Thanks, for sharing this. I'd like to send you a PM to ask more questions. :-) If anyone else has experience with this, please feel free to give your two cents!

Looking into various co-op options for next year and this one looks intriguing. Has anyone tried it? We've looked into CC, doing CCM alone, Catholic Schoolhouse, etc. Just would like to hear from people who've used it and what your thoughts are about it, pros/cons, etc. Here's a video intro about the program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_j6V2rofMM

Anyone?

If you have tutored Essentials in CC, I'd love your feedback. How did you like being a tutor? Did you feel equipped to do the job? Any advice or tips for a newcomer? How much prep time per week were/are you doing for each class? We are considering joining CC in the fall for the first time and I have an upcoming 4th grader. I'm considering becoming an Essentials tutor. Also, if you were not an Essentials tutor, can you give me any feedback about the program? Thank you for any information you can share.

If you live near Minneapolis, there is an awesome exhibit on the Romanov dynasty at the Museum of Russian Art until Mar. 23rd.

Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy is very nice read aloud. You can do or skip experiments as interest and time allows. http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Creation-Astronomy-Educational-Ministries/dp/1932012486

Thanks for all your ideas-- very helpful. I guess because PLL doesn't have a bunch of diagramming, or definitions of parts of speech, I thought I needed the Seton English as a supplement. I will probably keep the Seton Handwriting a couple days per week because dd is still mastering cursive. and is still learning the "strokes". I might just "trust the process" and either sell English 3 or use it for 4th (isn't a lot of grammar repetitive anyway?) Memoria Press has a lot of vocab in its literature guides anyway. Does anyone do a lot of this orally, like the vocabulary and spelling words and just write out the comprehension questions? Would love to hear how people use it. The first grade literature was more work bookish and fill in the blanks. These books look like I need to have dd write answers on separate notebook paper anyway. Thanks for all your help!

Please help me schedule out PLL as the "center" with other Language Arts as needed. Maybe I overbought curriculum. This is for a 3rd grader, so we are doing the entire PLL book this year (some split it over 2nd/3rd) I have: Primary Language Lessons (Hillside version) Writing With Ease Memoria Press Literature Grade 2 (I use it a year behind) Courage of Sarah Noble, Little House in Big Woods, Mr. Popper's Peguins, & Tales from Beatrix Potter Seton Spelling 3 Seton English 3 Seton Phonics Seton Reading Comprehension (could do this in Religion, because it's pretty much bible history) Seton Handwriting 3 Seton Vocabulary 3 American Cardinal Reader Grade 3 Thanks for your help!!

Thanks everyone. The more I look at CC, the more difficult I think it would be to try to combine with CCM. I'd love a CCM co-op, but doesn't look like it will happen this year. For those who did CCM at home, can you give me an idea of how you laid out your week? Or did you spread it out over two weeks? How much time to present the intro to the memory work for the week, versus daily review? Do you recommend doing CCM before core subjects or in the afternoon after LA, Math, etc. have been completed? Any other tips? I will be using this with a 1st & 3rd grader, with my 3 year old tagging along.

Following this discussion. Does anyone know if it would be possible to go to CC for the community aspects but use CCM materials at home? Any one with experience running a CCM co-op? Thanks for sharing any info/experiences.

Everyday Graces by Karen Santorum http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Graces-Childs-Manners-Foundations/dp/1932236090

We started MP Story Time Treasures around 2nd semester of First Grade and finished it up in 1st semester of 2nd grade. We're now finishing up More Story Time Treasures here in the 2nd semester of 2nd grade. We use them as a supplement to other LA programs and love them! Will use the "2nd grade" literature of The Courage of Sarah Noble, Beatrix Potter, and Little House in the Big Woods etc. next year for 3rd grade. We have been very pleased with MP STT/MSTT. The mix of reading comprehension, vocab, writing, and grammar-- even a touch of drawing as a bonus is wonderful. It's been working great here, so we will stick with it.

Crimson Wife, Is this what you were referring to? http://www.stgeorgebooks.com/booklist.cfm?SID=2533

Tara, Good question! I read an old version of TWTM and Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise did recommend Voyages in English as one of their curriculum recommendations for grammar-- very thorough and rigorous content. Earlier in this thread, Crimson Wife stated the original 1950's version was a bit dry for her tastes. I believe you are right the newest version is very secular-friendly and geared to schools/classroom use. I've never had a chance to look at either in person. The vendors that use ViE never seem to come to our homeschool conference. I do have one friend who uses strictly Our Lady of Victory lesson plans and they use the original ViE all the way through. I'll have to ask her how they like it. Although.... it IS grammar. How exciting can that be?? http://www.olvs.org/ShopCart/InvDtl.aspx?InvId=10438&GrdId=&InvCatId=

Sounds like you have a great curriculum lined up for next fall. Stay the course! Just wanted to throw this out there for those who are still undecided or need a good Catholic workbook option for LA. :-)

I think it was you, now that I see your screen name. :001_smile:

