Totally makes sense to me now. Thank you! :001_smile:

I'm following along in this conversation with interest. Just genuinely curious, couldn't you use DO's Calculus course for what you're trying to do? As Julie indicated above, there are two options for each chapter test: an AP version and a non-AP version. Then couldn't you just label the course Calculus (as opposed to AP Calculus) on your son's transcript? Or does your son simply prefer not to use DO again after doing his pre-calc?

Are you referring to the Great Courses world history series for high schoolers by Linwood Thompson? Did you know GC also has an American History series by Linwood Thompson (high school level) that covers Native Americans through the Gold Rush? It's not a complete history, but it's something. http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/high-school-level-early-american-history-native-americans-through-the-forty-niners.html

How about a thorough, on-level high school bio program like Holt? Rainbow Resource sells their homeschool package: "This course, intended for high school students, has transitioned to a format which includes a hard copy student text and an "Interactive Online Edition" which includes interactive editions of both student and teacher editions, worksheets, labs, assessments and various tools and videos." http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/sku/029556 Or the Miller-Levine bio package, available through Kolbe Academy? https://books.kolbe.org/homeschool/biology For some outside accountability on your own schedule, FundaFunda offers Miller-Levine bio as an asynchronous online class. It was a huge hit with my son last year. You can still enroll through this Monday, 9/4. https://www.fundafundaacademy.com/product/biology/

I don't know anything about Writing Essentials, but Open Tent Academy has some writing classes that use IEW, and they haven't started their school year yet. http://www.opententacademy.com/courses/?cat=writing ETA: I've heard great things about Open Tent's founder, Eva Goldstein-Meola, and she teaches some of the writing classes. I've emailed her before, and got almost immediate and very helpful feedback.

What science has your 10th grader done already? What level is he at in math? What are his goals as far as college/career type? Those factors might help narrow down your choices.

Great Courses videos?

I believe Chrysalis Academy has used it. If she doesn't see this thread and reply, you might PM her.

Have you looked at Thinkwell?

I had a teacher who encouraged good note-taking by making each test or quiz "open note" (not "open textbook").

That's great! Congratulations to her and you. :hurray:

What helped the most for my previously reluctant-writer son at that age was Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Student Writing Intensive. For middle school, level B. Fully refundable if you use it and don't like it. It separates the tasks of invention (thinking of what to write) and composition (organizing). Made a huge difference for my son who is now a proficient and prolific writer as he enters 10th grade. :) http://iew.com/shop/products/student-writing-intensive-level-b

Oak Meadow's Integrated Health & Fitness was a hit here. Based on the latest studies about nutrition. http://oakmeadow.com/news/courses/integrated-health-and-fitness/ It uses a typical health textbook coupled with customized lessons and adds In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto (Pollan) and Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (Ratey). Also, we've watched these videos on Amazon streaming and learned a lot: That Sugar Film The Way We Think About Sugar is Going to Change Fed Up Food Matters Forks Over Knives If I think of more, I'll come back and add them. If you search/view any of the above, other similar videos will be suggested for you.

Maybe Jacobs' Mathematics: A Human Endeavor - A Textbook for Those Who Think They Don't Like the Subject? https://www.amazon.com/dp/0716713268/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=

Easy Grammar? Analytical Grammar has a new-ish high school review program. Have you looked at the samples for that? Maybe too similar to the regular AG for your preference, though. I've never used it so I don't know what it's like.

We use OneNote for that. It's free. I set myself up as the "owner" and I give DS access to update/edit, so we can each access it on our own laptops.

Here, without a PhD, they'd be referred to as *instructors* (not teachers) and addressed as Mr/Mrs/Ms.

I wouldn't use WWS with a natural writer. SWB says that herself. I believe it is better for kids who need more hand-holding or kids who are more "engineering-oriented", who prefer very detailed step by step instruction. My son did Lost Tools of Writing in 9th and it was great for him. He did Lively Art of Writing before that. A board member here has put together a workbook/guidebook that makes it very independent for a kid to work through, although someone will still need to critique her writing and give feedback . . . you might try searching for that workbook. We've also used Write At Home and like it. My DS will be using them again this year in 10th. Since your DD wants to be a writer/author/editor, and you don't have much spare time to work with her, is it possible to outsource writing for her?

For which course? My son has completed 3 Derek Owens math courses (pre-alg through geometry) and is now doing his 4th (alg 2). The only time we've bought a textbook was for geometry, where it is required because some of the problems come from it. Mr. Owens has adapted the pre-alg, alg, and alg 2 courses from textbooks that he previously taught with and I personally think he lists those books only to give some comfort that he's used well-known sources. We never felt a need to buy those textbooks. The pre-alg, alg, and alg 2 courses have all the practice problems, homework problems, and tests provided directly within the course. The practice problems are in the printed workbooks that you buy through Lulu (or you can just view/print them yourself on demand from the DO website) and the homework and tests are printed from the DO website.

Yes, and he has a course targeted to college students now too. There are supplemental (and quite useful) books available to go with the videos, at least for the high school and college versions. I haven't looked at the middle school version.

Yep, Dave Ramsey. Just finished his high school curric with my son this summer, and the lessons seem to have sunk in. Even though I've been quoting Dave for years; I guess Dave has better delivery than me. :laugh: He actually makes a potentially boring topic quite entertaining with his anecdotes. DS is preparing and using a budget now for 3 months in a row. There is occasional general Christian content (references to specific Bible verses, tithing/giving, etc.), but we're secular homeschoolers and there was nothing that gave me pause.

:001_wub: :001_wub: :001_wub: I love this! Thank you for taking the time to share with us! Congratulations to your son and to you! And the student he tutored! :party:

That's awesome! I bet it is a big weight off your shoulders. Congratulations to your daughter and to you! :party:

Oak Meadow has a high school level social studies course on Media Literacy using this (college-level?) textbook: https://www.amazon.com/Media-Society-Industries-Images-Audiences/dp/1452268371/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501209795&sr=8-1&keywords=media+society

:iagree: Celestron has a few decent binoculars for astronomy viewing in your price range. Of course they also have some that are much more $$$. You can find them on Amazon. I'd also recommend one or both of these books: https://www.amazon.com/NightWatch-Practical-Guide-Viewing-Universe/dp/155407147X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1501113186&sr=1-2&keywords=astronomy+binoculars https://www.amazon.com/Binocular-Highlights-Celestial-Telescope-Stargazing/dp/1931559430/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1501113278&sr=1-1&keywords=astronomy+binoculars I highly suggest checking your area for a local astronomy club. We've found that the more experienced members usually have high quality equipment and they are often very excited to share viewing time and their expertise with young interested/potential astronomers.