Does anyone have a recommendation for a crash course in writing that can be completed over the summer? To bring up writing skills before entering high school?

My 8th baby is due in July and I will have two middle schoolers, three elementary schoolers, a 3yo, a 1.5yo, and the newborn by the time school restarts in September. My older kids are great at working independently and have a natural inclination toward science. I'm looking for a science curriculum that requires little involvement from me. Is there anything like Teaching Textbooks for science out there? Something that forces an answer and tracks a grade? And is secular? My oldest (he is almost 13) has done all the Logic Stage levels of Elemental Science and is really burned out on the typical read the encyclopedia, write definition, do an experiment, write a report format. We've done Exploration Education. Boy Scout merit badges. Watched a lot of documentaies and Bill Nye from the library (which is how we managed science with the last baby). Taken field trips. I'm hoping I don't have to enroll him in the local middle school next year....

I just discovered http://www.classicalhouseoflearning.com/. She wrote out a literature guide to use with SOTW, so the SOTW chapters are scheduled along with great books. And it's FREE! I'm totally geeking out on it right now:)

Wait on SOTW. Look forward to where you will be for Modern Times. That book is very heavy with information that is just not appropriate for young children. I used part of the book this year with a 4th and 3rd grader (with a K tag-a-long) and it was a bit too much even for my 4th grader. We are starting the cycle again next year, starting over with SOTW Ancients and I know my older kids will get waaaay more out of it the second time around.

I wonder if your friend is going through depression? I had that happen to me once. I thought for years that a good friend of mine decided she didn't like me anymore because I was just too annoying. But it turned out she had depression and very low vitamin D levels. And now we are better friend than we were before, and I've even moved across the state!

I use flats, but instead of folding them into a prefold shape and pinning, I fold in half four times and either lay them in a snap cover (I hate velcro) or in a thin fitted diaper made from the Rita Rump Pocket pattern. The fitted is only two flannel layers so it dries super fast like the flats. And I don't add the pocket. I make them from flannel odds and ends I find at Goodwill or the remnant bin at Joanns. Which leaves me more money for wool to knit cute pants! :)

My experience with Sonlight and my lap full of kids has been...different. I own the preschool level all the way through Core 3 (it has a new name now). My five kids ages range from 3rd grade down to 1 year old. The baby and 2yo made read alouds extremely difficult because they are LOUD and active and never sleep. I felt like I was just handing a book to my oldest son and saying "Read this. I might ask you questions on it later." I could never remember where I had put the latest preschool or kindergarten book. The difficulty of the books range from thought-provoking (AKA too hard for little kids to understand) to just right. The great thing about having so many kids in the age range is that the book will be good for someone, right? As for Sonlight terminology...Core means history, geography, and reading out loud books for the family. For the younger ages you choose what level of language arts and math. So as far as saving you time and lesson planning with your hands full...Sonlight doesn't really do that. You will still need to teach LA for your 1st, 2nd, and 4th grader plus three levels for math too. I'm in the same boat...looking for something streamlined to I can survive this next year...

Oops! I meant to say FLL1 and 2!

I've used WWE1 and 2 so far, but I'm looking for something that could be done independently...not so much of my involvement. Is Easy Grammar independent? Or are there other grammar programs that I can plunk down in front of my student? He is 8, intelligent, and a good student and I have my hands full with his four younger siblings!