Here's what I've read since last posting: #27 -- Bloom (Kelle Hampton) #26 -- No Angel (Theresa Sneed) #25 -- Seal of God (Chad Williams)

American School's exams are sent with the course materials; usually 8-12 exams/credit. There are no finals. Exams are open-book, which does not always mean they are easy. No proctor is needed. For AS, placement tests are only given if you want to get credit for courses completed prior to registration that have not been taken through an accredited agency. Many do this for math. Other than that, the required courses are spelled out for you, other than choosing the electives. BYU IndS courses do need a proctor for mid-terms and finals, and lesson exams are usually done online. We took earth science, biology, American hx, Hx of the American West, Foods, Auto Repair, Exploring Values, and many others. I was not impressed with BYU's math courses, but we were happy with everything else. For both programs, courses can be completed as quickly as you want. BYU has a 1-year limit, with a 1-time 3 month extension. AS wants the courses completed by the time you finish (4 years if you register for the complete 4-year high school program, etc.). I hope that answers your questions. Ds wants to attend BYU-I and study wildlife management and become a park ranger. He loves nature and the outdoors.

We have used American School and been happy with it. DS (27) finished with AS after one year in public school. He went into the Army afterward. DD (25) finished AS in order to graduate early. She went to BYU (Brigham Young University) and finished her degree. DD (21) finished AS and went to BYU-Idaho for 2 years. DS (16) is using AS now and will finish by December. (DS 26 and DD 19 graduate from public school.) AS was readily accepted for the colleges our children chose, as well as accepted by the Army. We supplemented with courses from BYU Independent Study and U of MO high school courses; AS readily accepted them all. A few points: 1. The college-bound high school program requires 18 credits to complete. 4 additional credits can be added at (at least the last time we did it) for $50 each. The regular program also requires 18 credits, but does not allow the additional 4 credits. 2. The courses that are taken through other accredited high school programs are added to the transcript. They can be used in place of a class requirement, or just put as an additional credit. For instance: Ds took the first semester of American History through BYU. AS accepted is as filling a requirement, and he then finished the second semester by completing the second semester of AS's American History. We have the flexibility of counting the BYU class as 0.5 of the 22 credits (we bought the extra), or an additional 0.5 credit, and then adding another AS 0.5 credits in order to keep the total AS courses to 22. Right now, ds has completed 4.0 credits through BYU, and we have chosen to still take 22 credits through AS. 3. The program is very adequate for a high school diploma. I would not say it is at the academic level which most WTM families desire, but that isn't what we wanted. Some of the electives would give much more challenge, such as the Grammar and Comp 3 & 4 courses. The Algebra 2 course includes Trig, and both the Algebra courses use Dolciani. 4. 3 hours a day of AS allows the full 4 years to be completed in 3 years. This has allowed our children to work and/or pursue other interests and extra-curricular activities. 5. We pay the full amount up front. There is a small discount for this. We have found it allows us the flexibility to obtain much more than the one or two classes that they usually send at one time. 6. We switched from the college-bound to the regular, and were allowed to keep our 22 credits. The first switch is free; if we were to choose to go back to the college-bound, there would be a fee of about $60. 7. AS has started to offer a few on-line courses. We haven't used them. There is an additional fee. My sister has used AS with her oldest 5. All completed the program by age 16, went to the local community college to obtain an associate degree, and then went off to college at the same time their friends did, only they went as transfer students. All went to BYU, and the oldest is now finishing law school, the second will go to med school this fall, and the others are still attending. Here is the web site link; I would encourage you to look through it. http://www.americanschoolofcorr.com/ If you have any other questions, let me know.

You might want to look at Sonlight's 2-year world history; I think they call them cores G and H now. While geared now towards middle schoolers,many use it for high school. Of all the Sonlight cores, this has had the most changes in books over the years, but the literature and content remain great.

Great ideas, everyone. Now the hard part: I'll have to pick and choose. Ds has read lots of Poe; he's finished Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer; he's read Call of the Wild and White Fang. I wanted to branch out from those authors, since he has what I consider good exposure to them. Watching some plays would be great -- not necessarily for study, but for being introduced to that genre. I'm also thinking of some others: Alas, Babylon! (Pat Frank) Up From Slavery (Booker T. Washington) Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison) Keep the ideas coming!

I'd like to have ds read 6-8 American Lit novels this summer for a mini-unit. Can you help me come up with some choices that are less than 200 pages? So far I have these: The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury) The Old Man and the Sea (Hemingway) The Bridge of San Louis Rey (Wilder) The Pearl (Steinbeck) The Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne) The Red Badge of Courage (Crane) Any others?

