We're using Memoria Press grade level packages for the first time this year and I really like them! Yes, my kids are younger than yours, but we honestly have not found the work nearly as difficult as I had feared it would be. And with the modified grade levels, that might not be a problem at all. I totally hear you about the simplicity of ordering from one place. I just love the option to click on 4th grade and add it all to my cart, vs. trying to hunt down every.single.workbook and text from amazon, rainbow resource and curriculum publishers. I also really like having the lesson plans come ready made, even spiral bound already . I just hope I can stick it out and not be too tempted by other options... maybe I should take a break from these boards :)!

I agree that it sounds like you already have plenty. Are you wanting something open and go so that you'll have a checklist and it will get done? Or are you wanting to add more to what you already have? Memoria Press Junior K has plans for 2 days/ a week that is very laid out for you. It schedules workbooks, read alouds, and hands-on activities. MFW is developing a new preschool program that is supposed to be available this summer, I'm eager to see what it will include. Heart Of Dakota's Little Hands to Heaven is daily plans based on the Bible. Not sure if any of those look good to you. I agree that it's nice to have something already planned and scheduled out so that it actually gets done!

We started Classical Composition in 4th grade and just did copy work and dictation prior to that. We had used R&S grammar up til then, but now are using MP's Grammar Recitation.

FWIW, we don't combine for Latin and I kind of like it that way. My 4th grader is doing FFL (having completed PL and LC) and my 2nd grader is doing PL. That would be another option for you if you truly feel that PL is too babyish for your 5th and LC too difficult for your 3rd. Both programs are intended to be "beginner Latin programs," assuming no prior instruction. I have found that there is a lot of overlap between them as well. There have been several weeks where both kids are learning the same vocabulary words at the same time. We all watch the FFL DVD's together, and do the audio CD's and recitations together, so there is still a strong feeling of "we're in this together!" I know you want to combine and I hope that you find a way that works, I'm just offering this an alternative in case you feel the need to place each at their own level.

Hmm...no, I wouldn't say MP Latin is fun. I would say it's thorough, simple, and easy to teach. I do make up some very simple games now and then to add to the fun factor, but I'm not overly concerned with making it entertaining all the time. At some point they're going to figure out that Latin requires perseverance, diligence, and plain hard work. Honestly, that's part of why we're studying Latin to begin with.

Have you looked at the other art curriculum thread up now? Home Art Studios looks great! I'm seriously considering ordering it by tomorrow through homeschool buyers co-op.

Another vote for Latina Christiana. My dd did it in 3rd and it was fine. I'm planning to start my ds with it in 3rd as well.

We went from Saxon to R&S for similar reasons. I'm very happy with the switch and my kids are thriving with math now.

The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame (author of Wind and the Willows). It's a short book, both humorous and adventurous, perfect for boys in that age group.

I think you'd be fine either way, honestly. There is enough grammar in most Latin programs to give you fairly thorough coverage, although you do still need to address English-specific things like punctuation. We finally made the switch from R&S to MP's Grammar Recitation. I wrote a review of it here and compare the two grammar programs here. I like how our grammar is streamlined and works well with our Latin studies. Feels like we're getting the best of both worlds- mainly learning grammar through Latin but also memorizing English grammar usage.

Has anyone read the others in the Classical Education bundle? Any reviews? Worth reading?

I'm not familiar with KISS grammar so I can't speak to that. I think you're fine with CW even if you're not doing languages.

I haven't used anything else to compare, but I really like Memoria Press's Latin. This is my second run through with Prima Latina, and I think it is a good, gentle introduction to Latin. My dd has gone on to use Latina Christiana and First Form Latin, and the programs build well on each other. While it's not absolutely necessary to do PL and LC before FFL, the student who has done them will be extra prepared. I do wish Prima Latina had more review built in. LC and FFL have tons, but PL doesn't have quite enough, IMO. I have supplemented by coming up with my own games and worksheets.

I'm intrigued by Home Art Studios. What do you do for grade level if you want to combine your kids? Any tips for placement?

I agree that over a dozen is too many for a middle schooler! My ideal plan would be 1-2 a year, hitting the most famous ones at some point during either middle or high school. I've just been getting into Shakespeare myself as preparation, and it is hard work. I would definitely second the recommendation to read a summary first, and maybe even a picture book, just to be familiar with the story line before attacking the actual play.

