What chemistry app is that? Sounds like something mine would love!

Middle school chem only. He hasn’t done Alg 1 yet (this year). In most high schools around here Biology comes first.

Looking for suggestions for a HS Biology curriculum for DS9 next year? Would like something self-study, not an online class. I’m thinking a HS textbook should do but there’s so many options I don’t know what’s good. He’s very science oriented so I want something geared towards that. A lot of ones I saw seemed aimed towards just getting them through the basics, same for the homeschool ones. He just took a week long summer vet science course at the UW, it was designed for 4-6 grade gifted kids (he just finished 3rd), but instructor said he’s the most advanced she’s ever seen and he was understanding the material she teaches in her college bio 102 course. So trying to find something that fits...

Thats kind of how I was feeling, and he doesn’t like repetitive stuff. My one concern is there’s no self directed option for Alg and I’m afraid the regular class would be too fast. But although I thought I was good at math, I wasn’t able to help him with some of the 5th grade problems! Suggestions on that?

DS9 just finished 5th grade beast so trying to plan for next year. I had him take the “Do You Need This” for PreAlg1 and he got every question right except greatest common divisor. Then had him take the “Are you ready” for Intro to Alg A and he got them all right too. But confused because he didn’t do anything besides Beast for the last 2 yrs and they say after you finish Beast you should do PreAlg1. Thoughts?

Obviosuly he’d live at home if that age, and so would likely do UW-Madison. They only allow one course per semester for high school students. He’d have to be fully accepted as a regular student to do more.

Hes on this track in most areas, and we were looking at having him officially start high school fairly soon (needs to get through pre-algebra first) with the plan that he would likely graduate around 13 or 14 and then apply to college. So I thought he’d actually need to show Biology grades and work.

DS9 is pretty solidly through middle school science (using Real Science Odyssey and then Real Science 4 Kids Focus On series. Would like to do high school biology next year - actually give him a grade, add to transcript for college admissions. He’s definitely science oriented. A lot of the homeschool curriculums I’ve seen appear too basic. Suggestions? I bought an old Prentice Hall high school biology book on Amazon. Is that a good route or is there something better?

Thanks all for the comments. I know I shouldn't compare but it's tough. And #1 has his challenges - he could be diagnosed autistic if we wanted to go that route. He's very OCD about things, and was definitely a tough baby. Thank goodness he was my first or I would've lost my mind (I just thought that's what babies were like). He's got social issues mainly because other 6 yr olds aren't interested in the detailed facts about rocks & gems, or different breeds of chickens (his 2 current obsessions). But he's actually a lot like me so I understand him and even though it's tough at times, it's fun to learn with him (I had to get out my highschool chemistry textbooks and relearn it when he got into elements). It's not just reading or math. When he was a baby he just watched & you could tell he was always thinking. His physical milestones were average, and he didn't say a word until 2 1/2 (but signed sentences), but he did a 12 piece puzzle at 20 mths, and built his first (regular size) Lego set at 2 (followed instructions if I found the pieces). #2 is so far apart that I struggle to even teach either of them because I have to teach separately. I had always thought #2 would tag along and learn some by just being there. He's nowhere close. When he was younger I hope he'd just have different strengths, maybe he'd be good with his hands and construction stuff, but he just doesn't seem to get anything. And I'm sad because I hoped he'd be a friend for W, and I wanted them to be close. W tries really hard to teach him things but then gets frustrated when R just doesn't get it. Today he tried teaching him the difference between meat and vegetables and R just could never get it. I hope it'll change as he gets older, but I just don't see it. He just doesn't seem to ever really think or contemplate stuff. He's definitely extroverted and both W & I are introverts so maybe that's part of it. I love them all, I just wish I had done the same for both of them. I read a study from Canada which showed that one single severely stressful even in pregnancy could lower IQ by an average of 6 points (study done during massive Canadian snowstorm). So what did 9 mths of stress do? I know cortisol kills brain cells. And I know choline boosts memory (took it with W, didn't with R). I'm trying to focus on future, but I just keep thinking about what might have been.

