Just when I think I figured it out

[Silver_Kitten]

something comes up and makes me question what I'm doing.

 

So I had 7th grade finally figured out.

 

Math - Life of Fred Pre-Agebra with Keys to Algebra and/or Lial's Prealgebra

Science - Noeo Science Chemistry III

English - Essentials in Writing and Easy Grammar Plus/Daily Grams 7 with Vocabualry Workshop B and All About Spelling

History/Literature - Sonlight core D+E with added grade level readings

 

Now I'm looking at Notgrass America The Beautiful with Lightning Lit 7 for History and literature. Possibly adding in History Odyssey Middle ages, to continue after Ancients this year.

 

OR Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum's People, Places, and Principles of America 2 year course, with Lightning Lit 7. Possibly adding History Odyssey Middle ages here as well.

 

There are just too many choices out there. So out of my choices, which might be the most interesting for a 12 yo girl who enjoys reading to learn.

[WishboneDawn]

There are just too many choices out there. So out of my choices, which might be the most interesting for a 12 yo girl who enjoys reading to learn.

 

You just need to stop looking. :)

 

Once you think you've got it figured out, stop and concentrate on getting through those choices. They may not be the perfect choices but being consistent with a "good enough" program is better then skipping around with several "perfect" programs.

 

BTDT too many times.

[Silver_Kitten]

You just need to stop looking. :)

 

Once you think you've got it figured out, stop and concentrate on getting through those choices. They may not be the perfect choices but being consistent with a "good enough" program is better then skipping around with several "perfect" programs.

 

BTDT too many times.

 

Well I did stop, until today. We were talking about finances, and now I'm looking to cut costs on my schooling. Which Sonlight is a huge financial investment. I've looked at trying to piece it together and it would cost more.

[Another Lynn]

Well I did stop, until today. We were talking about finances, and now I'm looking to cut costs on my schooling. Which Sonlight is a huge financial investment. I've looked at trying to piece it together and it would cost more.

 

Well there's nothing wrong with looking for something cheaper than Sonlight. But, I wouldn't try to put two programs together (Notgrass and History Odyssey, if I understood you correctly). I would pick one and do it well. If you want to do middle ages with HO, do that in 7th and Notgrass ATB in 8th. Just a thought.

[Silver_Kitten]

Well there's nothing wrong with looking for something cheaper than Sonlight. But, I wouldn't try to put two programs together (Notgrass and History Odyssey, if I understood you correctly). I would pick one and do it well. If you want to do middle ages with HO, do that in 7th and Notgrass ATB in 8th. Just a thought.

 

Yes, I agree. I was looking at that again last night. I might offer my dd some book options for the middle ages, since she wants to read about it, but not actually do a full curriculum.

[PeterPan]

Just as an observation, 7th grade is the point where you're FINALLY able to start bringing down some high school texts with most kids and make it work as a spine. And if you get a text that is available used, that can be dirt cheap. An old edition BJU7 or BJU10, Human Odyssey (Spielvogel, high school level, secular), whatever. Then use library books and things you find online and videos from the library to flesh it out.

[TippyCanoe]

nm

[Colleen in NS]

There are just too many choices out there. So out of my choices, which might be the most interesting for a 12 yo girl who enjoys reading to learn.

 

We were talking about finances, and now I'm looking to cut costs on my schooling. Which Sonlight is a huge financial investment. I've looked at trying to piece it together and it would cost more.

 

What about just using the book lists from the WTM book or the this link of Sonlight books chronologically arranged http://homescool-ed.blogspot.ca/2007/04/sonlight-books-arranged-by-well-trained.html and just getting books from the library? Then you can combine all this reading with discussion and writing assignments (see the WTM book, SWB's writing audios, and/or WWS writing curric. for ideas), and have a complete and tailored-to-her history/literature program.

[Silver_Kitten]

It depends: on your child, on how you want to structure your days, on how "schooly" you want to be.

 

At this age your dd is old enough to look over curriculum choices with you, discuss them, take a look at a couple of books from the library or that you buy used online, and discuss their pros and cons. She may or may not need to be helped through this kind of discussion with prompts or specific questions (my dd was always exceedingly opinionated).

 

She's old enough to talk with you about how she'd like her day to look, how much is too much, what subjects she would like to spend the most time and energy on. The two of you can discuss how much she'd like to be working independently, or how much she'd like your assistance and explicit teaching incorporated into her day.

 

Your best help is not curricular choice or other people's ideas about what worked for them -- helpful indeed as those things can be -- as your own daughter and her growing understanding of how she best learns.

 

We do talk about what we get before we order it. These are the curricula that she had shown the most interest in. She is hard to shop for, since half way through the year she will come to hate everything. She is only interested in art and making crafts. She doesn't care about anything else, I try to make things interesting for her, but I'm not a crafty person.

 

She needs a schedule with everything listed and a time next to it. I've tried 6 years without one and we would do okay. This year I made one and she is a new person. She knows what is coming and about the amount of time to do it. If it goes over or under doesn't matter, but she likes having it. We start the bulk our day at 1 pm, since that is when she is most focused. She will read and do small things starting at 11. We finish our day at 5.

