My son has completed Honors Algebra II with Derek Owen's this school year (8th grade). He is asking to sign up for an AOPS class this summer. (Intro to Algebra B). He says he would like to explore the subject in more depth and work some harder problems before moving on in math. He previously took Intro to Algebra A with AOPS...and I think he misses the high-speed competitive nature of the classes. I think he would like to do something similar with geometry next year*: Take honors geometry with Derek Owens during the school year, and then take it again with more depth with AOPS. *He skipped Geometry and took Algebra II straight after Algebra I (DO Algebra II covers trig which he needed for physics.). My questions are: Is his plan the best use of his time? Would it be better to just progress through math with Derek Owens and then move on to duel enrollment with a local college after calculus? And if I go ahead with his plan, how would I record this on his transcript? Combine both online classes into one Algebra 2 class? Leave it off of his transcript?

bump

Hello Everyone, I have a 7 year old who is finishing up first grade. We have used Logic of English Foundations for kindergarten and first grade. I LOVE the program, but I am not sure I am sold on how LOE teaches grammar and writing. (I used FLL and WWE combined with AAS/AAR for my older set of kids which worked well, but I much prefer LOE to AAR/AAS.). I was thinking of adding First Language Lessons or Writing With Ease (or maybe both?) to Logic of English Essentials for 2nd grade (and skipping the grammar parts of LOE). Do you think that will work? It is just making things more complicated than they need to be? It sure is nice being able to use only one book for ALL of language arts.

This is a WONDERFUL review! Thank you so very much for taking the time to share your experience. How easy do you feel the program is to use? What prep do you do? (Prep over summer, prep each week, etc.)?

The best thing to do is read the book, watch the videos....and learn to read solutions for understanding/learning. (That last point is the HARDEST thing for many students to learn to do IMHO!). We tend to skip the problems in the book and go straight to Alcumus for practice. Why? WELL, Alcumus is adaptive and has very well written solutions. That means that if you need more practice in a particular area it will keep giving you problems until you have practiced it enough. It also adapts in difficulty level. Make sure your students know that it is OK to miss problems on Alcumus. (In fact, nearly everyone does! Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I think the highest level of "mastery" is considered anything over 85% correct or something!). When they miss a problem on Alcumus or just don't have a clue on how to solve it (happens to me all of the time personally!), let the system know...and then make sure they read the solution very carefully and understand each and every step. If there is any step they don't understand, head to the forum and ask how they got to that point. (Learning to ask specific questions is important too. (ex. "How did they get from this step to this step in the solution?" or "I am not sure how they factored this?") Avoid vague questions. ( ex. "I need help." or "I don't understand." If they are ever totally lost and don't even know how to ask a specific question, go back and re-read the textbook, work the example problems in the chapter, and re-watch the videos.) ETA: Here is a tip--- Anytime there is a resource that you wish existed (like an AOPS pre-algebra study group for example), go out and create it yourself! Typically if you wish something existed, others also wish it did too! You an start something on meetup.com or Wordpress or Facebook or on this forum or even a student sub forum on AOPS. (I think that is allowed on AOPS but you should double check the forum rules.).

Hello, My son is taking Derek Owens Honors Physics course this summer. The class includes 8 labs. Is this enough to call this a "lab science" on his transcript? It seems rather light to me. I am wondering if I should add in some more labs? FYI: My son will probably go into some STEM field in the future. This is also just his first introduction to Physics; he will take it again at a higher level before he graduates.

