Melabella
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Posts posted by Melabella
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Melabella,
I'm going to do CPO with my 8th grader and EE with my 6th grader (letting a 3rd grader watch and "help").
I've tried to combine CPO with EE like you're talking about so that the older one can use the EE lab stuff, but the TOCs don't line up very well. The same topics are covered, but the order isn't the same. I just decided to let each child follow the TOC as is because combining them didn't work.
Have you successfully combined these two?
One more question.... would you think I would need to buy two EE experiment supplies- one for each of my older kids? Or, can they both use just one? I was soooo relieved when the rep from CPO told me that the experiments from EE would work with the CPO stuff. CPO's lab supplies are in the neighborhood of $2000!
No, I have never even seen CPO Physical Science. We attempted to use CPO Earth & Space this year, but the labs ended up being the downfall of that program. I was most definitely not going to spend thousands of dollars on CPO's kits and I need a kit!
You do not need to buy two EE supply kits. In fact, I heard the author say that while each student might want their own kit, one can be shared if two aren't in the budget. I guess it just depends on how well your kids share. ;)
Good luck!
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Anyone else have a chance to see the advanced level vs. the intermediate?
The teaching tool is, I think, a CD-ROM rather than a DVD - meaning it's interactive. I do like that.
I didn't really answer you questions, did I? Yes, the advanced scope is the same as the intermediate, but it does go deeper and has different labs. The online portion is interactive which is a plus in my book, too.
Your 5th/6th grader should be able to do most of the work independently. I'd imagine some assistance would be needed with the projects.
Here's something to consider: When combining students, they recommend buying the higher level package and adding on the lab pack for the younger student. However, you could buy the Intermediate level package for your 5th grader and have your older student do the Advanced level labs in addition to CPO. I recommend this only because the older child may be envious of your younger student's labs. In fact, a woman at the booth next to me anticipated that she would have that problem if she purchased the program for only one child. Alternatively, you could just have the older child assist the younger one with the labs.
I probably wouldn't use this as is for a high school credit science, but I think it is perfect for late elementary through middle school.
Hope that helps!
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I have been to the Exploration Education website several times and always thought it seemed overpriced. However, I had the opportunity to check it out at the Greenville convention last week and was thoroughly impressed. It may not be as rigorous as BJU, but it certainly is a full course with an excellent lab component. I love the fact that the program comes with ALL of the lab supplies because that seems to be my road block to getting science done on a regular basis.
Okay, so you have the online lessons, a text and lab notebook, and the lab supplies. There are 5 online lessons per topic. The author said you could do 1 lesson per day, or lessons 1 - 3 on day 1 and lessons 4 and 5 together on day 2 or separate on days 2 and 3.
Labs: At the Advanced level (grades 7 - 9?), they construct a glider and a stick frame house complete with wiring. The Intermediate level has the student buidling a scale and race car. There were many other projects as well, but those are really caught my eye. They truly looked like quality, fun labs. I wanted to do the labs and I hate physical science.
I think most 7th or 8th graders could do this fairly independently. You could easily add in some living books on the topics if you want. So, yeah, I will be using this for physical science. I had planned to do life science next year, but, honestly, I'm so excited by this program that I'm considering doing physical next year and life the following year for 8th.
*I promise I do not work for EE in any way, shape, or form. I just REALLY fell liked what I saw. Keep in mind that science is not my strong suit at all and I haven't actually used the program yet. And, if anyone posts a negative review, I'm going to plug my ears and close my eyes, because I have never been excited about a science curriculum before.
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My plans are still tentative and in a constate state of flux. Like julesnpebbles, we're considering Challenge A. I'm hesitant to give up my control over my dd's curriculum, but she would benefit from the interaction and discussion with others. Anyway, if we don't do CC, this is what I have planned:
Math: Lial's Introductory Algebra, slowly
Science: ClassiQuest Biology + Plato Life Science
Grammar and Spelling: CLE 700
Vocabulary: Word Within the Word Level I
Writing: A mish-mash of Essay Voyage, IEW US History Based, and my own thing based on TWTM and Lively Art of Writing
Logic: Art of Argument and the 2 Critical Thinking History books by Kevin O'Reilley mentioned in TWTM
French: Finish First Form I and then onto First Form II - We also use some workbooks and readers as supplements
History: I'lll be putting together my own thing using TWTM recommendations and a few other sources.