Trying to gather my thoughts here.... :001_smile: Ellie, I think Seton is much improved over MCP, not only because it has Catholic content, but I believe it is more meaty and rich than MCP. As I said, I own Seton's Phonics 2 workbook and the sample pages on Seton's website simply don't do it justice. It has 330 pages of rich, meaty content! I'm going to cut the spine and put it in one of those spiral bindings. ;-) There is a lot you can do with Seton's LA if you have the knowledge and background of Writing Road To Reading but need a open and go, structured workbook format. No lesson planning needed. Even if you don't have WRTR, I still think it's an excellent workbook program, and I love that they include phonics rules on each wkbk page as well as details in the back for the parent teacher to learn and explain the rules to the child. Now, Seton is of course not Spalding or O-G, it doesn't use the markings, but it does present *systematic phonics*, not simply word families or silly "two vowels go walking" instructions and tons of exceptions and majority of sight words. Sight words are kept to a minimum. Spelling rules and phonograms are included. I think the Seton's Phonics workbook and Spelling workbook go nicely together. I think English 2 is really good, too, but FLL would probably cover much of the same stuff-- depends what style you are looking for using and if you want the Catholic content. One nice thing about English 2 (grammar, basically) is everything is themed on historic Catholic France. You learn about Catholic saints from France throughout the ages, French geography, cities, etc. So that is kind of neat-- a year of learning about French culture. Actually, I think Seton is more like R&S with regard to the rigor of the grammar text (English 2). As for CHC-- I love much about that curriculum. I love CHC's hands on religion and all their neat enrichment ideas in the lesson plans, as well as their readers. I'm planning to use their Devotional Stories for Little Folks series-- I loved the sweetness of the Little Stories for Little Folks readers. I've looked at CHC's spellers and Language of God. The Spellers are cute and have fun games, but I prefer more systematic phonics like what Seton provides in their workbook. I think CHC's phonics is better used as a supplement rather than a stand alone phonics program. CHC uses a word family approach and tends to have a more sight words/exceptions to the rule in their readers than I prefer. For example, I think OPGTR used along with Little Stories for Little Folks as readers would be a great combo. But, that's just because I'm one of those drawn to more systematic phonic approaches. ;-) As for CHC Language of God, I do have many friends who use and like it. I think I read here once that someone thought it was a nice supplement to FLL, or a stand alone if you prefer to take a light touch to grammar in the early years.

LOL... I knew a SpaUlding family, so that's why the mistake. My apologies.

Julie4, it is definitely worth checking out. Unfortunately, Seton's samples don't do it justice. The table of contents is good, but the few sample pages they show are in the beginning and meant for a review after a long summer break. It's much nicer than the few photos shown.

I have PR level 1, but just can't do the DVDs next year, not to mention the expense of continuing with the program. I'm not organized enough to do WRTR on my own. AAS was tempting, but I have an active toddler and the thought of a bunch of small magnetic tiles gives me nightmares. I do want to try Hillside's Primary Language Lessons next year, though. :-) Just wanted to give Seton a shout out because their recent changes to Phonics curriculum is well done, and sometimes you just need a great workbook option.

I just wanted to add that it looks like Seton is in the process of developing all of their own Phonics programs. They have Seton Phonics 1 (has 2 parts/books) and Seton Phonics 2. In the past, they have used MCP. I'm excited to see the development for 3rd grade and hope it is out before we need to use it. :-) Really liking what I see in the Phonics 2 book! Don't think the samples on Seton's website quite do it justice. Systematic, organized, thorough and Catholic! For a workbook style, this is fantastic! Kudos to Seton for their new, improved curriculum here!! I'd still get the new edition of Writing Road to Reading and phonogram cards regardless of curriculum chosen. Once you understand about phonograms and concepts in WRTR, you could easily apply it to this open and go workbook. LOVE! Seton separates Phonics workbook from Spelling workbook, but their spelling lists are organized by rule (e.g. a list of words that double l, s, and f after a single vowel). They still refer to things like "sight" words which is anathema in WRTR and their spin offs, but it is still well done and user friendly. I'm working outside the home more this coming year and need the help of a streamlined quality workbook, so I'm happy to see the improvements here in Seton's LA curriculum. Edited to add: They also have Seton Kindergarten Phonics.

I just ordered most of Seton's Language Arts program for 2nd grade: Spelling 2 (2009), English 2 (2010) and Phonics 2 (2011). I really like the new Phonics 2 (2011) workbook. I'm someone drawn to all the O-G or Spaulding spin offs, but if you need/want to go with a workbook approach and would like a Catholic curriculum, this is very nicely done! I'm going with a combo/alternation of Memoria Press More Story Time Treasures (I waiting for next semester for the 2nd grade lit guides as I think they are a bit advanced) and WWE for writing/copywork, and CHC's Devotional Stories series for reading, in addition to other living book supplements. Yea! I'm excited for next year.

I know this is an older thread, but I just wanted to say I recently order Seton's LA for 2nd grade (Spelling 2 (2009), English 2 (2010) and their new Phonics 2 (2011) and I think they are very well done and a great option for those needing or wanting a workbook approach. I'm especially impressed with their systematic phonics book. It's not quite WRTR/Spaulding, but it's a very close second!! LOVE!

A good Latin grammar program will develop logic....

Ambleside Online and Mater Amabilis are Charlotte Mason style free curriculums online that you may be able to create a literature list from that is not solely history focused. Good luck!