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Guest suebells
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Guest suebells

Hi all !! It is our first year homeschooling and I am very excited. We have a son who is 9 and will be going into the fourth grade. He was with Connections Academy and it was awful. I purchased some things today and I would love to hear opinions if it is enough. The only purchase I am really dissatisfied with was Horizons Math 4. I don't think the TM is going to be enough for what we need. I was on the fence for Saxon 5/4 so I guess I will exchange for it.

 

 

Anyway, I bought First Language Lessons level 4 ,Wordly Wise 3000,Easy Grammar,and Apologia Zoology 2 with notebook. So I lack history but I am leaning towards BJU Heritage Studies.The reviews seem very positive for it and they are holding text/TM/notebook/test pack at Bob Jones for me from the "bent and dent" section for 30% off. Once I add the history and pick up the Saxon do you believe that will be sufficient? I am a bit overwhelmed and would appreciate any advice. Gabriel is very good in language arts and science. He is grade level with math but still struggles at times. He loves the Discovery Streaming online but I don't think we can afford that. I feel like I am missing something big. I was told I needed BJU reading program as well but if so, I will have to save for it and make do in the meantime. I know that I must sound scattered brained but I truly have read a zillion reviews until I just picked the items out today and I'm still a bit nauseated over thinking I screwed up. Sorry to ramble. Thanks so much for any help. I can't wait to learn from everyone and hopefully meet some friends as well.

 

 

 

Blessings,

Suzy

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Welcome Suzy:)

I don't think you'll need FLL and Easy Grammar. FLL is pretty thorough. Also, what about a spelling program? Have you looked at Story of the World for history? I don't know what kind of phonics he's been through or how he reads so it is hard to say about a reading program. Definitely pick up some readers or visit the library often!

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We used BJU for many many years. The History is very easy to use with short lessons if you plan to use it all year and it includes activities. BJU math is also extremely well done with the teacher's manual being a big part of the course. It will show you different ways to achieve the shill being learned with many examples to work through with your child, review, oral word problems and enrichment work. The workbook reviews the days lesson. Just mentioning it if Saxon does not work out.

BJU reading is good for a reading curriculum but with any reading curriculum will get tedious. I would look at reading lists from companies like SL or TOG and use the library. I like to get some books that go along with the history we are studying, folktales, poetry, and non fiction books too.

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I don't have a fourth grader yet so I really can't offer any advice on curriculum. I just wanted to say that you don't see too many 1st year homeschoolers get their curriculum from different sources. Usually the first year (and I'm guilty of this myself) homeschoolers buy all A Beka or all Christian Liberty Press or all..... you get the idea. I was homeschooled myself (1997-2002) and my mother still faithfully uses Alpha Omega LifePacs :glare: despite the fact that we all hated them and it didn't fit most of our learning styles. So high five for stepping out of the box.

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If your child is finished with phonics he really doesn't need a reading program. Just do a lot of reading. Like the pp said you can get books that cover many areas just from the library. I like to use a science reader too. Ones like the Nature Readers from Christian Liberty Press are great.

 

But don't be worried. YOu did great and you will find that you will be working out kinks as you go along. I have been hsing for 14 years and I still make changes as needed. But most of all, enjoy being with your child. :D

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Guest suebells

Thanks all ! Gabriel is an excellent reader so I have yet to pick a reading curriculum. I think the library may be the most affordable way to go on that one. My husband does 99% of all the homeschooling as I am a full time hospice nurse. He is wonderful. I stayed up late reading about Saxon math and people with all the tears and frustration from it and the others who swear its the only way. We are just going to have to try it to know I suppose. I appreciate the suggestion of BJU math. I'll take a look at it. I live near Greenville,SC so Bob Jones is just a short drive from home :) I just need to remember that if we don't like something that we can stop and change. I'm not entering into a marriage for goodness sake..lol. I just need to relax a bit :)

 

Thanks everybody!

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Go with FLL or Easy Grammar, not both. My preference is FLL. Otherwise I see math, spelling, vocabulary, science, and a plan for history. In lieu of a reading curriculum, I'd read the grammar stage literature section in TWTM, and hand him a big pile of high quality literature, some easy, some hard, some just right.

 

Have you seen the Saxon teacher materials for the 5/4 level? It's been awhile, but I don't remember them being much different than the Horizons TE. Horizons doesn't have much for scripted lessons, but it is thorough. One more aspect to consider in this choice: Saxon is a textbook, Horizons is a workbook. The latter reason is why I switched my rising fourth grader to Horizons, even though I have the Saxon text he'd test into.

 

You've got the important bases covered. Start with that and take some time for both of you to learn how to homeschool. Then if you decide you want a reading curriculum, artist study or whatever, add it in later.

Edited by SilverMoon
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I just need to remember that if we don't like something that we can stop and change.

