I just watched a demo- and my 5 yr old son came over to see what I was watching. ;0 He liked it...so did I...hmm.....I'll have to put this on my "list" for a maybe for next year!

I've never heard of it but it does look good! I will have to pass this info on to my dad- who is a chemistry teacher to get his opinion, as I always do for my science, and plus, he likes looking at new things anyways. Good luck with it!!! I'll be curious to see how it goes for you!!!

We used A Reason For Science this year, for my DD's first grade science. We enjoyed it- an experiment each week, field trip suggestions, plus devotional each week, plus looking/observing materials for the week on day one. Definitely solid and hands on. HTH!!!!!

We are going to use this for "health." I am excited...of course, there's a lot my Ker (in the fall) will not be doing but I really enjoyed looking at the illustrations/photos, and all the ideas in it. VERY exciting to me, and my DD (who will be in 2nd in the fall) likes the look of it and the journal too. It definitely (at least for us) will not be done in a year, at least I don't think so!

wow! thanks for the link up!

I really, well, kinda....sheepishly admitting, that I don't like to read aloud! LOL! It hurts- seriously...for some reason, my throat starts hurting and I just start feeling crappy. Don't get it- I love to read, and I read fast, and my DD reads well, but to sit upon minutes or half hour to read, and beyond? NO way. I'll read one picture book or two and that's it. If I HAVE to, I'll read part of a chapter book, like half a chapter.

I don't know if this will help, but I am going to use these two nature journals for my Ker and 2nd grader this fall for art...in fact, we're kinda doing those now. I just let them pick something that interests them, and then we go from there. There are some different techniques they example for drawing and even watercolors... http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Nature-Journal-Discover-Seeing/dp/1580174930/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274150804&sr=1-1-spell and http://www.amazon.com/Nature-Through-Journals-Walker-Leslie/dp/1580176143/ref=pd_sim_b_3 And, we do like this book! It's fun and simple!!!! http://www.amazon.com/Ed-Emberleys-Drawing-Book-World/dp/0316789720/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266437794&sr=8-3#noop

I'm changing EVERYTHING except for FLL. I am finishing the second grade part with DD next year. From A Reason for Science to 106 Days of Creation From A Reason for Handwriting to New American Cursive for DD and Italics for DS Singapore Math to Abeka Adding Song School Latin From Horizons Health to Apologia's Human Anatomy From TruthQuest History to SOTW 1 Adding Voskamp's A Child's Geography and many "cultural resources" to have a "missions" focus From Building Spelling Skills to either Spelling Workout or Sequential Spelling (or both!!) Adding WWE workbook #1

Have you looked into Building Spelling Skills? Maybe not the first part of the book in the first book but it definitely picks up speed halfway through. Even trying the second book.

Thanks! I'll try that. Didn't think of that! LOL!

It's called Life In America Series. I found one of the volumes, called Life in a New World, Classical k-12 edition, this morning at a book sale. It's by Ellen Gardner Ahlberg. It's quite detailed...integrates science, English, Bible, World History, America History, etc. I'm impressed with it and would like to find out more about the series, however, my google search failed :tongue_smilie: Even the website mentioned on one page didn't work. Can anyone help me?

HI! I found this, didn't buy anything (yet) but looked interesting. Maybe if you look for something along these lines, it may be what you want. I'm looking for next year, something different than what we used, and am debating these. I think the concept is great! I like the fact that "you" wouldn't have to talk. HA! http://www.artwithmrssmith.com/store.html

Well, I plan on using that with STOW 1 this fall!! HA! I am debating on doing it at the same time, however. Maybe a few mini units, or start out with it, then ease into SOTW after a few weeks. OR, I may do together at the same time after all. That's funny that someone else was thinking the same thing..anyways, I know I'd get my head together over the summer with it more, so right now, that's all the opinion I have! LOL! Actually, I was going to mesh some missions/missionary stories with geography, and it seems that Galloping the Globe kinda does that already.

