Tax return arrived :hurray: Book Choices Relished :drool5: Orders Placed :thumbup: Patiently Awaiting Boxes :lurk5:

I LOVE Saxon 5/4 and up, but for the early years we're using Miquon and Ruth Beechicks The Three R's. I also read living math books from this list: http://livingmath.net/ReaderLists/tabid/268/language/en-US/Default.aspx

I just posted our 9th grade plan on my blog. http://www.llljourney.blogspot.com/

CM would hold off on spelling (through dictation) and formal grammar until age 10. She would use copywork almost exclusively for the 1-3 grade set. Now THAT is simple. We like English for the Thoughtful Child volumes 1 and 2 around here for a gentle intro to grammar and writing. :grouphug: Relax.....they are still little.

This is a site for online learning http://www.lifeprint.com/.

If I know a book is going to challenge my kiddo, I read aloud a chapter at the beginning and anywhere else along the way if needed.

You can post for used materials on the Want To Buy board and see what you find. As for new, I used Rainbow Resource. Christian Book Distributers (www.cbd.com) also has everything. And no, you can't use MUS blocks, you need the smooth cuisinaire ones. :001_smile:

Just wanted to thank everyone for their response. You helped me decide :D

bumping for more opinions :lurk5:

How many do I need for one kiddo? Help me make the right choice the FIRST time :lol:

Saxon works well for us. You can either get Dive CD's (for the computer) or DVD's called Teaching Tapes. You can see them here: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=824115&event=CF

They do not come with teacher guides or schedules.

Just the TM :001_smile:

My son loves the series. He is 8 (third grade) now, but he loved them last year too. ;) My 4 year old daughter also watches without complaint.

My son really enjoyed "Ben and Me" and Mr. Revere and I" by Robert Lawson and "Of Courage Undaunted" by James Daugherty. We (and he) read many of the Childhood of Famous Americans biographies.

Just one more link. ;) If you like the Core Knowlege Units idea, here is a link to all grade level units that are available (for free!). http://www.ckcolorado.org/units.asp

I am now addicted to searching this topic :tongue_smilie: This PDF is GREAT. Page 7 has an activity that can be used with any non-fiction history book. http://www.ckcolorado.org/units/3rd_grade/3_TicTacToeNonfiction.pdf Some good 4th gradish level questions at the end. http://searchlight.utexas.org/content/fourth-grade/materials/p4060212.pdf Must Teach the Kids NOW!:lol:

I have always been tempted by Teaching the Classics, but have yet to plunk down the money. I own Reading Strands and it is very helpful. I also use the list of questions at this link for literature. http://theliterarylink.com/bloom_questions.html If you google Bloom's Taxonomy, you will find a lot of great information on questioning from lower to higher order thinking. This one is simple and good. http://mcckc.edu/longview/ctac/blooms.htm A bit deeper... http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm http://enpub.fulton.asu.edu/MAE-EC2000/blooms.htm HAVE FUN! :D

Good question. I am going to start grammar at the Town level because of the rigor of FLL. I am going to start vocabulary at the Town level because he has been learning latin and greek roots already. I am still up in the air about the poetry. I think over the next nine or so years he'll learn enough about poetry to make it "okay" to skip the Island level book :D We don't use MCT for writing because I love IEW and it works for us. I might be a more relaxed MCT user than some, but what we do use we LOVE!

My son, who is also eight, is doing FLL3 right now and we are going to jump right to Grammar Town next year. No FLL4 for us. He gets annoyed with the constant repitition of the instructions. He often says, "I understand Mom!". My daughter, who is 12, is doing Grammar Town right now. She is flying through it and I think he will understand it just fine next year. Also, the idea of saving a little money is appealing!

We are also using Biblioplan 1850-2000 with SOTW. I follow Biblioplan's schedule and use their maps as well. I also bought the parent companion e-book. It has interesting facts and questions that can be asked orally. I originally started with the SOTW activity guide, but I didn't like it as well as biblioplan, so I passed it on. What sold me on Biblioplan was the extra focus on American History and the Christian worldview. Hope this helps you :001_smile: Blessings!

I really thought hard about using this curriculum. I ended up changing my mind for two reasons. - I like having my kids together in Bible, History, and Science. It just makes life easier for me. - It isn't very library friendly, due to the length of time that some books are read. It is a fantastic curriculum; GREAT books, solid, and well thought out. If the above doesn't bother you then it might be a perfect fit!

My 12 year old daughter just recently started MCT at the town level. I would have said she was above average in grammar but I'm so glad we started at the level we did. She has learned a lot (ME TOO). I called RFWP before ordering and they were very helpful. I would have started her out too high :D

While I love MCT, the first other one that comes to mind is Learning Language Arts through Literature (LLATL). Here is a link with samples. http://commonsensepress.com/covers.htm

Not in my opinion. I either sit there and read along with my child (very enjoyable), or turn the book over to them (on a day when I'm super busy). They are not teacher manuals as one is used to seeing ;) You really only need the student books for the "Practice" series, because the TM has all of the sentences answers right there. *I am talking about the elementary series - I have not used the secondary materials yet*