Also... regarding manipulatives, I think a set of base 10 blocks and graph paper (for fractions/long division/area) are essential. Money, capacity, length, time can all be taught with materials you have at home. I love cool math manipulatives, but I try to remind myself that I don't *really* need them.

I've never used the HIG, so I don't really know how much support is given -- I'm sure someone else with more experience can answer. I have taught math at public schools, though, so I already have some ideas about how I want to introduce a topic - and what works and doesn't work. If I didn't feel so confident about my abilities to do or teach math, I'd totally use the HIG. Or I'd use a more scripted program (like RS). Or I'd use a program aimed at kids self-teaching (like MM). I think those are all solid programs and you can't go wrong.

If we wanted to read a few stories from the Decameron, which ones would be best for kids? I did read it in college, but don't remember much (okay... don't remember any of the stories).

In the sense of being a collection of stories for kids to read, I think basal readers are fine. I used to love to get a new reading book when I was in elementary school -- I'd take it home and read it that first night. I don't know what I did the rest of the year. Whether they're needed to learn to read? Nah....

It's important to have both though... before homeschooling full-time, I had to deal with TERC Investigations. The authors had clearly taken the idea of conceptual understanding and run insanely around in circles with it, tossing procedural understanding out the window with that bath water. What the school ended up with was kids who had decent number sense and could explain their work, but took a great deal of time to draw pictures or work each problem out in mind-numbing ways that showed conceptual understanding and zero procedural ability. I recall feeling like I might take my daughters pencil and shove it into my eyeballs if I had to watch her one more time draw 523 objects or write another sentence explaining why 10 + 4 was 14. Incidentally, I understand they've found the kids test below grade level and they're abandoning the math program... I'm curious what the next trend is that they'll jump on.

:iagree: The whole concept of grade level loses its importance once you're out of a school setting. Just tick the fourth grade box and get back to prepping him for AP calculus or teaching him to read his first Bob book or whatever in-between you're working on.

I think if you feel that SM is working for you without the text and you're happy with what you're doing, I'd just stick with it. The way I use SM (I've used 1b-5a, so far), is to first present a new topic using manipulatives (assuming it makes sense that way) such as base-10 cubes, rulers, protractors, quart - pint- cup sized bottles, fraction towers, clock, money,... . Next, we turn to the textbook to see how the problem can be solved without the manipulatives (often drawing bar models). Then we do the problems from the textbook orally together (or on a whiteboard). Finally, I set the workbook pages as a "homework" to do independently. This model of moving from concrete to pictorial to abstract (and from teacher directed to independent) makes sense to me. And I like that I can really see what my child understands in the textbook part of the lesson *and* also that I can hand over the workbook and let my child loose to do the work of mathematical thinking on her own without me hovering. So using both the textbook and the workbook is essential in my family. But if I was forced to take one part of that out, I'd take out the workbook -- the independent practice part.

You don't need the HIG, but you really do need the textbook (not just the workbook).

Thank you!! This looks really interesting and is almost exactly what I envision, although with some slightly different materials -- I'm thinking more AOPS, less Holt. But the games and books are exactly what I need to make my ideal math program. But I'm not going to worry about it for now... I have a half-year to figure out what will be a good fit.

No - not decided. My girl is flying through SM5 right now. I think she'll have finished the SM6 books by next fall. She picks up on math so easily and doesn't need much repetition to retain it, but she doesn't take much pleasure out of it. I want to find something entertaining and challenging. I might put together my own mix of topics using a pre-algebra book as a spine and lots of supplemental materials to increase her interest (like brainpop, Zaccaro, LOF, Danica McKellar, AOPS videos, murderous math). Or maybe not. I'm curious to find out what we ultimately go with.

Math - I don't know... some sort of pre-algebra LA - Introduction to Academic Writing, LL7 Science - Finish Biology, move to Chemistry - McHenry's Elements and C. Chem, Continue Story of Science - Newton History - OUP and Ren. History portfolio (Finish renaissance in Europe, change focus to other continents) Latin - Continue Latin Prep 1 French - Perhaps?

