we haven't started it yet, but the guide suggests 11 weeks each, for a total of 34(exam). It comes out to about 2 lessons per week, the guide figures 3hours/ 2 classes. To me, the 3 hour/2 class thing assumes you are presenting it the way it would be done in a classroom, and the guide is suggesting that the 2 cantos per lesson are read aloud with time at beginning of class for drill questions, etc and then time to work out comprehesion questions, with the teacher giving intro and background lectures each lesson. There are quizes, tests, optional essays, etc. I wanted a guide, too. I was thinking of either this or Peter Liethart's, but i hadn't seen anything too helpful from either sample. So I just went with this one because I was familiar with MP's layout. Some people on this board suggested Teaching Company and Kolbe. I wanted a book ,and Kolbe used a different translation (already owned one). I can't imagine the background notes/teacher guide NOT being enough, and it's really more analysis than I was intending. However, as with all MP, it's very orderly and broken down neatly. My student looked at it and said that it very doable. take this all with a grain of salt, since we have yet to start :).

Have you used a guide for Dante, or done it ala well trained mind study/well educated mind? As for guides, I am considering Peter Leithart Ascent to Love or Memoria Press...opinions? Experience?TIA

Would you (or did you) do this in 7th or 8th grade? Preferences? Or would you wait until 9th?

has anyone used these texts (jr-high and/or high school)? What did you like/dislike? If you dropped them, why? Thoughts on how they compare to Apologia?TIA

ok haven't used their lesson plans, but I've used several of the living books in the plans, and build book of centuries, nature notebooks etc. We've used their free holiday helpers which have been big hits with all ages, here. I think you could use one year easily with children so close in grade level. the living books would appeal to a range of ages, and you would be doing math/phonics on individual level anyway, right? Have you seen these (below) products on the website? They are written for multiple ages. I thought I read somewhere they were working on more multi-level guides ...maybe I am wrong on that--someone may be able to remember exactly. It is a nice looking, well done curriculum in my nsho :) if I was new and starting out, and didn't already own a lot of things that are working for us (and didn't enjoy developing/refining/implementing my own plans), I'd consider it as a whole. http://www.livingbookscurriculum.com/product/138.html http://www.livingbookscurriculum.com/product/140.html

ok here is my long rambling thought, probably nothing you haven't thought of already but.... I haven't used anything ever as written, because I do my own designing and adapt for needs, seasons, focal points in our home-- but we've really enjoyed Tanglewood's selections and format, too (I've enjoyed other sources for inspiration, too:) ). It has been a source of ideas for me over the years. there is a solid traditional structure, with room beauty and practicallity. There are high quality books and some wonderful classics, but not everything is so weighty you can't enjoy a lighter day that still has substance. the framework has its merits. I've used some of her downloads, and they are basic, but it has been wonderful for my kids--mine seem to be more creative and thoughtful with simple, uncluttered notebooking pages. (an older boy starting with them, may not find them so appealing--you'd have to look at that) I do my own record book now to specifically suit my homeschool, but I have used TW in the past, and it was a good one for me. Did you see the tentative lists for upper grades? there are some good ideas there. Honestly I think if you follow the plans for the lower grades, you can just plug some upper level things into the next rotation. The core subject selections are very original well trained mindish--just sturdy, solid programs. Or a combo to make them so. I think if you really like Tanglewood's format you could just continue with whatever you're using for math/grammar/languages etc. and choose living books from tanglewoods tentative selections for history, science, etc and look at some Charlotte Mason resources for fine arts/handiwork. Tanglewoods's format is flexible too, you could easily make it more Latin centered, neo-classical, Charlotte Mason through your choice of resources, schedule, and application. By the time you would age out of the completed plans, you wouldn't be needing "readers" and such, just content books and literature. You probably know, there are great ideas for books at amblesideonline.org;materamabilis.org;simplycharlottemason.com;living books. All through the ages by Christine miller gives book lists by era and theme. Bethlehem books has selections according to timeline as well. you would just need to take the time to arrange them into whatever sort/legnth of rotations you like.

the baldwin 50 and 30 famous people/ stories spans through time. They are well written, engaging and have been big hits with all of mine. they are free, too! http://www.mainlesson.com/displayauthor.php?author=baldwin

good time to do chicks--eggs probably around July-August I would think. We've done the butterflies, but it really is much more fun to catch the caterpillars and raise them yourself. the caterpillars from mail order are in a jar and you really aren't supposed to touch them--at least the ones we had. Much more fun to make your own. ditto for ants.

bump.:)

I've not made that one, but it looks nice. I love baby slings. here are some more patterns. I you google baby sling patterns, you'll get a lot. http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/

I say with the "o" he says it without it. kids say "o" , at least around me both of us say pecan with the ah as in mop sound:)

but all I could think when I read this was: "what sad times these are when passing ruffians can 'nee' to old ladies at will" seriously though, I don't know what I would have said in this situation. Good for you for modeling maturity and compassion to your kids.

It's a nice quick reference for planning multi-ages. You don't need it with SOTW activity guides(if you are strictly speaking grammar age booklists), but I like it for other reasons--we are not on a nice tidy four year plan, so the breakdowns in ATTA is nice for me. It has more than 4 period breakdowns, as well as geographical lists. We use the timelines as reference all the time--actually I didn't so much when they were all grammar age but now with the olders, it's quite handy. Also, if we use SOTW for a family reading but I need to find something more appropriate for the older ones, it's a handy reference for the price. The activity guide is much more than a booklist, and although ATTA is a much more comprehensive booklist, SOTW more than enough suggestions for the targeted age range than you could possibly do.

I wouldn't be afraid of food poisoning. I might be concerned about people breathing their germs into for three hours. I only re-eat pot luck food if the circle of attendees was small and I knew not harboring anything nasty.

http://ttapp.com/try/index.html some of these may help?

thank you that helps.

I did a search and I am finding how to make a creamed corn side dish. What I want to know is how do I turn a can of regular corn into a can of creamed corn for a recipe without going to the grocery store. any ideas??tia

but the few "archaic" stylistic things have not really been a big deal at all. Off the top of my head the envelope, business letter format slightly different. We just use it a a historical thing :) and I correct the form for our day. also, there are references to farm and rural life, and railroading--not overarching, but some. this really has not been a problem for us, but there are some who don't care for it--I *think* the hillside version (not sure) may have updated some of those...

If the lack of terminology in PLL bothers you, you could easily memorize parts of speech or pick and choose parts of FLL, if you have both on hand. they are both very gentle, and quite thorough drawing on copywork, conversation, description,, and oral usage (and more) as means of instruction--although PLL is not systematic while FLL is. FLL is very scripted, but you can look at the idea presented, follow it as an outline and ditch the script. PLL has a sort of beauty about.... old, rich language, gentlity of manners, a kind of innocence (if a grammar book can have one:) )

free online copy of ILL for you to look at: http://www.archive.org/details/intermediatelan00serlgoog hillsideeducation.com; livingbookscurriculum.com have updated versions of the texts published by lost classics (ILL and PLL) there are enough samples to give you an idea of what they are like. Also look at the first link--Ill in its entirety.

how does the one on donpotter compare to Abeka's liitle blue back speller?

at donpotter.net . You could go look at it, print it out, there are even supplemental files there.

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