[Silver_Kitten]

What about just using the book lists from the WTM book or the this link of Sonlight books chronologically arranged http://homescool-ed.blogspot.ca/2007/04/sonlight-books-arranged-by-well-trained.html and just getting books from the library? Then you can combine all this reading with discussion and writing assignments (see the WTM book, SWB's writing audios, and/or WWS writing curric. for ideas), and have a complete and tailored-to-her history/literature program.

 

She hates writing, I have her typing, but she still grumbles about it. She doesn't like WWS, but she is learning how to outline and write narrations, which I'm incorporating into science and history. We are still working on how to do the rest of the weeks lessons.

 

As for going to the library, it isn't that good and even the one an hour from here isn't much better. Overdrive is my only way to get the majority of books and even that doesn't seem to have many of the books I look for.

[TippyCanoe]

nm

[Silver_Kitten]

Would it work to incorporate this interest into her reading/schoolwork? There are tons of documentaries on art history, architecture, the history of folk art, mathematicians who do incredibly complicated artistic origami; there are lovely visual books on mapping; she could draw sketches instead of taking notes and outlining for science, for one. There are fiction and non-fiction books about art museums, art forgeries, histories of artists, the making of various crafts (musical instruments, quilts, goldsmithing, watch-making, etc.). There are books on learning geometrical perspective in art, symmetry in art, etc.

 

Some kids definitely want to keep their interests separate from "school," but others like to pursue their passions in more depth beginning at around this age, so linking it to school could work for that kind of child. It might work with a once-a-month trip to the library, downloadable books and videos, and some hunting for used books online.

 

Some of that might work. She loves watching how things are made, and we have lots of discussions on them afterwards. I will have to look in to that. Thank you for the suggestions.

[Colleen in NS]

.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Colleen in NS

[PeterPan]

She is hard to shop for, since half way through the year she will come to hate everything. She is only interested in art and making crafts. She doesn't care about anything else, I try to make things interesting for her, but I'm not a crafty person.

 

She needs a schedule with everything listed and a time next to it.

 

She hates writing, I have her typing, but she still grumbles about it. She doesn't like WWS

 

You're reminding me so much of my daughter! On the one hand, they want this FREEDOM and to be interest-driven, but they still need this STRUCTURE to survive. It's sort of the quandry, the contradiction. We're doing a light week this week because we're cleaning and getting ready for relatives, and even our cleaning is on our checklists. :lol:

 

Here, just for fun, I'll attach our checklist for the week. It's about half her normal work. She doesn't use times, but she DEFINITELY does better with the structure of checklists.

 

Yes, my dd is uber-hands-on, crafty, and driven. I call her a DOER! Anyways, I try to get things she can DO.

 

-small appliances like a donut machine http://www.target.com/p/sunbeam-donut-maker-yellow/-/A-12807173#prodSlot=medium_1_3&term=donut

 

-http://www.michaels.com/Scalloped-Paper-Ball-Ornament/29114,default,pd.html These are instructions for something I was looking at in kit form at Target just tonight. Target has a really nice scrapbooking/album section. You might see what yours has. Ours just got new stuff, and some of the punches were cute and unique. Anyways, they had a kit for just $5 that had all the pieces ready to go for this project. Just add glue. It was terribly cute and a GREAT VALUE. Wouldn't be hard at all for you to implement at home. You'll love it, she'll love it. Then when you've done the technique, you'll realize how many other things you can do it with. (tree punches, as inserts on homemade cards, etc.)

 

-get her hooked up with a Stampin Up person. Seriously. Give up on teaching her yourself and connect her with someone who will gladly do it! Stampin Up has ADORABLE stuff your dd will LOVE. It all can turn into projects. It's what we're getting into precisely to give my dd a new avenue. You can scrap with the stuff, make cards, make objects (ornaments, gifts, tags, etc.). Lots of possibilities. Buy a little bit from them and buy stuff from Hobby Lobby with your 40% off coupon to keep it affordable.

 

-find someone to teach her to knit. Seriously, there has to be a grandma or someone near you who would teach her to knit. I just got a book at Joanns (with a coupon of course) of knit dishcloths. My dd isn't the type to finish a huge, long knitting project, but a short one is doable. So for the cost of a set of needles and a skin of cotton yarn, she's in business.

 

-GIMP and a digital camera. GIMP is a free knockoff of Photoshop. People use it for scrapbooking. Just let her on there and let her start playing, kwim? We have a mac, so my dd has been enjoying fiddling around with iPhoto. I want to teach her Lightroom and Photoshop at some point. Anything in that realm of digital graphic design, layouts, etc. takes advantage of their creativity. You don't really show them. More you just give them the idea and get out of the way.

 

-There was a website my dd found, and the name totally slips my mind, where you can have secure student accounts and you sort of digiscrap your school work. The name slips my mind, but I can ask her if you want it.

 

-go to PaperWishes.com and watch their videos on all the projects they make. Oozak.com also has cool videos, but they're of a different sort (a little more crazy). The Paperwishes ones are very practical, and beside the video they'll list all the things they used and give you links. Sure they're trying to sell, but you might have something similar available locally. It just gives her a way to explore what she might like to do in a very concrete way. I find it very hard to move from the *theory* of a craft or hobby or wall of supplies in a store to the *concrete*. So when you see the project in front of you and realize that's what you want to try to do, then you're golden. Then you have something you can break into steps, put on your schedule, and get done.

