Thanks ladies for the great encouragement and advice! I think DS really was in a funk yesterday because of the change to a more structured schedule (he is my slow-to-warm-up child). Today has gone much more smoothly so far, and he actually asked to learn the letter "D" during reading time tomorrow, so here's hoping we're making progress!

Oh my word! We started today (only K!) and it was crazy and terrible! Please tell me an adjustment period is normal! I let D.S. choose if he wanted to do Math or Reading first and he chose Math, but I got nothing but attitude throughout the whole lesson (which, I might add, lasted only 10-15 minutes and was completely hands-on). He even wanted to rush through read-alouds, which we have been doing all summer and he loves. He just fought me and struggled all day (not just during school stuff but with whatever I wanted him to do). We ran around at the park and everything, so I know we didn't have problems because he needed to get outside and move. Reading was better, because I waited until nearly 6:00pm after nap and snack and regularly scheduled Curious George. He seems to do so much better in the late afternoon/early evening. Is that really weird? DS somehow thinks mornings are for playing & after quiet time is much more willing to accept instruction. I have no idea how we are going to work in history/literature/science. Please tell me this gets easier & that all K'ers have an adjustment period, because I still have 1 more week to enroll him at that huge, over-crowded elementary school down the street, and that option is looking better and better after today!!

Melissa - That's it! Thank you! And our library actually has two copies! Which is good, because it is out of print, and the cheapest used copy I could find was going for over $25 for a simple picture book! Must be some serious nostalgia...:D

I just did this last week! For fall we ended up with: Now It is Fall by Lois Lenski Scarecrow by Cynthia Rant Pumpkin Moonshine by Tasha Tudor The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter The Year at Maple Hill Farm by Alice & Martin Provensen Johnny Appleseed biography by Gini Holland Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert Pumpkin Day by Nancy Wallace Autumn Story (Brambley Hedge) by Jill Barklem In a Pumpkin Shell (Mother Goose rhymes about Fall) For Thanksgiving we are going with: The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dagliesh If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 by Ann McGovern Pilgrim's First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern Samuel Eaton's Day (Plimoth Plantation Publication) Along those lines, does anyone know the title of a book about a mouse who lives in a pumpkin and then it gets picked to be a jack-o-lantern? My mom said she loved reading it to us as kids in the Fall, but couldn't remember the title.

I actually created a calendar of activities for my 2 y.o. while I'm working with my 5 y.o. Many of these are suggestions from "The Toddler's Busy book" or from our co-op preschool last year. We are doing things like driving cars in shaving cream on a cafeteria tray, ice cube painting using powdered tempura paint, and finger painting with pudding. I'll also set out beads, buttons, trays & string for sorting and stringing. DH is going to clean out the sand table and bring it in, so we will use that for a sensory table. The first week will be cornmeal, then water, and then I'm going to make moonsand. My little one loves coloring and playdough so we will do that as well as set out chalk and a slate or a wipe board or something so he can play school too. I think I might actually be more excited about the 2 y.o.'s curriculum than I am about the K stuff :)! It definitely sounds like more fun!!

My understanding of this program is that it is meant to be used starting in 1st grade or around age 6. I haven't tried it myself, so I can't comment to that specifically, but I know several users have had more success with waiting because it is one of those programs that integrates lots of writing early on. Just something to consider when you are thinking about it for K. You will need an extra student package to teach 2 children because some of the resources are consumable. The publisher does sell these separately. I hope that helps!

Thanks! You all have given me a lot to think about!

Just to clarify, I ask because I am genuinely curious, not because I am trying to criticize classical education or anyone's methods. I'm just trying to sort out the reasoning behind certain aspects of classical education, because I am new to homeschooling & elementary education. I can see that it makes sense to wait to teach process writing. I tend to approach things differently sometimes because I was a high school teacher, and I know the skills needed by high school/college but don't have the background in guiding students in the early years. I don't know the building blocks needed to get a student to a certain point, and what the public schools are doing is using is obviously very different from a classical education. I have lots of justification from the public school system for their decisions on process writing via EALRS and loads of other paperwork (whether or not their assertions are what is best for education is separate debate :D) and I am trying to figure out the rationale for teaching writing differently, so that if I do choose to go that route, I can argue its relevance competently. So, from what I am hearing, classical education does use process writing, but waits to teach it until grades 6-8 or so. Is that right? Prior to grades 6-8, the emphasis is on copywork, narration and dictation, the purpose of which is to make sure students learn good grammar, punctutation, vocabulary and composition from the masters, right? So in theory, once the student knows good writing, then they can start to produce their own quality, original writing?

