Have any MM users seen good results on standardized tests? Thanks!

I'm using Safari and it is working for me, including the samples. I have had trouble before with the samples showing weird symbols instead of the actually letters, though. Maybe this link will work for you: [url=]http://www.clp.org/store/by_course/151[/url] You can join the Christian Light families yahoo group that has samples in the photo albums: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/christianlightfamilies/ HTH!

Here's a list of library easy readers. Also, MCP readers look good. My 6 year old boy is really into earth moving machines, so I found some really nice books from the library by Linda D. Williams (Bulldozers, Backhoes, Concrete Mixers, Cranes, Dump Trucks, and Earth Movers). They have construction site photos with a few short sentences on each page. Some of the words are beyond beginner level, but my ds quickly picked up on them since he thought the books were so cool. HTH!

I don't know which is better, but here's a list of easy readers that you can check out from the library (thanks to another mom here who I copied this from and saved on my blog): http://souladventureschool.blogspot.com/2010/09/beginner-book-list.html My ds has gained more reading skills with library books since they seem like 'real books' and not part of school. Also check the library for word family activity books. We did McRuffy K and then 1st, but it started going too fast for him. We're still practicing and reviewing long vowels with ETC now and Primary Phonics next. I tried some word family practice, and my ds did not retain it, so I am sticking with phonics. It's all about finding what's right for your dc, plus a little patience. ;)

Check your library, they may have it for you to see for free!

We're doing world geography, and someone emailed this link to me with amazing aerial photos from an airplane trip around the world. What an amazingly diverse world we live in! :) Here's the link: http://justpaste.it/3ky

Check out Gnomes and Gnumbers. It's Waldorf style math gnomes stories for free online. There's even printable base ten cards. My boys love to hear these stories again and again. Active Arithmetic is another book to consider. If Rightstart is too expensive, you can get Activities For The AlAbacus for $20 and the RS abacus for $10 at Rainbow Resource. I've found the abacus to be very helpful for math. CLE is spiral and has tons of review, but the flashcards and speed drills might be not a good fit. Math Mammoth has cheap downloads, you could try out the place value one for under $5. There's also McRuffy math, which may be more fun for her, but maybe not enough review. Best wishes!

Sounds like FIAR would be a good fit for you. I don't know about MBTP, but you can read reviews at http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/reviews/curriculum/reviews.aspx?id=441. While your deciding, check out http://www.homeschoolshare.com for more FIAR style literature based unit study ideas for free thanks to homeschooling moms.

Thanks, I wasn't sure which PP to go with, 2 or 3. It looks like PP2 covers what is in ETC3. I want to move on to 3, but more long vowel and digraph review would probably be best. Plus, when my ds saw the picture of the bugs in the walnut shell boat on the cover of PP2, he was very interested, yay! For anyone else interested, here's my nerdy hs-curriculum-searching compilations of PP and ETC workbook scope and sequences, lol. Primary Phonics: Workbook 1: Short vowels plus six common sight words and basic color words Workbook 2: Long vowels a, i, o, u and vowel digraphs ie, oe, ee, oa, ai, ea, ee Workbook 3: Plurals, initial and final blends, compound words, two-syllable words and the sight word are. Workbook 4: Consonant digraphs and r-controlled vowels. Workbook 5: Additional vowel combinations, qu, three sounds of y, special sounds (esp. the letter a), and open syllables. Workbook 6: More plural forms, compound words, two-syllable words. New consonant sounds and diphthongs including soft c, soft g, gu, dge, ph, ie, oi, oy, ight, ow, and au. ETC: Books 1 & Book 1 1/2: Consonant Review, Short Vowel Sounds Book 2 & Book 2 1/2: Initial and Final Consonant Blends Book 3 & Book 3 1/2: Long Vowels, including silent-e, Digraphs (sh, th, wh, ch, ng, ck), Trigraphs (tch), Vowel digraphs (ee-ea, ai-ay, oa-ow) Book 4 & Book 4 1/2: Compound Words, Common Endings (-ful, -ing, -est, -ed, -ness), Syllable Types (open, closed, ending in -y and -le, diphthong, and three-syllable words) Book 5 & Book 5 1/2: Word Families (all-alk, old-olt-oll, ild-ind, qu words), Three-letter blends (thr, shr, scr, str, spr, spi), Diphthong -ey, Three sounds of -ed Book 6 & Book 6 1/2: R-controlled vowels (ar, or, er, ir, ur), Diphthongs (oo, oi-oy, ou-ow, au-aw, ew-ui-ue-ou), Vowel Digraphs (ea, ie, igh) Book 7: Soft c and g, Silent Consonants, Word Patterns (ear, ei, eigh), Digraph ph Book 8: Advanced Suffixes and Endings