 

-sign up for a sewing class! I've taught some sewing in my house. Helps people by giving them a consistent structure. Teach her to sew a little and I'll bet she takes off without you. If you can't figure out what to do or where to go, try Joanns or other fabric shops and ask about classes. Anything will do. Basic quilting classes, skirts, whatever. I had my dd do a quilt one year with me, in spite of her lack of enthusiasm, because I knew it would teach her the *precision* that she by character and nature lacks. Her bent is to be impulsive and just fly through something (which works out well if she's already proficient and has the benefit of meaning she's not too perfectionist like me, haha), but it really doesn't pan out well for sewing. Anyways, she didn't think it was cool at the time, but now she realizes how important it was, now that she has good control of the sewing machine and the ability to sit down and do things with precision where it matters. She's working on a LotR dress that she wants to wear when the Hobbit opens in December. :)

 

Sigh, you mentioned she picked the stuff but is now weary. I think this is human nature. I have no clue if it connects to labels (adhd, etc.), but it doesn't matter. We've been feeling it ourselves, and I think there's two things there about how to handle it. One, we had worked so hard for about 10 weeks straight, that we really needed a BREAK. And on top of a break, I think we were ready for some spice, kwim? So I'm working really hard to spice things up for the next two months, bringing in lots of extra projects, toning down the regular work, etc. The other thing is, we always start new stuff in January. Like plan on it. Try to get some of your things totally done so you can just toss them and have some variety come January. Creative people are not stagnant, monotonous people, kwim? I think for some things it's better to do them HARD for like 8 or 10 weeks, then MOVE ON. So math needs to be done daily, but maybe your lit or science could go onto a block plan. Shake it up a bit!

 

On the WWS, here's the deal. My dd, up until this year, has SWORN upon Frosty the Snowman's watery grave that she HATED writing. We started WWS this fall (at a rather brisk pace I might add), and now she's staying up late at night writing sheets and sheets, volumes and volumes of LotR fan fiction! No, that has little to nothing to do with WWS, lol. Doodles would tell you it was a developmental thing waiting to burst forth, and I think that's 80% of it. However I think, and this is just me, that WWS is valuable. I think it gets to a valuable place. I also think it's the most sequential, boring, nasty, seaweed drink you could give some kids. I knew that going in, which is why I decided we would do it so blisteringly FAST that by the time she realized how much she hated it it would be OVER.

 

And I don't know if that makes sense, but that seems to be working for us. Like I said, creative people don't like monotony. So our compromise is that when we do WWS, we do it FAST. Like we do it almost double pace. She can't double pace the day 4 assignments, but she double paces most of the rest and does it 5 days a week. I'm merciless, yes. :lol: Sometimes I'm giving her off when she tells me she's writing a lot of fan fiction for a contest. There's a balance there, and I'm not cruel. I typed all those clumpings of the WWS lessons into a planner/to do app on my ipad, so it's all broken up for me. We're not winging it or seeing her mood. I literally just cruelly put those garish amounts onto her daily work checklist and require it. Like I said, my theory is go FAST and get it over with.

 

http://teitho.waking-vision.com/modules.php?name=Intern&file=index Here's the link to the LotR fan fiction site btw. Feel free to read the stories and vote. My dd's is in there, but I can't tell you which one it is. It's really fun for them though to have an outlet for their work. She did none of this a year ago. Before that she told me how she wasn't like me, didn't want to sit there typing out lots of words, didn't have lots to say.

 

And you know, I think WWS is a lot for a 7th grader. I know that goes against the grain, because it's supposedly for 5th graders or whatever, but seriously my dd could NOT have done it last year for 7th. She just could not have. Even SWB used it with her ds in *9th* my friend. 9th! Stuff that in the "it's 5th and my kid is behind" peace pie. It's just not. It's very challenging, and the older the dc, the more they bring to the table for better work. In fact, if I could make a suggestion, if you think it really is not fitting her right now (and isn't merely a boredom thing), then I would go do something like the new Creative Writer program or some cool writing prompts or something totally different for a while. I have a book (which I haven't used), 180 Days of Writing that would work great for that. Totally different type of writing. Or go creative. Or go to something creative for a while and come back to WWS later. I really don't think all kids need to do WWS so soon.

 

Well I have no clue if any of that is even helpful to you. It's just where we're at. Pursue crafts and new hobbies, but just keep it very concrete. Start with a kit or a specific project and actually schedule it into your checklist, which might mean removing some schoolwork. ;)

Edited November 14, 2012 by OhElizabeth

[PeterPan]

Oops, forgot to attach that screen shot. See if this works. What you're seeing on the checklist, in addition to a little school work, is her sewing and the Thanksgiving planning. So one day it says frigs (clean the frigs), another plan menus, etc. She has a lot of fun with it. We picked some new recipes this year to add to our menu. :)

 

PS. We flowchart our Thanksgiving prep too! The entire week is on a chart with what things to make what day. We plan enough ahead that on Thursday morning, once the bird is in, we get a special breakfast. Last year it was homemade cinnamon rolls. This year I think we're going to try danish. Ymmm! So the checklists you're using with her for schoolwork can carry over to helping her accomplish goals in crafting and cooking too. :)

Edited November 14, 2012 by OhElizabeth

[PeterPan]

Ok, I'd like to bug you a little more here and start on a slight rant. Have you heard my feminist slant take that school subjects are WAY too male-centered? Seriously, like I have NOT figured out how it is that some MAN gets to write the text, the MAN gets to pick what topics were important, and the MAN gets to write the test telling them what they retain from it. And there's a couple ways to take that. I prefer to think that there's sort of this biblical injunction to teach girls to be women, not men, and that it's NO SHOCK that they don't actually find a lick of things in most textbooks interesting. Oh you find the occasional girl who really does, but I think some of the disinterest is really just the simple fact that textbooks are too MALE-oriented!

