This reminds me of interesting short sci-fi story. It’s not wholly related but a good read none the less.

Profession
by
Isaac Asimov

http://www.abelard.org/asimov.php

H. doesn’t make his own schedule, but since working on Infobitt, sometimes I sort of end up having to abandon him, and–for example yesterday he actually did everything I told him to do. I told him, “OK, go down and finish math. Then take a break, then do review. I’ve got to get on the phone…” Lo and behold the call went very long and I didn’t get down to check on him for a couple of hours. But he had actually done the math (not enough, but he had done some), taken his break (I’m sure that was easy), and completed review. He also told me that when I don’t make assignments he “assigns himself” things. He sort of does. Sometimes I have to start working early, before I can arrange with him what he’s going to read. He just picks out whatever, and it’s usually fine. (Although in such cases he’ll end up re-reading easy stuff like Encyclopedia Brown.)

Interesting idea re “workcards.” That’s not that different from how we were doing it for a while, but I like the idea of having a card and that the teacher marks it off. The trouble is that much of the time he’s by himself and can easily get distracted. If you can solve that problem for me, I’d be very grateful. Sometimes he works, especially when doing math, in my office–when he can be quiet. Other times we can successfully use walkie-talkies to keep him on task. Anyway, I know things will change again, a lot, when E. is a little older.

I’m not sure how wonderful the curriculum is. I know that if I had more time to spend with my little guys they’d be able to do quite a bit more, and have more free time too. H. recently asked for a reading list–all the things he’s working on, and all the things we want to read in the future. It’s a great idea especially since he asks, but it’ll take a while to prepare.

This doesn’t mean that he is some sort of Rain Man sort of savant with regard to the information. Basically, when I ask him questions that I think he ought to know the answer to, he often knows the answer, which is impressive enough, but he frequently doesn’t, especially if he hasn’t had the question on the material in a while. In short, it keeps the material fresh and able to be dredged up quickly, if it isn’t remembered, but it isn’t making him into a walking encyclopedia. Still, if he keeps it up, by the time he’s 10 or 12 he’ll certainly have a lot more facts under his belt than the vast majority of kids that age, even more than the kids who studied the same material.

I am always in awe of what you are able to do with your two boys. What a wonderful curriculum you have for them. Just wondering if your boys participate in Sport/Exercise as part of their daily routine?

I also found it interesting how you were trying to get H to take some responsibilty my making his own schedule. I understand how hard that can be. At Miss S’s Montessori school they have workcards with the subjects on it they are to complete in the morning work period 9-12. The kids walk around the classroom each working on different subject on their workcard. When they have completed the subject they take it to the teacher to be marked off and then move on to the next one. I have found this helps at home to to get chores done. But it might be an alternative for H to use rather than stetting his own schedule. You set what needs to get done and he decides what subject to do and when. This way he can manage his ‘own’ time but you still maintain control over what he does.

Any hoo I hope that helps. Your boys are truly amazing!!!

Kimba15

Thanks…

Thanks, everyone else, too!

The People and the Treasure
Revised Edition

Preface
This book, The People and the Treasure, is dedicated to [parents]. It was disributed by
ReadThon Inc. Return to: Acomputer Inc. [address] [H's imaginary business...]