Can anyone tell me why classical education does not emphasize process writing? I mean brainstorming, pre-writing, outlining, writing, editing, re-writing, etc. What is the rationale in classical education for choosing to teach writing differently (copywork, narration, dictation)? I am thinking this through philosophically, as it seems to me that one of the major complaints about homeschoolers from educators when they enter community college, university or if they take any classes at public school, is that they are "behind" in writing because they have taken a classical approach and not done 6-trait or process writing. I understand the argument that you must learn from the best and have something to write about, which is why we study the classical authors, however, so much of society is about organizing our thoughts in written form, and I'm not sure that just by teaching kids to organize their writing or brainstorm it will ruin their ability to write. If someone had done all the classical work, and knew how to organize and edit skillfully, wouldn't that make them an even better writer, rather than a worse one? I guess I am just wondering if this is one area where modern research and modern scholarship takes precedence over classical training? Can someone clarify the classical education stance for me?

Appleslice - I'll be watching for future updates! We seem to have similar taste in curriculums, and you are a year or two ahead of me. We plan to start Phonics Road and WWE fall of 2010. Let me know how it goes!

For Write Source, do you need the teacher's manual too? It seems kind of expensive and from what I could see, the student book looked pretty self-explanatory. Will the material be easy to teach without the teacher manual?

We are in the process of this same thing right now. I'm trying to get DS evaluated for sensory issues and see about getting some occupational therapy, but I am also trying to reframe my perspective on a lot of these behaviors. It is good that he is more "attune" to his senses, because that also means he is highly observant and curious. This is where poets and artists come from, because DS can tell you exactly how the breeze feels on his face in a way that most people would ignore entirely. I would like to help DS learn as many coping skills for daily situations as he can (water & movie theaters, etc.) but to be honest, I'm not sure I would really want his sensory issues to go away because that would mean he would be less aware, and less advanced in other areas. I'm sure it is the same situation for your DD. HTH!

Ditto!

I also like Sharing Nature with Children by Joseph Cornell. Loads of great ideas and activities in there. It is the training manual for most of the National Park Service staff when it comes to kids and nature presentations/walks.

My kids actually love the aquarium in Newport. Mo's is a must do, but everyone knows about it so the waits can be long sometimes. Rogue Ales is a fantastic brewery and pub for all ages. We tend to like Ona beach the best and agree with above posters that Waldport is a great place to stay and is less crowded with good beaches. You can also see some spectacular sights like Devil's Punch Bowl, but follow the safety guidelines because it can be pretty dangerous if you get too close (I did know someone who was swept out to see there, but it was during a storm). Up the coast in Lincoln City are some fantastic outlet malls with great shopping! HTH!

Just wanted to add...if he is looking at the colleges within Oxford or Cambridge, they will accept 5 AP tests with score of 5 in a variety of subjects in lieu of A levels as well. (Something I wish I would have known in high school since study abroad is fun!)

He will need stellar, and I do mean stellar SAT scores (above 700-750 for sure in each category, 800 in at least one probably), at least 3 SAT IIs, and preferably 5 APs with a score of 5. Calculus and/or Calculus 2 would be also be recommended, even if he plans to enter a liberal arts field. Hard sciences with labs, preferably AP as mentioned by Elisa. If you can, start him in Biology with lab by 9th grade so that he can get through Chemistry and Physics in 10th & 11th grade, leaving 12th grade for an AP study of science in the field of his choice. Work/research for or at a university prior to high school graduation would also be a good idea if possible. If he is a writer, published work would also be a plus. Any connections to the university he wants to attend, alumni recommendations, etc. will only help. I hate to bring it up since I know it is a bit of a contention on this board, but my best friend was the only one she knew who hadn't taken Latin at her Ivy League college (she was however fluent in both Spanish and French), so based on that info I would say the equivalent of 4 years of high school Latin in addition to 4 years of another foreign language. My kids aren't old enough to be in high school yet, but I am another one who went to a crazy-hard high school where most people went on to the Ivy League.

