My daughter is taking both this year....curious, too.

I just signed up my DD for BT's AP Literature. She has good organizational skills so hopefully that won't be an issue. The teacher's reviews and the course description both reference detailed feedback, which is at minimum what we're looking for since there is no live component. Does anyone have a read on the amount of writing feedback given in Christine Proctor's AP Lit class?

Thank you, Silver Moon. Yes, I will junk those Glencoe guides! I was feeling guilty about just reading with the kids but now I won't! RE Vocab: Do you think I can skip? I often feel that I must do vocabulary since we're not doing Latin and haven't gotten a romance language off the ground? RE Geography: I'll try but he loves geography and is constantly asking me to quiz him. He's burned through stack the states, nat geo apps, and all blank country maps of the world that I can find. He came in second in the local Nat Geo Bee and he is set on winning it next year. I think I'll lighten up history and either take it light in Vocab or not do it all together. Still seems like we'll be frantic, though. Hmmm...

Thank you, Farrar. I follow your blog and your choices have influenced ours so I really appreciate your feedback. In fact, I think you are one of the reasons why we chose Dolciani for Pre-A. :) Yes, we are taking on too much. Partially I must admit that's the case because sometimes when I log on here I often feel like my kids are so underprepared! RE Health: I guess I'm wondering where they'll learn the names of bones and muscles, the systems and how they work and are intertwined, etc in the human body. We talk a lot about health since my child and I have chronic conditions and I am always researching, but I don't remember Biology class going into much depth on human physiology. Given all the time we've spent in natural health and western MDs offices in the past five years I'm thinking that my middle school health class has served me pretty well. LOL I'll check out your Spanish recommendation and thank you for the logic curriculum tip! I haven't purchased anything yet...just putting some ideas to paper. Much gratitude!

I will have 6th and 7th graders next year and I remember taking Health class in 7th grade. My kids will be doing Biology at a drop off homeschool program, so I figure that this may be the time to teach Human Health. 1) As of right now, they think they are headed to our public high school. There is an Anatomy and Physiology class but it is an elective, so there's no guarantee that high school studies will cover it. 2) I'm not sure how to fit it in given that their schedules already are stressing me out. See below. Any veterans see areas that can be cut or postponed? I'm not a natural teacher so I need the involvement of curricula to boost my confidence. :) 3) Any recommendations for health curriculums? Secular, if that matters. THANK YOU ​Math - Pre-Algebra (finish) and Algebra I Grammar - Analytical Grammar, Figuratively Speaking Vocab - Vocabulary of Literature (MCT) Literature / Writing - Literature class online for both, Free writing on topics / Writing with a Thesis at home Read Alouds - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Across Five Aprils, Diary of Anne Frank, Watership Down (some Glencoe), more... U.S. History - Hakim Concise revision, Howard Zinn History, America: The Last Best Hope Geography - Memorial Press Geography 1 (my son is geography lover) Science - Biology at school, Story of Inventions, Magic of Reality Logic - Fallacy Detective Spanish - No idea but need something Computer Literacy - Intro to Coding online class National Geo Bee, Model UN, Travel Soccer, Skiing, Piano, Horseback Riding and Vounteering at Barn, Volunteering at homeless shelter we've been with for 7 yrs, UU religious education classes

I want to thank the board for the recommendation for an online French class. We just signed up for Language City Academy's French I class. I was referred to G3Online via this board but they didn't offer French 1A in the spring. They recommended I contact their teacher about online tutoring. The tutoring was out of our price range but he teaches another more reasonably priced class via Language City ($250 Jan-May online class, $195 for the webinar only). They need 3 more students to start the class, so if anyone's looking for an online french class for their middle or high schooler, it's an option. I have no experience to vouch for the class, obviously. I hope this is ok to post here. Thanks again. http://www.languagecityacademy.com

Hi thanks for the input! 1) I did some research and charter schools in our area for 9-12 aren't an option it seems. 2) That's helpful to know! 3) The 9 year old is probably too young to judge and the 11 yo is taking an online 7-8th grade writing class and her teacher seems to believe she is ahead of many of her high schoolers. I think that might be a stretch. She's average in math.

It's like you wrote that article just for me. Going into the bookmark to refer to again later. Thank you!

Thank you both for taking the time to type that out! I really appreciate it. In talking to other homeschoolers, I'd sometimes feel that there was a secret magic map to getting through the high school process that I didn't know but it seems like it's best to watch how your children and the options develop, while continually being sure they are appropriately challenged.

Please excuse my ignorance. We're still pretty new to homeschooling. I have an 11 and 9 yo and have been pondering what their future education could look like if we remain in the area where we are living now and don't go back to public schools. I've been curious lately about how homeschool kids transition to community college classes. Specifically, I was wondering what kind of preparation is necessary to allow high school aged students to take community college classes? How do you know they are ready? Also, are AP classes online preferred over community college classes? How do you know when / if you child is ready for these higher level classes? There doesn't seem to be rigorous, secular homeschool co-op options in our area so I'm assuming I'll be leaning heavily on online classes and community college classes. Forgive me if I'm opening a big can of worms or if this has been discussed endlessly. I searched but I just confused myself even more. Maybe the answer to my questions is you know when you get there and it's impossible to plan... Thank you! ;)

combo of Fix IT Grammar and Language Lessons.

I met him a couple times in IRL as well, and I just feel terrible for his daughter and wife. May he rest in peace.

I think I need to get familiar with block scheduling; the addition of Logic and Vocabulary in 4th grade is making our days for next year seem ridiculous! I'm new to homeschooling (this is our first year), so I'm still learning the ropes. 4th Grade Math - Singapore 4A and 4B Challenging Word Problems - 3 Logic - Logic Kickoff (Begin January) Grammar - IEW Fix It! Grammar Vocab - Caesar’s English Spelling - Spelling Workout E Writing - IEW SWI/A and FFF Theme Book History/Geo - Middle Ages - SOTW Map Drawing / Geography Science - Loosely following Mr. Q - Earth Science; mostly books and documentaries and walks Memorization - IEW Poetry Read Aloud - Shakespeare and Classics (me - Teaching Shakespeare and Teaching the Classics) Independent Reading - Science, History, Mythology, Classics Literary Analysis - (me- Deconstructing Penguins) French - Duolingo and videos Art - Drawing through History 793 - 1600 (Jan - June) National Mythology Exam Possibly 4H or possibly co-op Travel Soccer, Yoga, Skiing Piano Lessons - Suzuki Religious Education - Fall and Spring Classes 3rd grade same except no Vocab, no Logic, Spanish instead of French, and Spelling Workout D

My daughter has camped at Frost Valley a couple of times! She loved the experience but I'm not sure she'd survive the food there all week, especially as a gluten free girl. :) (as a sleep away camp, that is) But I'm looking into it.

Local camps are starting to have open houses and they have me thinking about what the ultimate summer experience would be for my kids. I'm not sure. Endless hours of leisure and free play with lots of access to art and projects? Some great independent experiences, such as stays with relatives/cousins? A memorable road trip? A cool nature camp? A Fresh Air Fund child to stay with us? We live in NJ so we have access to a wide variety of camps and experiences and to NYC. What we don't have is lots of kids available for free play all summer. Kids are 9yo DD and 7.5 yo DS. How do you plan your kids' summer? What would you do if you had 'carte blanche' in your local area?