I bought one for Botany, which was very handy and totally worth the $$. Next year we are mixing up the Zoology, and I looked over the supply lists, and most of it seemed readily available in my house. I'm not much of a shopper, and loathe having to run out for supplies, so it's possible I will cave and buy one, depending on the enthusiasm of my students[emoji3] sometimes opening something from a box makes it feel more exotic/official for them.... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I haven't used it, so I don't know if there are answers provided. However, I just looked at the sample and did the lesson with my boys. They both play piano, and the eldest knew the left hand would be harder on the Chopin etude because it the complexity sounded lower on the scale. We also watched a YouTube of a fabulous woman playing, so you can see what each hand is doing. Both my boys, 2nd & 7th, loved the lesson and the 7th grader wants to learn the piece! I'm going to buy it for morning time next year

Have you seen LitWits kits? I think they are about $18 each, or $9.99 a month and they used to have a bunch of free resources on their website as well. [https://litwits.com//URL]

I'm trying to look through Level 2, and I love the art studies too! I also think the phonics is just the right amount of review for my guy to not have him bored. I'm a little concerned the editing might be above him, and the spelling moves at a fast clip, it seems. However, there are so many variations in font, presentation and color it think it will engage him nicely--and he is pretty quick to learn if he is engaged. I like that there are still divided lines for copy work in most places. Cottage Press is on a single line for 2nd.... The more I look at it, the more I like it. Sometimes it can be so hard to make a choice. TG&TB looks so much meatier than ELTL, and I like the that everything is in one book, basically. I might even be able to drop my plan for IEW Bible Heros writing for him. (Which I bought because he wanted to be like his big brother and do key word outlines when he was in K) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks. I've been able to open it via google drive. But I wanted to put it in the Kindle app. Maybe I'll try Good Reads. Is that a good solution for unzipping on an iPad? I don't want him to have any gaps, but I'd rather not go below 2 either. We have been using ELTL (just finishing 1) and AAS (partway through level 2). I knew he wouldn't be able to spell the words in the assessment (talk, house, eight, etc) because we haven't covered those yet. And I've never really asked him to spell aloud before. Usually he uses tiles or writes it down, unless it was super easy. I wonder if I could use AAS for most of the year and skip TG&TB spelling, but use it when we travel in lieu of packing all the pieces to AAS.

Has anyone managed to print the PDF? I have level 2 that I'm thinking of using, and I want to go over it with my son, but the iPad cannot handle it, and even my desktop mac is balking--the printer fails every time. I even tried printing just the first half, but I think the file is just too big. Should I just order the printed version? Bonus question about placement. Son reads at advanced level but flopped must of the other placement test items. I was ready to put him in 2, but this placement is telling me K. I guess I can breeze through the lessons that are easy for him, but if I have to purchase all the levels....what have you done?

Bah! I used ELTL 1 for my 1st grader this year and it was generally light and fun. His handwriting improvement has blown me away! (I did get him some colored, erasable markers from Japan that sparked him too) I did not enjoy reading The Jungle Book, Just So Stories or Pinocchio...basically half the year. I did use audiobooks for some of those, but it felt like a cheat on my part... I was planning to continue with level 2, but now I'm looking at these other options. Ugh! So many wonderful choices, it's a blessing and a curse! He is reading at 5th grade level, and we use AAS. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

He has done some day camps, and is generally agreeable/easy going. I think *I* am going to be the one with separation anxiety. It's 19 days, and was definitely time for the 12 year old--we need a chance to miss and appreciate each other. The 7 year old was so sad to think he wouldn't be able to go too. So, we found a camp (2.5 hours away) where they both can go. It cost an arm and a leg, so I really don't want to go pick anyone up!

Well, he is onboard for Whole 30. [emoji106] Guess I won't have a vacation from cooking, but at least no one will be nagging me for pancakes. And fwiw, we try to eat pales with dairy, in general. Bread is very difficult to keep at bay, and my husband (me too, really) loves wine. So W30 will be cleaning things up. Activity suggestions are great, thank you. Now, I just have to let go of the guilt of sending them to camp. He wants to go, if that matters at all, Terabith. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ouch Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Great idea about whole 30, I'll pitch that to him[emoji106] Thanks! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Greta, yes, you are right. Thank you! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I think he thought of fasting as more of something to try, with weight loss as a bonus. He knows about losing weight in the healthy way--we just tend to be different. I cannot have sugar or grains involved in a healthy eating/lifestyle plan. I just cannot do it in moderation, it always starts small, but avalanches, you know? He is more of a "just need to eat less food" kind of guy. I'm not adverse t trying a bone broth detox, I just don't think the first day kiddos are away is a smart day to try it.... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Is this crazy, or is it me? We are coming off a rather emotional year of homeschooling (tween boy resisting everything and erratic 7 yo boy-when he's good, he is sooooo good, but when he is bad....) and our kids are heading off to their first ever sleep away camp. The 7 year old has never even had a sleepover, or sitter. Both husband and I are significantly overweight, and he is suggesting we go on a bone broth fast as soon as the kids leave. One the one hand, I like the idea of not having to cook much...but on the other hand, I'm likely going to be a mess when they leave and adding zero food seems like a recipe for disaster. We tend to be on or off as far as eating well (to lose weight), but he also thinks we needn't diet. I feel like a lost cause sometimes.... What would you say to your husband? Would you try the fast?

