We are doing R&S 2 as well right now. We write across the curriculum using WTM/Complete Writer guidelines, using dictation, narration, and copywork. It is a GREAT combination for us so far, and a lot of connections have really been clicking lately. I highly recommend doing some WTM style writing, WWE would fit the bill if you want something open and go, but it is pretty easy to do yourself (then it's free!) with a bit of practice/attention. I really recommend listening to SWB's lecture on writing in the elementary years! :)

Thanks! Andrew is a great speaker!

If your children will be working in the same level get two sets! That way you can have totally customized review for each child which is one of the MAJOR features of the program :).

I have a SL discount code in my signature, but it is only for first orders :).

Thanks for reviving this thread! It is great to hear some more feedback!

Thanks for chiming in ladies! Today we did a notebooking page for DD's Bible reading time. She actually found it online by herself yesterday so I printed it off. Need to take advantage of that writing to learn!

...that she writes things down in order to learn them, what does it mean about her learning style? I often find her writing down notes, or making diagrams, or elaborating on the spelling rules I've given her on the whiteboard when we have it out. Today she told me, "Mom, I write things down to learn them." She also likes to write her words on the board straight off instead of using the tiles. Wow! I get the feeling I should do something with that knowledge! Does this mean she is a visual learner? Or...? She seems to retain what she listens to on her iPod very, very well, and loves any one-on-one interactions during our homeschooling day (quality time is a love language for her). This writing things down to learn them....maybe we should start notebooking!

:Bigear: LG/UG here :)

Hmm, well, are you interested for your youngers too, or just your oldest? We are doing SL 1+s (now B+C) this fall. We have it on the shelf and I've gone through the IG to sort it out already, and it looks great!

I agree. If your DD knows her letter sounds, is blending, and is six, start with AAS. My newly 5-yr-old knows her letter sounds but isn't blending well yet, and AAR is perfect for her developmentally. What I would recommend though is getting some phonetically leveled readers for her to build in real practice and fluency. Either the AAR readers or any other short c-v-c readers that you prefer. We liked A Beka's to provide a lot of good practice at this stage.

My daughter loved these books! We have the first two. Bump.

Rod and Staff? Pretty cheap used and non-consumable so your next child could use it too. Writing the WTM way is very cheap! Free! Just work from your subject areas for narration, copywork, dictation, outlining as appropriate :).

We have been using SL (just one core) and have a baby :). I DO love that it is open and go. I also love the book choices. The best thing though is that my children really love learning MORE when they are doing SL. BUT, I wouldn't do 4 cores! Here is my suggestion - go with core D for your 2 oldest and core A for your seven-year-old. Your little one (4) will enjoy listening to many of those stories, and the reading load is pretty light; we have often doubled up those readings. If you wanted to do more with your 4-year-old all you'd need to do is read some great picture books casually :).

I haven't used R&S for spelling (we do use it for English), but we are on level 2 of AAS. It is a bit teacher intensive in that you do all the flashcard review with your child, all of the teaching, all of the word/phrase/sentence dictating etc. BUT, you can do it for as little as 15 minutes/day. Just set your timer for 15 minutes and go! Stop when you are out of time and pick it all up again the next day :). I know I often feel like - wah, so teacher intensive; but it works! So I just pull it out and get going! Before long we've made a lot of spelling progress! This is all we've ever used though, so I don't have any alternate suggestions :).

Thank you ALL so much! This answers my questions perfectly!

Sonlight does have some chronologically ordered Bible readings for Core 1 I think (our core 1+2 does). We are keen on biblical integration too, we actually sound like we have similar goals :). Still, when I think about it, biblical integration is really only great for the first year of most history cycles, so you may not want to commit to an entire 4-yr program based only on yr 1 if that makes sense? That being said, I'm looking into TOG for 4th here, better integration than SL, though not as many living books/missions readings (more of these in the later years I think because they are very strictly chronological). BUT we'd supplement with SL books to keep the great readers and read alouds. I love that they are reformed though - they have a great worldview building take on history through a biblical lens in the later years :). In the early years it is mostly just facts though, in keeping with the classical model. That being said, we're with SL this year and next and are really enjoying it!

Do these two titles duplicate each other? Or are they separate content? As Marie so wonderfully pointed out, some of the Usborne titles overlap, so I was wondering!

It has to go SOMETIME!!! :glare: We are 45 minutes N of Edmonton. SO much snow, what a LONG winter it has been!

I'd do the 3+4 with both of them. Core K wouldn't be enough for your older child IMO :). Then move your younger child onto a core other than 5 next year - maybe 1+2?

Well, Core 3+4 is one of the most stable cores, so Core 3 maybe quite stable too - few changes from year to year. I bought next year's core used in one go, I would do that or buy new, but wouldn't piece together. We're rural and shipping many parcels would cancel out the savings for us.

I'm in Canada, so it will be a while..... I can't really say either way until I get a print copy in my hands. Pdf on the laptop just doesn't cut it :D.

Lucinda, I can't seem to find you, can you link to your inventory? :)

Well, I'm no expert, but we are about to start our second tour through. My second daughter is turning 5 in just a few days :). We keep things pretty relaxed. Very relaxed actually. We don't do any formal math until first, and then at a relaxed pace. She knows her short letter sounds (thanks to Leap Frog Letter Factory), and I'm very casually working on number recognition. She practices her own style of printing ALL THE TIME, but won't sit still for formal instruction. We are going to start AAR but more for her to have something 'schooly' to do and to help with pre-blending skills. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is for you to read a lot to him. Buy storybooks at this age, both picture books and some engaging chapter books. Curriculum - not so much :).

It seems like everyone here does Paperbackswap (which I can't because I'm Canadian). SO! Who is on Bookmooch? I don't have a big inventory right now, but I have lots of points! ;) You can find me here: http://bookmooch.com/m/inventory/jenniferb

It is all we've used! We are doing level 2 right now. DD loves doing it on the white board, she can take or leave the tiles (I was surprised), but writing on the whiteboard? Kachow! She loves it! From my side? It's incredibly open-and-go, systematic, comprehensive, non-consumable, provides great phonics review, and works well so far! Sometimes I think it is too teacher intensive, but - it's easy to use and gets the job done.