I just asked hubby, who teaches chemistry at Uni level, his opinion. He has used quite a bit of the MIT-OCW series for gen chem and organic chem... In his opinion (and mine, I have a chem degree as well) it would be quite a challenging AP level class, but definitely feasible. Especially with a good math background. In his experience, since not all AP-level classes are equal, most students who come to his classes after AP Chem tend to do well 1st semester. That is more ideas, memorization, and such. The material in the MIT coursework really likes application, and 2nd semester material is included on things like MO theory, acid/base/buffer chem and more. It is also integrated, which really helps to challenge a student to think deeper. Definitely the difference between a run of the mill AP class and an excellent one. If you have specific questions he is happy to try to help answer...

I agree. Can you just put away the math books (or scale back) and focus on math games? There are so many you could play different ones each day:) for math fact practice I have to say games like Zeus on the Loose, Tri-Facta (both the add/sub and mul/div), war, RS games, Albert's Insomnia, and more really helped cement the facts without any real 'work'. I particularly liked Zeus on the Loose. We started with a dry erase board (you keep a running total to 100, so you are adding 1-9 to you previous sum) as a halfway step until she didn't really need it. Lots of mental math:) she made up a version she called 'Going to Hades' that used the same cards but started at 100 and used subtraction. Tri-Facta is lovely because it is number bonds..so you are working on two operations at the same time. We also used a set called GiggleMath when she was younger that focused on teaching strategies for math facts. It is a series of 26 steps with games for each level that uses strategies such as doubles, doubles + 1, 'Monkey in the middle' -recognizing that numbers one apart such as 6+8 = doubling the monkey in the middle, 7. Fun stuff:)

And a BOGO 1/2 off sale with code 9646. If you are in the market for a LOT of Magnatiles like I was:) Or other gifts...

Silly Cow Farms Hot Chocolate, All Natural. We make it with soy milk. It may or may not have melted Andes-mint style chololate melted in the bottom:)

Well, dd is almost 5 so I plan on having many more talks, but we recently had a VERY involved one one the dining room floor under the table:) This is where I found her reading an extremely detailed book I had purchased for us to read together. I am pregnant, so it is of course very interesting to her at the moment. We had previously had lots of talks and books on animal reproduction, and she knew that mom's eggs must be fertilized by dad in order to actually grow into an embryo...but we had this far not discussed in detail just HOW that happened. And I am not honestly sure I would have gone into that much detail. One of the few drawbacks of having a child who can read whatever she wants AND insists on knowing right now, lol. The second half of the discussion was centered around having these types of discussions only at home...I have horrible visions of her sharing her knowledge at her part-time preschool!

Glad he is safe!

Just out of curiousity because I wanted to see it, what is the difference (if any?) between this Schleich barn and the $170 one? http://www.amazon.com/Schleich-Portable-Barn-with-Accessories/dp/B00KYSZP2G?SubscriptionId=AKIAIN5HK5BFVBOCQQZQ&tag=xxlsalecom-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00KYSZP2G&ascsubtag=XXL-Sale.com|Cj0KEQiAneujBRDcvL6f5uybhdABEiQA_ojMgqqFR8YSVdaBP9VSRWXKcFtrzV35E4FuZl1_2nDyuVoaAggO8

If you are going to buy several, then yes this is a great deal...especially because of the free shipping. Educents does seem to have 10% off deals for Life of Fred here and there, alternating between units. They might have the Language Arts books, then a month later have the intermediate set. However, 10% off AND free shipping is about as good as it gets.

Alex is loving Prince Caspian at the moment, and it is just a nice fit. If she wasn't used to longer, more complicated books I probably would have waited. She is very sensitive and I was a bit concerned, but they are so sweet:) she loves the children, and talking animals tend to make children fall in love anyway, right? On the other hand...The Hobbit won't hit our reading for quite some time. Much to hubby's dismay as it is one of his all-time favorites! He is desperate to share it with her. I actually think she wouldn't mind the language, but the story itself would give her nightmares. It is just an intense book.

