What is the difference between the Extra Practice books and the Intensive Practice supplementary books? Which do you prefer and why? Thanks.

Uh Oh, I'm in trouble:tongue_smilie:. Seriously, I do agree with this and with the assertation that most programs end up in the same place. I had planned to stick with Horizons all the way through but then my husband insisted the kids try public school for a year. Everything my kids did in math this year was a repeat of what they did last year in Horizons. So, if I just go with Horizons for 5th, then I feel it might be too difficult for her. Her personality is such that she will feel terrible if I have to put her back into Horizons 4 as a 5th grader. Furthermore, although she made straight As in math class this year in public school, her scores on practive tests for our state's starndardized test (the TAKS test) weren't stellar. She hasn't taken the actual test yet but they do practice tests and she has scored around 75 - 80 % . I don't get the disconnect. Anyway, forgive the rambling. This is why I am considering going with something than Horizons. The samples of Bob Jones looked good. Finally, what are the differences between the different BJU supplemental books (Spread Your Wings, etc.) Thanks, thanks, thanks!

Did you like it? Could it be used with just the TM and the textbook? I don't want to have to buy the Student Materials packet and all that other stuff. Looking at samples, it appears that the book contains good, explanatory content right in the text. How do you think the scope and sequence of Bob Jones 5th grade math compares to other math programs out there (is it comparable, advanced, a little slower, etc.)? Finally, if you happen to know how it compares to Horizons 5, that would just make this my lucky day :D. Choosing a math program for my child who will be a 5th grader next year has been a thorn in my side. She used Horizons last year for 3rd and is in public school this year. She enjoyed Horizons but in my heart of hearts, I'm not sure if she got the "why-s" of the concepts. Plus, every once in a blue moon I wouldn't know the best way to explain a concept and the TM was pretty useless for this. Plus, after a year of public school, I'm worried that Horizons 5th grade might be too hard. AAAACCCCKKKK - maybe I should just put all my choices in a hat and pick that way...

They are both great programs; it just depends on you and your kids. When I used Sonlight, I felt trapped by the schedule. I was always afraid of not getting all the reading done. I did WP American Story 1 last year and it felt so much more "do-able." The reading schedule was a little less intense. Also, Sonlight focused more on historical fiction. While WP has plenty of historical fiction (especially in the Adventure Reading component), they utilize non-fiction books, as well. It was a nice balance. My kids loved the activities, too. I am NOT crafty at all and these activites were easy to do. The schedule has flexibility built into into it. Each week, several hands on activities, DVDs, and websites are listed and it is up to the parent to choose from among them. Also, WP was easier to use with a wide variety of ages because of the add-ons you can buy. For example, I used American Story 1 which is for 1-3rd graders primarily. I had a 1st and 3rd grader so that was perfect. I also, however, had a 7th grader. They had a "middler" add-on so it was easy to use the program successfully with all my kids. They also have Joy Hakim's History of US books scheduled in the IG for those who want to use them. I preferred WP's notebooking to Sonlight's timeline book. At the end of the year by kids had built beautiful notebooks that contained great content and served as a timelie. I did not use WP's language arts or their readers. I did include some of their suggested readers as well as some from the Sonlight catalog into our language arts. However, I wanted my kids to read a variety of genres of novels, not just historical fiction. The books in WP's history program plus the read-alouds were plenty. Sonlight is a great program, too. I do like how Sonlight has specific comprehension questions while WP only has narration suggestions. What great choices we have as homeschoolers! You just have to decide which will work with your own personality as a teacher and meet the needs of your kids.

I will be teaching Latin in a co-op next year using Prima Latina and Latin Christiana 1. There is a book of Latin games called Ludere Latine that goes with LC 1 and I plan to use that, as well. I don't know Spanish but I have seen La Clase Divertida used in a co-op situation and it looked like a lot of fun. Rainbow Resource sells it. Good luck!

How do you make sure you are not overloading your student? How long does it take to do math if you use more than one program? Do you just go in order or do you try and match topics? I've already purchased Horizons 3 for next year but now I am intrigued by Singapore. My dd is good at math and I think she would benefit from using Singapore. I'm not sure how to combine the two, however. I don't want to overwhelm my child with a huge number of problems to do either. Any thoughts? Thanks...

I had this in 2004 and I believe they said said your child would be reading at a 2nd grade level when the book was completed.

Ah.... this helps. Thanks. Instructor's guide it is then.

I used Horizons and rarely used the teacher's manual. The manual is pretty useless.... it tells you to "teach this" but doesn't give you any guidance as to HOW to teach it. This wasn't a problem the vast majority of the time. However, every once in a while I really wished that I would have had a little guidance. That is what I would be looking for in the IG or TG for Singapore - something I could use for backup when needed. I can't figure out the difference between the Teacher Guides and the Intructor Guides, though.

:confused: After looking through the Singapore math website, I am now thoroughly confused. One reasons I've resisted using Singapore is that I need guidance teaching math; I want to help with how to teach it. So, looking at the Singapore website, I see teacher's guides listed AND instructor's guides. What is the difference? I just want some basic guidance about how to explain concepts in the "Singapore" way. Which book (the TG or the IG) would provide that? Thanks!