Long live homeschooling!

Thanks for the EPS sample link, I hadn't found that on the website. I haven't used Primary Phonics yet, but I do plan on using it in a few months after we finish ETC 3 since we don't like the pictures and ETC 4 looks like a big leap. I read about Primary Phonics here on this board in a thread about great but not so well known curriculums and a few moms that used it posted about it. I remember reading that Montessori schools use PP. The only complaint I remember is that the readers can add up to a lot if you get them all.

Explode the Code 3 has really helped my ds with silent e practice. It makes him really have to think about whether there is silent e or not and what sound the vowel makes. For example, there's a picture of a pin with the choices of pin or pine.

Lol! I'm saying it with you! Plus my son doesn't want more writing! I may try it when we finish the ETC book we're on, though.;)

This is a great idea! I've saved a list from another mama here and added some to it, but it's divided by subject, not grade. Maybe if anyone has time, we can add in what grades each covers and then categorize them by grade and also add history, science, art, religion and all the options for other subjects. HTH! Complete Curriculum (all subjects included): A Beka BJU Calvert Christopherus (traditional Waldorf) Rod and Staff Alpha Omega (Horizons, Lifepac, SOS, Weaver) Moving Beyond the Page Oak Meadow Living Books Christian Liberty Christian Light Education Timberdoodle had complete packages now Christian Liberty Press ACE Moving Beyond the Page Phonics ABeCeDarian Adventures In Phonics Alpha-Phonics Alphabet Island Blend Phonics Dancing Bears Explode the Code Happy Phonics Investigating Phonics Itchy’s Alphabet Jolly Phonics, McGuffey's Speller (combined spelling and phonics) McRuffys Phonics OPGTR Phonics Museum Phonics Pathways Phonics Road to Spelling Plaid Phonics Pollard's Series (combined spelling and phonics) Progressive Phonics Reading Made Easy Right Track Reading Rocket Phonics Saxon Phonics Sing, Spell, Read, write Spell to Write and Read Starfall (http://www.starfall.com) * (free online) Tanglewood Education * (free online) Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons The Reading Lesson The Writing Road to Reading and Spelling Veritas Phonics Webster's Speller (combined spelling and phonics) Word Mastery Math: Applied Math Series BJU Chalkdust Classical Math CLE Fanstastic Frogs math Horizons Jacob's Japanese Math Key to… Liberty Math Life of Fred Living Math * (free online) Making Math Meaningful Math By Hand Math Mammoth Math U See McRuffy Color Math MEP * (free online) Miquon Quarter-Mile Math Rightstart Rod and Staff Russian Math (Perpendicular Press) Saxon Singapore Teaching Textbooks Video Text Interactive Grammar Abeka Analytical Grammar/Junior Analytical Grammar Applications of Grammar BJU Daily Grams Easy Grammar English for the Thoughtful Child First Language Lessons Grammar with a Giggle Growing with Grammar Intermediate language lessons Jensen's Grammar Jolly Grammar LLATL MCT Primary language lessons Queen's Language Lessons Rod and Staff Ruth Heller's Grammar Picture Books Simply Grammar Winston Composition writing program from Analytical Grammar Ancient History Based Writing Bravewriter/The Writer's Jungle Charlotte Mason Style Writing Instruction Classical Writing Easy Writing IEW Ignite Your Writing Intro to Composition Power Basics Jensen's Format Jump in Writing Just Write Meaningful Composition Meaningful Writing Rod and Staff Lost Tools of Writing Write Shop Writing Strands Writing Tales WWE Wordsmith Writers Inc Spelling A Reason for Spelling All About Spelling Apples & Pears ASCI Spelling Building Spelling Skills Calvert Spelling How to Teach Spelling McGuffey's Speller (combined spelling and phonics) Megawords Natural Speller Phonetic Zoo Phonics Road to Spelling Pollard's Series (combined spelling and phonics) Sequential Spelling Soaring with Spelling & Vocabulary Spell to Write and Read Spellbound Spelling Power Spelling Plus, can add in companion Spelling Dictation Spelling Workout Spellography, Primary Spelling by Pattern, Spelling Workout Spellwell The Spell of Words Tricks of the Trade spelling notebook Webster's Speller (combined spelling and phonics) Words by M.K. Henry http://www.spellingcity.com (for practice, not curriculum)