Have you checked out "History in His Hands" by Joyce Herzog? Volume 1 is Ancient History. It is written for youngers K-3 and is a read-aloud history from a Christian worldview. Unfortunately, it is out of print, but can usually be found on Amazon or other used booksites for about $25. It won't solve your hands-on problems, but it is a fantastic perspective that correlates Biblical history with secular history during that timeframe. There is also a second volume that goes through the Renaissance. It would be a great add-on to SL 1. HTH!

Yours is much better priced than the ones I've seen! Most have been in the $180 range! I know you are keeping yours for the time being, but I think this thread is creating a market for yourself should you ever want to sell :)!

I have read from others that Sensational Strategies for Teaching Beginning Readers is the best precursor to Phonics Road. That is what we ordered for this year K and then we will move on to Phonics Road next year. We haven't received the program yet, so I don't have it in hand and can't comment as to whether it will live up to promises, but for those of you waiting (like me) for Phonics Road, you may want to take a look. HTH! ETA: I have been looking for a used kit for at least 6 months now too. I have seen several listed, but they were all listed at or within a few dollars of full price new so there hasn't been much incentive to buy used especially when I can save shipping if I buy at the HS convention. Just a thought if anyone was looking to sell or price theirs!

My kids love Geoboards! The square kind are their favorite, and you can make them really easily with a board and nails in rows. We also love our wooden blocks. I refused to allow the magnetic ones when I found out the magnets fell out and were swallowed by a toddler in our area. The manufacturer may have fixed that problem by now, but my kids build with wood and they seem to like them! I'm really glad now that I went with the wood ones too because they have never been recalled for lead paint like some of the others! We don't use workbooks or activity books in our house. HTH!

We are currently doing SL P4/5 and I have mixed feelings about it. I LOVE the science part and so does DS. I know that some people don't like the Usbourne books format because it is factual blurbs, and doesn't teach kids to think in narrative, but DS is very much a "just the facts, thanks" kind of kid, and I do read narratives for literature, so I don't find it to be too much of a problem. I also love the IG, the use of a Bible story a day, and a Mother Goose nursery rhyme per day. My kids have learned more from Mother Goose than I ever could have thought possible! I am less enthusiastic about the "storybook" literature selections. I much preferred the P3/4 selections. P4/5 uses a lot of world fairy tales, edited and retold with easier vocabulary. I have ended up just substituting these out with AO's year .5 suggestions of the originals. I think SL does this because many of the originals are out-of-print or hard to find, but to me they are still more valuable for the richness of vocabulary and context of plot. Anyway, just some things to think about as you make your decision from someone who is currently using P4/5! Take them or leave them!

We are planning on focusing on weekly nature study this year. Can these challenges be done by a 5 and 2.5 year old? They don't write or read yet, but love exploring nature!

We LOVE playmobil at our house! That and Legos are the two toy sets that get played with everyday. Playmobil is fantastic for imaginative play and teaching kids to think in narrative as they create stories - a very important skill for future reading comprehension & creative writing. We didn't start until 4+ with Playmobil and that was just about right. Prior to that age my son didn't have the fine motor skills to manipulate all those trap doors, cannon shots and cranes/pails. I think you might be setting yourself and DC up for frustration if you start too early with it, but if you wait, I don't think there are better toys out there. Playmobil can be spendy, but they are so worth it! The pirate ship came with crates of food, including little sausages, a baby monkey and mommy monkey for the rigging, parrots, all the pirates, hammocks, sails, cannon balls and much, much more. There is even a cat who chases the ship mice. We have only had minimal problems with durability, and that was when DS pulled really hard on parts permanently glued together. I consider that a normal casualty of boys as no toy in our house is completely whole. For the amount of hours played with, Playmobil is easily the most economical toy in our house. (The same cannot be said of all those expensive electronic toys with bells and whistles that flash and make noise :tongue_smilie:!) HTH and I hope you enjoy your adventures with Playmobil as much as we have!

Midnight Sun. You can find the partial manuscript online, I think it is about 12 chapters or so long. It was leaked to the internet while Stephanie Meyers was writing it, so she decided not to finish it and posted what she had written for all to read. HTH!