I used TOG for five years with my elementary aged kids and loved the content but not the planning. This year I took the year off and haven't done much history at all. I know how wonderful the TOG rhetoric level is and planned to go back for Ancients in 9th grade, but I just haven't been able to convince myself I really want to. I've spent some time looking over Winterpromise. I don't fully understand their program, but it looks a lot like a scheduled TOG to me. I'd really appreciate some feedback from anyone who's used both. Thanks, April in WA

Pamela, Could you give me more information about these free Apologia classes? I googled "free apologia online" and didn't come up with anything. I'm very interested though. Thanks, April in WA

Thank you Julie and Cynthia. I could not find a sample guide anywhere on that website. It pays to ask. Blessings, April in WA

I am interested in using these for high school literature. Does anyone know where I can see a sample of Worldview Academy's Great Books study guides? Has anyone used these that would offer an opinion? Can you give me an idea of the format? Thanks, April in WA

Thank you, Carmen. It's on my Amazon wish list now. April in WA

Thank you, Christine! I have been intrigued by Alice for about two years now thinking it would be fun for my "nerdy" computer-centered 5th grader. I had no idea these books existed. I'm guessing this book would give him some structure and it's not too expensive. It's now on my Amazon wish list for next year. Blessings, April in WA

CLE LA doesn't really include writing like most LA's programs. In 3rd grade you do practice writing a friendly letter, paragraphs and a simple report, but that's really it. That said, we LOVE this program for LA and reading. We used it this year for 3rd and 5th. Next year we will use it for 4th, 6th and 8th. Blessings, April in WA

Thank you, Cynthia. I also think she looks young, but I don't think my son would care or notice. Any other opinions on the Algebra I dvds? Blessings, April

Thanks Staci. I think I will just stick with The Fallacy Detective for next year and focus on other subjects that need attention. Blessings, April in WA

Thanks to all who have responded. Today I watched the demo video on their website for Geometry. I can see how he stands in front of the chalkboard some. I have also watched the demo for Algebra I. Somewhere I read it is his daughter that teaches for this course. I didn't notice her standing in the way on the demo. Are there any users of the Algebra I course that can give me opinions? Thanks again, April in WA

I'd like some feedback on these from anyone who has used them. We have been using MUS for the past four years and are making a switch for Algebra. My son and I are both used to having a video teacher to help things along. Previous users, what do you think of them? Thanks, April in WA

We just started with CLE LA and Reading this year. We LOVE it! I am using both this year with my 5th and 3rd graders. My children work independently for the most part, it's portable, easy to grade, comprehensive, Christian-centered, and fairly inexpensive. I so regret not using it with my 7th grader this year. We may be working over the summer to get him caught up to move into level 8. The only words of wisdom I have for you is that you may find your children struggle with the LA and Reading in the beginning if they have not been doing a comprehensive program up to this point. It took my 5th grader about 3 months before he was correctly answering most of the questions on his own. HTH, April in WA

Carmen, You mentioned the book The Art of Styling Sentences. Could you tell me the author? I've pulled the book up on Amazon and there are two, one by Marie Waddell and another by K.D. Sullivan. Thanks, April in WA

Can anyone give me a review of this dvd? I've looked on Amazon and they get mixed reviews. My oldest will be going into 8th grade next year. We have done various logic puzzle books, have completed Critical Thinking Press' Building Thinking Skills bk 2 and are working through both levels of bk 3 this year. He has a hard time with a lot of this material. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just don't think he's ready for something like Introductory Logic. Would this be a good introduction next year and then follow up with Fallacy Detective and The THinking Toolbox? I do not feel adequate in this area at all. Fortunately my husband is bent that way, but does not have time to teach the class for me. Opinions? Blessings, April in WA

Jeana, I think you are addressing this question to me so I will answer. I live in Washington state which has very loose homeschooling laws. I am almost completely free to educate my children how ever I see fit. Howerever, if I choose to, I can enroll my children under an alternative learning umbrella where I still hold most of the control, but my children can receive a district stamped high school diploma. While I don't know that I care about this in the long run, I am not ready to close the door on it yet. My local district stipulates earth science in 8th, physical in 9th, life in 10th and another science in 11th or 12th. Apologia does not have a specific earth science program and the school district will not let me count physical in 8th. I'm just investigating if I can find a program I can be happy with and make them happy too. It's looking like BJP will do that. Thanks to all the ladies who've answered my questions. I may be back with more. Blessings, April in WA

My current year 7th grader is using Apologia General Science this year. Because of our school district's science requirments, I am thinking about going with the BJP 8th grade science for next year. I have several questions. First, does anyone have definite opinions about which edition is better? I know the newer edition is usually much better than the older but not always. I can buy the 2nd edition much cheaper so that is a consideration also. Secondly, a question about the experiments. I've read that doing the experiments is not absolutely necessary. I realize it's usually best to do them though. Will we be missing out on a lot by not doing them? Would getting the DVDs showing the experiments be a good alternative? If I was to buy all the experiment materials, would it work to do a chapter's worth or so on one day with other families? Finally, a question about the new edition specifically. I understand the Applications pages are in the back of the textbook. Are these reproducible, do you tear them out, or does the student copy them on to notebook paper? Thanks, April in WA

Thank you grammarians for the thorough explainations! My son is quite proud of himself. I am proud of him also. Blessings, April in WA

Grammar ladies, Please help my son and I with a sentence in his grammar lesson today. The sentence reads: The children could hardly sleep, for they were excited. Our question deals with the last part of this compound sentence. We agree "were" is a verb, but what kind of verb-linking or helping? My answer key says "excited" is a verb, but my son feels it's a predicate adjective with "were" being a linking verb. I can't say for sure. I'm sure there is some rule we are forgetting. Please help. Thanks, April in WA

Do you use the lapbooks instead of the notebook pages J. Fulbright suggests? Or do you merge the two? Thanks, April in WA

Bumping for you.

Thanks Lynn for starting antoher thread. Maybe I can get some more responses on your thread. This is my previous post Lynn mentioned earlier: I am currently using CLE's LA's program and really like its student-led approach and want to continue with it. I am seriously thinking about using R&S next year for all three of my children's writing program. Does anyone see a problem with this? I'd also like help with determining what levels to use. My middle child has previously done a year of IEW but is still rusty on basics like topic and clincher sentences. He will be entering 6th grade. Should I go with the 6th grade text or start baack at 5th? If I start back at 5th, I'm sure there would be some lessons I would feel confident skipping. Should I try to complete the 6th grade writing assignments also next year? My oldest I'm more unsure about. He will be entering 8th grade. Two and three years ago he went through IEW with average success. This year I made the mistake of putting him in a public school class that covered writing. They have not done near enough or been focused on structure and technique enough IMO. Where should he start? SWB says a starting 7th or 8th grader should start back at book 5, but I figure that's for the grammar specifically. What do you think as far as the writing only? What book should we try to complete next year to finish 8th grade? Thanks for your thoughts, April in WA

bump

bump

bump

Thank you ladies! We also do Latin so that will help with the vocabulary and spelling. Blessings, April in WA