They are different. I'm not sure I can do a good job describing it. Beast is the traditional scope and sequence for each grade, but it goes deeper and in interesting directions. Borac is more like the harder problems you see in Math Kangaroo for example. Both aim to develop problem solving skills. Borac is not a full curricula though and NOT cute or colorful. Black and white, plain vanilla. What is nice is that there are full solutions in the back like Beast has. Especially helpful when the adult needs a hint as to where to start!

Zaccaro Challenge Math books, Borac Competitive Math books, Hands On Equations by Borenson, Balance Benders from Critical Thinking Company, Fan Math Express Math Strategies (for mental math techniques) Life of Fred as well...but strictly for fun. These are in the queue for at some point in the next year or two: Michael Serra's books (Pirate Math, Smart Moves, Patty Paper Geometry), Jacobs' Mathematics: A Human Endeavor and Descartes Cove We also do a lot of logic over here.

Are you using SM Intensive Practice or the Challenging Word Problems? The main spine of SM is generally too easy. Many people opt for the TB + IP + CWP. I actually use BA a level behind SM to go deeper. Unfortunately, I don't schedule BA, so I'm not sure. If we were to do it everyday, I don't think one book would last more than a month for us. This is why I use a lot of different math resources.

Since I homeschool, I have chosen to keep my son in his grade because he is emotionally sensitive and small for his age. He is right at the cutoff for his grade, so we have even opted to keep him older in the grade rather than the youngest. With homeschooling, I don't really feel that access to challenging materials and rigorous and interesting classes are an issue. When he is older, gaining access to college level coursework either online at in person (CC or university) will not be an issue in our area. We choose go wide and deep rather than grade skip. It gives us time to explore and meander. It is important to us to preserve his childhood and let him be a kid even though his ability is beyond his physical age. After all, as my husband says, what's on the other side of graduation but work. I would imagine this would be an entirely different issue if we were not homeschooling and had to work within the confines of traditional schooling. Everyone's situation has to be evaluated given whatever resources are available to that family.

Super Science Concoctions is a pretty fun book to do together. You can usually find it at the library. https://www.amazon.com/Super-Science-Concoctions-Mysterious-Williamson/dp/0824968034/ref=sr_1_143?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492149641&sr=1-143&keywords=experiments+kids Candy Experiments is also fun as well. My library has this is circulation. https://www.amazon.com/Candy-Experiments-Loralee-Leavitt/dp/1449418368/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492149719&sr=1-1&keywords=candy+experiments

It's ok...I think all of us spend an inordinate amount of time going round and round. Ananemone makes a good point though above. Unlike other areas, Sacha has two opportunties. The normal ranged GATE type program (2 SDs) and the specialized Seminar GATE program which is specifically targeted for the 3 SDs and above. He seems from your description to thrive on the social energy about being around people. Maybe based on the CogAt that you are taking he may qualify for the latter. Mine is wired pretty different. Extended time in groups drains him. So, he needs to equal amount of down time to recover. All day programs just aren't in the cards for us right now.

SeaConquest, I thought this discussion on Davidson about Epsilon Camp was pretty illuminating about the nature of the camp and what it is actually like. My son likes and enjoys math. He is mathy, but I would not say he loves math. He does like and enjoy math circle. I can clearly see what loving something looks like for him. He loves science to the point at which he spends his free time doing science experiments, reading books about science and will talk to anyone who listens about that. He will always head to the non-fiction section to search for books, and I have to encourage him to read fiction selections as well. He is not like that about math. My impression from the linked thread and in hearing what a counselor (son of a mom I know) said...those are the kids who this camp is passionate about reaching. HTH. http://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/BB/ubbthreads.php/topics/117507/1.html

Although my other thought is whether or not the WTMA AOPS class would be an option. The pacing is also not a quick. It's a different sort of live class. Maybe she can look at the sample videos of Heather Q's classes to see if she might like it?

ditto on the Stretch class pacing.

I know a family who just sent their son to LeTourneau University to study mechanical engineering. He's very happy there. He had other options but chose this one for the reasons you outlined above.

There are lots of extra options for LFC. You have the Thinkers Cap academy if you want an online version instead of the books/DVD version. There's Headventureland which is all kinds of awesome for practice for $20 for the year. We actually are signing up for the Schole Academy class for LFC A. For us, I'm willing to spring for certain online courses. Foreign language is one of those things.

If you are talking about the online live classes, then you would do general science (7th or 8th), physical science (8th or 9th), biology, chemistry (you usually need algebra finished before this point) and then physics if you are following a traditional high school science sequence. Or you could choose any other the other high school science courses instead of physics. Depending what you are trying to do for high school, specific graduation requirements where you live, and for future collegiate studies (STEM, liberal arts, level of rigor, etc.), this usually dictates how early you start with science and the types of courses you would take and for how many years.