Chapter 1

Packing and the Journey to Eviltown

Once upon a time, there were two people named Sally and Thomas. Thomas was a man and Sally
was a woman. They both had sharp knives. Their greatest desire was to find a kind of paper
called goldshire. The reason why they wanted it was because it was magic. It could turn into
a thousand pieces of gold! It was not found anywhere other than in a town called Eviltown,
which was very far away. Its king was called Evilface. It was kept very securely there. And
that town was evil. Along the way there, there were many of the town’s spies. So, if Sally
and Thomas were to go there, then they would have to be careful.
So, they got enough food and water to last them a year. They did not have to walk because
Sally and Thomas owned a pickup truck. They put their provisions in the truck and set off.
Their land was called Happyland, and they were very close to the edge. Thomas drove the truck
through the vast thickets of the edge of Happyland, and after 2 hours, they were out of
Happyland and in a land called Mordor. Which was the land where Eviltown was.
But, Mordor was huge. And there were land mines around Eviltown.
Now, let’s get back to the story. They were driving through vast thickets of thornbushes,
planted by the people of Mordor to keep out invaders. Thomas got hungry. He ate an apple.
Sally ate some bread and butter. Then they drove on. Soon they found a sign ahead that said:
“Eviltown. 123 Miles.” “123 miles? Thomas said, mildly amazed. Still?” “That’s a long way!”
Sally said “Sure enough, Thomas.” Just then, a man coated in black sprang out of the trees
that made path through the woods they were driving through. He drew his knife and made a dent
in the truck’s door. Then, after a good night’s sleep and 23 miles, they came to a sign that
said, just as Thomas suspected: “Eviltown. 100 Miles.”
While Thomas worried about how little miles there were to Eviltown, Sally took over the
driving. She drove 99 miles.
After that, Thomas got up and asked Sally how many miles she had driven. She answered, “I
think I drove 99.” Thomas was amazed. “99?” “Then… that means we’re almost to the gates!”
Then Sally said: “Maybe not.” “All right, all right. 99 miles.”
They quickly drove the next mile.

Climax
Getting Goldshire

Sally and Thomas had invisibility cloaks. (With them on, you could not be heard by other
people.)
So, at the gates, they grabbed their invisibility cloaks, put them on, and opened the
truck’s door, very quietly. Then they stalked on. They drew their knives and killed the
guards at the gates. Then Thomas looked in the men’s pockets. In one’s pocket, he found the
keys for the gate. Then Thomas opened the gate and they walked in.
Eviltown’s gates were made of a magic sort of steel that could not be broken by anything
except the sword that Evilface owned. It was surrounded by a rock wall and mountains.
It was evening. They found themselves walking on a narrow street that was edged with
buildings and street lamps. The street lamps were on. After they walked 1 more mile in this
way, they got to the palace of Eviltown. They quietly opened the door and walked in. They
were walking up a staircase that was at the very entrance of the building. At the end there
was a door. This door they quietly opened. They found themselves in a narrow hallway. There
was a side door there and they opened it very, very quietly. They were in another hallway.
And at the end, there was a throne. And who was sitting in it? No one but Evilface, the evil
king! Thomas and Sally ran up to Evilface and cut off his head.
And that was the end of Evilface. So Thomas and Sally found a door next to the throne and
there they found— a small room with lots of Evilface’s soldiers in it! So they killed all
of the soldiers in the room and at the end they found another door. They opened it and held
their breath. In the door there was- the paper! Sally and Thomas were so happy they zoomed
out of the palace and to their truck. So they lived happily ever after.

===========================

As to chemistry books, here are some Amazon URLs:
http://www.amazon.com/Basher-Science-Chemistry-Getting-Reaction/dp/0753466155/ref=pd_sim_b_1
http://www.amazon.com/Basher-Science-Periodic-Table-Elements/dp/0753466139/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y
http://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Chaos-Horrible-Science-Arnold/dp/0439944503/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367330119&sr=1-1&keywords=chemical+chaos
(but we actually bought the full box set and he’s read all or parts of a half dozen)
http://www.amazon.com/Bulging-Box-Books-Horrible-Science/dp/1407110357/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367330158&sr=1-1&keywords=horrible+science+box+set
http://www.amazon.com/Janice-VanCleaves-Chemistry-Every-Kid/dp/0471620858/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367330195&sr=1-1&keywords=janice+vancleave+chemistry

Others too I’m sure. Physics…we have lots, so this is just a partial list:

http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Physics-About-Science-Stories/dp/0794521185/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367330251&sr=1-2&keywords=usborne+what%27s+physics+all+about (excellent)
http://www.amazon.com/Eyewitness-Force-Motion-Peter-Lafferty/dp/0789448823/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367335398&sr=1-2&keywords=DK+force+and+motion (OK)
http://www.amazon.com/Eyewitness-Energy-Jack-Challoner/dp/0789455765/ref=pd_sim_b_2 (OK)
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Usborne-Internet-linked-Library-Science/dp/0746046308/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367335490&sr=1-1&keywords=usborne+force (rather good)
http://www.amazon.com/Basher-Science-Physics-Matter-Matters/dp/0753466120/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367335512&sr=1-1&keywords=basher+physics (typical Basher book)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1429634502/ref=oh_details_o04_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (fun series, very good)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789492385/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (OK)