Oh! And something she might find really fun. We are huge fans of Peter Weatherall, a scientist and educator in New Zealand. He makes great songs/DVDs to learn about science and math. They are really quite detailed, and he recently made a chemistry one. I think ALL of his science and math set is around $25 and you can't beat it. In the chemistry DVD he does little five minute clips discussing/explaining each topic, then a song that hits the main points. Hubby actually plays a couple for Uni level chem classes! Quite a bit of info packed into them:). You can watch some of the clips from his website. The chem one and the Human Biology one are our favorites, as well as the math set... http://www.kidsinglish.com/video_clips/chem_vids_short_clips/chem-songbook.html

Also, for a 10 year old advanced in science...if she would like something on he history of each element there is a fun book called Periodic Tales: a Cultural History from Arsenic to Zinc that is very enjoyable: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0061824739?vs=1 That, A Chemical Tree, Disappearing Spoon, Napoleon's Buttons, and both volumes of Cooking with Einstein, Uncle Tungsten, That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles are all the fun reads. If you would like suggestions on a bit more detailed books she can use for awhile I can give you those as well. Have you considered any chemistry games? As in Board Game style? We have a few that we play sometimes:) One of our favorites, with various levels of play: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_box_books?k=Periodic+boardgame

Yes, this one:) Theodore Gray also has a stunning second book called Molecules: The Elements and Architecture of Everything http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1579129714/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1417275560&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

Theodore Gray has his Elements books, but also has an absolutely gorgeous new book called Molecules. I bought it for Christmas and it is stunning. Full page spreads with pics of the molecule and a history of that molecule. We are away for the weekend but when I return home I can list some of our favorites. There are fun reads, like Napoleon's Buttons or Cooking with Einstein as well. Hubby and I are both chemists so tend to have a lot of books like that laying around:)

NM Failed to note the p.m. time stamp instead of a.m!

Aw, thanks:) No, not too childish...she turns five in about a week!

Pretty sure that is a typo, try CYBER14

LOL:) Talk about airing your dirty laundry!

The family shih tzu when I was growing up ate all of the bread rolls set out to rise one Thanksgiving. It was awful! His little stomach just kept expanding and bulging, and he was in so much pain:( Emergency surgery ensued and pup lived another 10 years.

Well, when my mother was so very insistent and I hated her spending money she didn't really have on stuff I would never use nor want, I started giving her the annual flyers from Heifer International and World Heritage. If she was really desperate to gift me something, this gave her an option...and showed her that I was really serious about not wanting anything.

That really is awful. Do you know if they have anything set up yet for monetary donations? Maybe you could post to the forum? It looks like they serve hot meals to the community as well. Truly devastating:(

Awesome, thanks. Yesterday she made dreidels out of clay and beads. A handmade gift will be a nice touch with maybe chocolates and coffee vouchers:)

I steadfastly refuse to go, but... Isn't that part of the Black Friday tradition? Look at my 1000 in television! I had to sleep on a tent in the snow until Walmart opened, pee in a bottle, knock down 72 people who wanted MY Telly almost as much, and even go without my Starbucks, but I got it! It was only $125! My mom and sister go every year together and I swear complaining and retelling the crazy stories have become just as much a part of the whole thing as anything else. My sister loves it so much (and has so little money to spend on Christmas for four kids!) that I transfer her Christmas money at the beginning of TG week in lieu of shopping for gifts for her family. It is a solid deal...I don't have to shop, she gets to make the money stretch as far as possible and has the fun of her shopping:)

You go, woman! Sooo much more patient than I am! I am glad you found some good deals:) Completely off topic: after reading All of a Kind Family, dd became very interested in learning about Jewish culture and holidays. We have been reading books primarily in a historical/cultural context, and she very much wants to get her teacher (who is from Israel and Jewish) a gift for Hanukkah. I think it is great, but don't want to offend. Any advice?

Yes! I just spent an exasperating 15 minutes on the phone with a B&N rep because I am shopping for specific items. Apparently there was supposed to be a separate linking (like last year) but it didn't happen. She suggested that I should put each individual item in my cart to see if the deal applies to it! Uh, no... Even the hot deals link in the toys and games section takes you to ALL of them, not just the BOGO items...so be aware. She said they are working on it, but who knows?

Glad you got a good deal! She is going to love it:)