 

And some of our kids like learning SO MUCH that when you turn it into this male drudgery and harp on topics they don't care about (4 reasons for Napoleon's downfall, how brilliant and pivotal the battle of austerliz was) and only approach it from the narrow prism some man textbook or core standards writer thought was important, they'd RATHER NOT LEARN AT ALL. And I don't think that reflects anything on their interest in learning but rather on the topics. You start talking about women and how their kids turned out and culture and this and that and my dd comes alive. There are LOTS of ways to approach every topic, not just one, and our educational methods are WAY too narrow. Doodles has taught me this and opened my eyes up to the legitimate academic FREEDOM to approach ANY topic from more angles.

 

To me, I think a textbook or spine can be helpful for *you* to be efficient. But as far as being the extent of their learning or what they enjoy, oy! Why are you outlining her history text and regurgitating it? Ug, sometimes I think WTM is trying to vend pepto-bismol. That is so not a recipe for pleasure for some kids. Sure it's a worthwhile skill, but she doesn't need to do it on top of WWS. She just doesn't, not at this age. One or the other, not both. I'm using a high school (10th grade) world history text with my dd. I outline it for efficiency's sake and have her take notes on those bare outlines. Then we add in topical books on cultural history, historical fiction, etc. to bring it to life. I'm terrible at history, so that's the best I can do. I wish I could do and bring it even MORE out of the box for her, but I just haven't gotten to that point of awesomeness. For us, this textbook as the starting point, enhance with more stuff works out pretty well. For science, sometimes I have her read the text and make notes on an outline I've made and sometimes we just toss the book entirely and use a video. We focus on the labs, because I think for her the retention is in the doing. Anyways, WTM's suggestion of outlining history I think involves shorter sources (Kingfisher, blah blah). If your source is longer, you either compromise and trim or toss altogether. Personally, I wouldn't assign that to a reluctant writer on top of WWS, mercy.

 

Have you taught her to type? Just making sure. It's desperately worth your time if you haven't done that yet. My dd has been confiscating my ipad to type in her room. You can use the ipad with a wireless keyboard. Fabulous, portable. There's the onscreen keyboard, but having the physical keyboard is nice for some kids. Anyways, it's something to pursue. I've told this story 80 times, but my dd's typing didn't take off till we switched to the Dvorak layout. So it's definitely something to work at to get a workable solution where she can get her thoughts out. Makes a huge difference in the I hate writing thing.

Edited November 14, 2012 by OhElizabeth

[PeterPan]

http://www.spottedcanary.com Hey, check this out. This place offers task-oriented online craft classes. I've done online classes for other stuff (photography) and it's a FABULOUS way to do things. http://www.spottedcanary.com/School/ Here's a link directly to the classes. This spotted canary website is linked to another website such that I think it's owned by them. (I'm just saying I think it's legit.) Anyways, some of the classes are free!! They have some cute classes for collage, a stamped bag a junior high girl would love. Those were both labeled free. I think you could have a lot of fun here and it would have the structure you need with the doing and creativity she wants.

 

Ooo, they have a link to a christmas cards for troops project! There's a nice thing for a girl to do. I think the thought is more important than how perfect the card is. It would be a great way to learn. :)

[Silver_Kitten]

Ok, I'd like to bug you a little more here and start on a slight rant. Have you heard my feminist slant take that school subjects are WAY too male-centered? Seriously, like I have NOT figured out how it is that some MAN gets to write the text, the MAN gets to pick what topics were important, and the MAN gets to write the test telling them what they retain from it. And there's a couple ways to take that. I prefer to think that there's sort of this biblical injunction to teach girls to be women, not men, and that it's NO SHOCK that they don't actually find a lick of things in most textbooks interesting. Oh you find the occasional girl who really does, but I think some of the disinterest is really just the simple fact that textbooks are too MALE-oriented!

 

And some of our kids like learning SO MUCH that when you turn it into this male drudgery and harp on topics they don't care about (4 reasons for Napoleon's downfall, how brilliant and pivotal the battle of austerliz was) and only approach it from the narrow prism some man textbook or core standards writer thought was important, they'd RATHER NOT LEARN AT ALL. And I don't think that reflects anything on their interest in learning but rather on the topics. You start talking about women and how their kids turned out and culture and this and that and my dd comes alive. There are LOTS of ways to approach every topic, not just one, and our educational methods are WAY too narrow. Doodles has taught me this and opened my eyes up to the legitimate academic FREEDOM to approach ANY topic from more angles.

