My daughter has completed all the Apologia elementary series books with many added hands on experiements. When she was little we did a lot with the handbook of nature study and added sheets. She turns 11 this summer and will be "6th" grade. I don't feel with her day program ballet program she is quite ready for apologia general scince this coming year. I would like to hold off on it for a year due to her maturity and age. While I know she could do it I want her love of science to remain. I need a very strong filler science program for this coming year. Does anyone have suggestions or maybe a junior high level science that maybe isn't as hardcore as apologia but still very solid that I may have overlooked?

Where can you find used Barton materials? They seem to go so fast. My 10 year old is still struggling with everything.

Do I have to buy it for more than one child or can they go back and do the lesson again?

The reason my children love the units probably has to do with all the farm connections. My father in law will go over math with my oldest son at times and he will tell him how lucky his is that his word problems are about things that they actually enjoy. Today was one on tomatoes and the varities listed my son knew, when they talk about canning it makes sense because we do that all the time. Same with livestock, maple syrup, measuring logs, etc. I think for us that is why it helps motivate them. My father in law was laughing at how he would have done better in math if they had problems like those rather than abstract ones that would never be encountered in real life. It made my son excited.

We did CC last year as well. We didn't this year due to cost. And me tutoring zapped me the rest of the week. No way 2 days a week. I'm finding that I can do much more by not doing CC than what we did last year. If we decide to do CC next year I will not tutor.

CLE is very easy. It can be scripted according to the teacher's guide or very independent with you helping in new information. It may be the answer to you not getting much done with your younger chiildren. Just buy the math, reading, and LA and you will be set with CC :)

Oh yes if she is a workbook girl then no way would TOG work. It would result in mommy tears first ;) I am die hard planner, that loves to do all the planning leg work and it was still very overwhealming. My kids are antiworkbook so I know that they will love it. We did 4 lessons in first grade with my now 4th grade son. He thrived and keeps begging to use it again, but with 4 kids I had to give myself a sanity break. We will be doing it next year and I am already breaking out the books to start planning for next fall! I will have a 5th, 3rd, 1st, and K doing it so hopefully without babies/toddlers we can make it through :) We also love hands on projects and lapbooks/mapping/timelines.

I have started doing them with my boys on a few books. Not so much to see if they understand because I know they do, but for practice writing. I know that they understand the book, so it is a fairly easy assignement to work on writing skills. Nothing more than 5-6 sentences and then we go over grammar rules. I see it the same as a writing naration over a historical even/person.

We love CLE math and the Reading program. I am considering add in LA and music. I've used the art here and there as a supplement with other art projects. I am not sure how long we will use CLE, but for now I love the cost and simplicity of it and how the light units give just enough encouragement to my kids.

How is this going for those that are using both? We are going to try them, without lining them up. Year 1 TOG next year with UG level science nerd :)

TOG is very very overwhealming. I LOVE history and geography and I had to shelf it. I also love to plan. It was still so much I needed something easier to implement at first. I wouldn't recomend it for that reason. However, I am planning for year 1 next year and love the program and am excited to bring it out again. What ages do you have?

Yes with Apologia!! My 4 year old listened and helped a ton! I do prefer the lapbooks over the jr. notebooks hands down. We also met with a family to complete the fun activites and she has learned a ton about birds so far! Starting back this year with the insect portion :) Yesterday she even told her great grandma what kind of nest the birds had built!

Do they last a while?

Yes we are doing power up too, I think it helps with confidence for my son :) I am putting both boys in it after looking through it as soon as we finish up our last few lesons from "last year" I also ordered the book so he will not have to write out the problems. I feel like we've made him complete the basics of add/sub so much that really I am not going to have to adapt anything for him thankfully!! :) I think we will fly through the first half of the year and maybe make it to 4/5 this year too!! I'm excited because I thought he was behind more than he really is. (shows I worry too much!)

What are the best markers for art? We invested in prismacolor colored pencils and they were worth it! I feel like crayola is great to leave out for everyday use and I don't feel bad if one dries up- but I am looking for something to keep put up for the nice art project to use.