Thanks everyone! This is all very helpful. :) Like zoo keeper I'm planning to combine MEP/Miquon/Singapore for next year. I wasn't exactly sure how to piece it altogether yet. Its good to hear its possible to do all three! :)

I'd like to know how you're implementing MEP with your student(s). I'm a bit overwhelmed by the website. I've downloaded the first set of 3a parts. I've printed off the student pages only so far. I think I won't mind looking at the lesson plans on my computer. What about the blackline masters? There are over 100 just for the first 3a section?!?! Should I print these out? Do these get used with the lesson plans? Is there a clear set of instructions of when to use the masters and student pages? I gave the lesson plans a quick glance and it didn't look like that info was there? Maybe I glossed over it. Also how do you schedule this? 3 days, 5 days? Do the lessons take about an hour if you use the plan and the student pages? Thanks! :)

I'd say absolutely not on having two guides. The only pages for the student are the maps and these are reproducible. :) edited- I just reread your post and I think I didn't quite understand your question the first time, sorry! I haven't used the Level 2 yet so I'm no help at all.

After ordering Singapore 3A/3B and 4A/4B for my 8 and 10 year old for next school year I'm reading about this free MEP Math everywhere! I'm interested in trying it out. Does anyone know which year I should start the children out in? TIA! :)

I'm ordering Singapore Math for my children for next school year. I'm new to Singapore and I see that the two cd-roms Rainbow Rock and Vroot and Vroom are recommended resources for the grades I'm ordering. Does anyone have experience with these? Are they worth the money? Thanks :)

I'm wondering if anyone with experience using Lingua Latina could give me a review of the product? Did you like it? Do the student(s) like it? Is it appropriate for a 10 and an 8 year old? Thanks!

Thanks :) I was reading on the website and it pretty much said you didn't need it. Now I just need to decide if I should go with Songschool or Minimus. My kids are 10, 8, and 2. I almost wonder if Songschool might be too young for dd at 10, but I bet she'd have fun with it. Especially if dd who is 2 shows interest in the audio aspect of the program.

I'm considering purchasing Songschool Latin for our next school year. I'm trying to decide if I should get the teacher's manual or not. Can someone with experience please give me their opinion?

:) Thanks for posting this, very useful!

So for an example from Spelling Power by rule- /a/- long a(sorry can't put a line over it) can be written ay, ai, ey, ei, eigh, ea, or a followed by a consonant and silent e. words- they play came day sprain away way baby made make great rain grade same wait An example from Sequential Spelling by word family- 3rd day thin pinned sinned I shin skins wins twins be be begin chin she 4th day thins pinning sinning spinning shins skinned winning inner begins chins we wee bee see tree

So AAS works by introducing word families?

I'm trying to decide what approach I'd like to use for Spelling for next school year. My kids are 8 and 10 and we haven't done any 'formal' spelling instruction. They both spell well. I bought Sequential Spelling Level 1 and the Spelling Power book used (luckily!). Spelling Power insists teaching by spelling rules is the way to go. Sequential Spelling works by word families. Here's my thing, I think spelling is mostly memorization or recognition from reading the word, using the word, writing the word. I wonder if focusing on the rules might be confusing. Here's this sound and five different ways to spell this sound. Then you need to remember a list of words with some of each of the five examples of how to spell that sound and which word is spelled which way even though they all sound the same. I'm leaning towards using Sequential Spelling as our main lessons and introducing the rules from Spelling power on the side. Any thoughts? Which way do you do it? Have you tried both and prefer one or the other?

My children are 10, 8, and 2. I have no background in Latin. I'd like to start learning Latin with them this year. I'd love to hear recommendations on what to buy to help us out, hopefully not too pricey as my homeschool list of things to buy for next school year is already quite lengthy. Thanks! :)

My kids are 10, 8, and 2. I'm making the switch to Singapore and Miquon Math for next school year. Which manipulatives should I invest in? I know I'm getting cuisenaire rods (but wood or plastic?) and a set of base ten blocks, but what else? Here's the link to the list of manipulatives on the Singapore site. I'm wondering which someone who has btdt with Singapore and Miquon would recommend as essential? I have quite a list of Math things to buy and I wonder if I'm overdoing it (especially on the wallet! lol). List to buy cuisenaire rods base ten blocks set two colored counters platform scale balance scale place value cards place value discs mulitlink cubes fraction circles fraction tower cubes linking metric cubes (these we can use for counters, weighing, linking) geometric solids triangle flashcards What do you think?

Here is a link to a chart showing the manipulatives needed by grade level for Singapore Math. :)

I'm new to classical education. My kids are 2, 8, and 10. I'm having a hard time deciding what to do for History next year. Part of me says begin at the beginning with Ancient History. However we have covered quite a bit of Ancient History. Another part of me says go on to Middle Ages, which we've covered much less of. I'd also like to hit on American History more. I've bought the 10 book set of Hakim's The Story of US. Should I do start with Ancient, or Middle, and just read the coinciding chapters of Hakim's books, or read through the volumes concurrently beside whichever time period we focus one? If I choose to focus more strongly on American History this year is there a guide that ties it altogether with related readings? I'm not interested in the Story of Us guides. I've previewed them and they're not what I'm looking for. More of a living books type of guide. I'm not wanting worksheets or comprehension questions. TIA :)

I'd suggest AVKO's Sequential Spelling. It is definitely quick and to the point, no busywork at all. The lessons can be accomplished in somewhere between 10-15 minutes a day, depending.

I just wanted to say that seeing generosity like this made my night. :)

I'd definitely keep them home. I wouldn't take them to the doctor unless it was clearly needed.

My children enjoyed the Let's Read and Find Out About Science series when they were younger. I enjoyed them to. :) They are picture books with age appropriate text and colorful pictures that also contain several simple related experiments to the topic discussed.

I would say you don't have to, but it sure does liven Science up. We didn't do any experiments in the public schools I attended. If your child is going to be in 5th grade they could probably mostly set up and do experiments by their self. There are experiment kits and Snap Circuits sets and microscope sets that are pretty much open and go. What about one of those? I settled on Singapore My Pals Are Here Science and REAL Science Odyssey Earth & Space for the next two years (I think if we use both they'd last through two school years). I'd bet doing one or two experiments a month would make a big difference to the student. I'm sorry I don't have any recs for a experiment free curriculum. I'm sure someone else will chime in. :)

We have several K'nex sets. I know one is a Solar Power one and one is a gears, but not sure if we have a Simple Machines one? I'd have to look. They have booklets to make cars and things that actually move with the solar panel like a ferris wheel. They're 8 and 10 now, but we've had them for awhile. The only time they've shown any interest in building from the manuals is when I've done it with them. It is fun. :) Playing alone they just build whatever they want. They have seen lots of play. I think they were worth buying, however we've bought all of them used at yard sales. I'm not sure how I would feel about paying full price for them. Same with our legoes. :)

I say do as much together as you possibly can without pushing it on the younger. I'd consider participation optional for the most part with a 4 year old. When she's ready to start schooling in earnest I would have her do LA and Math on her level, likely separately, and combine the rest. In my experience its worked well to combine science, history, read alouds, and art together. So far they have both had separate LA and Math, however next year I'm combining them because they are both so close together in their abilities. I'll have no problem changing this again if one of them pushes ahead of the other.

Cart or grocery cart.

This thread is too funny :D