 

To me, I think a textbook or spine can be helpful for *you* to be efficient. But as far as being the extent of their learning or what they enjoy, oy! Why are you outlining her history text and regurgitating it? Ug, sometimes I think WTM is trying to vend pepto-bismol. That is so not a recipe for pleasure for some kids. Sure it's a worthwhile skill, but she doesn't need to do it on top of WWS. She just doesn't, not at this age. One or the other, not both. I'm using a high school (10th grade) world history text with my dd. I outline it for efficiency's sake and have her take notes on those bare outlines. Then we add in topical books on cultural history, historical fiction, etc. to bring it to life. I'm terrible at history, so that's the best I can do. I wish I could do and bring it even MORE out of the box for her, but I just haven't gotten to that point of awesomeness. For us, this textbook as the starting point, enhance with more stuff works out pretty well. For science, sometimes I have her read the text and make notes on an outline I've made and sometimes we just toss the book entirely and use a video. We focus on the labs, because I think for her the retention is in the doing. Anyways, WTM's suggestion of outlining history I think involves shorter sources (Kingfisher, blah blah). If your source is longer, you either compromise and trim or toss altogether. Personally, I wouldn't assign that to a reluctant writer on top of WWS, mercy.

 

Have you taught her to type? Just making sure. It's desperately worth your time if you haven't done that yet. My dd has been confiscating my ipad to type in her room. You can use the ipad with a wireless keyboard. Fabulous, portable. There's the onscreen keyboard, but having the physical keyboard is nice for some kids. Anyways, it's something to pursue. I've told this story 80 times, but my dd's typing didn't take off till we switched to the Dvorak layout. So it's definitely something to work at to get a workable solution where she can get her thoughts out. Makes a huge difference in the I hate writing thing.

 

Yes my daughter is learning to type, since when I have her write by hand she doesn't do it very well. It's messy and her thoughts are not very organized. Typing has helped the disorganization A LOT.

 

We are doing 6th grade at the moment, and in WWS I only have her do the outlines and narrations. I agree that if I had her outline and narrate history or science the same days as I do WWS it would be too much. I usually have her read a two page article in Cobblestone and outline or narrate what she found interesting. For history we are doing History Odyssey Ancients level 2, she has fun with the history pockets and the reading. She doesn't care for Kingfisher history encyclopedia, but she likes the Usborne Encyclopedia we have.

 

My husband wants us to do American history next year since he says she hasn't had enough formal education on it. I was content to just doing all of HO level 2, and do more formal in high school.

 

Science, right now, consists of Mr. Q since what I had planned didn't work out. Dd doesn't care for the kingfisher science encyclopedia either.

 

I might be over thinking things, okay I know I'm over thinking things, and I get lots of great ideas here. Trying to approach subjects from different angles is what i'm trying, I just don't know where to look.

 

You have given me a lot of ideas and things to think about. I need to find a spine, find fiction and non-fiction books to add, and then lots of hands on stuff.

[PeterPan]

For the organization issue, have you tried graphic organizers instead of linear outlines? Many creative people are NOT sequential thinkers. Some are VSL (visual spatial) and think in pictures. There's a really terrific app Popplet you can use for making graphic organizers on an ipad/tablet, or you can of course do it with a whiteboard and colored markers, paper, etc. I think your idea of using interesting magazines is fabulous and right on! We did that last year with Muse, which I think is by the same publisher. The articles were interesting and gave her a way to see structure. We outlined them with a whiteboard until we got the ipad, then we switched to the app. As you say, things are way cooler when they're on the computer than hand-written. Ipad or whiteboard is where we do a LOT of our writing.

 

You might like to get the Executive Function Training Workbooks from Linguisystems. Some kids need extra help for the structure of writing to click, and the EF workbooks have explicit structure on it. They'll have other things she might benefit from as well. Also, there are software options made specifically for kids who struggle with structure. Scrivener is used by professional writers. Inspiration, another one that slips my mind right now because I'm tired. Anyway, the software will start with graphic organizers for her thoughts and then literally convert that visual structure into an outline and then word processor document. It's what some kids need to be successful.

 

It sounds like you're doing a lot of things well! I don't remember how long you've been homeschooling, but good job! We actually got a full neuropsychological eval a year ago, because we realized what we had going on beyond learning style and into learning difference. For us it was a good process, because it validated things we were doing well, explained why we were having certain conflicts and quirks, and made us really brave for the future (with high school looming) to go as far out of the box as we can figure out how. There's something really comforting about having a professional look you in the eye and say YES, do that, she's going to be fine, she doesn't have to do those other more traditional things that she bucks. Seriously, it was a pivotal thing for us and worth a lot. And it helped with a lot of areas we *weren't* anticipating.

 

Well enough of that. Here's an image she took this morning. We edited it together in Lightroom. It was her first time doing much in Lightroom. I took classes on it earlier this year, so I'm a budding novice, hehe. Anyways, I thought it was pretty good. Our neuropsych said to do less academics to leave her even more time (and energy!) for her art and creative stuff. This was several hours this morning. She couldn't have done it in 6th. She's in 8th now and is just about there mentally, even though it's still a lot of details. Her eye is there though and the drive to create. So you just pursue something they can learn that they can use to express and create with (stamping, photography, sewing, knitting, anything).

 

See if this works.