My plans: Kindergartener: Suppose the Wolf Were an Octopus, level 1 with the books that go with it. Math U See Alpha Handwriting w/o Tears TATRAS phonics with Explode the Code books ??? I'm not sure what else 3rd grader: Horizons Math 3 with Singapore 2B McRuffy Language Arts 3 with a diagramming book that I found on RR Various novels with Teaching the Classics HWT cursive Blast off with Logic Latin Christiana 1 Considering God's Creation IEW Winter Promise American Story 2 Bible 5th grader: Growing with Grammar IEW Megawords Mosdos Press Lit. plus various novels and Teaching the Classics Story Starters Lift off w/Logic Teaching Textbooks 7 Considering God's Creation WP American Story 2 Bible Latin Christiana 1

My blog http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamabyrd has some pictures of some of the activities we did last year, if you'd like to see them. My blog is only two pages and some pictures are on page 2 (I'm a terrible blogger).

I used American Story 1 last year and loved it. I loved the books, the activities and the ability to add on things to make it usable for a wider span of ages. I used it with a 1st, 3rd, and 7th grader last year. I'm definitely not a "craft-y" type person but my kids like that kind of thing. WP's activities were very easy to do. I loved how the IG is set up; I felt I had "permission" to adjust things where needed to make it work for my family. The websites and DVDs listed were good, as well. My kids learned and enjoyed history. I didn't use it this year because only my 5 year old was at home this year. Next year my 3rd and 5th graders will use American Story 2. I highly recommend Winter Promise. Their customer service is terrific, too. I did not use their language arts and don't plan to use it next year either. There are other things I like better for language arts.

My 5 year old does one page a day, usually. If she is having difficulty with a particular letter, I'll have her only do half the page and we'll work on the second half the next day.

The hardbacks are older editions. Saxon switched to paperback a few years ago. As far as content, they are nearly the same. The new editions have math "investigation" lessons scattered throughout the book which the old, hardback versions do not have. These are different from the regular lessons; they are more conceptual. However, other than these the math instruction is the same whether you use the old or the new. HTH.

1. What are the optimal ages for using this program? I will have a 3rd and 5th grader next year. 2. The description of Teaching the Classics that is in the Rainbow Resource catalog makes it seem like the DVD is not absolutely essential to this program. Unlike IEW where the syllabus doesn't really make sense without the DVDs, the description of Teaching the Classics makes it seem that, while certainly helpful, the DVD is not essential to using it. Is this true? Can you do this program with only the written guide? I'd love to be able to save some money!! Thanks...

Oh, I forgot to list the Truthquest guides. You could cover modern US history using these guides and library books.

You're right - there does seem to be more out there for early American history. There are some options, however. I'm going to be using Winter Promise American Story 2 for the second half of American history. My kids will be in 3rd and 5th. We did AS1 last year. It has a "middlers" add on you can get to beef it up for older students. They also schedule the "History of US" books by Joy Hakim so one could use those if they desired. I am just going with the standard AS 2; I think it will be plenty. My Father's World also has a program for American History after 1850. Sonlight does, as well. Good luck.

I have Pianimals for my youngest kid. Faber and Faber's Piano Adventures for my middle kids and Faber's Accelerated Piano Adventures for my oldest. They are all good. I also have, but haven't used, the Alfred series and it looks good, as well.

I thought I was all set on WP American Story 2 but now I'm having second thoughts. Do you have any opinions on this? I would be using it for a 3rd and 5th grader. Thanks.

There are pictures on my blog of some of the Winter Promise AS1 crafts that we did. Here is the link: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mamabyrd/ You'll have to scroll down the page a bit but there are several pictures. There are more pictures on page 2 of the blog. I did not buy the Native American add-on but I did buy the More than Moccasins book and some of the crafts pictured are from that. My girls loved that book. HTH.

I know I want to use IEW for writing next year. Just using TWSS makes me a bit nervous because of having to make up my own lessons. I'm trying to decide between using one of the theme based programs ( either the Bible one or the Ancient History one; my kids will be in 3rd and 5th grades next year) or SWI A. So, wise women - which of these two options do you prefer and why? Thanks!!

My girls did AS 1 last year. It was a great year. Like your family, my kids love crafts and I don't. Winter Promise was great because the crafts were easy. Also, I felt that the curriculum granted me "permission" to pick and choose which ones to do and which ones to skip without feeling like a major portion of the program would be missing. The Bible portion is really light and there wasn't any anti-Catholic bias in it. It was very general. I plan to do AS2 next year and am looking forward to it. Good luck.

What can you tell me about it? Is this something I could use as a literature program with books of my choosing? Did you find the book helpful? Thanks.

Well, I knew someone who only bought the Blended Composition and Style in Composition book and used it. She said it guided you with examples of how to teach each unit. Afterall, this is the book that IEW is based on. She is not a video type of person though and gleans information better from a book. Some people would do better watching the TWSS DVDs. If you want to save money you could buy the Blended Compostition and Style book along with one of the http://writing-edu.com/writing/theme.php themed programs, which would provide lessons for all 9 units and would cost you around $60 total. Or you could just get the TWSS and one of the themed programs which would save you the cost of having to buy the SWI and the SICC - $160 -- considerably less than the $340 you'd have to pay to get both the TWSS along with the SWI and the SICC. Good luck. I'm in the same boat. I am definitely planning on using IEW but I'm trying to determine the best (and most affordable) option for my family. I'm leaning towards TWSS with a theme program (Ancient History Based Writing Lessons). There are samples at the IEW website. I live that the TWSS DVDs would be there to guide me and the theme based lessons would provide me with actual lessons for all 9 units. Like you, I considered the SWI and SICC but I just can't justify spending that much money. I think any of the alternate plans I mentioned would get you covered without breaking the bank.