Geography: Runkle's Introduction to World Geography (We're doing this slowly over 2 to 2.5 years adding it in when we can.)
Lit Study: Selections from LL8 in the fall and LL Early to Mid 19th Century American in the Spring + books from TWTM list (We'll do most but not all of the LL courses- I'm planning to put off To Kill A Mockingbird until 8th grade and Scarlet Letter until high school.)
Art: Art History incorporated into our History lessons; pottery lessons
Music: Guitar lessons, Voice lessons, and Choir at a local hs co-op
PE: Archery with 4-H and Tennis
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English - Stewart English (recommended in my 1st ed WTM for grammar) books 1 and 2 and Lightning Lit Early to Mid 19th Century British for fall and Early to Mid 19th Century Americanfor spring. While I liked LL's middle school program, I've been unhappy with the supposedly high school level materials. The readings are challenging, but there's not a lot of support -- just some background material, and honestly not even as much of that as one could find with SparkNotes for free on-line. And the writing assignments are just ridiculous -- not even *remotely* what I would expect of a college-bound high school student. Luckily, since we're using it for middle school, we've been able to adapt to make it work for our needs. I didn't really *expect* my child to be writing high school papers this year. But we won't be using LL again.
Hi Abbeyej -
For my 7th grader next year, I'm planning to use LL8 in the fall and LL Early to Mid 19th Century American in the spring. I've heard from multiple sources that the Lightning Lit. high school level courses are rather disappointing, just as you've stated above. I'm not necessarily looking for high school level writing instruction. Primarily, I want gentle but thoughtful literary analysis of works from that time period. Do you think it is at all worthwhile for a 7th grader or would you recommend using something else?
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The lymph nodes behind my ears often swell when I'm sick. It also happened once when I was not and had not been sick. Considering my father had passed away from cancer about a year before, I freaked out and immediately went to my doctor. I told him what was wrong; he took one look at me and asked if I had dyed my hair recently. I had - one of those do-it-yourself kits from the drugstore. I'm guessing I didn't do a good job since he asked right away. :tongue_smilie: Anyway, the chemicals caused the lymph nodes to swell horribly. I was back to normal a few days later.
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So far I've gotten the following for my 11.5 dd:
new bike - the schwinn delmar cruiser bike
compound bow set, extra arrows, target
lots of games - Mindflex, Loopz, Bop-it Bounce, and a few others
lava lamp
1000 piece puzzle
nightgown and 2 sets of pajamas
Red Pyramid book
Little Women - a hardcover, illustrated, unabridged version
The Wrinkle in Time Quintet box set
Bath and Body Works stuff
Earrings
Purse
Watch - one of those new jelly kind
jacket
peace sign belt
a few t-shirts
calendar
fleece no-sew blanket
bath wrap
peace sign bookends
cell phone (which is only for use when she is at home alone as we no longer use a land line)
Candie's sweater boots
stocking stuffers
She's also getting the Elizabeth and Felicity AG dolls and one of the AG beds from my mother. We might get her speakers for her I-Pod, too, but I'm not sure yet.
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Thank you, Susan!
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My oldest is gifted and has a terrible time with this also...understands the concept but makes the "stupid" mistakes. What has helped her remember to recheck her work for those mistakes has been allowing her to do a lot less work if she gets all the initial practice problems right. Just knowing if she checks and catches those mistakes her math work is cut in half:) has made a world of difference. Suddenly those silly mistakes almost NEVER happen.