Just a bump.... Anyone? 🙂

I quickly scanned the responses, so sorry if this was already mentioned. BUT....Another thing to consider: Do not just calculate grades based on tests alone! Other factors can (and probably should) be considered in your grade calculations. Pull up any high school syllabus and you will see that they do not base the entire grade on test scores alone. We tend to do that in our homeschools because it is the only number we have to measure, and we can take things like homework and lab participation for granted becuse our kids just "have" to do it. Here is an example and as you can see, tests make up only 30% of the final grade: https://www.pittsburg.k12.ca.us/cms/lib07/CA01902661/Centricity/Domain/255/Barker A-Psyllabus.pdf Assignments Possible point range for each assignment type Classwork & 10-25 Homework (15%) Labs/Projects 10-100 (30%) Participation 10-50 (15%) Tests (30%) 30-50 Final (10%) 10% of points available

My plans are still VERY rough, but here is what I have so far: 1) Math: Geometry with Derek Owens: https://derekowens.com 2) Composition: IEW Level 2 with Mrs. Kimbrell. (FANTASTIC online class btw!): https://writingwithjennifer.com 3) Literature: Memoria Press 8th Grade Lit Set (Wind in the Willows, Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island, As You Like It plus poetry and short stories at home but supplemented w/ Online Parent Moderator led student discussion group via https://www.vitabeata.org 4) Foreign Language: Honors French I via TPS. (not enrolled yet, my backup plan is Third Form Latin with MPOA). https://at-tps.org 5) Science: Clover Creek Physics: http://www.clovercreekscience.com 6) Social Studies: WTMA Story of the World IV class (I'm waitlisted): https://www.wtmacademy.com/course/story-of-the-modern-age/ -or- Memoria Press Famous Men of Greece at home but supplemented with Online Parent Moderator led student discussion group via https://www.vitabeata.org 7) Bible Literacy via MPOA: https://www.memoriapressacademy.com/bible-literacy/ Extracurriculars: Varsity Speech, Youth Group, Scripture Reader at Church, Mountain Biking, Girl's Basketball at the Rec Center, Rock Wall Climbing (all dependent on things reopening with covid) ---- As you can see, we are having to outsource quite a bit this year. Life has been CRAZY this year because we have been dealing with cancer in our family. I have had to pull in lots of outside help. I am not too worried because my DD is a fast worker and used to the online class format.

Hello! If you have tried Building Blocks of Science, could you please let me know your thoughts? Thanks!

I never even thought of podcasts! Thanks for the great ideas.

Did I miss the 2nd grade planning thread? If not, please reply below and let us all know what you are planning for second grade.

I am so thankful for the SOTW audiobooks. Our family has been doing a bit of crisis schooling this year, and those audiobooks have made it possible for my first grader to still get some history exposure. Does anyone know of a similar resource for elementary science? Maybe even a series that a first grader could listen to while he plays? We have an audible subscription and a decent library.

Ha! Based on your description, I think my daughter has this same teacher for literature.

I am also especially interested to see if anyone could please review Lisa Reissig from Aim Academy. 🙂

Hello, I am looking for a recommendation for high school French. This particular child is not especially self-motivated, and I do not think she would do well in a self-study program. She needs outside accountability. She has taken two years of Latin in middle school, but would like to swtich to French in high school. So far I have looked at the classes on AIM Academy, TWTM, and TPS. I am also looking at maybe weekly conversation practice through iTalki or something? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks! Cathy

Can I just say ditto? 🙂 That pretty much sums up many of my concerns. To the OP, I would feel fine signing my students up for a few classes. However, I would not feel comfortable entering into any contractions or trusting them with the graduation of my student.

He has taken Algebra 2 with DO--so he has had some trig. So how does one decide between an AP Gov't and an Honors Chem class?

Hello Everyone, I could use some advice concerning my rising 9th grader. He is an enthusiastic learner and very bright. He is fun to homeschool because he finds a lot of joy in learning. (I am nearly positive I could plan a class in "watching paint dry", and he would find something about it that he finds fascinating lol.) His IQ is very high, but he is a slow worker (often becoming so interested he goes off on rabbit trails) and still struggles with executive functioning skills and time management. He is very ambitious and has dreams of some day going to a competitive college. He wants to do something involving science or math, but he isn't sure what. I've been involving him in his high school planning, and he seems to think that he needs to take an AP class next year. I am worried that he will be biting off more than he can chew by taking an AP class in 9th grade on top of his schedule. This is his planned class schedule for next year: 1) Pre-Calculus - Derek Owens (2 hours per day, but flexible with deadlines) 2) Honors Chemistry - Clover Valley (2+ hours per day?? not sure because some people are saying 5 per day! + 2 hour class meeting each week.) 3) CLRC Latin II (1 hour per day + 2 hour class commitment each week) 4) Literature and Composition - Integritas Academy (1 hour per day + 2 hour class commitment each week) ----- I do not have any history or "social studies" planned for the year. I was thinking of just getting him some American History books to read and maybe asking for a few term papers as output. Something light with flexible deadlines. But, he wants to take an AP Gov't class through PAH. I just am not sure if he realizes how much work that will be. So what would you do if you were me? Let him attempt the class? Or persuade him to do something lighter?

