MamaHill Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 I'm a long-time user of TOG. We've used it since my oldest was in 1st grade, and he's now in the 7th. Each year, I've looked for something different, mostly out of my not wanting to plan so much and partially because of Grass is Greener Syndrome. With a new baby in the mix, I really don't have the time to plan to the degree I need to in order to make Tapestry successful for us. Don't get me wrong - I do love many parts of Tapestry. I'm just not sure it's a good fit for us this year. We're about 5 weeks into our new homeschool year, and I'm drowning quite a bit with planning. Actually, I'm drowning a lot if truth be told. Can you help me find other curricula that might be a good fit? Here are some details: -- My kiddos are 7th, 5th, 3rd, and 1st (and the baby) -- I love the rigor of TOG and would like something on the same academic level, especially as we are in D level with my oldest and UG/D with my 5th grader. This is my wish list: -- Living books as much as possible, though I'm not opposed to the occasional text -- Rigorous books selections for my D and UG/D students - not fluffy below grade reading assignments -- Assignments laid out for me -- Incorporates history, literature, art, music -- All kiddos on the same period of history at the same time -- Classically-based (we're finishing up the Renaissance/Reformation time period and want to move to the next topics chronologically) -- Biblically based Any suggestions on what I might look at? I wish we could all do SOTW (we would be entering book 3), but I don't feel like that's enough meat for my oldest, even if I supplement. He's a very bright, eager learner. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thank you! -Lauren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 biblioplan? I haven't used it in awhile but I think it would meet your criteria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaHill Posted August 10, 2017 Author Share Posted August 10, 2017 Hmm. I've just spent 20 minutes looking over all of the materials for Biblioplan. I'm intrigued! Does it have the in-depth thinking questions I'm looking for? I couldn't quite tell from the sample. Thank you for the suggestion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastalfam Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 (edited) Take a look at Wayfarers. I went from Sonlight to Tapestry (for a short time... it was too overwhelming with the planning for me) to Wayfarers, which has been the simple, yet rich and rigorous plan that I needed for having a complex variety of stages in my kiddos. I bet having done Tapestry for years you will already have many of the resources. Also, I think Wayfarers satisfies all your criteria. It is Classical, all levels on the same history period, includes all subjects you listed, and more. Also, it is very fairly priced. I like to have it on my tablet, so it is in full color, and then I write the assignments and subjects I plan to follow into my own planner as I go. No need to plan very far ahead, except to reserve or purchase books. I currently have kids in Grammar, pre-Grammar, and lower Dialectic stages, and it is working great. http://barefootmeandering.com/site/wayfarers/ ETA: I guess I don't know if it has the extent of discussion Q's you are looking for. I use the SOTW Activities book for discussion Q's for my kiddos, as well as general discussion we have on our own. Edited August 10, 2017 by coastalfam 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Biblioplan. The discussion guide is good for deeper questions. It's not TOG but we love it. I am teaching 7th, 5th, and 2nd this year and we are returning to BP after a few years of other curriculum. We are all excited to go back! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjand6more Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 (edited) Biblioplan is what we settled on and it fits all you want. The discussion guide is great, but is only for history. The readers/read alouds have no questions. This doesn't bother me. We have read so many of the scheduled books that it wouldn't be useful anyway. I google for book guides and I just let them read others and write narrations. Another thing...Biblioplan schedules heavily for 3 days. I use the schedule as a guide to what needs done in a week. I usually shuffle other providers' schedules as well...so no problem for me..I have older kids now(finally!!) and I have added a bunch to Biblioplan, but only because I wanted to.This year, everyone except the highschooler is combined for history/geography. I have never used TOG(but I 've looked at it heavily many times over the years...). I have used Sonlight(8 years), Winter Promise(1 year-Children Around the World-loved it for that.), My Father's World in High School because my high schoolers follow the Ancient, World, US cycle on their own,Wayfarers(1 year) ETA: I don't know if BP incorporates art and music to the extent you may be interested. We are using another source for this. Edited August 10, 2017 by rjand6more 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Have you looked at the planning aids TOG has for the younger levels? I can't justify spending more money on history curriculum when I have TOG on the shelf, but in order to streamline this year we are doing TOG Y3 UG history for 4th and 7th. The UG history resource is the Hakim books that are used in many other curriculum for middle school. I'm adding the Hewitt tests for that child. My 4th grader will follow along or listen to SOTW CD's, we start next week, so I'm not sure on him yet. I may have my 7th read aloud to practice, or may use the audible downloads for Hakim as well. I have three in rhetoric, but aside from discussion that doesn't require my time. YMMV, and congratulations on the new baby! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotesFromTheParsonage Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 The actual plan laid out in WTM is what we are using. SOTW plus Kingfisger plus additional reassures they give with timelining, outlining, and reasearching. I'm also adding some additional extra sources from Ambelside. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaHill Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Biblioplan is what we settled on and it fits all you want. The discussion guide is great, but is only for history. The readers/read alouds have no questions. This doesn't bother me. We have read so many of the scheduled books that it wouldn't be useful anyway. I google for book guides and I just let them read others and write narrations. Another thing...Biblioplan schedules heavily for 3 days. I use the schedule as a guide to what needs done in a week. I usually shuffle other providers' schedules as well...so no problem for me..I have older kids now(finally!!) and I have added a bunch to Biblioplan, but only because I wanted to.This year, everyone except the highschooler is combined for history/geography. I have never used TOG(but I 've looked at it heavily many times over the years...). I have used Sonlight(8 years), Winter Promise(1 year-Children Around the World-loved it for that.), My Father's World in High School because my high schoolers follow the Ancient, World, US cycle on their own,Wayfarers(1 year) ETA: I don't know if BP incorporates art and music to the extent you may be interested. We are using another source for this. I think I would really like the heavy schedule for 3 days. Then I could take that and make it my own, whether we can only have 4 days of school that week or 5 (due to appointments, etc). When you say you "added a bunch", what types of things did you add? More reading? Additional literature? I'm just curious what you thought it was lacking. Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaHill Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Thank y'all so much for taking the time to respond! I looked at Biblioplan and :hurray: it looks fantastic! I'm sad that's it's not in our current budget though. Maybe I can revisit it again for next semester. I would need several of the levels, plus the companion, etc, so it got a little pricey. Yes, I'd love to go WTM way, but it doesn't help with the planning piece of it. I'm considering still using TOG for my D son, and only using SOTW for my 5th, 3rd, and 1st graders as it's scheduled in TOG. Brainstorming on how I can make that work in a very streamlined way.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjand6more Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 I think I would really like the heavy schedule for 3 days. Then I could take that and make it my own, whether we can only have 4 days of school that week or 5 (due to appointments, etc). When you say you "added a bunch", what types of things did you add? More reading? Additional literature? I'm just curious what you thought it was lacking. Thank you!! I added an artist study. I also added a notebooking component on a topical basis(like WWI, WWII, Wright Brothers, Civil War...) The Presidents, States and Capitals. I bought the SOTW coloring pages from WTM for SOTW 4 because they are so much better than the ones from BP. I made a supplement schedule with videos and History Pockets and Draw Through History. BiblioPlan actually suggested most of the books I am using so I guess they may not be additions, just a chosen book or video. DD is doing a separate literature/poetry. Ds is doing The Good and The Beautiful LA. I have NEVER used any language arts that came with any program. I always buy that to custom fit my kiddos. I bought the Companion on pdf and will us it on my Kindle. I bought maps , crafts, timeline,discussion,Cool History Classic(will align with SOTW rather than the Companion). I will just ask the Cool History questions and not require writing down the answer. What do I think BP is missing? Not much. But, I have kids(even the 9 and 12 year olds) who like to color and doodle while I read. They really like interactive notebooks too. So, I can add those in. I have had to scale back MANY times due to new babies/difficult babies. It will be ok! I think your plan of focusing on SOTW is a great one! Do you have the book guide? They are fantastic!! Maps, coloring, questions, activities. They can take a year to learn reading and oral and written narration from literature. Get a few workbooks for grammar,mechanics,paragraph writing and you are set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 I'm considering still using TOG for my D son, and only using SOTW for my 5th, 3rd, and 1st graders as it's scheduled in TOG. Brainstorming on how I can make that work in a very streamlined way.... There is absolutely nothing wrong with that in my opinion, enjoy this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 (edited) Memoria Press, using the 1st grade enrichment art and music studies for everyone, which you could easily beef up for your older kids if you wanted to. Each subject comes with lesson plans, or if you buy a full core everything is scheduled in one manual. It might be tricky to get full cores transitioning into MP, though. ETA: And all wouldn't be doing the same history, I missed that bullet on your list while I was reading...so probably not relevant, but I'll leave my post up anyway. :D Edited August 14, 2017 by EmseB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 Wayfarers by barefoot meanderings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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