I do this, too, and it really motivates my dd. She is mildly dyslexic, but very good at math. She rarely makes a math error that isn't jsut carelessness. For her daily lessons, I mark the problems she gets wrong and she must re-work them. If she misses a problem again, then we work it together. If the error is clearly an issue of understanding the concept, I go over those problems with her first before having her redo any other missed problems.
Both of these strategies have significantly improved her scores. When I started homeschooling her in 3rd grade, it was not unsual for her to miss nearly half of the problems due to reversals and other careless errors. She rarely makes anything lower than a 90 on quizzes and tests now and she is working a grade ahead.
Also, as others have recommended, be sure your child has automatic recall of all math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division). That will really help, too!
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I want to preface this by saying that my dh and I have been trying to have a second child for 10 years. It sounds like we may have some of the same medical issues which have caused the infertility. I wholeheartedly understand your guilt in thinking you should have done things differently.
I turned 36 this summer and my biological clock is now ticking quite loudly. If or when we have another child my dd will be at a minimum 12 years older. Is that how I imagined my family? No. Is it ideal? Most people would say 'no'. Does the age gap concern me at all? No.
My dh and I do not hope to have another child for our dd's sake. We want another child because...well, because WE do. What was the reason you decided to have your first child?
Honestly, I do not personally know any set of siblings who are each other's best friends. I truly do not. My two cousins are 13 months apart and polar opposites. They had a typical sibling relationship, but they did not "hang-out" together in their teen years. Today, they still have a good relationship, but they live in separate states and have completely different lifestyles. My husband and her sister are 2.5 years apart. Again, they are typical siblings. Deep down they love one another and would defend/help one another without question; however, they are polar opposites and aren't really "friends" at all. I could go on and on with anectdotal stories.
On the other hand, my best friend during my school years and my current best friend were/are both only children. I have previously asked them if they longed for siblings as a child. Both of them told me that while they sometimes thought it would be nice, they also realized the advantages of being an only.
(Saying this gently) If your son is expressing great sadness over not having a playmate/sibling, I would bet that you are projecting your feelings onto him, albeit unintentionally. It would concern me if, after three years, my 7-year old son had not made any friends. I know that it isn't as easy as it sounds. I live in a city that I despise and I have virtually nothing in common with most of the residents. I personally have only 1 person I consider a true friend, and then some friendly acquaintances. I have to make a concerted effort to allow my daughter opportunities to make and foster friendships. I have never found the park to be a good place to start friendships; however, it is a good place to meet up with friends once the relationship has been established. You need an activity that provides regular, preferablly weekly, contact. Is your son on any sports teams? Scouts? Homeschool groups? Start there. Watch who your child connects with, make small talk with that child's parent(s), and then be willing to set up play dates. Do not wait for the other parent to do the inviting.
I'm sorry this is so long and I hope you realize I am not patronizing you. I have walked in your shoes and I know it is tough. :grouphug:
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My dd is 11 and dyslexic with some dysgraphia issues. We have previously used FLL and Growing with Grammar. My dd speaks with correct grammar nearly 100% of the time; however, remembering and identifying the parts of speech has been the bane of my existience for 4 years now. Well, that and spelling!
I chose Rod & Staff for this year because of its reputation. I wanted the "best" and "most rigorous." After reviewing the materials and completing the first two chapters, I feel that the accolades are warranted. However, I didn't realize that it is a mastery program and not what will work for my dyslexic dd. I also did not care for the layout of the TM, but that may just be me. My dd would not be able to work independently at all through R&S.
After I realized R&S was not going to work for us, it occurred to me that CLE might be a good fit because it is spiral and she has done extremely well with their math. I ordered CLE 500 two weeks ago and my dd just started LU502 today. We did 501 orally while I decided if it was a keeper. I actually meant to order 600, but goofed. I'm glad I did because 500 includes some things we have not covered. My dd prefers that I go over the "lesson" with her, but then she is able to work somewhat independently. I am usually working nearby and available to answer questions or provide guidance as needed. Most children without learning disabilities should be able to use CLE independently. We skip the penmanship portions and do only some of the spelling. We use something else for writing and spelling, but most of the spelling exercises include other skills such as identifying synonyms/antonyms or part of speech which make them worthwhile. I did not order the TM or answer key and I don't feel that I need either at this point. We are both happier with this approach. Honestly, though, I haven't really noticed much of an improvement in her retention; it may just be too soon to tell. I can see that it is a better fit for her and I'm hopeful!
