What about printing blank maps and laminating them? The kids fill in what they know then you can add new info. Erase and do again the next day. Just a thought! Maybe also have a completed map laminated. Kids can color in new places so it stands out to them. (Edited to add the last part - thinking "out loud" for myself as this is what I'm planning for next year. )

I am planning on using BF Early American History next year also with my 4th and 1st boys. I am only doing the second semester as we've already covered up to that point. Even the second semester is expensive but I can get books from my library. That may be an option for you. While my library carries all but 2 or 3 books from the BF list, I am ordering more than those couple from BF because my library only has one copy and I don't want to have to wait forever for it. (sorry for the run-on sentence :-) ) Thankfully, my library has multiple copies of the D'Aulaire books so that saves me a lot.

Bump :-)

Thank you all so much. Wanting to clarify a little to Garga - it's not that we stopped school but more that because DS struggles with some things (mainly math) I didn't push him just to get further along in the curric. We have had times of an "unschooling" slant but we are still always getting the 3 Rs in, just more slowly. Does CLP or Seton offer assistance in trying to figure out which test to get? Perhaps they can give additional insight with where we are.

Candid, Thank you. I believe CLP uses CAT 1970 edition. Here is part of one reason they use this version - "We still use the older version of this nationally normed achievement test because the newer editions reflect a lower academic standard." We have never tested. We have the option of assessments and that's what I prefer (and will still do for this year to send to the school) but DH wants this test. So what are you recommending? I'm confused on all of this. I want to be able to test him here at home so I need something that allows me to do that. Thank you all for your help. While I actually don't mind testing to see where our gaps are, the threat hanging over my head makes me nervous.

I am looking for a notebook timeline. I love the look of Homeschool In the Woods' timeline. But the only sample provided shows 1770AD on one page and 1775AD on the facing page. I know the whole book isn't set for 5 years on each page but I can't find any other sample pages to see what the other centuries would look like. Does anyone use this and can help? Do you have enough space for things. We wouldn't be using the HITW figures. I am also planning on adding in art, music, science dates as we go. Also, I see that guesthollow has a free printable timeline. It looks good too. (I'm just wanting simple but done for me). But would I print single pages or front and back? If a timeline is front and back pages, how do you add more pages if you need them? HITW says it's an option to add pages but I don't understand.

DH wants me to test DS1. DS is 9, finishing 3rd grade. However, he is working at a mid-3rd grade level in his lessons. Just starting to memorize multiplication tables, only basic grammar intro, etc. I don't know what grade CAT to get - 3rd because that's where he's working or 4th because that's the "next grade". We have been "behind" in all lessons, getting into a rhythm, life keeps coming up and so on. DH keeps threatening sending DS to school and I know it's the worst thing to do. DH wants me to prove (by test) that DS isn't too far behind. This is more his hang-up than mine. I know we will eventually get where we need to be. So what do I need to order?

I go right to left. On a similar note - when making check marks, I do mine "backwards". I didn't know I could (had never seen one) until I had a left-handed teacher in 7th grade. She showed me how much easier it was and I loved it!

Apologia Elem Science vs. AIG vs. World of Science book How are they different in the aspect of being a text with some experiments? What makes one "better" than the others? I understand some of the differences such as Apologia - more in depth on a focused topic, has a notebook AIG - has leveled reading in the books for youngers/olders I believe this has worksheets World of Science - text with experiments at the end Wide range of topics in one book - may not be as deep but more varied How I see them being the same - ~Christian based ~ Text with experiments ~ I can add extra books, notebooking, lapbooking, etc to each of them to expand it So if the basic/core premise of each "book" is Christian science text with some experiments, why would you pick one over the others? Pros? Cons? If money is an issue, would using World of Science be a good choice for 4th and 1st? Would it be easy enough to use as is (expanding and exploring a topic of interest)?

I don't have personal experience but I often hear R&S Spelling is the workbook comparison of AAS.

I am rethinking how I want to do school for my boys. They are 9yo (finishing 3rd - but a little behind in all subjects), 6yo (finishing K) and 1yo. I want to be "Mom"!!! I've been in "teacher" mode so long that I don't know what "mom" mode even looks like right now. So for now, I am scaling back to practicing penmanship, math facts, and a little reading. I'm doing this to allow myself to be "mom" for a while and connect with my kids again. I've not really had a focus on what I want them to learn, where I want us to go, or anything like that. Just kinda of surviving by the seat of my pants. So now I am starting to research different methods (WTM, CM, etc) to see where I want to pull things from, how I want things to look. If you were starting lang arts from the start with the ages/grades I have, what would you use? I've thought about R&S for spelling. I have R&S Eng 3 but we didn't get very far at all. Not sure what or why it didn't click, perhaps just my time with the little one underfoot. I'm looking at FLL but what level would I start with? How does WWE fit in? How much time do they take - as far as my time? Is that all I would need- FLL, WWE, and spelling? I may need advice for all subjects but this is where I am starting tonight. Thanks!

