I took the plunge too!

[Deena]

I've been looking at what to get my dd for science next year. I've looked at so many things! I thought I'd share in case anyone else is looking.

Well, today I finalized my search. I had narrowed it down to Real Science 4 Kids Chem. II and NOEO Science Chem. II. She's fascinated with Chemistry right now, so, since she's not in highschool yet, I figured I'd let her go with her interests, since I know it will be a great base for highschool sciences!

I realized today, after looking at both of these off and on for a couple of years, that the Real Science books have only 10 chapters and are made for one semester. The NOEO books are made for a full year (36 weeks) and come with all sorts of stuff! So, while I THOUGHT RS was cheaper, in all actuality, it would be quite a bit more. At least that's what it seemed to me.

So I clicked the button for the NOEO Science Chem. II, without the Usborne Internet-Linked Encyc., cuz I can get that cheaper elsewhere. So for a full year of science, which says it's part classical, part Charlotte Mason in approach, plus extra books and 5 chem. experiment complete packets, it was $118. DH said to go for it, so I did! :)

Here's what she'll be doing (7th grade):
Science--NOEO Chem.
Math--TT
Handwriting--By her choice we'll still do this--Getty & Dubay Italic
History--All American History, part II if available. If not, maybe the American History Packs by Amy Pak
English--Rod & Staff
Language: Spanish and ASL
Music: Piano Lessons

DS14 will be in 10th grade:
Science: In another recent change, instead of buying the Apologia Chemistry, we're going to use the Life Pac Chemistry that we got for our oldest, and he only did the 1st 3 books of. We also bought the kit for the experiments from Home Science Tools, so our only expense will be getting the 3 books---A HUGE savings that we can use right now!
Math: TT---I still need to find TT Geometry for him
History: Not sure yet. ANY IDEAS???
English: Rod & Staff
Language: Greek and/or maybe Hebrew, Italian or Spanish
Electives: Possibly Music History, auto mechanics, maybe other possibilities

I'm planning on throwing in some "English from the Roots Up" as well. Just have to work it into the schedule.

Whew, to me this seems harder when they're older, than when they were younger! But at least it's coming into shape now! I'm getting excited! :D

[Jo Anna]

WOW! Congratulations on getting it all together.

[Lee]

I've found it very difficult for the older grades. Trying to make sure they have the right subjects each year and picking the curriculum is ALOT harder. Way to go! It's a good feeling to be done. I'm going to try to attend a homeschool conference this spring to look at curriculum for my ds-7th. I think that I want to go a different direction but for my dd-9th it's abeka all the way. She likes it and excels in it.

Do you plan to make up your own dipoloma or are you going to send in your transcripts to have a diploma issued?

[Deena]

Do you plan to make up your own dipoloma or are you going to send in your transcripts to have a diploma issued?I don't know for sure yet. My oldest ds is a junior at a Christian Boarding school (and is loving it there!). Our denomination has a whole school system. This is the only school, even out of our system, that was close enough to our values and ideals that we would let him go to!

So, naturally, ds14 wants to go there when he's a junior. It was great for our oldest....not sure about the others, since they're all so different! We'll see.

ANYWAY, I guess I will have to cross that bridge when/if I come to it. I'd probably pay to have a nice Diploma made!

[rmcx5]

Glad you finally settled with DD's science....I know it's been a "worry" for you. As I've mentioned before, NOEO looks really good....and I have the Science Encylopedia....nice resource!

I just saw on Rainbow's website that Rosetta Stone is redoing some things and version 3 is due out in the Spring. No clue what you use for For Language but thought I'd mention it so you could read their website if you had considered RS.

What kind of history has DS14 done? Are you thinking...world, US, geography (I know you bought the book at Timberdoodle recently for geo/timelines)?

Rhonda C.

[Deena]

Glad you finally settled with DD's science....I know it's been a "worry" for you. As I've mentioned before, NOEO looks really good....and I have the Science Encylopedia....nice resource!

I just saw on Rainbow's website that Rosetta Stone is redoing some things and version 3 is due out in the Spring. No clue what you use for For Language but thought I'd mention it so you could read their website if you had considered RS.

What kind of history has DS14 done? Are you thinking...world, US, geography (I know you bought the book at Timberdoodle recently for geo/timelines)?

Rhonda C.Thanks, Rhonda, for your comments and suggestions!