All of this to say that I think either would work for your dd, but CLE would be a better fit for your ds. CLE, hands down, would be less work/time consuming for you. If your dc haven't had much grammar, I would definitely advise you give them each the placement test to determine the appropriate levels. The 500 level already assumes knowledge of diagramming and past/present participles. You will probably want to start at a lower level.
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I honestly don't remember what year our Santa Fe was, but around that time. Perhaps a few years earlier. It was hands down the best car we ever had. We had it for six years until it was totaled in an accident. We never had any problems with it and it fit our needs very well. Just routine maintenance: tires, brakes, and battery after about 5 years.
When we went to purchase a replacement vehicle, we went looking for a used (2 years old) Santa Fe, but we found a better deal on a Kia Sorento which is essentially the same thing. We love it, too!
I was very hesitant to purchase a Hyundai or Kia. The first few years we owned the Santa Fe, I cringed anytime I had to tell someone what type of car we had (sad, I know). I'm over that now. I like the way they look, they are safe, they are well-built, and they are reasonably priced.
Oh, I will tell you this, though. Sam's and Wal-mart, at least in my area, do not carry the tires or battery for my Kia. That may or may not matter to you. We found tires at an independent place and Advance Auto Parts carries the battery.
ETA: Gas Mileage. Hmmm. I'm not sure of the exact number. Probably in the mid-twenties. Gas has been running $2.45 in my town and it takes about $40 to fill my tank. I generally travel within a 20 mile radius of my home, running errands most every day, and that tank will last me 10 days to 2 weeks. It's better than some, but not nearly as good as my husband's Ford Escape (35+/mpg). Hope that helps!
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:grouphug: We euthanized our cat this past Tuesday. She had acquired feline lukemia. It was difficult for us, but it was the right thing to do. She stopped eating and excreting waste on Sunday. Also, she could no longer walk without falling over due to the neurological side-effects of the disease. My husband said that the sedative stopped her heart before they even administered the other drugs. She was that weak. :grouphug:
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I haven't had time to plan our CPO Earth Science course because I'm still trying to work out a literature/history plan with TOG Y2 AND all of the creative options swimmermom has presented. I keep telling myself that we don't have to do it all...but it all sounds so good.
:bigear: OP, I'd love to hear more details about how you are planning this course, and how you are making the labs work at home.
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You are not alone. I have this problem, too.
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I will be starting TOG Y2 with my only child this fall.
It is expensive, but no more so than SL (I used SL two years ago). However, I purchased most of the books for both curriculums through amazon, half.com, or a local used book store. There are a few TOG books I decided not to purchase due to price, and will be substituting or just omitting them. Your library may have many of the books, but mine did not.
TOG provides SO much more for the money than SL, though. It really is too much. You must be able/willing to pick and choose or it could easily consume your whole day! The quantity, quality, and rigor of the TOG materials far exceeds those of SL - in my opinion. :)
If you did not study ancient history material this year, then definitely start with Y1.
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Melanie, what year of TOG are you looking at for next year? Can you just sub in on the ones you don't like? I really like LLfLOTR but my youngest who will be in 7th grade next year, isn't really ready yet either. I've written before how he is the non-book lover in a house full of books. He has changed so much this year and has enjoyed both our book selection and the literary analysis, so maybe he will be ready in 8th grade. In the meantime, I'll still use the LLfLOTR units that pertain to what we are doing.
For history next year, I am using a combination of Suzanne Strauss Art's books and a list from another board member whose ancient history list I really liked. We are going for simple. History overwhelmed our science program this year and that can't happen again.
