If you set the boundaries first, it should be enough. However, if they continue going in, I might assign real work, like math facts or writing five sentences on why we should obey. A paragraph on respecting others, perhaps? Ask them what their least favorite subject in school is and have them do that. I am evil that way.

My son has taken level 5 & 6 for 9th and 10th grade and I am listing them under achievements. I am giving him a fine arts credit for piano. They are difficult tests and require a lot of prep. He received high 70's and low 80's which is graded as With Honors and With High Honors. ( I think that's the terminology )

CodeAcademy, Scratch, SNAP, Computer Science for Kids. My ds is sitting next to me saying to learn Scratch and then Python.

I just saw that Apologia has a Physics Video Instruction on DVD with teacher Rusty Hughes. Anyone try it? Is it worth the $140 for a student who loves science and is so excited about Physics and will probably major in physics, comp Sci or math?

Absolutely hysterical and possibly true....

Thanks all! I don't have the books in hand yet, so most of this is in theory as of now, but I am starting to look at plans for next year. I hadn't thought about going through the CLEP book so that may be a good idea, thanks. Is year 3 more structured writing or more creative writing? My ds is not into creative writing but does the structured essays, argumentative papers and research papers without too much complaint.

So it seems most of you agree that there needs to be more writing in year 3? Mine is about to go into year 3, so do you think doing more Writers Inc or go through The Rulebook for Arguments would add enough?

I think they should know how to do an outline. It should be in their toolbox if they need it. Do I think they always have to? No, but my ds has gotten stuck on a 10 page research paper and his outline saved him. It is a tool that I think they need to be prepared for college.

Maybe I am just reading too much into this, but isn't anyone else disturbed by the fact that the gap lessens during the school year? To me, this means that no matter what you do in the summer or how much you prepare your students ahead of time, the ps is the great equalizer. It looks like the kids who went in higher didn't get what they needed to stay challenged. As a Mom of gifted children, that would worry me.

I have b/g twins and we separated them at 2. My ds went with his older brother and my dd got her own room. It was so much better for napping and sleeping.

Actually, my ds enjoyed SICP but I will show him your link because he so enjoys anything Comp Sci. He just recently wrote a program in SNAP that allows him to control a WII remote and the Lego NXT which is really cool.

We eat organic and as much of locally grown food as possible. We don't do processed, pre-packaged food. I try to do as much as i can from scratch. We don't have any allergies but we have friends and family with gluten and peanut allergies and have people over a lot so I also have a pantry that can handle their needs as well.

Congratulations!

My ds wrote this wiki on how to create a SNAP! Extension to program Arduino, NXT and Wii. I can't explain more than that because I don't understand it. My ds' screen name is technoboy10. https://github.com/Technoboy10/snap-server/wiki/How-to-create-a-Snap!-Extension Here's a blog from a Raspberry Pi guy further expanding the idea... http://olimex.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/scratch-a13-olinuxino-wifi-physical-computing/

Just wanted to say how sorry I am and that I will be praying for you and your son. Personally, I think the conversion van and the road trip sound like a great plan. Maybe not for 6 months but what about a month? Go visit American History sites, listen to books on CD and call it history.

My dh made reservations 6 months in advance for my 40th birthday. I think it is difficult to get into but well worth the try. If you can't go for dinner, go for the quick service meal at lunch to atleast look around.

Oh and for a snack in Magic Kingdom check out the waffle place next to Liberty Tavern. If you can, try and make reservations at Beast's Castle. We went for dinner and was truly magical!

Gotta agree with the recommendation of Boma. Give yourself enough time to wander through the hotel and go check out the animals! We love seeing the giraffes up close!

Praying...

My ds is doing AoPS so hopefully that will help.

My ds is heavily involved in Scratch ( a programming language from MIT for kids). He is a design studio curator and is a beta tester for them. He found out that several of the creators ( The head of research for the Media Lab from MIT and a Prof from Berkeley ) were at a convention here in Denver and emailed them to see if he could meet them. They e-mailed back that they would love for him to come to the convention and help in one of their workshops. Afterwards, they talked with ds and dh for several hours. One of the main recommendations that they had for ds was to focus more on math and less on computers. They strongly recommended getting into discrete math, although I think that will have to wait until college. They also recommended that he focus on Java and read this book, "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs" . www.amazon.com/Structure-Interpretation-Computer-Programs-Engineering/dp/0262510871 My ds was highly encouraged and so very excited. I found their recommendations helpful as it can help us structure ds' next two years. I though it might help others here who are homeschooling Math and Computer kids.

Thanks, all! I had the best time. Venice is magical. Even though it was cold, I couldn't have asked for a better trip. I loved getting lost in the maze that is Venice and coming around a corner and finding something else special. I really enjoyed the trips to Murano, Burano and Torcello. I brought home much glass and lace from the islands. Sitting and having a latte and eating a pastry in sight of the Grand Canal was amazing. I didn't like Padua quite as well as I enjoyed Verona. The old Bastion walls and the Arena were spectacular! I thought studying Latin really helped as we could atleast figure out the roots of the word and figure out where we needed to go or what to eat. Bill, it was Sunday when we visited San Marco and the Basilica was lit up and beautiful.

We do close to the same. Corned Beef and Cabbage with Irish Soda Bread and The Quiet Man. It is my chance to celebrate my heritage vs my dh's Scottish heritage.

Thanks, it looks great!

Praying for all of you and that God will give you the words to speak to your children. I am so sorry for this tragedy you are facing.