I'm not impressed with Rosetta Stone as a complete language. We DID try it a few years ago, and it was okay for review, but not that fun for learning how to truly speak the language. I will look at the site though and see if it explains the changes.

I'm not sure what I'm looking for for ds. He has done the SOTW and MOH with extra work. This year he's doing the highschool version of All American History. He's actually enjoying reading books about and looking up info. on things and people and typing reports and stuff! He's learned quite a bit, and likes to share it with dad when dad gets home from work. Plus dad reads the papers ds writes and gives feedback, which ds likes. So I may just have him continue on that vein. But I want to check around and see what else might be good for him to do.

Yes I got that Geography book and I really like it! He's done the first highschool assignments already. He's good at geography, and is enjoying it. I could have him do more research on the countries as he works through it, that'd be the history part....

[rmcx5]

Have you looked at Sonlight....maybe not a whole Core per se but just some of the reading lists....if he's enjoying reading so much...might give him some more resources.

Obviously, I have no clue about the high school level books but I know several "online" friends who like the in-depth US History (Core 100).

Just a thought....sounds like he already has an awesome foundation!

Rhonda C.

[Deena]

Have you looked at Sonlight....maybe not a whole Core per se but just some of the reading lists....if he's enjoying reading so much...might give him some more resources.

Obviously, I have no clue about the high school level books but I know several "online" friends who like the in-depth US History (Core 100).

Just a thought....sounds like he already has an awesome foundation!

Rhonda C.You know, as much as I've heard about it, I have hardly even looked at Sonlight.

Can I buy just the history if I liked it? Where would I look for it?

[Jackie]

I'm not impressed with Rosetta Stone as a complete language. We DID try it a few years ago, and it was okay for review, but not that fun for learning how to truly speak the language. I will look at the site though and see if it explains the changes.


I'M NOT LISTENING!!! LA-LA-LA!!!! (See my fingers in my ears and my eyes closed!)

I just purchased Rosetta Stone yesterday for I think $70. I REALLY want my kids to learn French!!! (And after the disaster with Power Glide, lol!!!)

[ColoradoMom]

I'M NOT LISTENING!!! LA-LA-LA!!!! (See my fingers in my ears and my eyes closed!)

I just purchased Rosetta Stone yesterday for I think $70. I REALLY want my kids to learn French!!! (And after the disaster with Power Glide, lol!!!)


When you get it will you PLEASE write what you think!

We NEED Japanese, he won't learn anything else. I'm really not interested in him learning it like a fluent talker, but I'd like him to learn to write some words with English letters and be able to speak casual conversations.

So please please please before I go out and spend will you tell me if you think your kids will pick up enough French to travel to the country and speak to other children?

I saw the new edition at RR and I will probably call the comapny before I buy it just to make sure everything is clear to me.

I guess the good part is the money back guarantee.

[Deena]

Okay, then will you guys pleas tell me too what you think of it? What we got many moons ago just didn't cut it, so I'd like to see what they've done to make it better!

[rmcx5]

You know, as much as I've heard about it, I have hardly even looked at Sonlight.

Can I buy just the history if I liked it? Where would I look for it?

I just got the basic Core (which is readers, readalouds and history). It uses more living books/hist. fiction than textbooks depending on the subject and the age. Starting at Core 3 (grades 3-6) the readers tie to the history subject ....not so with the younger grades.

It can be expensive (unless you'll use it for younger kids later). BUT many folks don't do the whole SL core but just use the list of reader/read alouds and add it to whatever textbook, etc that they are using.

I'm pondering doing this for my oldest rather than Core 4 (US hist 1840-present). SL is a good fit for her not so good for the whole family so I don't think dropping several hundred dollars of books for just one is a good steward of our funds either. Don't get me wrong, we've enjoyed the books and I hope that my younger ones will in the future but I know that their temperament is not the same as my oldest and therefore, they won't ever enjoy all of them and too the same degree.

So I'm not sure that getting the other half of US elementary history is the best decision....that's why I'm considerint All American History Vol 2 and adding some of the SL readers (but not all of them) and then I won't need the Teacher's guide (although it is a nice scheduling and has answers, discussion questions, etc.....but so far we haven't used it as much as I had planned).

Sonlight is great for many families. Order a catalog. It's easier than the website in my opinion. And they give you their 27 reasons to not order from Sonlight....be sure and read those :) They know that not every family will love their product.

www.sonlight.com

Rhonda C.

[Emma's#1fan]

Way to go, Deena!