We do both MCT analysis and diagramming. MCT utilizes diagramming in the later levels but diagramming is not taught per se. I think for some kids the visual nature of diagramming is very helpful. If you do MCT analysis strictly as is w/ no discussion, I think your student could miss some subtle points. For example, when we do MCT analysis, either in the books or the Practice books, I ask them what the prepositional phrase is modifying...what the adverb is modifying...etc. I also have them circle the word/phrase and draw an arrow over to what it is modifying. When you diagram, you have to know what a word/phrase is modifying in order to diagram it.

That's why I like the use of Level 5....so folks don't get so hung up on grade level. That's the beauty of HSing...you can start where DC is at....and w/ an older kid, you'll likely move along faster. I'll be using WWS5 w/ my 6th grader (we beta tested it last year) and it's just what he needs.

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree: We've done a lot of science. The only year (last year) where we didn't do a lot of science was when I tried to use a curriculum. Read Correlano's post and 8FilltheHearts posts!!!! Have your DC write down 3-4 areas he's interested in learning more about. Then get some books, some resources, some experiments, find a museum on the topic, etc and you're good to go. He can outline, write summaries, write lab reports etc. this year we're doing a unit on Digestion using Dr. Dave's digestion unit. My oldest will read corresponding chapters in The Way We Work. I think later we'll do a unit on genetics and read The Way We Work, Exploring the Way We Work, do some fruit fly breeding or plant breeding, etc. DS will work mostly independently on Exploration Education. He'll be reading corresponding chapters in CPO Physical Science.

I see Killgallon as more applied grammar.

Sometimes I find if they are being challenged in one area, it's nice to have another area that's comfortable. By all means, if he's crying and frustrated, skip, skip, skip....bit if it's comfortable, let it go to automaticity....or keep everything else but just do 2-levels instead for the outlining.

If you want two-level outlining help, look at WTM2009 edition. I think two-levels were at the end of WWS. If it were me, I'd probably just do 2 lessons/day. He might find later passages are more difficult. But I"m not a big skipper.

I think it's going to be quite variable....that it will just be at DC's pace. YOu'll have to decide if DC is dragging it out unnecessarily.

There are several here who will be using it w/ a 7th or 8th grader. Search for some of the recent threads on WWS including the sticky one at type by SWB.

OH MY!!!!!!! That is tooooo funny!!!!!!

Each book is a book of it's own. WWS is level 5. THere is a teach and a student book. ALL is level 5 as well and there is a teacher and student book.

I am not buying more math curriculum...nope i'm not gonna do it and you can't make me.

Well, my take on it is if you have trouble diagramming it, it's probably a bad sentence. SWB gives examples on her middle grades MP3. I saw a blog post once of sentence diagrams of two politicians and how the diagrams differed. One politician spoke clearly and the other, not so much and it was evident when you looked at the diagrams. I have always been listening to SWB's MP3s while doing something. Today, I will listen to them w/ the slides in front of me so I can see on the screen rather than just in my head, what she means by having too many clauses on one part of your diagram looking ugly...they should be spread out.

No we haven't. We have an iMac and a Macbook Pro and the kids have an old eMac they use for games. Most of their work is done one the iMac or MacBook pro but they are all considered family computers.

I"m in information overload right now and can't think....... I'm reading it though and mulling over it....

Angela, I'd be interesting in those cards as well! What are they? What are they used for?

Can I piggy back on this thread? In SWB's writing MP3, she gives several sentences and diagrams them. She talks about if in your diagram your clauses are all waiting in the middle, you have a poorly written sentence and that you'll learn this in your diagramming books. I've check out Rex barks several times, I use several online diagramming resources, I have one or two diagramming workbooks, but in none of them do I see any discussion about how to tell a good sentence based on how it diagrams. Maybe it's in Rex Barks and I missed it. Does the Daly book have info on good sentence structure? Thanks, Capt Uhura

What a wonderful analogy!!!!!!!! Very apropos!

WOW I didn't know about the 3 years of material! I guess I don't go back that far! :lol: My point was that I think RS Geo crunched down into 1year would be a bit monotonous. And to do it alone, as one poster mentioned, arithmetic skills would decline.

RS Geo was written to be a 2yr program. Originally, Dr. Cotter intended to write RS an Algebraic Approach which would be used at the same time as RS Geo. Alas, it was never written.

I printed it from an iMac and the font was just fine. IT was similar to any other workbook that I have.

Swimmermom - "m all about efficiency and using one thing to cover many bases so keep taking...I'm all :bigear:

Lori D - You are wonderful! Thank you for your time in so thoughtfully answering our questions!!!!

Yes, it's written for 4days/week.

Thanks! I've looked at those in the past and wondered about them.

What is the "Best" series?