I am a huge fan of MPOA, and I have often sung their praises on this forum. In fact, I was planning on having my students take a lot of classes with them through homeschool---and now I don't even feel comfortable with that anymore. Things have gotten really, really messy over there.

Oh thank goodness! (Huge sigh!).

That is interesting. I have not been listing instructor names in my course descriptions. Maybe I should be adding that. 🙂

When you say "AP Chemistry" do you mean the Honors Chemistry class? From what I gather, I don't think she offers an AP Chemistry class. I am thinking it is probably a mistype. I am also hoping that the 3-5 HOURS PER DAY is a mistype?! I don't mean to hijack the thread, but are you saying that it takes 3-5 hours per day for the Honors Chemistry? My son really wants to take it next year. He loves science, but he is not the fastest worker in the world. Is this what I should be prepared for?

And that won't cause confusion? Evidently, some selective colleges are requesting transcripts from outside classes from homeschoolers. So how would that work for this hybrid class (part online, part mommy-made)? I can just change the title to anything I want? What factors do I want to consider before changing an online class title (to either clarify what it is or reflect additions I make to it)? My thinking on this subject is VERY jumbled in my head, and that is probably coming through in my questioning. lol. Thank you for bearing with me. I am used to being able to do whatever I want in my homeschool! And I know I still *can* do whatever I want...I just want to make sure I understand how to translate my unique homeschool into a language colleges will understand.

I don't think my question is clear. Let me try to clarify what I am asking... 1) Can you change the name of an online class on the transcript if the class title is not very descriptive or accurate? Especially if you are adding a lot to the class at home? And how does that work if colleges request transcripts from these providers? Am I muddying the water too much? 2) If you add a lot of additional reading (or "output" or "lab time" or writing or whatever) to an online class, what is the clearest way to reflect this on a transcript? a) Leave it off...not everything you do has to show up on the college application. Chalk it up to providing a good education. b) List it as its own class. Maybe as an elective. And issue however many credits the time spent dictates. Ex. Rhetoric I, credits 0.25. Then list Rhetoric book and extra writing or public speeches. c) Just lump it all into the English credit. (But don't change the grade issued by the online provider), or d) something else? Here are some other examples to further clarify wha I am asking: Example: I sign my 9th grader up for the Schole American Government online class. it is a year long class and it contains readings from both government and history, but that is not reflected in the online provider's course title. FYI...books used in class Plato’s Republic John Locke’s Second Treatise on Civil Government A Short History of the United States (excerpts), Remini Common Sense, Paine The Declaration of Independence The U.S. Constitution Alexis De Tocqueville’s Democracy in America The Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers Gettysburg Address, Lincoln Select U.S. Supreme Court decisions Robert Remini’s A Short History of the United States And let's say that I need to list American History on my transcript. (Ex. It is required by a college or my state). So I add in additional American History reading in my student's day. What is the best way to reflect this on the transcript? Do I change this year long course title on my transcript to "American History and Government, 1 credit". Then list the online class as 'a resource' and then list my American additional history reading to the course description page (I realize no one is likely to read this)? Do I just keep this online class as "American Government" as a credit and then issue a separate credit for my extra American History textbook? (Ex. American Government, 1 credit. American History, 0.5 credits... or another whole credit depending on hours worked.)