I was trying to add in something hands on to my older dd's first week. She's beginning History of US book 1 and I was thinking some kind of roped off dig and some fun internet research (she's not usually on the computer so this would be "cool"). Any ideas? TIA ps we live near Jamestown and I did find this which looks very very interesting...oh yeah baby, I love living in Virginia :) we are going! http://www.youtube.com/user/JamestownRediscovery#p/u/20/c-KnzMbsXIE

I'm not doing it myself. We tried it a while and ran into problems. I just wanted to know if others were trying it.

SL Core 100.

Introduction lesson on his DVD's for Algebra 1/2.

Thanks both of you. Good ideas Aimee. Didn't think of using two sides...

Have you seen the SL tips CD? http://www.sonlight.com/ECD.html

printed/laminated sheet (that doesn't change week to week) five slots for each day of week she checks things off when she's done Do any of you use something like this? I don't want to give my 5th grader a worksheet with lots of instructions on it because she looks at that and thinks it's too much. We need lots of white space. I think this is one of our problems from last year. My concern is that things will still be forgotten if I don't have a detailed plan for her to follow. I guess this is what my Well Planned Day is for, right? Thanks for any thoughts you can add.

I have Art Reed's Algebra 1/2 DVDs. He says he doesn't check the student's work and as long as they are getting above 80% on tests all's good. What say you?

Under the circumstances I'd say struggle through and continue. We were there. I looked to shorten our day and switched to something much more glitzy. I ended up wasting more time by avoiding some of the issues that my son was struggling with. Is he slow because he's still doing basic math in his head before moving on or is there some other reason. I will be honest, my son was complaining and saying Saxon was awful. I should have ignored him and realized he was actually struggling with basic math issues and didn't know how to do some of it. Lesson learned, but hoping it will help if that's the case. I will say I went through this same thing with my daughter and she is doing great now!

You can see sample IG's on their website of course but here's a sample of bible reading from week 10 Exodus 32:7-14, Proverbs 4:23-27, Mark 2: 15-17, Mark 4:3 - 20, Romans 8:26-31. They will be memorizing Psalm 139. This is done over a course of time. They are to be on verse 20 by week 10. They're reading from the Bible Study Sampler book and from God's Will, God's Best. This is a good example of what's included each week. I am amazed at how bit by bit they learn so much. Very happy with SL bible.

Anyone have an audio resource to help solidify Psalm 139 in our brains?? We are also to work on selections from Isaiah 53 and Matthew 5 if you know of any songs to go with those I'd love a link... Just fyi - thanks to the Classical Conversations cd - we now know Ephesians 6!!

would you be willing to look up the syllabus and tell me how many lessons and how many times per week the publisher suggests? thanks

Just wanted to put this out there if you all don't know about them... you can download 9 episodes and burn a cd - I think you even have a year to download...for $49. The owner or a person there at least, said they got an underwhelming response from homeschoolbuyers coop last year when he tried something there. I can't believe that. I think they're just great for traveling listening or bedtime listening. http://www.boomkids.com/episodes/

I did. What a fun site!

I was afraid of that :) Looking for something all planned out to go with SL cores.

How do you all like the programs used? I've seen raves about the whole thing but not much about phonics in particular...

I haven't found too many books yet but we're still what I'd describe as fairly new. It is very very easy to leave out books with SL. Just skip it :) And in terms of teacher ease? It's the easiest I've found yet...

Curious. We are using Core E and 100 this year. LA is really only applicable as an extra purchase to Core E. We are currently using IEW and Rod and Staff with Spelling Wisdom dictation.

I can't seem to find an online sample AND I can't seem to find a current middle school version. Help?

Just realized this is included in the paperwork for the SWI A. I have used copies and never saw it. BUT... for those of you with complete paperwork...you already have this info. For those of us who don't this will be a handy dandy syllabus!

Our history tab - mapwork for the week student questions she's to be able to answer notes on each book if necessary (we use SL and they include book notes) if applicable, any extra assignment sheets, like report info or worksheet (we probably won't have this often as that would require me planning it out and her schedule is busy enough, but I reserve the right to include if I want, lol) I checked out your blog and saw you're using ETC for one, that's probably something I would include (ala file thread) and put behind a tab labeled ETC in your younger one's folder. This, for my kids, would virtually guarantee they did it each week. I can't promise it would be done if it relied on her #1 remembering to do it and #2 finding the workbook :) A binder eliminates this. One thing about this system for me, I have to reload each weekend to be ready Mon am.

We have been using a binder for weekly work. In the front clear cover part, I have a daily sort of flow chart that says what they are to be doing each day by blocks of time. Inside (in front of the tabs) I will include an assignment sheet. This will describe (I'm still working on the format for this) their work for each day broken down by subject. Think SL schedule page but with all subjects. Days across top, subjects down side with blocks holding each assignment. Then using the same format as the assignment sheet - I set up tabs in the binder. Say first section of assignment sheet is bible, first tab in binder is bible. Behind that are any worksheet pages for that week, any notes for that particular book, etc. This is the same for different subjects. Anything that doesn't fit in the binder has it's own notebook. Math and science are two tabs I can think of right off hand. Math will have it's own subject notebook - spiral bound type with a schedule pasted to the front. She also will see her assignment in the math block, but I want her to get used to looking at a syllabus as well. Science will have it's own 3 ring notebook because there are many components to this subject, labs, quizzes, tests, etc. Anything that needs storage will go into her file crate with a cover that rests under her book crate. The book crate holds books for that week only. The file crate holds weekly folders that are somewhat similar to what you'd read about in the big file thread, only I didn't go crazy and cut up books, just separated our IG from SL by week. I hope to also include our quarterly calendar. She will have her own student planner to keep track of due dates, etc. but this will help her acting as a sort of "brain". I found the student planner got jammed quickly with too much stuff when we used it as the assigment chart and calendar. Keeping the two separate should help her see quickly what's due when. This is as long as I'm consistent to keep our Monday morning discussion. Here's where we'll highlight due dates to add to her student planner.

hijack - welcome countrygirl Care to send me a pm about how you have a different schedule for the kids? I'm looking to move from my master plan to their daily one and I'd love to hear how you've modified yours using SL's.

"We do SL and honestly, I find less burnout from SL than I do some of the other "like" SL curriculum choices out there. " :iagree: Also I agree with the points mentioned in countrygirl's reply as well. Burnout for me usually follows being unprepared and with SL, I can open and go. That is worth alot to me.

Under the files tab, SWI Help (all the way to the bottom), SWI A stuff (or B or C whichever you are using), SWI A suggested course schedule.doc Awesome. The schedule has been broken down by weeks and by day, in a spreadsheet type doc. Very handy. HTH