I am starting TOG at Y2 Unit 1 which I'm now reading on another thread is a difficult thing to do. :eek:
I love the way you are using LLfLOTR over several years as it fits in with your other lit/history studies. My dd loves to read and reads well above grade level, but her writing skills are not up to par. Also, she is on the young end for her grade with an August birthday, so she really is probably not ready for that much analysis. I may pick it up used if I can find it at a good price, but I'll also be anxiously awaiting your review of the Duke TIP Arthur unit. At this point, my literature plan is to use what I like from TOG, add selections from TWTM list with SWB's questions, and work through Figuratively Speaking. Maybe adding in the Duke unit.
As much as I enjoy history, I know exactly what you mean about it overwhelming other subjects. I had the same feeling at the end of our Sonlight year. Then, this year we tried History Odyssey and I feel like we barely touched history (other than Greek Myths becuase my daughter is now obsessed with them). I hope TOG won't overshadow our other subjects, but I know I want more than outline this page from the encyclopedia, label this map, write a narration. I want the discussion, the depth that TOG brings.
Thanks to both you and Mariann for helping me think this through.
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I don't know if this will work for you, but I am going to use TOG only for History and Geography -granted it's for three children: two UG and one D, but that way they are all in the same history time period - they were not this past year and it drove me nuts.
I am pretty much decided on Mosdos for the two UG for literature, and not sure about rising 6th grader, but probably LL or LLoLOTR - have to decide - leaning towards saving LLoLOTR for 7th grade. And, I will use Figuratively Speaking - we may start that over the summer.
Just thought I would share.:)
Thanks for sharing, Mariann. I may do just that. Figuratively Speaking has been sitting on my shelf all year and I have promised myself that I will implement it next year.
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Lisa,
Thanks so much for your reply. I had typed a lengthy response earlier, but lost my intrnet connection just before submitting. Argh!
I had been entralled with TOG for the past year or more. Well, I finally took the plunge and purchased year 2 last month. I haven't studied the entire year in depth, but i have to say I'm underwhelmed so far. There are parts of it I really like and need, but I'm just not sure if it will be a good fit for us. Mostly, I want more and different literature. I guess I knew that from the beginning, and I always thought that I would add the Duke TIP unit and additional books from the TWTM list. Now, I'm wondering if I'm delusional in thinking that we will have time for TOG and additional lit.
After reading this thread, I'm thinking LLLOTR may be the better way to go. However, I'm concerned my dd will be a little young for it. Does the student need to be comfortable writing essays for LLLOTR?
Also, if you aren't going to continue with TOG for history next year, what are you going to use?
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Swimmermom, are you using the TOG literature in addition to LLLOTR, and LL?
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Looked at MCT at the convention and decided it was the end of the road there for us, not continuing on past CE2. But that's just us.
I really don't want to hijack this thread...but, I'm curious why you decided not to continue with MCT, OhElizabeth. You can PM me if you prefer.
To impish - I think taking a break from TOG and using SOTW is a good plan. However, I would be sure to add lots of supplemental reading (historical fiction and non-fiction) throughout the year. TWTM has a reading list for logic stage history by year. You could also have her do a research paper on a particular historical event or person from the time period you are studying.
Advice needed--what would you do if you had to suddenly homeschool on the road? xpost
in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges
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:grouphug: I'm sorry about your father.
Having been in that situation before, I would recommend dropping everything except math and use the library heavily for reading material. Require them to check out a variety of books - literature, science, history, biographies, poetry, etc. You could also have them write summaries/narrations of their reading. The 7th/8th grader could use the list of literature questions from TWTM also.
If you are open to switching math programs, I second the CLE suggestion. Their Language Arts is also wonderful and can be worked fairly independently. It's relatively inexpensive and compact. You could even have the books delieverd to your parent's address.
Other that reading books about history and science, I'd let all instruction in that area go for now. No matter what happens, the time spent with your father will be much more valuable than any school lesson. Ask me how I know.