Bumping this thread instead of creating a new one to ask the same question. :lol:

X-posting in General Education Looking at Scholastic Grammar - Success with Grammar. Has anyone used it? Would anyone mind checking it out and giving your opinion? Not bad for $1 for each grade. http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/scholastic-success-with-grammar-grade-3-mkt14938 I have Rod & Staff English 3 now. I like what it teaches and how but I think DS would like something he could write directly on with space to write. Just curious what this is like. Thanks.

X-posting in K-8 Looking at Scholastic Grammar - Success with Grammar. Has anyone used it? Would anyone mind checking it out and giving your opinion? Not bad for $1 for each grade. http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/scholastic-success-with-grammar-grade-3-mkt14938 I have Rod & Staff English 3 now. I like what it teaches and how but I think DS would like something he could write directly on with space to write. Just curious what this is like. Thanks.

Just wondering where I can find timeline notebooks. I know of Simply Charlotte Mason, Miller Pads and Paper has one but doesn't list how many pages, and Homeschool in the Woods. I don't care if it's already printed or if I have to print it myself. (I know I could just get a blank sketch pad and do it myself but would rather something kind of set up already for me :001_smile: )

Is there anything special or different about the books published by BF versus versions found at the library? Like the D'Aulaire books?

There is someone on here who made a curriculum based on the Magic School Bus videos. She notes books with experiments and which video it goes with. I will try to find it. Here you go: edeemarie has it on her blog http://wateronthefloor.wordpress.com/

Mac and cheese (homemade or boxed) Salsa/Rotel Shredded chicken Corn Mmmmm

Thank you so much! Truly appreciate you.

Ok. I saw the worksheets before they were taken down. I don't have MOH so I can't look specifically at what I'm asking. Is it a matter of just having "Lesson #" on each sheet since that makes it correlate exactly with MOH? Or on your "fill-in-blanks", "put in orders", "match the facts", etc, did you copy text directly from the MOH book and that's what needs to be changed? Otherwise, how can they have a problem with a title of "Retell the story of Adam and Eve" on the top of a page of lines?

After 5 years at our church, DH and I feel it's time for us to leave. It's grown so big and has become something we aren't comfortable with/in anymore. There are just so many things but one of the big ones is that after 5 years there are only a handful (literally maybe 7 people) of people even know our names (the church is about 5k+ although not that many attend on Saturday nights which is the only service we can go to). We have 1 friend that we will keep in touch with even after we leave. But my question is - *how* do you find a new church? I've been looking online and have picked a few to try. Most however are Sunday morning only services which doesn't work for us at this point with DH's schedule. But there are a couple with Sat or Sun evening services. I'm praying his schedule may change in the next few months which will allow us to attend Sunday mornings. How many weeks do you go to know if you like it? Would you look for a new church now if you thought your schedule might change soon and then you would move to yet another church? Does that even make sense? I know what I want to find but it's hard. There are so many things to consider. I don't like church shopping but I'm tired of being in the stage of "any excuse not to go". :-( Help.

After 5 years at our church, DH and I feel it's time for us to leave. It's grown so big and has become something we aren't comfortable with/in anymore. There are just so many things but one of the big ones is that after 5 years there are only a handful (literally maybe 7 people) of people even know our names (the church is about 5k+ although not that many attend on Saturday nights which is the only service we can go to). We have 1 friend that we will keep in touch with even after we leave. But my question is - *how* do you find a new church? I've been looking online and have picked a few to try. Most however are Sunday morning only services which doesn't work for us at this point with DH's schedule. But there are a couple with Sat or Sun evening services. I'm praying his schedule may change in the next few months which will allow us to attend Sunday mornings. How many weeks do you go to know if you like it? Would you look for a new church now if you thought your schedule might change soon and then you would move to yet another church? Does that even make sense? I know what I want to find but it's hard. There are so many things to consider. I don't like church shopping but I'm tired of being in the stage of "any excuse not to go". :-( Help.

Zero the Hero is one my K'er loved. May have to check it out again. Love the lists too. Thanks.

DS1 is finishing "3rd" grade. For spelling, we are just finishing AAS Level 1. I am thinking of switching to R&S Spelling but would I go to 3rd or 4th? I don't want to miss any important rules in 3rd. I don't care about "grade level". I like AAS but need something more independent. Thanks.

:-)