If you are a light cell phone user, you might want to check out Ting. With Ting you pay as you go and pay for what you use. They use the Sprint network, but offer roaming on voice and text, and they have a short list of Sprint devices that can be brought over. You can add an unlimited number of phones to your plan, so you can pool your voice minutes, texts, and data. I put my son on their lowest usage plan first, then after trying it out for a few weeks, I just joined him on his plan. If you are a heavy cell user, this probably won't be what you need, but for us, who are both light users, it has been perfect so far.

I guess I will be the voice of dissent here. I used four of the GD books this year with a 4th grader and 2nd grader, and I thought they were just right for them. We did the 3 earth science books and the plants book. My 2nd grader used the beginner section and listened in while her brother did the main section. In the earth science series, the books get progressively harder. The astronomy book is fairly easy, the earth science book is more difficult, and the weather and water is the most difficult. Actually, a lot of that one went over my 2nd grader's head. Yes, the lessons are short, but there is plenty of meat to them. I had my 4th grader do vocabulary work and take all of the quizzes and tests. I would occasionally supplement with books or videos, but I think it stands on its own quite fine. I think the books do increase in difficulty as you go through the series. The life science will be the easiest, and the physics books will probably be the hardest. I have a friend who did one of the physics books (machines, maybe?) with a 6th grader, and she said it was quite challenging. I like the series. We are going a different direction next year, but not because I don't like it. My boy really wants to do Exploration Education, and I think we are going to use the new Apologia anatomy book as well.

According to their Facebook page, they started mailing them out Friday, June 4. I have been watching for mine too. :001_smile:

Thank you all so much for your help. Although I am not 100% certain, at this point I think I may try Megawords. :001_smile:

Thanks for all of the input so far. Does anyone else have any thoughts?

I am looking for something to use for spelling next year with my 5th and 3rd grader. I think I am going to use R&S for my 3rd grader. For my 5th grader, I have narrowed it down to either Rod and Staff or Megawords. Has anyone used both of them or compared both of them so that you have a preference between the two? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I actually ended up using four of the God's Design books this past year with a 4th and 2nd grader. I used all three in the Heaven and Earth series, and the plants book in the spring. If you do science four times a week, you can get through a book in nine weeks, which is what we did. I really liked the GD astronomy book. We also have the Apologia book because my ds wanted some extra reading. The GD is not as thorough, but it is very easy to supplement with extra readings and projects. If you want to do Apologia astronomy, I think you could probably do it in a semester, then do the other two GD book the next semester. Each GD book truly stands on its owns, and now that they have changed how they package the teacher's materials, that makes it even easier to do isolated books in the series. HTH!

I am planning to use it next year with my two. I haven't seen this mentioned yet, but in case you are not aware, Apologia will also be publishing a junior journal to go along with the anatomy book. It will be more suitable for younger elementary students. There is a sample of it on the Elementary Apologia Yahoo group, and it looks really good too!

Elizabeth, obviously my kids are younger than your daughter, so I don't have a lot to add. I will have to make similar decisions next year when my oldest finishes Horizons Math 6 and BJU Reading 6 (if we stay with it, that is). One that I haven't seen mentioned here that I have looked at a couple of times is Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings. I have heard good things about it, and I have tucked it away as a definite possibility in the future. Have you looked at it at all? I broke away from BJU science this year as well for many of the reasons that you gave. God's Design is working well for us so far. My goal is to get through 4 of the books this year, but I am not sure what we will do next year. I hope you are able to find something you are comfortable with.

I would like to make a model that shows the layers of the earth, but I would like it to be something that will last. I have seen the edible ones, and some made of play-doh, but I would like something that they can actually keep for a while. I'm afraid the play-doh will crack after it dries. Do you have any ideas?

I did Adventures with my oldest when he was in 1st grade. He was ready for it, and had a great year. My 2nd child would not have been ready for it, though. The only problem for us was that even though Adventures was fine for a 1st grader, ECC with a 2nd grader did not go well. We bailed halfway through and did something else.

I will just add to what Heather said. I believe the GD for Life and GD for Heaven & Earth books are targeted for grades 1-8. If I understand correctly, these are the only ones that have the beginner section for younger kids. The GD for chemistry and the physical world are targeted for grades 3-8. I do not think they have the beginner section. I think you could start pretty early with the life or earth series and take it as deep as you want. I am glad so many are enjoying the series. For the first time, science is consistently getting done at our house and we are all enjoying it. :001_smile:

I am just wondering how you are liking it so far.? I am using "Our Universe" with my 4th and 2nd graders, and we are really enjoying it. The beginner section is great for my younger one, and the depth of the main section is perfect for my 4th grader. We are adding in Discovery Streaming videos, and so far they seem to be retaining the information pretty well.

Thank you!

Thank you so much! I looked right over them, and they are not listed in the Table of Contents. This is my first year using the answer keys. In the previous years the answers have been in the Teacher's Guide. Thanks!