A couple more thoughts: At that age, it is a good time to learn about Transition Words, like First, Next, Additionally, Therefore, etc. She didn't need them in this essay necessarily, but they are a nice tool in a writer's toolbox. She had good flow (continuity or flow is achieved by repeating a word, phrase, or idea), which is one of the reasons she didn't so much need the transition words. I like Seton's Composition book for basic stuff I learned back in Junior High writing eons ago, and I like Jensen's Format Writing for their page on Continuity and their practice on different essays.

I think this is good! Normally, I don't know that summaries are required in these types of papers, but I don't know what the original assignment was. She seems to have a clear thesis to me, the last sentence of the first paragraph. Her topic sentences in the body all refer back to the thesis, so that is good. I would bulk up the conclusion a tad. I like three sentences unless they're really really good two sentences. My rule of thumb for Conclusions is "Say what you said before, and then say something you haven't said before." I think she hit the "something you haven't said before" but maybe needs a bit of "say what you said before." I don't think she needs much coaching on this paper. I always use the hamburger visual for writing, with the top bun being the Intro and bottom bun being the conclusion. The body is the filling of the burger. Her burger looks pretty good for a 12 year old!

If it helps you, when my dd was in 7th grade, I was worried about how she'd even be able to get through high school, and I just wasn't sure she was college-bound. But they mature SO MUCH. Fast forward to now, her sophomore year in college. She's in a Pre-Nursing program and has a 4.0 GPA. It is indeed the age. Keep on keeping on..

I think his mental health must absolutely be the priority, and you do what needs to be done to support that. In my view, a GED is fine. Get it done, goal accomplished. Good for his mental health. There are lots of people floating around out there with GEDs. Community Colleges happily take people with GEDs, and then it doesn't matter anymore. Go with your mama gut. He needs this.

This is fun! Oriental Trading has some cute writing prompt crafts and also cute letters to Santa crafts. https://www.orientaltrading.com/dr--seuss-the-grinch-writing-prompt-craft-kit-a2-13826196.fltr?keyword=grinch https://www.orientaltrading.com/nativity-writing-prompt-craft-kit-a2-13957643.fltr https://www.orientaltrading.com/color-your-own-letters-to-santa-with-envelopes-a2-13957425.fltr

Christmas Mad Libs https://www.amazon.com/s?k=christmas+mad+libs&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 We read through a Christmas Carol book, that discussed the origin of each carol. I believe it is the Real Mother Goose Book of Christmas Carols. https://www.amazon.com/Book-Christmas-Carols-Mother-Goose/dp/0590225189/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=real+mother+goose+christmas+carols&qid=1606492076&sr=8-2 I Spy Christmas book Watch one of the myriad "A Christmas Carol" movies.

If I had to guess, I would say it is so that they can still work the problem if instead of 8 as a coefficient, it's something like 2/3. Then you multiply by the reciprocal. Same procedure they already learned from the 1/8 scenario. So maybe it's just to teach one rule that works for everything? Edited to add: Lest it not be clear, I am explaining this for kid-speak. I have a degree in math and know exactly all the intricacies.

((hugs))

For sweet baking, if you cannot find soy and coconut free margarine, shortening or lard would work as well. You'll have to peruse the ingredients, of course, to find the one that works for your specific situation, but it is a tasty option. Sometimes applesauce can be substituted for the butter in baked goods. I know it's hard. We have a different list of no's than you, but dairy is one of them.

Gently, it's not safe to travel, you know that. Cases are spiking all over the country; Christmas won't suddenly be better. I know you want to see them. I don't think you can and remain safe. What you want them to do is asking a lot. We all have found our ways of surviving this pandemic, physical AND mental health intact. Church, for instance, is absolutely necessary to my family's mental health. We do mask, but we wouldn't stop going. I know it is painful, but it is not a good idea. Stay home. Plan a trip for next year.

It's up. I want to say we usually put the tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving. Dh put up lights outside, too, a bit earlier than usual. He usually waits until after Thanksgiving.

It sounds like you're not only asking her to recreate the box (give her all 1's and see if she can do it), you want her to do the groupings too, with the 5's bars. That feels like a separate skill. Also, maybe you need to make a real 3-d box for her to see and reproduce, rather than expecting her to understand that the 2-dimensional box on the computer screen is implied to be 3-d because of their use of perspective drawing. I can see where that would be another skill that might not come to someone automatically.

Critical Thinking has some wonderful, colorful workbooks. Language Smarts and Mathematical Reasoning are particularly good, although not inexpensive. Maps Charts Graphs are wonderful workbooks by the Modern Curriculum Press people, I believe.

We buy kleenex from Sam's Club, if that gives any indication. We use them a lot. We all have allergies, though, year-round.

Rolls and apple pie are the only things I can see that are not on the list. Oh, what about some green fluff? Or ambrosia salad?

#2, but you're not actually fudging. Reading and writing across other subjects is still English, so you are doing that year-round. Just because you, a homeschooler, does not consider that "English" does not mean a public school would not. Double Science accomplishes that task of science, so fudge that. You are complying in spirit. (I actually think they are violating the law by their "clarificaiton" however, but I understand you want to fly under the radar.) Social studies can include being a good citizen of good character, so you do what you want for it and list it for the whole year.

Abeka is very YEC. I am not familiar with Science in the Beginning.

Texas, Up North, East Coast, West Coast. I occasionally reference Up Near Canada, New England, Deep South, Midwest, Great Lakes States, Mountain-y states, and Arizona/New Mexico.

I agree with PP. I think pleaser probably has to do with you volunteering for more than you can reasonably handle. I get it. I used to be that person. I had a really, really hard time saying no.

Dh will dish up the food, masked, and I will serve it, masked. I plan to bring it to the table like a waitress.

We are getting together with my parents and brother who lives with them. They are in their late 70s and have stated that they would rather get Covid than not see us. Fair enough. We will eat outside almost certainly, and I am going to have them at one table and us at another. The weather will probably be in the 70s, so we're good there. We will mask when not eating. We will not do buffet style. I think that's the best we can do.

Some kind of slipper shell?

Me! I hate being forced to discover stuff. Just tell me, I'm busy. I think people who think that "one way" is the only way to teach have not much imagination. And personally, as a student, I didn't mind Socratic questions, but my dd, whose brain works very differently from mine, thought it was stupid. She is a deep thinker, and doesn't need extra help or heavy-handed questions to think deeply about stuff. But if it works for you, good for you.

You have to use their layouts, but you can pick how many photos you want on a page. They have a 5+ section where you can find all different layouts for all different numbers of photos, and if it's not directly showing, you can search and find the number of photos you want. They also have all different layouts options, and, again, if you don't see what you want, you can search for more layout options.

I like Shutterfly. They have a lot of embellishments and backgrounds. I do a 50 page book every year.