Saxon is a tried and true mathematics choice for many homeschoolers, but one complaint about the high school level texts Algebra I and Algebra II is that geometry is included piecemeal in the algebra courses rather than being taught separately in a systematic fashion. Jacobs' Geometry is one alternative for those who find this to be a problem. It is a friendly, thorough approach to high school geometry that starts with an introduction to deductive reasoning and takes the student through to non-Euclidean and coordinate geometry.

The format is very appealing, at least to my high-school age son and myself. The book is divided into chapters covering broad topics like Rays and Angles, Congruent Triangles, and Quadrilaterals. These are subdivided into lessons. Each lesson opens with a cartoon or thought puzzle which draws the student into the topic being discussed. There are three sets of problems in each lesson: the first one usually checks comprehension of concepts and knowledge of theorems, the second set is an application of the lesson to proofs, and the third set, usually a single question, presents a brain-teaser which allows the student to think and ponder creatively.

A Letter to the Student at the beginning tells the story of Pythagoras, the Greek geometer, who taught a reluctant student by paying him for each theorem he learned. By the end of the course, the student was paying Pythagoras. The anecdote sets the tone for the whole book, the assumption being that geometry is a noble, worthwhile endeavor and that a student will realize this and be willing to apply himself to mastery.

Though I haven't used the Jacobs' Algebra, the format looks similar to Geometry. My high-schooler is using it now in short sections as a review. With my next high schooler, I am planning to go from Saxon Algebra ½ to Jacobs' Algebra. There is no book in the Jacobs' series after Geometry; the author Harold Jacobs recommends Algebra II and Trigonometry by Paul A Foerster as the next step before Calculus.

Three time national fiddle champion Bonnie Rideout put together an enchanting collection of songs and poems for children on this mp3 album, originally released on CD. She has set traditional poems and nursery rhymes (such as "Bobbie Shafto" and "Wee Willie Winkie") to traditional Scottish tunes and includes familiar songs such as "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and "Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be."

The best part of the album are the pieces of original and traditional music set to the poems of Robert Louis Stevenson and an absolutely ingenious adaption of the Yeats poem, "The Fiddler from Dooney."

I cannot praise this album enough, it is extremely well done. As part of our homeschooling we memorize poetry so my children were in awe of a Robert Louis Stevenson "song." The music is irresistible and we are all singing the songs throughout the day. The instruments used in creating the music on various pieces include the following: fiddle, viola, harp, recorder, bodhran, piano, guitar, tin whistle, ocarina, dulcimer, and if you can believe it, coffee can, tinkertoy can and kazoo.

If you and your children like traditional Irish and Scottish music, this mp3 (or CD) album would be a great addition to your collection. It can be ordered from any music store or directly from the music company.