Haven't been reading as much these past few months. I finished #24: Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities (Amy Stewart). At least I'm not behind yet! :)

((sigh)) No wild rumpus today. :(

#23. The Help (Kathryn Stockett)

I haven't reported in for weeks. I've been caring for my mom. 19. Foreign Enemies and Traitors (Matthew Bracken) 20. Domestic Enemies (Matthew Bracken) 21. Readicide: Why Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It (Kelly Gallagher) 22. Heaven Is Here (Stephanie Nielson)

Okay, I stand corrected: ds says he is A-, not AB-. So we have two O+, two A+, one O-, and one A-. Genetics is sometimes weird. I'm 0+, dh is A+. We have six children (all REALLY ours! :) ), and the collection includes O+, O-, A+, and AB-. Sometimes a recessive gene from long ago shows up; kind of like the red haired child in a family of 3-generations of dark brown hair.

Thanks for the link. That routine looks do-able.

Wonderful!!

I finished two books this past week: #17 -- Enemies Foreign and Domestic (Matthew Bracken) #18 -- Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It (Kelly Gallagher) Hard to believe the year is 1/4 over. And kudos to you mega-readers -- how do you do it? :)

Very sad.

My vacuum died, so I am needing another one. We have only one room that has carpet; the rest are hardwood or Allure flooring. Two large black GSDs bring in lots of dirt (and esp. love collecting it in their kennels), and shed even when brushed often. Does anyone have a rec for a vacuum that would work? I'm even considering a smaller shop vac. Thanks.

I only did the 40 minutes for yesterday that I posted on the original thread. I was hoping for another 20, so I could count for today. (I don't do housework on Sunday.) I guess I'll do at least 50 minutes tomorrow. I have SOOO much homeschool stuff to find homes for, since my baby is going to graduate soon. I think that's what I'll start tackling tomorrow ---- that, along with taxes. :ack2:

I didn't finish anything this past week. I'm currently reading "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" by Matthew Bracken.

So far today, I've taken down the Christmas lights from the porch (and put them away! :) ), tidied the porch, and taken 4 bags of trash from the porch and front yard to the garbage cans. That was 40 min. worth. Tonight, I will be boxing up all the Christmas books and music and put that away. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I spent 30 minutes cleaning out and putting away boxes of Christmas stuff still in our living room. That is all. :) Thanks for the challenge!

:lol::lol: I bet I can beat that: I have bills from before my "baby" was born that need shredding! (He turns 17 in Aug, btw. ;) ) I'm in. Are we reporting back each day on this thread?

I finished #16: Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home by Nando Parrado Parrado, Nando 2012 Books completed: 16. Miracle in the Andes (Parrado) 15. Among The Gods (Book 5) (Austin) 14. Faith of My Fathers (Book 4) (Austin) 13. The Strength of His Hand (Book 3) (Austin) 12. Song of Redemption (Book 2 of Chronicles of the Kings) (Austin) 11. Farewell to Manzanar (Houston) 10. Gods & Kings (Book 1 of Chronicles of the Kings) (Austin) 9. Simple Courage (Delaney) 8. All My Patients Kick and Bite (Wells) 7. Amazing Medical Stories (Burden & Grant) 6. The Death Cure (Dashner) 5. The Scorch Trials (Dashner) 4. The Maze Runner (Dashner) 3. When Crickets Cry (Martin) 2. Every Patient Tells a Story (Sanders) 1. Earthquake at Dawn (Gregory)

I'm looking for some well-narrated classics that 16yo ds and I can listen to together. Any takers? :)

I don't really have any recommendation, but had to smile that each answer lists a different program. Isn't it great to homeschool and have all these choices for math? How wonderful that we don't all have to use the same text and can find something that works for us. :)

I finished #13,14, and 15. I really enjoyed this series, covering the lives of the Biblical kings Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh. The author did a good job of adding a believable and interesting storyline that complements the 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles accounts of these kings. I had a very hard time putting the books down. 2012 Books completed: 15. Among The Gods (Book 5) (Austin) 14. Faith of My Fathers (Book 4) (Austin) 13. The Strength of His Hand (Book 3) (Austin) 12. Song of Redemption (Book 2 of Chronicles of the Kings) (Austin) 11. Farewell to Manzanar (Houston) 10. Gods & Kings (Book 1 of Chronicles of the Kings) (Austin) 9. Simple Courage (Delaney) 8. All My Patients Kick and Bite (Wells) 7. Amazing Medical Stories (Burden & Grant) 6. The Death Cure (Dashner) 5. The Scorch Trials (Dashner) 4. The Maze Runner (Dashner) 3. When Crickets Cry (Martin) 2. Every Patient Tells a Story (Sanders) 1. Earthquake at Dawn (Gregory)