 

[PeterPan]

Dd did both of the american history self-paced online courses from VP this past year (7th) and enjoyed them immensely. She has done almost all the self-paced history from them and LOVES it. Hakim's History of US would be good for that. VP schedules it on their cards, so you could read just selections or read the entire set. The BJU8 is also quite good. You could do that spread over a year or two. You mentioned books. We've always used the TruthQuest guides to add books.

 

For typing we use Mavis Beacon. MB for mac has the Dvorak lessons, so that's what she does.

Edited November 14, 2012 by OhElizabeth

[RootAnn]

The other thing is, we always start new stuff in January. Like plan on it. Try to get some of your things totally done so you can just toss them and have some variety come January.

 

For history we are doing History Odyssey Ancients level 2, she has fun with the history pockets and the reading.

[snip]

My husband wants us to do American history next year.

 

If your daughter gets to where she is "hating" HO soon, why not switch up & do some US History starting in Jan (or whenever you find the program you want to use)? When she gets sick of that, take a break & pick up HO again. I think there is something to be said for this type of method at this age & being able to make connections. (Rome <--> America similarities/differences being one of the easy ones.)

 

I think the "semester" schedule would work well for us, too. Very high-school-y.

 

I'm thinking of doing this with Classical Writing. As soon as we can get done with Homer A, I'll switch to WWS. We'll do WWS until we can't stand it anymore or it gets too hard. We'll take a break & go back to Homer B (if I can stand it). Then, pick back up with WWS where we left off or throw in something else (like Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine for some fun).

 

I :001_wub: heart OhElizabeth for her wonderful posts on her Do'er daughter over the years. It has helped me for my girls.

[Colleen in NS]

I need to find a spine, find fiction and non-fiction books to add, and then lots of hands on stuff.

 

This study pattern, to me, is what makes history and science study fun! Don't stress out about finding the perfect spine - just find *something* that will give beginning information that she can read and get an overview from, but then move her on to the supplemental reading (which, IMO, really should be called the main reading :D) and projects.

 

p.s. Elizabeth, that photo is beautiful!

Edited November 14, 2012 by Colleen in NS

[PeterPan]

If your daughter gets to where she is "hating" HO soon, why not switch up & do some US History starting in Jan (or whenever you find the program you want to use)? When she gets sick of that, take a break & pick up HO again. I think there is something to be said for this type of method at this age & being able to make connections. (Rome <--> America similarities/differences being one of the easy ones.)

 

I think the "semester" schedule would work well for us, too. Very high-school-y.

 

I'm thinking of doing this with Classical Writing. As soon as we can get done with Homer A, I'll switch to WWS. We'll do WWS until we can't stand it anymore or it gets too hard. We'll take a break & go back to Homer B (if I can stand it). Then, pick back up with WWS where we left off or throw in something else (like Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine for some fun).

 

I :001_wub: heart OhElizabeth for her wonderful posts on her Do'er daughter over the years. It has helped me for my girls.

 

No way, Gail Carson Levine has a writing program? How cool!!! Yeah, Homer B wasn't worth it to us, toss toss. Too repetitive and not right.

 

As far as dumping the history, if she's doing middle ages right now, the girl could go into VP MARR self-paced online. She can double pace it, which takes average 40 minutes a day, and finish it in a semester. It's FABULOUS for these kids. Or she could start the american. Highly recommend the VP history. Not secular, but exceptionally good. :)

[PeterPan]

p.s. Elizabeth, that photo is beautiful!

 

Thanks, I'll pass it on to her! She shot jpeg instead of RAW, so there were some things that were hard to fix. Her eye is good though. It was shot on my Nikon D50 (retail value a whopping $50, it's quite old) and a really crummy 10 year old, dirty, nasty variable aperture 18-55. Just goes to show it's the person behind the camera that makes the image. Well that and the mother who can guide you with the magic of editing. :)

Edited November 14, 2012 by OhElizabeth

[Silver_Kitten]

If your daughter gets to where she is "hating" HO soon, why not switch up & do some US History starting in Jan (or whenever you find the program you want to use)? When she gets sick of that, take a break & pick up HO again. I think there is something to be said for this type of method at this age & being able to make connections. (Rome <--> America similarities/differences being one of the easy ones.)

 

I think the "semester" schedule would work well for us, too. Very high-school-y.

 

I'm thinking of doing this with Classical Writing. As soon as we can get done with Homer A, I'll switch to WWS. We'll do WWS until we can't stand it anymore or it gets too hard. We'll take a break & go back to Homer B (if I can stand it). Then, pick back up with WWS where we left off or throw in something else (like Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine for some fun).

 

I :001_wub: heart OhElizabeth for her wonderful posts on her Do'er daughter over the years. It has helped me for my girls.

 

I love the idea of semesters. Just not sure how I'd implament it, without trying to have everything at the beginning of the year. Hubby hates buying things half way through the year. Hum. Need to find a way to show him that it wouldn't be so bad. I'll have to think on this.

 

So far she is doing okay with HO right now, since I'm using human odyssey spine and the usborne history encyclopedia. I need to find an HO esque american history and science, or make it myself. :eek:

 

My daughter and I love the picture your daughter took OhElizabeth. The angle and depth she captured is really good.

