Here's mine: BTW-- thanks for all ideas. Just when I think I have a good plan going.... I'm 3/4th of the way through my second 6th grade year, and now I have too many new things to look at. Must....not....look....at....different.....curric!!!! Ok maybe just that Google map thing. It's cheap and I could use it at the end of this year's geography. :) Grammar: R&S 6 (minus the writing parts) Kids don't actually like this AT ALL, but too bad. It's thorough and I like it. Writing: IEW SICC A ---Great for my not too creative boys. I'm amazed at how their writing has improved. Spelling: R&S 6 (until it just wasn't working, now Spelling Power ) Math: MUS Zeta (almost done) and Math Mammoth (as soon as it goes on sale through HSBC ?) story problems 6th grade book Science: The Elements and Carbon Chem from Ellen McHenry ---Works well, fun Literature: Lightning Lit 7 really liked this one :) History: SOTW 1 (he's done it before, but he was 5. ) Gone once through with oldest 2, now doing it for the younger 2 Geography: Trail Guide to World Geography (without the final book as he already read it) and now, thanks to you guys, Google Puzzle book ----Great on-your-own type program Painless learning Art: R&S art and online Mark Kistler lessons (lots of these are available for free, but I might spring for the membership now that we have almost done all the free ones.) Music: Mandolin Language: Chinese with tutor PE: running around outside after school, doing laps around our apartment bldg and climbing stairs, basketball with dad. :) Thanks again for all the new options,

Thank you so much. These will keep him busy for a while :)

My 13 yr old is looking for some free reading suggestions. He liked the Alex Rider series and Striker, and he liked but is taking a break from Tolkien. He said he might try Percy Jackson. He isn't really into too many classics---I know it's blasphemy, but true --other than what I make him read for assignments. What else do your eighth grade boys like to read? Thanks

Now, I mean really from scratch. I need recipes that do not contain ANYTHING canned or frozen. I get a kick out of recipes that are "from scratch" that I have to add a package of frozen veggies or a can of tomato sauce (although that is the only can available to me) or a can of cream soup. I am looking for real scratchy cooking blogs or cookbooks. Any suggestions? Thanks tons, K

Thanks for the suggestions. I think Ds will go with a Poe story. He was intrigued by the weirdness. :) Also, my other ds is reading "The Bells" in LL7, so this works out perfectly. I will keep the other ideas jotted down in the book for next year. Thanks again, K

I am doing LL8 and didn't buy the accompanying book with poems and short stories. I have been able to find all the poems and stories online for free except for this one: "Reflections" by Lafcadio Hearn. So, I am looking for something else to substitute. I need something to demonstrate symbolism. The only book that comes to mind for me is Lord of the Flies. I de-symbolized that book to DEATH in freshman lit in HS. I'd rather not resort to that one if possible, but maybe. We are ahead of schedule, so a book is fine. Any suggestions? Thanks K

No. Couldn't. I can and do homeschool out of a large suitcase sized foot locker. My sig says what we brought. I could do school with less actual book programs, but if you have to live overseas, you probably have other inconveniences that take up lots of time. I needed curriculum that was more already planned out. If it takes 3 hours to make a meal from scratch, I can't take much time to do planning for school. A program that isn't straight-forward and easy to set up and do, forget it. I would and did pay extra baggage costs to get easy. If you add in no electricity, then that 3 hour meal is probably just part of the time eating stuff going on. Easier costs more and is heavy, but TOTALLY worth it. Sanity is valuable :)

My 6th grader will be finishing up MUS Zeta around the new year. He could go on to PreAl, but I would rather that he spent some time getting better at story problems, first (MUS works great, except for that one part). I don't really want a whole new math curric, just something to help him with story probs in between books. Any ideas for something he could use? I would love a pdf option or something downloadable, but book options would be appreciated, too. Thank you, K

Hi, I am a former lurker with a spelling issue. Well, I don't have an issue, but my 6th grader does. :) Ok, I do have issues, but I digress My 6th grade ds is a big reader, ok in all subjects, but horrible speller. He seems to have no concept of spelling rules. We have done RS spelling for a while, and each week he is missing 8 or so words on the final test. It isn't working. I would really like to put him back to my 4th grader's work, but that would not set well with him. I would like something that doesn't have grade levels marked clearly, so he won't know he might be doing a lower level. We did Spelling Power for a while, a few years ago. Do you think that program would help a struggler, or is it more for natural spellers? I stopped it because 2 out of the 3 boys hated it. Ds 6th grade wasn't one of the haters. Suggestions? Thank you