I'm hoping to use Memoria Press Jr. K for K4, but we're still a ways off from there. For workbooks, I really like Developing the Early Learner (but they are kind of pricey), Get Ready for the Code (Explode the Code primers), HWOT Get Ready for School, and the Rod & Staff A, B, C series. With my older two we did those and then used FIAR for great read alouds and some content studies. FIAR is really not geared for that age, though. I think MP Enrichment would be a better option.

We would be doing R&S English but I took the plunge with Memoria Press's Grammar Recitation instead. So for 5th grade we have that, R&S Spelling, Classical Composition Narrative, Memoria Press Literature and Poetry. No vocabulary- get that in Latin and its also in our literature guides. I do like R&S English and would probably feel okay doing just that for grammar and writing. Our Latin studies influenced our grammar choice, but I think R&S is still my favorite in some ways!

I have had about zero success with science "experiments." We tried growing crystals three. different. times. Never worked at all! And we even had a kit. I'm sure its just me. I blame living in a foreign country for the fact that we just don't do experiments any more. I can't ever find any of the "easy to find household items." But I'm sure that even once we return to the US it won't really be worth extra trips to the store in my book. We tried BFSU and while I loved the concept and how it helped me to be a better science teacher, my kids didn't really like it at all. They like reading books more than hands on. Now we're doing MP science and it's about as un-experimenty as you can get. We do have ScienceWiz, Thames and Kosmos, and Snap Circuits kits. My son goes crazy over those things, and spends hours reading through the books and doing the projects on his own. My daughter isn't especially interested in those, but she has practically memorized every animal, plant, and human body book we own. I'm not concerned about the lack of experiments in our curriculum, and I honestly wouldn't even be too concerned with not doing formal science curriculum before middle school.

I voted for the first, but in a way we do both. We do traditional fact cards, but we also have fact family cards (called triplets) but they are not in a triangle. They have the whole number first in a circle, and then the two smaller numbers, but one is missing. Like (12) 9, __ or (12) __, 3. We drill both the traditional facts and these triplets (fact families).

I have a list of our favorite books by age here. I would also say almost any of the Five in a Row titles. If I had to pick just a few of my absolute, can't live without, top favorites, I guess they would be Rikki Tikki Tavi, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, and the James Herriot collection. Those are favorites of my children and we all have such good memories of them.

I'm not currently making any plans. Pre-made plans is one of the reasons I went with full Memoria Press curriculum this year. But, since I might end up subbing out certain subjects in the future I guess I'll have to go back to making my own. I've tried doing it monthly and weekly. Weekly is hard, though! For those of you who just do the next thing, does it ever bother you if you finish certain subjects way before others? I was always running into that and it drove me crazy that we were all over the place with our curriculum, some finishing as much as 2-3 months before others!

Hmm, my third grader will also be All Things Fun & Fascinating. He definitely doesn't enjoy writing things out, so I hope it won't be too huge of a struggle. I personally haven't even looked at it yet so you know way more than I do what to expect. When my dd was in 3rd, I just had her do the normal copy work and dictation from history, science, and mostly literature. We also were bored with WWE. Actually, I never made it through any level of WWE because I found it simpler to just pull things from our other subjects and books. All of that was fine for her and she was well prepared for Classical Composition Fables in 4th. If that's the route you feel like would be best for him, go for it! Or just do ATFF at a slow pace in the beginning and ramp it up as it gets easier.

I think that it is essential to have both conceptual understanding and rote memory of math facts. It should go without saying that kids need to have good number sense and grasp the "why" behind what they are learning. Otherwise they won't be able to apply their factual knowledge creatively to any other problem. But, I think its just as important to drill, drill, drill math facts until they are absolutely mastered and can be answered with instant recall. That is the best way to prepare them for algebra and higher level math. I really think that emphasizing only one of these methods to the exclusion of the other will cripple their learning later on.

It does come in the Curriculum Guide, but you can also purchase them separately at $3 for a grade level. I did that last year when we weren't using the whole grade package and it was mostly fine. There were a few items that we didn't memorize since we weren't studying them.

The Story of the Treasure Seekers by Edith Nesbit D'Aulaire American history books (Columbus currently) Pilgrim's Progress (with dh)