 

This was going to be my biggest advice! If you already understand that, you're halfway there. :)

 

My first year of homeschooling, I bought the Lifepacs for History and Science. I was only homeschooling my oldest at the time and he was coming out of public school. I was overwhelmed and desperate just to have *something*. We both hated the Lifepacs with a passion (I know they have their place but they just weren't for us). The frugal side of me wanted to just stick with them since we had already started them. But my son was quickly starting to think homeschooling was no better than sitting in a classroom all day. So I started looking again and settled on Sonlight. It was the best decision I made that year. We are still using (and loving) Sonlight more than 5 years later.

 

I agree with the others that if your son has mastered phonics, you don't need a reading program. Just keep him with a great book in his hands and he'll continue to progress.

 

Also, IMO you don't necessarily need a science program for a 4th grader. Ask him what he's interested in learning...does he want to learn about the planets? does he wish he knew more about bugs? or plants? or weather? Take his passions and find great library books that you can read together. If you can find a few experiments to do or keep a nature journal or another hands-on activity, all the better! Have fun with science! The hardcore stuff will come soon enough.

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We're doing BJU 4 this year...last year I put my curriculum together from various sources, after changing mid-year. So far we like it and it's working. This year for reading I did some internet searching and have a list of books that will go along with the Heritage Studies (History) Book. You can search lots of places and use Sonlight's lists (I have an old catalog) to get book ideas. Rainbow Resource is also a good site because it has the age or grade suggested for the book described. What we can find at the library we get there. What we can't we order online.

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Hi all !! It is our first year homeschooling and I am very excited. We have a son who is 9 and will be going into the fourth grade. He was with Connections Academy and it was awful. I purchased some things today and I would love to hear opinions if it is enough. The only purchase I am really dissatisfied with was Horizons Math 4. I don't think the TM is going to be enough for what we need. I was on the fence for Saxon 5/4 so I guess I will exchange for it.

 

 

Anyway, I bought First Language Lessons level 4 ,Wordly Wise 3000,Easy Grammar,and Apologia Zoology 2 with notebook. So I lack history but I am leaning towards BJU Heritage Studies.The reviews seem very positive for it and they are holding text/TM/notebook/test pack at Bob Jones for me from the "bent and dent" section for 30% off. Once I add the history and pick up the Saxon do you believe that will be sufficient? I am a bit overwhelmed and would appreciate any advice. Gabriel is very good in language arts and science. He is grade level with math but still struggles at times. He loves the Discovery Streaming online but I don't think we can afford that. I feel like I am missing something big. I was told I needed BJU reading program as well but if so, I will have to save for it and make do in the meantime. I know that I must sound scattered brained but I truly have read a zillion reviews until I just picked the items out today and I'm still a bit nauseated over thinking I screwed up. Sorry to ramble. Thanks so much for any help. I can't wait to learn from everyone and hopefully meet some friends as well.

 

 

 

Blessings,

Suzy

 

 

 

Hello and welcome and I think you are doing great already!

 

Probably just one of the 2 grammars would be enough.

 

I don't think you need a reading program unless he is having some specific reading problem. Just read. Use the library too if you can -- and a good librarian can be a great resource in steering to good books at appropriate levels.

 

Saxon Math was not good for my son. I'd suggest you see if you can find it in library or used book store etc. and see if it will fit yours well before investing in it. We are returning to Math U See after a break from it...it was a little boring, but it worked well. We also have Fishers book something like Mastering Essential Math Skills for grades 4-5 (book with DVD). You might also consider Singapore. Look at whatever you can of samples or online samples etc. before deciding.

 

We did the whole of Story of the World (not all the activities and extras, but all 4 books) last year, plus some extra history from library sources, DVD's etc. It was wonderful. I feel like my son got a good basic feeling for world history and when we come to allusions to history in other things we are doing he knows a lot.

 

The only thing I noticed that might be missing would be work on the writing side of language arts. You do not necessarily need a curriculum for that, but in some way to practice writing (composition at whatever level he is at, whether sentences or several paragraphs).

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This was going to be my biggest advice! If you already understand that, you're halfway there. :)

 

...

 

Also, IMO you don't necessarily need a science program for a 4th grader. Ask him what he's interested in learning...does he want to learn about the planets? does he wish he knew more about bugs? or plants? or weather? Take his passions and find great library books that you can read together. If you can find a few experiments to do or keep a nature journal or another hands-on activity, all the better! Have fun with science! The hardcore stuff will come soon enough.

:iagree:

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Love the Apologia Elementary Sciences, but also agree with the other posters about letting your child explore the world around him. When my now 13 yo came home from a very stressful year of first grade (he wound up in counseling), I let him choose a new topic every week or until he was bored with it. Went to the library and collected books about birds, snakes, spiders, etc. Enchanted Learning provided worksheets/projects.

 

Personally, I don't care for text books. I would lean toward Mystery of History, Story of the World, or Beautiful Feet. There is a hands-on component to each of these programs if you wish.

 

We also loved Five in a Row. Covers so many subjects.

 

Smiles,

Teresa

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