I got some wise advice a few years back about homeschooling which I think often gets missed. What is your mission statement for homeschooling? I know that kind of seems a bit odd...why would you need a mission statement, but it drills down to the why are you homeschooling. This is essentially the north star that keeps me centered through this journey. I think this is what the other boardies are getting at up thread. We are lucky both of us live in SD where there is an overabundance of options available. Though sometimes I think that might make decision making harder than a clear cut situation where there are zero/minimal resources available. I'm not a "homeschooling is the only choice" advocate. I think it is highly circumstantial and only you know what is best at this time in this season for you and for yours. Maybe it is homeschooling. Maybe it is a different public charter option. Maybe it is trying out public school gifted programs for awhile to explore that fit. I've seen people come in and out of various options as life happens and circumstances change.

I don't know if you are aware, but there is a program beyond GATE in your area. I'm in a different district than you are in. I believe they switched away from Raven and are now using CogAt. If you are in the SDUSD, the Gate Cluster program is at 98th percentile. Then there is the Seminar program which serves students testing in the 99h percentile. The testing for this is done in 2nd grade for entrance at 3rd grade.

I don't know if this is of any help to you...but I was actually in the room while my son was being tested. My observation was that Sarah was really patient and took her time to make sure he understood what was being asked. She also offered breaks throughout as needed for him if she noticed attention drifting or he was wiggly. We sat for the Woodcock Johnson test not the Kaufman, so I can't speak to how that would have been different though. I'm sorry that you are feeling frustrated.

Hard copy...the physical act of turning and feeling pages increases encoding of information in the brain and by extension retention. While I have no problem with screens, I prefer to minimize and not maximize usage as it messes with your eyes and ability to sleep if done excessively.

Dr. Callahan has DVDs that go with Jacobs if you need extra support.

I will be headed this way next year, and I have no desire to rush to Calculus. I want to wrap up SM and BA. I don't have an exact timeline because I have seen the payoff running math circle with a local professor how important (and inspiring) meandering and marinating in problem solving can be. When my son first started math circle, it was a bit rough. Fast forward now 2 years later, he LOVES math circle. His tolerance for making mistakes (so important!), learning from the mistakes, and stamina in working on a single problem for an hour has grown so much. He even complained that we are missing the next one because we have a vacation planned saying that he would rather not go than miss math circle. There are actually two math circles in our area. The uber competitive, intense one that the AOPS people are associated with and our little noncompetitive homeschooling one w. I've gathered AOPs pre-A, Zaccaro, Borac, LOF, Michael Serra's books (pirate math, smart moves, patty paper), Jacob's Human Endeavor, Descartes Cove, and a bunch of other stuff to dip in and out of as we move along. Sometimes, going quickly and other times going off on bunny trials.

I can tell you that when I teach my classes at co-op, I preferred to limit my class to 12. It's weird, but when I let it be 13...it was harder for me to manage the class. 12 was always small enough to interact with each student. It was also small enough that I could make sure each child got to participate and not just observe. I'm currently teaching my 5th class.

I am moving on to LFC A next year. I am planning to subscribe to Headventureland for online practice. My son really loved the Headventureland for SSL1. The first 3 chapters for the program are here. It's $19.95 for the year. http://headventureland.com/moodle/course/view.php?id=3&section=1

Since you are afterschooling, I would do Fan Math Process Skills books instead of Challenging Word Problems as there is more instruction in there. Depends on the kid, average math student tb/wb or a strong student tb and IP books and HIG so that you can do the conceptual teaching activities.

I thought AP Biology is being offered by Wilson Hill Academy.

I agree with shinyhappypeople's comment. I'm in SD. Sometimes, it boggles my mind when people so frequently ask which charter you are with when you say that you homeschool as if people have never heard that you can actually homeschool privately. Then again, in SD, this area has more charter options that I could ever possibly keep track. I am actually part of the leadership of a homeschool co-op (170 families) that is majority private homeschoolers, so we work had to build that community especially for our upper graders. If I were still in the living in NorCal, I would have to be working a lot harder to find and create that for my kiddo. Our leadership has noticed a change in the type of homeschooling family. The sense of "mission" as a homeschooler seems to be missing. We've been shifting our focus in the last couple of years to emphasize community and mutual support rather than being perceived as a supplier of classes and events. It's definitely pretty hard work and like pushing a rock uphill...

Do you know about the Concise History of US by Hakim (4 volumes) that is published by K12? You can easily get all 4 used for about $20.

Also, this is Christian news magazine for kids. There are different editions depending on the age level. https://www.gwnews.com/subscriptions.php