:lurk5:

Turn off TV...or get rid of it completely. Make them do an hour of exercise for an hour of TV and stick to it. Play outside with them doing anything fun, anything is better than sitting. If you have money get Kinect for XBOX, we NEVER had video games and I only allow Kinect, but it is incredible and I am grateful I caved especially in our long Wisconsin winters. Buy a trampoline if you can afford it and jump with them! Get a family membership to the Gym or YMCA... Take a family boot camp

Yep, we have streaming and it is SUPER limited. I am thinking about going back to Direct TV...:confused:

I personally feel like following a geographical map of history is the best. In college I remember seeing my first geographical history map and table which led to the purchase and study of a geographical dictionary. I would much rather know the world; America is small and new, so not a lot to cover, unless there is an extreme interest. Of course, that could be said for every country and I find them all fascinating. On the other hand.... If you asked my daughter (10) she would say start with the big bang and move forward...I haven't gotten her to stretch beyond what might have happened before the big bang - (no offense to the New Earth families). She would also tell you that she HATES history, wars and all the talk about killing people, slavery and the other horrible things she has to learn. As a pacifist she would provide rhetoric to stave off one more violent lesson. :lurk5:

Hi. I have a fifth grade accelerated learner. How am I doing so far for a plan for this fall? I haven't really determined her actual learning style and will work more on that but have devised this plan so far. Ordering K12 American History 1A for daily work and assesments( I believe the focus is Civil War forward if you have used this and I am wrong please tell me!) Supplementing with Oak Meadow American History for projects and tasks Ancestory project of her great (x3) grandfathers surgical journal from the civil war, which should loop into some other great topics as well like... Masons Females historically in Medicine as her grandfather's (x3) daughter was one of the first physicians in the state of Kansas and established a hospital there. What else should I hit in fifth grade?

:lurk5:

Thank you all so much for supporting my thoughts. I am so grateful to hear the input from all of you, especially those that have been there, done that. It makes me feel better...it really does. :grouphug:

So here is my dilemma: I pulled DD 1,my 10 year old non-cancer kiddo, to home-school for next year. She was previously been home schooled for two years while DD2 was on treatment for ALL - a standard 26 month protocol. Once she returned to PS DD1 was miserable, so she is now home. I left DD 2, 6yo cancer survivor, in school because she is thriving emotionally there. She loves the access she has to kids and the social aspects. Is it wrong to separate them? I don't foresee her staying in PS past 3rd grade for a variety of reasons. Still I feel really torn as to if I should be separating them at all and how to manage this fall. I would say that I am overly concerned about DD2 learning, but I am not. I am so happy she is alive I don't really care if she is meeting state standards. I feel certain she will have areas of struggle and areas of gain and that god will make sure there is a balance between both. I don't want to sound irresponsible...I do care about how I can best support her, but I mostly care about the impact on the sibling relationship of having one child in public school and one at home. In my heart, I do feel eventually DD2 will want to come home, however I don't want it because of an insecurity or misconception that the grass is always greener. I want it to be her choice and her desire. More than that I want DD2 to feel strong and brave and for; some reason I feel she gets more of that at public school right now than at home. I don't want to see the relationship / bond severed for more than a year or so through out the day. I just see their needs as so different. I see DD1 needing me more than ever..and DD2 needing to be independent and free from the memories that are at our house. Honestly, there are days I can't even stand being at the house because of how much time we spent on lock down from low counts and such, so a big part of me knows why she loves public school so much. I do feel right now,today, PS is the best thing for DD2. Is anyone else in this situation, not exact, but with one at school and one at home? What is your experience? How are the relationships between your PS and your HS kids?? Thoughts?

You could make zip lock ice cream...and call it chemistry... http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/a/aa020404a.htm For some reason (perhaps because I am in Wisconsin) this was the first thing that came to mind. :o) or You could take a trip to the store and call it economics... http://www.kidseconposters.com/keb/Title%20List%20Poster%20Set%20B/Interdependence/Follow%20Ice%20Cream%20Cone.htm or You could just sit outside and call it love :o)

:lurk5:

I'd love to see what you come up with! Sounds yummy! :lurk5:

:lurk5:

Our week in a nutshell...:001_smile:

:lurk5: I may be buying too much History/Social Science right now...I was thinking I could just use SOTW as bedtime reading? :) Its hard to remember that they really will learn with as little or as much as I provide, and that less is likely more.

:lurk5:

Okay..today must be my day to start posts:) Please chime in on what programs are good to start a ten year old on who is having problems with simple word structure and spelling. I have this gut feeling in knowing the way my DD learns that she needs some latin to assist with this, as her mind typically needs to understand the structure and function of something prior to integrating it into a workable concept. :o)

Thanks guys...I am going to look at all of them.

I am wondering about a program which combines Art, History and Geography. It would seem most certainly there is already one out there... My questions are... 1) The programs name 2) What your student liked or disliked? 3) What you liked or disliked? :grouphug:

We love ALEKS, but most likely it is similar to what you are doing with TFL. The nice thing with ALEKS its completely student led. I agree with virtual schooling if you can find a good fit. We have used Calvert, K12 and have finally found a very rural virtual program in our state that provides a stipend only and you select ALL of the curriculum on your own. Calvert explains well in their virtual presentations, math is mostly workbook work with assessments. The true program contains a good number of manipulative in the lower elementary. - I would caution as we did look at a virtual program here again, and since our last homeschooling experience they had changed and weren't using "full" Calvert anymore. I love the program, but prefer to the full deal to the watered down program that was available here. K12 I was unimpressed with for math. I enjoy their history a lot... We also, looked at Lincoln Interactive which uses blackboard to administrate their program. I think it would be great for a highschooler or TRUE middle school aged who had NO tendencies towards ADHD, it didn't seem a good choice for us.

I thought I would chime in even though I am a newbie here on WTM. My daughter has used it for two years, she loves it and has done very well on standardized tests. I would strongly recommend adding something supportive to the curriculum to work on written and verbal expression of concepts. We have noticed a deficiency in this area. I don't think it is a big deal now, but could see it becoming problematic in college.

Thanks mama.

So my DD, 10, is coming home this year after a particularly horrid year in PS. We had a year and a half with two amazing teachers, since then have had no luck, so she is home and safe. I have opted into a virtual charter which provides a stipend and you pick the curriculum there really are no rules as long as you provide an education that appears to be complete. Science - Intellego, Astronomy Chem II Cell and Organisms each unit is about 40 hours? I haven't used them before so I am looking for input if this will get us from Sept to June (with lots of Wisconsin winter days to keep us indoors and working). Will we be drowning? Math - Aleks, She's already using this and loves it, so I don't want to break her stride. I am going to throw in minute math, but would like a recommendation of math exercises that are: tactile, real world, & use auditory, verbal/written expression. Something that could be a five or ten minute warm-up, cool down, or every other day replacement for ALEKs? LA - The Brave Writer - Homestudy only for this year seems to draw from Charlotte Mason a bit. Seems Free with structure. Art - Independent at an art studio near by with some MFA instructors that are down to earth and crunchy. PE - Rock Climbing, because she loves it and they'll pay for it :) K12 - American History 1A , this is the one I am struggling with the most. I have considered OAK MEADOW, because I feel that it is more down to earth, but am not sure I want to spend the money on that one course (even if it isn't / is mine). Sarah has horrible handwriting, I understand this isn't a function of intelligence, but one of fine motor, I have thought of adding a artistic writing? I just want to keep it fun... Thoughts? Help? Recommendations? Feeling scared, but oh so motivated.