Thank you so much for this list! You just saved me so much searching time! Free from the library is always so wonderful. We used and liked the McRuffy K Readers. For 1st grade now, my ds only wants to read library easy readers because they seem like 'real books' and not controlled readers.;)

Check out Primary Phonics. It's by the same company as ETC but with a different style of drawings and also has coinciding readers. http://www.rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1270266988-86016&subject=5&category=795

That reminds me of a Magic School Bus episode with a little pro-vaccine talk at the end. I think it was Inside Ralphie. The kid calling the editor even said something like "I don't like getting shots because they hurt".

I always have low hemoglobin levels because of a genetic blood disorder called beta thalassemia. It is common in those of Mediterranean and Asian descent because it is resistant to malaria. The red blood cells are smaller than normal, so you probably don't have it. But anyone who has chronic anemia should look into it because it is not only caused by iron deficiency, although that will make it even worse. Many doctors don't consider it. Iron pills don't help and almost killed my dad by building up in his liver. I've gone my whole life finding natural ways to help keep red blood cell production up, keeping the spleen clean, and always getting enough natural, vegetarian iron. You already know how good molasses is. I take spoonfuls happily! Here's some others I find very helpful: Coconut water: not coconut milk (that's blended coco meat), but the water inside the nut. If you can get it, it's the best! They do sell it in cartridges at health food stores, but fresh is best. They used it for blood transfusions in WWII because it is the closest thing to human blood (plasma). Drinking a coconut is like getting a blood transfusion. It has saved my life many times. It also helps with blood clotting and is a major cleanser. I cannot emphasize enough how great the coconut is! As soon as I moved to the tropics and started drinking cocos often, all of my anemic symptoms have completely gone away. Iron Tea: you can make your own tea that has more iron than floradex for half the price. Traditional Medicinals makes 'Iron Woman Tea' and you can make your own with bulk herbs. Yellow dock root, burdock root, dandelion root, licorice root, nettle leaf, red raspberry leaf, alfalfa (high in vitamin K, too) prune fruit, astragalus root, and sweeten with stevia leaf. Amino Acid Chelated Iron: When I was pregnant, I took Rainbow Lite's Prenatal One Multivitamin and my hemoglobin levels were surprisingly the highest they had been since before I started menstruating. The iron in it is chelated, which was easier for my body to assimilate. I take this occasionally even when I'm not pregnant. Salad and dark leafy greens everyday! Especially parsley and cilantro. Tomatoes cooked in a cast iron pan increase the iron amount greatly. I take lots of fresh lemon for daily vitamin c. For quitting smoking, get some licorice root sticks. I used to smoke in my teenage years and I got tingly fingers and lack of oxygen symptoms. I pretended to smoke the licorice sticks and chewed on it, and it really helped. Mullein is an herb that will help clean out the lungs during the hard beginning stage of stopping smoking, and also raw onions. You will feel a huge improvement once you quit. Breathe deep from your abdomen. Vitamin K rich foods will help lesson your monthly blood loss. Avoid blood thinners like hot peppers. Here's some good info on that: http://www.ctds.info/natthinners.html

In case you can't find an affordable magnetic board, you can get magnetic paint from Home Depot for $20 and paint it on a board or wall or desk. They also make chalkboard paint and white board paint. Check out Costco and similar stores for low priced white boards. I got a 2X3 for $20 after comparing it to the same one for $70 one at Office Depot.