I'd think about what your writing goals are for this year. If your goal is to help your kids construct really good sentences, Kilgallon is a complete program. If your goal is to have your kids write essays or understand English grammar, it is a supplement.

I'd like to know too! We're starting next week and I figured we'd take 9 weeks because there are 9 chapters (and we only meet once/week with the other child who studies with us). I'll be adding in other materials and documentaries and microscope work too (because we currently are doing science daily).

Standards -- because the color pictures in the upper books appeal to me and my kids more.

:iagree: Once reading has clicked for your child, the best way for him to improve is just to read. The leveled basal reader isn't necessary. I wouldn't use one unless my kids just loved the stories and answering questions or if I was doubting my ability to provide interesting things to read.

In our family, at least, the ability to wield a scalpel and the ability to ask to cut open an animal don't go hand in hand.

I totally understand. I'm not a big fan of memorizing material without the context. I need to see a big picture to understand why it's important to memorize. That said, we had a good year with LL1 and I don't regret it. Just be prepared to be introduced to 'chants' without knowing why you're doing it.

My kids (7 and 9) are fascinated when we slaughter a chicken or fillet a fish. They do like to see the different organs and my partner is good at showing it all to them. They don't really dissect it themselves though. So I don't know what age... maybe 9 or 10? I think the fine motor skills and knowledge of what they're looking at and why they're doing it is important.

:iagree:with the Ellen Mchenry materials and the scholastic one. We have both and like them. Since she's 10 and getting towards puberty age, you might want to use something like American Girl Care and Keeping of You.

It's a free online literature guide following SOTW (made by one of our own) http://www.classicalhouseoflearning.com/

Absolutely give it a try. But here's my warning: When my older daughter was 4, she desperately wanted to learn how to read a clock. So I bought her an analog watch, we played with a judy clock, we played with a puzzle, we played time bingo. And honestly, she would understand a little bit and remember for a little bit and then she'd forget everything. The whole concept was just not sticking. I set it aside. Then, one day, when she was 6.5, the concept came up in her math book and she picked it up in about 10 minutes. She understood completely with almost no effort. The same thing happened with my younger daughter. She got the idea of the hours at 4 or 5, but there was something that happened around 6 when time suddenly meant something more and it all came together so easily. So give it a try... but don't worry if it doesn't entirely make sense to him, it'll be a breeze when he's ready.

CHOL The Ancient History Portfolio Jr. uses SOTW, but the Medieval and Renaissance classic ones don't. I don't know about the others.

We're focusing on paragraphs this year and I'm actually strangely happy using an older ESL writing textbook I used to use when I taught at community college. It's called "First Steps in Academic Writing" (We use the 1st edition -- by Ann Hogue, though there's a newer one out there). There is a lot of grammar and writing mechanics instruction and some cool sentence combining exercises. Plus, the books have nice model paragraphs and lay out step-by-step how to construct them. Every once in a while, I have to skip an exercise because the book is aimed at adult ESL students in a classroom, not homeschooled native English speaking children, but 95% of the exercises are really useful. If you can find this at a library or used book store, you might want to take a look. I plan on continuing with the next book, "Introduction to academic writing" which introduces essay writing. The older edition looks like it costs 0.01 on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/First-Steps-Academic-Writing-Student/dp/0201834103/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329669673&sr=1-1

My daughter did Island in 2nd grade and it was a breeze. I could probably use it fine with my other daughter who's not particularly advanced.

We have (or have had) -Black sex-links (excellent layers, boring to look at) -Wyandotte (good layers, stripey) -New Hampshire Red (good layer) -Barred rock (good layer, a real sweetie and pretty) -White leghorn (excellent layer, mean and flighty) We also have some chicks not laying yet: Polish, buff orp, brahma, Sussex, and americauna