ooh, I love this idea of a thread!!! HITS: TQ history, only the last 1/3 of the year I just did my own because I got tired of looking through things. LOL. BUT, I did appreciate all the info! FLL A simple reading comprehension book for grades 1 and 2 A Reason for Science (LOVED) Progeny Press study guides (for Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie AND The Courage of Sarah Noble) SO SO Singapore math Building Spelling Skills (need some color and some variation of work for DD) A Reason for Handwriting Misses Horizons Health (Totally did not like this. Kinda a waste of my money, imo)

American Crafts has all sizes, I do believe. I LOVE to use their D Ring albums, which would basically be your binder you want! They have sleeves in 8.5x11. You can order those online from Joanns. ALSO, if you just use 12x12 paper and cut them, like an above poster said, you can use those extra pieces for embellishing, etc. Here's a link for an album on sale: http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?pageName=search&flag=true&PRODID=xprd623917 You may be able to find a free shipping code. If I have one, I'll come back and tell you. HTH!!

I will have a k'er next year, and I'm debating maybe something along the lines of BJU Bible, or Rod and Staff, or CLE. LOL. Not sure if that helps, but I will be following this thread too!

Me. Totally can't stand that manual. We are doing just fine. This is our first year with Singapore and the last. LOL. Mostly because of the TM!! BTW, my DD is in first grade. So we are doing 1a/1b.

HI! My DD uses these, pianos books with cds by Faber, as per request by her piano teacher. Was skeptical at first, since I played for many years and learned by the standard... http://www.primamusic.com/InstrSearchResults3.asp?WebID=&InstrID=1&NavImage=h_piano.gif&SKU=FJ03789001 She is beyond this book now, and there are a few levels with the prereading (which isn't really "prereading" just more kid friendly!). However, the kids LOVE playing with it. The music is really fun and cute. I don't teach her because I tried that but for some reason DD and I kept butting heads with piano. I'm quite capable of giving lessons but her and I just didn't mix with piano. LOL. I decided that it wasn't a battle I wanted to fight so off she goes to the most wonderful pianist for her lessons.

Check your library for the WWE main book! I did and it's THERE! LOL! Go figure! Seriously saves some money!! FLL was there too!

We did two this year, with my DD a first grader. The Courage of Sarah Noble and Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie. The first took us awhile (not for her to read the book, but to do). Some of the "thinking hard" questions was tough for her. The second one was MUCH shorter. I think she learned the following: some new vocabulary, to pay more attention to what she is reading, working on writing answers in complete sentences...and the more difficult things which worked half the time was the more in depth/digging into what the Biblical view/questions were. All in all though, I'd do it again. The reading was easy for her, and she did enjoy doing them for awhile. I think they look GREAT for upper elementary and will be looking forward to doing another. Haven't figured it out for next year yet. Would like to do one, but not sure yet! Oh, one more thing- I didn't make her do the whole guide. Some of the questions I skipped. And imo, I don't think there was busywork- all very meaningful! To be honest, even the wordsearch in Keep the Lights...that is a small challenge for my DD but she is working through it little by little.

definitely not a secret lol. :001_smile: i saw that someone mentioned it in a free curriculum thread awhile back too! here's the link: http://harvestministry.org/twghw

Okay, this info is totally helping me. Thanks ladies...thinking I'll forgo ordering from them just yet. I really need good customer service- doesn't everyone! LOL- so that makes me wonder.

or some other "mission" oriented study (besides MFW...I don't think that one is really what I'm looking for...for some reason, the WP one is the one that is calling to me. LOL). Anyways, I was looking for some thoughts on it. I also found lesson plans that were free, and all mission minded, that I have been debating using and then pulling some WP things into it. The cost of the WP program is really causing the hangup. Wishing it was more around the 200-250 dollar range. Thanks!

interesting- i got some worksheets from that site as well!

We are using this for our first grade science, and it's been great! I do think it would be just fine to use as a secular science- really the only part that is "religious"/Christian is what the teacher may or may not include on one of of the lesson days. It is contained in a "box" on a lesson page. I think it's been a great science program- reading, experiments, and we kept a separate notebook. We'd use it next year however I am going to have them study creation.