I don't have TV, but I let my ds watch National Geographic For Kids online. They have really nice 5 minute videos about different animals or places. They're grouped into categories (mammals, reptiles, etc), and my ds especially loves the 'Wild Detectives'. He's learned a lot from them. Sometimes there are weird ads before a video, but not all the time. Here's the link: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/videos/ We also get an 'All About...' dvd once a week from the library. These are 25 minute videos about many different subjects that are very educational and kid-friendly and even have science experiments in them. They're by Schlessinger Media. My 5 year old especially loves the Plant Life for Children series and Earth Science for Children series.

Next year I plan to use MFW K with Alphabet Island Phonics. I like how AIP teaches from the beginning which letters make more than one sound (unlike MFW K). I think that they will go together really well. We'll do a unit on Clever C and cows together, etc.

From what I've gathered, Waldorf is more teacher led and art and story based and Montessori is more child led and toy/manipulative based. I'd probably like Montessori more if it wasn't so expensive to get the toys. Incorporating Waldorf ideas has been more practical for me since crayons, watercolors, and blank paper, stories, poems, songs, and imagination are affordable. My ds seems to like the artistic approach of Waldorf style, but I need more structure. So I pick and choose aspects from Waldorf that will help enhance academics and make learning more fun.

I don't know about the workbook situation for all of these, but here's a list of curriculum compiled by another mom here that may help you: Phonics ABeCeDarian Adventures In Phonics Alpha-Phonics Alphabet Island Blend Phonics Dancing Bears Explode the Code Happy Phonics Investigating Phonics Itchy’s Alphabet Jolly Phonics, McGuffey's Speller (combined spelling and phonics) McRuffy Phonics OPGTR Phonics Museum Phonics Pathways Phonics Road to Spelling Plaid Phonics Pollard's Series (combined spelling and phonics) Progressive Phonics Reading Made Easy Right Track Reading Rocket Phonics Saxon Phonics Sing, Spell, Read, write Spell to Write and Read Starfall (http://www.starfall.com) * (free online) Tanglewood Education * (free online) Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons The Reading Lesson The Writing Road to Reading and Spelling Veritas Phonics Webster's Speller (combined spelling and phonics) Word Mastery Grammar Abeka Analytical Grammar/Junior Analytical Grammar Applications of Grammar BJU Daily Grams Easy Grammar English for the Thoughtful Child First Language Lessons Grammar with a Giggle Growing with Grammar Intermediate language lessons Jensen's Grammar Jolly Grammar LLATL MCT Primary language lessons Queen's Language Lessons Rod and Staff Ruth Heller's Grammar Picture Books Simply Grammar Winston Composition writing program from Analytical Grammar Ancient History Based Writing Bravewriter/The Writer's Jungle Charlotte Mason Style Writing Instruction Classical Writing Easy Writing IEW Ignite Your Writing Intro to Composition Power Basics Jensen's Format Jump in Writing Just Write Meaningful Composition Meaningful Writing Rod and Staff Lost Tools of Writing Write Shop Writing Strands Writing Tales WWE Wordsmith Writers Inc Spelling A Reason for Spelling All About Spelling Apples & Pears ASCI Spelling Building Spelling Skills Calvert Spelling How to Teach Spelling McGuffey's Speller (combined spelling and phonics) Megawords Natural Speller Phonetic Zoo Phonics Road to Spelling Pollard's Series (combined spelling and phonics) Sequential Spelling Soaring with Spelling & Vocabulary Spell to Write and Read Spellbound Spelling Power Spelling Plus, can add in companion Spelling Dictation Spelling Workout Spellography, Primary Spelling by Pattern, Spelling Workout Spellwell The Spell of Words Tricks of the Trade spelling notebook Webster's Speller (combined spelling and phonics) Words by M.K. Henry http://www.spellingcity.com (not really a curriculum but this is how ds learns his words)

Thank you so much! I figured it out with a HP printer and a Mac by selecting 'ColorSync' and then 'Gray Tone'.

Can you really download MM and then print it out in black and white? I tried printing some samples with only black ink and the color didn't come out, which made important parts unreadable. Is there another way?