This might be rambling, but I'm hoping this board will understand. My first son, W, is 6 yrs old and highly gifted. No IQ test yet, but I just watched an old video of him when he just turned 3, explaining the definition of simultaneous and the difference between herbivores and carnivores. He was special from the day he was born, always thinking and watching. My 2nd one, R, is 3 yrs old and K is about to be 1. They're average IQ but nothing outstanding. R can count to 10 by rote but that's about it. He's fun and sweet, but nothing special for intelligence. If that was just the way he was I'd be fine. But with W's pregnancy I did EVERYTHINg right. I ate all the right things, no sugar, took all my vitamins plus extra choline and other stuff, listened to classical music and played the baby IQ beats (forgot the name). And I wasn't stressed, I was so happy. With my other 2 I was having marriage issues and under lots of stress from fighting with hubby. I also had tough pregnancies so was on prednisone which caused sugar cravings. I never got enough sleep, I didn't take my vitamins (did take fish oil though, but not multivitamin or choline) and didn't do any of the music stuff. I'm feeling so guilty because I know those things make a difference and I keep wondering everyday what they'd be like if I had done things right. I just don't know what to do. I'm having a really hard time with the guilt. Not sure why I'm posting here but talking to friends/family about feeling guilty because kids are average IQ instead of gifted just doesn't work...

Thanks for all the advice. I just got REAL Science Odyssey and it looks like exactly what I wanted! Not too much prep work, lots of activities and pretty much open & go as long as I have supplies and books on hand (the additional reading list they offer is a great help!).

I'm looking for science suggestions for my 4 yr old (5 in March). I had seen something here before which I thought looked fantastic but can't remember what it was. He is working at a mid-1st grade math level and reads around a 4th grade level. He absolutely loves science, both reading about it and hands-on. Current obsession is dinosaurs but he really takes to just about anything. I'd like to really encourage this, and most of the kindergarten science things I find are just too simplistic. I'm also not the most creative person so while I know I theoretically could grab some library books and put things together, I do better when I have an actual step by step guide in front of me. And my public school science education was certainly lacking so I need a program that gives me the explanations for things so I can explain it to him. We've subscribed to the Magic School Bus Science kits and he enjoys them but I don't really feel they actually teach anything. Suggestions?

What is MEP?

I'm looking ft recommendations for a math program to use for my 4 yr old (will be 5 in March) which will prepare him for/transition easily to Beast Academy when he's ready. We're about to finish Math-u-See Primer and he's done great with that. I like the hands on and spiral approach. However I don't think MUS alpha is as comprehensive as I'd like. We've also been working with Miquon red and orange at the same time, I use that to supplement MUS but I feel like I need a little more structure than that has. And he seems to like having a variety to switch between. We also read LOF after math and he enjoys that but I only see it as a supplement right now (almost done with apples). Any suggestions? I've been looking at Singapore Math 1b but would love to hear if there's others I should consider as well. He enjoys it so I want to keep it fun and sometimes he needs repetitions but once he gets a topic he gets bored if it's drilled too much.

I'm in Madison, WI and love it for our family. It's a big enough city to have lots of opportunities but still a relatively small area, we have friends on all sides of town. Homeschooling is ver popular with 3 large HS groups and numerous smaller groups. Lots of programs cater to homeschoolers with class offerings: nature center, YMCA, childrens museum, gymnastics, soccer, all have HS offerings. I've heard homeschoolers are easily accepted to take early classes at either the UW or tech school. Overall Madison is highly educated, has a large international population, very liberal. We also have a great selection of ethnic restaurants, lots of cultural offerings that you wouldn't normally expect in a city this size. We're usually ranked among the top of "best places to live" rankings. Crime is relatively low and housing prices are still affordable.