremely well educated in the sciences. I would consider them to be unschooled in the sciences and I also consider us to have a strong STEM focus. In the past, I have looked at science programs and have found them to be very simple and way below his level. As I look again for my daughter, I see the same. We have a house full of books and my son reads 1000 pages a week, on average. He reads a combination of history books (World War 1 is his focus right now), science books (currently interested in astrophysics and electronics), and literature and poetry. This is his choice. My daughter is not as interested in reading and is much more hands-on in her learning. She loves doing experiments and creating things. I do not want my kids to be burned out on academics by the time they are in high school. I want to keep the love of learning alive in their hearts. I want them to have a lot of time to play and explore their own interests (my son built an AM radio today) and I try to fill my home with opportunities for this. And, we visit the library A LOT! I hope that gives you an idea of what it looks like to just focus on the basics.

Plato? I really have no idea but the Plato science classes are often recommended for gifted and/ or accelerated learners. And I know you can get a whole grade level through HSBC.

I am trying to put together our plans for 5th grade. He will be turning 10 next month. I am trying very hard to give him resources that are at his level and not bore him with material that is too easy for him. I have NO idea what to do for grammar. He is finishing up EPGY LA through open enrollment. So, that's finishing grade 6. Prior to that, he used Growing with Grammar. Both programs have been very easy for him but I also think he learned the basics of grammar. What should I do next? Do I need to even keep doing grammar with him or just focus on writing (we use Winning With Writing) and start Literature Analysis (probably through onlineG3) for our Language Arts? I feel like I NEED to do MCT because that's the program to use for gifted kids. But I'm just not feeling it. I want something simple and that he can use independently. Or, maybe not at all. What are the reasons to keep learning grammar? What else is there to learn? So, you can see, I'm really not sure which way to go. I would really love to hear from those that have BTDT. Thanks!! Heather

Thanks everyone!! One last thing - I just want to make sure it is secular. Is there any religious component or bend to it?

Thank you all so much. That gave me the extra info./reviews I needed in order to move forward with Visual Latin. I'll download the first few and see what we think.

Bumping this again because I really can't decide which to do! Any input is welcomed!

Thanks! I just ordered Pearson's Exploration Education Physics from Amazon used. It seemed to match up the topics pretty well.

Have you looked into ThinkWell, which is online based? They have placements tests that you can take and also sample lessons. What about Art of Problem Solving? They have a text and student workbook along with their free online Alcumus program and supplemental online videos that explain the concepts. AoPS is recommend for students who have strong math abilities. Heather (also from TX)

I am going to be buying Exploration Education - Advanced for my 9 year old. He really likes to read in depth about whatever topic currently interests him. Can anyone recommend supplemental texts or books for the Exploration Education program? The topics covered are forces and motion, machines and energy, electricity, magnetism, chemistry (matter), chemistry (mixtures and compounds), sound, and light.

I am going to be buying Exploration Education for my 9 year old. He really likes to read in depth about whatever topic currently interests him. Can anyone recommend supplemental texts or books for the Exploration Education program? The topics covered are forces and motion, machines and energy, electricity, magnetism, chemistry (matter), chemistry (mixtures and compounds), sound, and light.

I like the book It's So Amazing. It is straight-forward and no-nonsense but without being too serious. There is a book for younger kids called It's Not the Stork and one for older, pre-teens, called It's Perfectly Normal. I only have experience with It's So Amazing.

Thanks so much. Do you think a kid with no previous Latin experience can use Visual Latin, or do they need some intro. work first?

:bigear: Anyone?

I am looking for a Latin program for my 10 yo. This will be his first exposure to Latin. He wants to learn Latin so he can learn other languages more easily and he is also very interested in science, which uses a lot of Latin-based terminology. I would like for him to understand Latin word roots. This is to say that I am not looking for a Classical approach to Latin but more of an introduction and overview. Also, I would like for him to be able to work on this independently. He is a very strong reader with strong grammar skills. He also prefers to do as much work as he can on the computer. So, having said all of that, I am looking at Rosetta Stone Latin (Online Classroom Version 3) and Visual Latin (downloads). Does anyone have experience with either program? Good experience? Bad experience? Yes, it fits what I am looking for? No, that's not going to give me what I want? Is there another program that you recommend instead? Etc. Thanks so much!!

Bumping this because I came her to ask the same thing. Anyone have experience with it?

Have you tried the videos on Khan Academy? When we're stuck, that's where we turn. And I swear I just said the exact same thing as the video, but he gets it when he watches the videos.

I second the recommendation for Winning With Writing. My 9 yo does NOT like to write, although copy-work is fine with him. But with WWW, he's now writing 3 paragraphs, albeit without a lot of enthusiasm :tongue_smilie:

The reviews have said that Lego hasn't updated the software since the original release. So, I think it works with older Mac OS but not newer ones and there's also a problem with updated Adobe Flash.

I was looking into buying my 9 yo a Mindstorms set. But, in reading some of the Amazon reviews, it seems many people have difficulties getting it to work on a Mac. I don't want to shell out $300 if it isn't going to work. And, perhaps worse than that, I don't want my son to get all excited and then have it not work. Has anyone used it with a Mac? The kids' Mac run Snow Leopard (10.6.8) with a 2.4 Ghz and Intel Core 2 Duo. Can anyone give me some help before I make this investment? Thanks!

I am looking into some G3 courses for my 9yo for the fall. First, I would really like to hear personal feedback on this service? Did your dc like it? Was it worth it, both in terms of cost and being tied down to their schedule? Was it age appropriate? Secondly, my son has finished EPGY Language Arts through grade 6. If he was to take an OnlineG3 grammar course, what level of MCT should I start him with? Thanks so much!

My dd started with Dick and Jane and she liked them a lot too. I think they gave her confidence to keep on reading! After Dick and Jane, she moved to Biscuit Books and then onto Little Bear. After those, she moved onto Henry and Mudge, Mr. Putter and Frog and Toad.

I am making my plans now for my rising 5th grader, who is gifted in math and reading. These are my plans, and maybe some will work for you. Math - AoPS Pre-Algebra along with Thinkwell Pre-Algebra (which is on sale through Monday at Homeschool Buyer's Coop for 50% off!!). I am planning on both because Thinkwell will give him the basics and let him feel successful and then AoPS will challenge him to think beyond Thinkwell. Science - Exploration Education - the Advanced version. History - K12 History Odyssey along with Classic House of Learning Online G3 for Grammar (MCT) and also for Rosetta Stone Latin. DUKE Tip - Growing up Heroic He will be working at grade level in Winning With Writing 5 and Soaring with Spelling 4. I hope that helps. Some other options that I was looking at was Plato Science (through Homeschool Buyers Coop) and MCT on our own. Heather

Wow! This is exactly what I have been looking for as I try to plan for a 1st year grammar and a 1st year logic student. Thank you!! Does anyone know if there are similar guides to combine the later volumes of SOTW with K12 HO?

No, they didn't ask me for the score report. I was surprised about that. A few days after he took the SCAT test, we logged into CTY and checked our account. His scores were posted with his percentile ranking. And then, about a week after that, we received a hard-copy of the scores in the mail with an explanation of the scoring and a nifty certificate.