[PeterPan]

I love the idea of semesters. Just not sure how I'd implament it, without trying to have everything at the beginning of the year. Hubby hates buying things half way through the year. Hum. Need to find a way to show him that it wouldn't be so bad. I'll have to think on this.

 

 

The very first year we started my dh told me to buy only what we needed for 1st semester. It's actually really common advice in homeschooling, NOT to blow your whole wad but to save up some of your budget so you can have some fresh things to start with in January. EVERYONE gets bored, and it's WISE to make a plan for that. If it irks him, then maybe put that money in a separate account? Or what you do is actually talk with her and make your plan: what do you want to do 1st semester (or 1st block) and what do new things do you want to try 2nd semester? You could have math be the same thing all year, but create quarter rotations for some things (art, music, lit, grammar, other emphases).

 

You could also just circumvent the whole thing entirely by buying a scad of new stuff from Timberdoodle and calling it Christmas presents. :D

 

Seriously, FEBRUARY is the worst month. Buy some stuff and save it to pull out then. It can be a couple new games or a unit study on Valentine's day or whatever you want. You want to keep things spicy.

[Silver_Kitten]

Now I'm thinking....

 

History

Grade - Subject

6 - Ancients/American

7 - Ancients/American

8 - Middle Ages/ ?

9 - Middle Ages/ ?

10 - ?/?

11 -?/?

12 - American Gov/Economics

 

Science

Grade - Subject per semester

6 - Bio/Earth

7 - Bio/Space

8 - Chem/Physics

9 - Bio/Chem

10 - Bio/Chem

11 - Physics/Earth

12 - Physics/Space

 

Weekly lay out idea

Day 1 history read spine and activity

Day 2 history read book (non-fiction/fiction)

Day 3 activity related to reading

Day 4 read/video

Day 5 read/video/nothing

 

Day 1 science read spine and activity

Day 2 Read/video something related to what we are studying

 

Maybe?

This of course isn't set in stone, just ideas that have come to mind.

Edited November 14, 2012 by Silver_Kitten

[Colleen in NS]

Maybe?

This of course isn't set in stone, just ideas that have come to mind.

 

I make lists and charts similar to this, and they are really helpful to my thinking. They are easily tweaked along the way.

[PeterPan]

Well you see what you think, but for me, I'm finally realizing that it's MUCH easier on me if I *start* by finding materials that can actually work for her and then selecting from within those, rather than starting with a topic and hoping to find something to fit.

 

I don't think order matters. WTM makes it sound so essential, and it's really not for some kids. You could do ancients, go to modern american (because of course modern american is all built upon ancients), then go back and do the middle ages and lead up through the french rev and founding of the US. You could throw a year of world geography between there. She may not care or she may even have a preference.

 

So anyways, I find it easier to look at a scad of options and go this and this and this can work for her, offer her from that acceptable pile, and let her pick. I was going to do geography with her this fall, but she liked a particular history text and we decided to go with it. We're taking advantage of a book that fits her right now rather than saying come back later.

 

BTW, it's *modern* american that gets short shrift in schooling. The founding gets covered in US history and in government and in world, so most people get a whole bunch of doses of that (both from elementary and that triple dose in high school). It's modern american she'll be lacking. You said your dh wanted you to pursue american, and that would be a way to focus it. News magazines, geography, the VP 1850 to modern cards, Hakim, BJU 8 (just use the 2nd half), etc., lots of good options for that. We actually started in the 2nd half of the BJU World History text and are working forward from there (through modern), because I really don't think you can get too much modern! Then we'll go back and do ancients and medieval again. I don't know which she'll want to do first, and it really doesn't matter.

 

For us, science has turned into find something that has labs we can actually make happen. I don't care what topics they're covering, lol, just that we can actually get it done. I need the ability to get it done more than I need a particular progression. We're doing labs from BJU and a Prentice Hall text this year, and I don't know next year. I've thought about going into the Illustrated Guide to Home (insert subject) books after this, but I'll have to see. I LOVE earth science and would love to go back and do that, but I'm not sure I can get her to bite. But we'll figure out something, make up a plan for 36 weeks, and that will be that. Might be a nice change of pace for her after the seriously mathy labs we've been doing for physical science, mercy. So with science we do 3 hours once a week rather than an hour a day or something like that.

 

On the history, what you can do if you find a text you really like is break it until little mini units thematically. So you know there are 12 chapters you want to cover and you'll have 3 weeks on each chapter. First week read the text. 2nd week finish the chapter, take the test. Third week do creative projects or rabbit trails. By that point stuff we requested from the library is finally in. I find we don't get everything all done at once, if that makes sense. It takes a lot of time for her to do the textbook reading she's doing! It's valuable, but it is a lot. So then I carve an extra week and just let her finish out a cool rabbit trail book, watch movies, that kind of thing. It's not necessarily even and tidy. It's more a general sense that we have this many weeks, this many chapters, and that it pans out over the long run. Another reason to do *half* a book in a year. :D

Edited November 15, 2012 by OhElizabeth

[Silver_Kitten]

BTW, it's *modern* american that gets short shrift in schooling. The founding gets covered in US history and in government and in world, so most people get a whole bunch of doses of that (both from elementary and that triple dose in high school). It's modern american she'll be lacking. You said your dh wanted you to pursue american, and that would be a way to focus it. News magazines, geography, the VP 1850 to modern cards, Hakim, BJU 8 (just use the 2nd half), etc., lots of good options for that. We actually started in the 2nd half of the BJU World History text and are working forward from there (through modern), because I really don't think you can get too much modern! Then we'll go back and do ancients and medieval again. I don't know which she'll want to do first, and it really doesn't matter.