You could search YouTube for a Crash Course video. There are also a couple of books: It's Probably Penny https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805073892/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_pg-mzbX07QCVH a light, but solid intro Or a little deeper: The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics https://www.amazon.com/dp/0809033593/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_al-mzbA7FYS3C

Our family struggles with physical journaling--so we have been using Good Reads. The app lets us scan the title then they give it a star rating and it goes on their "read" shelf. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you all! I'm looking into Math Mammoth, Singapore and others for him[emoji106] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks, sweet pea After I typed it all out, I wondered if he shouldn't be in something different, maybe Saxon? He has been HSing since the beginning, and used MUS early to "do school" like his big brother. I've been using it in 1st, as I've had it on hand, leftover. I guess I'll research a bit on switching it up entirely for him. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

My second grade boys assessment of the school year (1st grade) was that it was too easy. Especially math. Praise the Lord! There is hope![emoji3] So, I'm looking for some challenges for him. He is part way through MUS Beta, which has served as our spine. I have the whole LOF series, and I'm trying to encourage him to go back to that. He worked through Apples, and some Butterflies, but his brother had some toxic words that turned him off. I also have Zaccaro's Primary Math Challenge, but since we've been using the mastery approach of MUS, he hasn't encountered many of the ideas yet. So, I have been sitting with him and explains, helping him through. He had quite the Prodigy obsession in the spring, but it waned a bit. Probably because I felt he needed to learn some new material before progressing in Prodigy. He also loves various Dragonbox apps. I have BA 3 and 4, which he has read. I'm waiting for 2A to come out to buy some more practice books for him. Any other gems I'm missing for my mathy guy?

Also, Maestro Classics. They're great because they give a bit of explanation. There is curriculum that goes along with it (included with purchase), but you could use that at a later time, or not at all. Listening and exposure have the most value, and you don't want to overwhelm your sons enthusiasm [emoji445] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Winter baby, what is NT? I admit, I shouldn't have overloaded him. It's been a difficult year, we are both a bit hormonal, and he has pushed back so much I've actually looked around for boarding schools ! Fortunately, I think we are turning things around.[emoji106] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yeah, the Zeta ToC doesn't have much more meat, mostly review. He seems agreeable to light summer work when he is home (only 20 days he is not at camp or traveling abroad this summer!), so I guess I'll assign 20 minutes of BA on those days Thanks for talking me through this[emoji253] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks, Susan. I liked AoPS for pre-a, so I added BA to make sure he was adequately prepared. I do think MUS & BA round each other out nicely. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Can't seem to edit the topic. It should say Math....not Martha! What would you do? My son has been using MUS, rather happily, for all our homeschool time--since 3rd. I tried to get him into LOF, but it was a struggle. He worked through Apples, Fractions and some Decimals/Percentages. This year has been Zeta, and I decided he should work through BA in entirety [emoji15][emoji849][emoji51] He is on lesson 21 in Zeta, finished all of BA 3 and 4A (with loads of struggle/tears/resistance). I gave him a CAT test, which he aced 99%ile, etc, and had him take the "are you ready?" Test for AOPS Pre-Algebra, which he also passed. The way I see it, I have a few options: A) just stop at the end of the year, and pick up where we left off with MUS and BA, starting AOPS whenever we finish B) work a bit over the summer to "catch up" C) drop it all and start AOPS direct when we pick school back up in the fall. Despite struggles with BA (3 was hard! And I think he was resistant because I overloaded him), he is agreeable to AOPS and Alcamus. Maybe I'm making it a bigger deal than necessary, but it is really hard to let go of math! The big takeaway has been for me to not go all in with curriculum--I bought all the LOF and all the BA[emoji15] luckily I have a very mathy little one who will likely use them. So, which path would you take? Should I just let it go?