I'm looking for ideas on how to come up with a grade for AOPS. If there are tests available, I haven't been able to find them. My dd is just beginning Intro. to Algebra and it is going well so far, but I feel a little uncomfortable trying to come up with a grade for her. When we used Singapore I used to use the Reviews and the Mid-term assessments from the IP books as a sort of "test". Should I use the chapter review problems in AOPS the same way? Anyway, for those who have btdt or are in the midst of it as I am, any ideas on coming up with a letter grade using this program? (We LOVE it, by the way :001_smile:)

:party: ...but I think Senator Maloney needs to be watched like a hawk from here on out.

Thank you for this link :001_smile:

Not Ellen, but here is a link to HSLDA's alert for the situation and it includes a list of committee members with phone numbers. Edit: Oh nvm, you wanted the other (ad hoc?) committee members.... oops:blush:

I've never seen LfC, but I just wanted to put in my two cents on the LC DVDs. My dd is in LCII now, and we used the DVDs with LCI as well. I've read people have a negative opinion of them, but I honestly don't see why. I've asked my dd and she doesn't get the negativity either. I have a (rusty) Latin background, but I bought the DVDs to save myself some time in our school day. Anyway, just wanted to let you know, not everyone hates the DVDs. We like them here. Latin gets done. I am thinking of switching to something different once we are done with LCII, but that is more due to wanderlust on my part...

DH leaves at about 8AM, comes home for a 1/2 hour lunch at noon, and gets home between 4:30 and 5:00 (usually closer to 5). We live a block from the building he works in though, so there is no "commute" to speak of. He sometimes stays later than that, but that is not the norm. At his previous job, he worked 10-12 hour days 6-7 days per week. That's why he looked for a different job... That place was just plain nuts.

Woot! I just got mine today.

I was alone in our new (to us) house at the time. Our furniture hadn't been delivered yet, so it was just me with a boombox and a borrowed cellphone. I was painting the living room. My dd was with Grandma and my dh was at work. I had been listening to a CD all morning, so I was clueless. At about noon I decided to turn on the radio and I had a lot of trouble trying to understand the news report I was hearing. They were talking about planes being grounded all across the country. I just didn't understand what I was hearing. I called my dh at work and he told me the WTC was gone. I truly didn't understand what he meant by "gone". We spent the evening at my in-laws' house glued to the television.

I never got mine either.

Welcome!

I have Fiestaware. Good quality stuff. My soup bowls from 1998 still look beautiful. A few have broken, but that is because I dropped them.

My dd10 has just started R&S Spelling 6. She's on Lesson 8 right now. I have noticed Spelling takes her a little longer than it did last year, so 6 is a bit of a jump up from 5. My dd is not a "natural" speller, but R&S has been very effective for her. I'm using it a grade above my dd's grade level (she would be in the fifth grade this year if she were enrolled in the public school). So far she is doing very well with it. I think she has only missed one word on her quizzes so far this year. I even suggested switching spelling programs with her when I saw how much longer the exercises were this year, but she insisted she wanted to stick with it. ETA: I thought I should add here that I suspect one of the reasons Spelling may be taking longer is that starting with R&S 6, they leave the workbooks behind and the exercises have to be copied out onto separate paper. My dd has issues with that regardless of the subject. So, if your children don't have a problem with copying things out, it may not be as big of a jump from R&S 5.

This is really good. Chocolate and Peanut Butter Streusel Cake

A Base-10 set is very handy. The HIG uses Base-10 sets in the explanations on occasion. I use Miquon with Singapore and I really think using the Cuisenaire rods lead into SM's bar diagrams nicely.

We like: Aleppo Pepper Sandwich Sprinkle Vindaloo Seasoning Tsardust Memories Ozark Seasoning Pizza Seasoning I can't remember its exact name, but they have a toasted onion powder that is really amazing. It might be called Toasted Onion Powder... Anyway, I get most of our herbs and spices from Penzey's actually. I refill my many spice jars from their bulk bags. Those are the ones I wouldn't want to live without that I can't buy from some other source locally.

I just showed my dd4 a number line for the first time this week. I think they are useful. Like a previous poster said, I'd be concerned if it was the only thing one was using... Hooray for number lines? :001_smile:

You wouldn't end up with 2 cups of flour. There are 2 "1/2 cups" in 1 cup of flour. Make sense?

Eh, well I'm kind of a slave driver in some ways. I make my kids finish the entire workbook, repetitious or not. We skip some of the textbook practices. I don't make them do the repetitious stuff in the IPs. Some of the sections in there are looong. I understand that sometimes they get it already and don't need the repetition, but my kids seldom complain over the length of a Singapore workbook assignment. I do get foot dragging over the textbook practices. I am actually considering cutting those out entirely, but I like that they have to learn how to neatly copy out the problem onto separate paper. Sigh.

I will not comment on whether I think it is a good idea to combine the particular programs you are using because, of the ones you list, I am only familiar with Singapore. I use the HIG, Textbook, Workbook, Intensive Practice books and Challenging Word Problems books for each level (and I use all the books on the same level). However, I am using Singapore as my primary math program, not as a supplement. If you are intending to use Singapore as a supplement, I would personally rethink going with the HIG, workbook, textbook combo and just supplement with the Challenging Word Problems or Intensive Practice books. At least that is what I would do if I were using another program as my "spine". I haven't seen the new CWP books, but my old out-of-print ones have intructions for how to make bar diagrams before each problem set, so the text and HIG would not be necessary for teaching them. Even the IP's will have example problems done for you to show what they want the child to do to solve some of the problems. ETA: Oh, and we use the US Edition.

Excellent find btw :001_smile:. I think the First Grade Diary and the Notes to Teachers are a helpful read for getting a feel for what a lesson might look like. I read them way back when I first started, but I must admit I haven't consulted them since. They are inexpensive though. I should probably give them a once over again since I am about to start up Miquon with my third child/student, and my memory is not what it used to be. I actually let her play with the rods for the first time this morning. She was so excited :001_smile:. I do keep the rods in the plastic divider tray. I make the kids put them away after each math lesson. I'm a tad hyper-organized about such things though, so I don't know if that is necessary. I like the tray because then I KNOW every single rod has been found at the end of the lesson. I think it must be genetic because my kids like putting them neatly in the dividing tray :001_huh:. We love Miquon here.

I don't use the TM much for R&S 2 either. It's a quick answer key to consult for tests and such. I have had to consult the TM in later years for clarification a few times. It's one of those things you don't need until you need it, kwim? I mostly use them as an answer key, which is VERY helpful later on.

A handheld Staedtler pencil sharpener. Ours is kind of like this. It specifically has a "colored pencil" side.

Rod and Staff English

:iagree:

I almost brought this up myself... I didn't realize some people found the cr@* word offensive. I think I used it myself on this board the other day. I apologize to any I may have inadvertantly offended and I will refrain from using it in the future. (if I remember...) For cursive: I make my own handwriting sheets from StartWrite's software. I usually just have my kids copy Bible verses. Two birds with one stone and all that... I have a feeling cursive is a lost cause with my family. My dh and I never managed decent cursive. :tongue_smilie: