Well if nothing else here is a bump :P (I haven't used either of those programs, since Salsa will last us another year.) At 5 yo I'd try some Salsa Spanish - you can get it free here: http://www.gpb.org/digitallibrary -- search for "salsa" . You can get teaching activities here http://www.k12.wy.us/search/search.asp?searWords=salsa&Send=Search (or Google "WyFLES Salsa" if that link fails). The author of "The Fun Spanish" uses easy Spanish readers, just search "level 1 Spanish readers" on Amazon. Something else for fun Latin exposure is Mater Anserina, a nice book and CD with traditional songs and rhymes in Latin. It is well done and pleasant to listen too. HTH

I don't know if this is what you want, but it maps Biblical events and includes some prominent secular events to give context. http://www.wordsight.org/btl/000_btl-fp.htm

Mater Anserina is very pleasant. It is tradition rhymes and songs (like Yankee Doodle) translated to Latin and spoken or sung. It is classical pronunciation (I think) so it might not work for you. My kids didn't like the samples for SSL, so I didn't bother with it.

Who here really plans their year? Me Do you plan the whole year or in chunks? I outline the whole year (which composers to study, what history periods) but only flesh-out per term. Planning is a treat for me so I try to spread it out. Do you make all the copies of stuff you'll need at one time? It depends on how committed to that resource I am, I also have a laserjet at home so I can print cheaply anytime I need to. Do you buy any supplies you'll need before your year? I stock up on paper and such. Haven't had the need to buy many art or science supplies yet. This year my science has a list per unit, so I'll probably buy one unit in advance. How do you decide what you will cover? I have a general grade progression - mainly from Ambleside and LCC. And I look at what special stuff each kid might need. Do you do a goal type thing? Yes, but I should write it down / define it better. I have a general idea of whats most important for them to learn. Do you use a planner, paper, online? I tend to sketch things out on paper, and then I use open office. I've tried online planners, but they are to complicated for my needs.

I used this from Don Potter's website: http://donpotter.net/PDF/WIDE%20RANGE%20READING%20TEST.pdf

I started with what I feel is most pressing: languages and history. I want to be well ahead of my eldest in Latin, and I want to teach them all Spanish, so I need to keep moving. And my grasp of who and when in history is weak. Perhaps because we moved a lot growing up, and I've been a rabbit trail person in that area. So I am working on reading history books this year (and next), and using a timeline. Next will be science, but I have time on that. I did well in math, so I'll wait until a year or two before eldest hits algebra to brush up (I made it through statistics in college). Grammar ... I'll learn with my kids. Grammar is highly useful for learning a foreign language, but I'm not sure of its use in one's native language.

:iagree:

I managed to get it with interlibrary loan, and like it enough to order it. It does give step by step lessons, several for each step (at least the first edition does) and there are pictures in the back, but you will need to copy and color them yourself. I just printed off some coloring pages and colored them. I did order one of the books - the V/V stories - but I haven't received it yet. I'm thinking of it as a big, multi-level, non-consumable school book. Taking that into account, $60 isn't so bad.

I started the history at year 7, but I'm doing books from years 0-2 with my children, so I didn't feel the need to go back other than to pre-read a few. There is a yahoo self-ed group here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/charlottemasonselfed/

:iagree: -- and its a book on TEACHING phonics :confused:

I use their booklists, I've purchased all the Churchill history books for example (haven't read them, I'm still working on Age of Fable). I plan to use a lot of Ambleside's books for myself and the DC. I've even been doing written narrations (its tougher than it seems). Did you have any specific questions?

We are using MEP (35 weeks of lessons). I start MEP part way through first (DS7 because thats when I found it, DS6 because he isn't ready to focus that long). We do 5 days a week (plus story problems from First Lessons in Arithmetic for 1st-3rd grades). My future plan is to add in LoF for 4th-6th (Fractions, Decimals, Pre-algebra) and do MEP 4 days a week. I also plan to take a break from "regular" math and do Simply Charlotte Mason's Business Math series for a few months - maybe between 4th and 5th. I mapped this out (I'm a compulsive planner) and that puts the children finishing MEP 6 and LoF Pre-algebra at the end of 6th grade. Then in 7th we can start Algebra. I don't really want to do Algebra any sooner, so this is fine for me.

I have just received Mrs. Stewart's piano method (3 books and video tape) and I love it so far. I haven't seen the video yet (vcr is broken) but I went through 1/2 of book 1 myself and WOW! I learned so much. I've not had piano lessons, but I have a stepmom who plays piano and I had a few years of violin, so I can read notes, etc. But I've figured out how a scale works! I can transpose scales and songs! And it's easy - learn by doing basically. The kids are still just plinking with the Preschool Piano book, but DS7 is ready for the lessons in Book 1. He can find the C's and F's alone, and play some of the Preschool Piano songs well already. With very little help from me. There are only 4 books in my set (preschool songs, preschool manual, book 1 and book 2), and they are about 2 years of lessons according to what I read, depending on the age of the child. Theory is covered in the books so no juggling. I got the set here: http://www.fun-books.com/music.htm -- there is a good description, and a good price on the whole package. For a 7 yo I'd skip the preschool book, its basically the songs from book 1. I got it because I have 3 younger children. Oh, and also for myself I'm using Alfred's Adult all-in-one books. I like them too, but they aren't as good as Mrs. Stewarts IMHO. HTH!

Does anybody know how to get the Italian version of Athenaze (to the US)? The links I found go to a non-working website. And what books would I need if I find a source. Thanks!

Unless the children are confusing words between the languages, I would look elsewhere. Can you review more? I'm going to label the house in Spanish so we start using it more. How old are the kids? I would look for ways to add more of the languages in. Perhaps a CD with Spanish you can listen too, or doing Latin chants in the car?

That's a good idea, I'll try it with DS. :iagree: I think you need to know your goal. Mine is just to show DS that being timed is not a big deal. Counting X minutes to complete 20 problems is not that different from counting X problems in 3 minutes. Both will show progress. I think for my DS7 its better to do a specific time, but I think DS6 will be the opposite, and will want to complete all the given problems.

For learning Latin you could try Getting Started with Latin (under $20) and if she wants to continue the author has a free Latin course (lesson 32 of 73 is conplete atm) using a public domain book (The First Year Latin - about $20 on amazon if you buy it). So for under $50 you *should* be able to read Caeser. IDK on Greek. A Reading Course in Homeric Greek is high-school level I think (I have it but it makes MUCH more sense after listening to Linney's Latin class), Athanaze, Reading Greek by JACT ($100 for 3 books, including a self-study guide). For Biblical Greek there is Homeschool Greek by Bluedorn - it is 7th grade and up. Haven't used it, but I'm enjoying his Greek Alphabetarion. You can browse around on http://www.textkit.com/ - they are devoted to Greek and Latin, and have a forum. And I would have her pick ONE to start with - probably the one that explains things like cases and declensions best. Then she can add the other later on. And personally I'd start with Linney's GSWL (haven't received that book yet but his online Latin class is great).

My son is 7, and has the same issue. I *THINK* we are finally making progress. (He also had the habit of guessing). Anyway, I bought Toe by Toe and it started with single letters / combinations then 3 letter non-sense words. (I discovered DS couldn't remember 'th' and 'ch'.) I actually had to insert a step by using two letter blends from Webster's Speller. Heres the basic idea (short vowels only): ab eb ib ob ub ac ec ic oc uc ad ed id od ud Then ElizabethB was kind enough to add some extra material to her site (link is here - the first post). The final pages helped him stretch the vowel out and connect the beginning and end consonants. (She does state that these pages confuse most students, but will help a few - the first part confused my son, but the last part helped.) So my advice is to slow down. Google Barton's reading pre-test (its free) and see if she can hear all the sounds. If she can't you can start there. He (DS7) told me last week he's done guessing :hurray:. He is now blending 3-4 letter short vowel words. Not exciting for most, but he has gone from missing almost all those same combinations to getting most of them correct. Toe-by-Toe also suggests "writing" the words in the air, we did that with "to" and the second day he remembered it. Disclaimer: I'm not very far into Toe-by-Toe, I just like it so far, it has a slow but steady pace, easy to teach and has a lot of review. After we finish I hope I can have him do ElizabethB's online phonics lessons. HTH!

Maybe this - I've read the authors adult book (Taking Charge of Your Fertility - and the birth control aspect isn't part of the teen book) and it had good explainations for why / how the cycle works. I've never read this one, and it may be for older girls (my daughter is 4 months, so I have time ...) Its only a few dollars used, but I'd pre-read for a young teen. I don't envy you at all btw! :D

I keep a record (trying out Homeschool Skedtrack atm). My main reason is that I have 4 children, and we don't use a boxed curriculum, so I want to be able to see what I did. My oldest is 2nd, so I don't know if this will be helpful in the future. I also want to keep a record of the books we read and if we liked them.

:iagree:-- except I have a Sony eReader instead of a Kindle. Google books is my friend, as well as archive.org. My only complaint is the page turn can be a touch slow, but I think its easier to read than a real book, b/c it is smaller.

:iagree:

I made a "snake" timeline (http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/timelinedirections.htm#snake) for the wall, because my children are young and I thought this was a good way to do the concept of a timeline without taking up a wall I don't have. I used a single tri-fold science project board (~3'x4'). When they are older I will get them each a book of centuries, but this will do for now.

:iagree:I always scored 98-99% too. Does that count for anything? I wouldn't mind challenging the MENSA test, but paying $60/year for bragging rights? Plus my brain is shot too - maybe it will come back when DD sleeps all night?

Thanks everyone. I ended up going to Walgreens: same price, no issues. My kids are enjoying their "art books" already. DS7 spent over an hour this afternoon drawing.