 

 

I was thinking modern American history for our study.

 

As for the order I had things, anything past 7th grade was just ideas, since I know I want to do american history for 7th, that was a given. Oh, and government and economics for 12th, though if I get to it before then, as long as it's covered. The only other things the colleges she wants to go to ask for are american history and world history.

 

Science, I just want something that will get done and for high school it has to have labs. I'm not really sure what that means, can it be virtual labs she can interact with, labs she can watch, or does it have to be labs she preforms? My daughter loves earth science, so I know that is one we will have to do again. Science might not even end up as semesters, if she enjoys what we do.

[PeterPan]

Well real labs take more time and have more expense, but in our house they get more long-term retention than a video of someone else doing the lab. We made that mistake once and won't again. Might be great for someone else, but it wasn't the right move for my doer.

 

Ooo, earth science! So much potential there with rockets and astronomy and weather and building your own meteorology tools and rocks and... Oh yeah. It's all good hands-on, stuff with no math, stuff that's easier just to read and do. With the labs we were doing today for physical science (just to give you a contrast) we were doing 1st and 2nd class levers, determining "actual mechanical advantage" and torque. I totally speak as a fool here; I just read it and we do it, lol. Anyways, the directions are SO hard to follow. Each step has lots of little details, charts to fill in, get it just so, compute this or the whole thing is wrong. Sometimes the instructions aren't labeled consistently. I actually think it's some kind of game with them to further comprehension. Anyway, it's lunacy.

 

There's a simpler (sort of) series Conceptual Physics, Conceptual Chemistry, that has the virtue of doing straightforward things. They actually put the lab book online for it as a pdf for free. Someone on the hs board posted the link. Anyways, my point is that a doer wants to DO, but it's hard to do for herself if she can't read and comprehend the crazy instructions. So I think that's going to be part of my criteria for next year, that we get something where the labs are so clearly written that my dd can pick them up and do them. I don't know if you have littles, but with my 10 year gap (well, 9.5) I have a 4 yo and a 13. So they're both needing attention at the same time and have no other littles to engage them! It gets CRAZY. I think the Duggar's house is quieter, lol. Labs on levers and torque are extra hard when your brother is wrapping you up in clothesline... Sigh.

 

Just for your trivia, some people will blend government with ancients and hit them say in 9th grade. I *thought* about taking her into TOG for the future, because it brings more into one place with activities and the arts and government and literature and whatnot. It would be soemthing to look at. I've looked a whole bunch of times and always somehow talk myself out of it. I sat and chewed the fat with Marcia Somerville at the convention this spring, and she was just delightful. Her philosophy is right where we need to be, where you have an overall topic but you flex it and approach it at the angle that interests your kids. And then TOG gives you that structure to know you're still hitting the basics.

 

Well I need to scat. It's been fun talking! I think it's important to remember your roots and what really works in *your* home and gives you peace and not get swept up in anyone else's scenario. Ultimately it's you and your kid and what you can implement and what brings good things out of them and makes their eyes light up. :)

[Silver_Kitten]

There's a simpler (sort of) series Conceptual Physics, Conceptual Chemistry, that has the virtue of doing straightforward things. They actually put the lab book online for it as a pdf for free. Someone on the hs board posted the link. Anyways, my point is that a doer wants to DO, but it's hard to do for herself if she can't read and comprehend the crazy instructions. So I think that's going to be part of my criteria for next year, that we get something where the labs are so clearly written that my dd can pick them up and do them. I don't know if you have littles, but with my 10 year gap (well, 9.5) I have a 4 yo and a 13. So they're both needing attention at the same time and have no other littles to engage them! It gets CRAZY. I think the Duggar's house is quieter, lol. Labs on levers and torque are extra hard when your brother is wrapping you up in clothesline... Sigh.

 

Well I need to scat. It's been fun talking! I think it's important to remember your roots and what really works in *your* home and gives you peace and not get swept up in anyone else's scenario. Ultimately it's you and your kid and what you can implement and what brings good things out of them and makes their eyes light up. :)

 

I have an 11 yo and a 2 yo, so I know how it is. My 2 yo wants to do school like his big sister, so I"m trying to find activities for him to do as well.

 

I wish I knew what worked. I started out boxed and it went well until 4th grade, since then I've been trying to figure out what works best. Math I almost have down. English she is pretty easy and seems to work well with anything we try. It's history and science that are the hardest.

[Silver_Kitten]

So I've got to re-read a lot of this, but I've come to some conclusions.

 

Spine - A History of US, unless someone can point me in the direction of another spine that has in depth American History.

Books - I have NO IDEA, my eyes cross when looking at different ideas. I want to do one fiction and one non-fiction book a month and one to two read-aloud, but this would be more geared to my daughter reading to her 2 yo brother.

Activities - I was pointed toward Experience U.S. History! I think it might have some good activities. Do one a week.

Movies - One or two a month. I'm not sure which movies yet, for I've not looked.