I would like to add Online classes for Groovy Kids to the list. I previewed a class offered last fall based on the book Stowaway by Karen Hesse. I was highly impressed with the in depth, cross curricular nature of the content. I am planning for my two to take it when it is offered at a time that more closely correlates with our history study. http://www.onlineclassesforgroovykids.org

We are currently enjoying this: http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Ingredients-Universe-Johnston-McHenry/dp/0982537719/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424020859&sr=8-1&keywords=the+elements+ingredients+of+the+universe My kids (3rd & 5th) are having fun with the activities that are included, and I am seriously enjoying the fact that it isn't dumbed down. It's only 8 chapters, so easily done as a unit. We plan to do McHenry's Neurology unit as well as the Carbon Chemistry.

My 7 year old girl has proclaimed the latest Newbery winner, Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, to be her new, all-time favorite book. And we read a lot of books! I loved it too and would highly recommend it as a Newbery suitable for slightly younger kids.

I highly recommend Kate DiCamillo's latest book, Flora and Ulysses. My 7 year old girl and 10 year old boy have both proclaimed it as the best book of the school year, HANDS DOWN!

My daughter has loved playing Animalogic. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002JVN9YM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1394238316&sr=8-1

My dd used Singapore Essentials and the first half MUS Primer for pre-k, then for K we finished MUS Primer and then Singapore 1A. This year for 1st, she has done MUS Alpha and Singapore 1B. It has been a great combination for us.

We use Growing with Grammar (LOVE it!) and it definitely fits your description. Diagramming is included starting in Level 3.

We loved Counting Bears here. You can google "counting bear printables" and find all sorts of pre-made sheets to use with the bucket-o-bears. Another favorite was plastic pattern blocks, also using pre-made printables that I found online. I'm not a big technology fan at that age, but the one exception I made was The Talking Letter Factory. My daughter taught herself to read at age 3 using this video and a set of BOB Books. Other favorites have been mentioned like play-doh, magnetic letters, Lego Duplo blocks, and turning them loose on the patio with a bucket of water and a paintbrush. :o)

We have LOVED this book: http://www.amazon.com/Words-Wit-Wonder-Writing-Writers/dp/1404853456/ref=pd_sim_b_4 We first discovered it at our local library. It is part of a series of writing books that are wonderfully kid friendly. It is also part of a compilation that combines several of the individual books into one, fabulously priced volume: http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Toolbox-WRITERS-TOOLBOX-Paperback/dp/B008LCR9US/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_title_0

My dd (6 next week) is in about the same spot. I've been putting together her reading list for her 1st grade year, starting June 4th, and so far this is what I have found: The Little House series 101 Dalmations by Dodie Smith (her request) Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Anne of Green Gables Magic School Bus chapter books The Fairy Chronicles (for extra reading) Igraine the Brave Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and some Beverly Cleary. She read Socks and loved it, but wasn't thrilled with Ramona. Maybe the Mouse and the Motorcycle? I'm still looking so I'll be watching your thread. :001_smile:

We use FLL 2 in conjunction with Growing With Grammar. If you only do one page of GWG per day, it is very minimal writing. My two kids (ages 8 & 5) have done very well with the combination of these two programs. On days when they are fidgety, or just plain distracted by their own thoughts and play, we just do the GWG. They enjoy the program, seem to be retaining more using both methods, and they know GWG only takes a couple of minutes each day.

My 2nd grade ds has used Vocabulary Cartoon of the Day from Scholastic very successfully this year. I have already purchased the next book in the series. I cut them apart and he does 2 words a day, three times a week. He writes the words, definitions, synonyms, and a sentence in a vocabulary journal that I found from Lakeshore Learning. He loves the cartoons! It seems to keep it from feeling like work and has helped tremendously with retention. :001_smile: FYI, these books come up in the Scholastic eBook sale every year for $1.00.

Our favorite movie for SOTW book 1, so far (we are on Ch. 25), for that age group has been The Prince of Egypt. It follows the story of Baby Moses from Chapter 14. We also like the Time Warp Trio and the Horrible History cartoon episodes that fall into the ancient category. We have a Discovery Streaming subscription and they are available there. I'm not sure about Netflix.

Spelling. This year, it is my epic fail. :banghead:

I'm not sure if this was mentioned, but I wouldn't be without the 3M post-it like filing tabs. I use them to mark each child's start and stop points in books or workbooks (with the green & red ones), mark my own spots in teacher books, etc. They are one of my favorite things.

We enjoyed Veritas Press First Favorites Vol. 1 & 2. Even my son, who was reading lengthy chapter books, still enjoyed the activities in these guides to go along with many of his favorite picture books. DD, age 5, LOVED them!

We enjoyed the Roland Wright series of fiction books by Tony Davis. They are more fun reading than true historical fiction, but very well suited for this time period.

I would highly recommend the Vocabulary Cartoon of the Day book for 2nd-3rd grade. The book contains 180 words divided into 3 groups: nouns, verbs, and adjectives. At the beginning of the year, I divided them up and included 3 word cartoons per week into our weekly school folders. DS (age 8) has this vocabulary journal that I found at Lakeshore Learning. Each week he reads his cartoons and adds the words to his journal. The cartoons seem to be a very fun and effective tool for him. His retention has been excellent and he asks for his vocabulary words EVERY WEEK! I just put the Grade 4-6 version into my cart.

We are 11 weeks into our year and I.LOVE.EVERYTHING! So far so good. Our 'outside the house' classes are about to all start, so hopefully those will turn out to be great additions to what we are doing as well.

My dd, 5 now, did Singapore essentials in prek and started MUS Primer. She is 8 weeks into Kindy now. She is finishing the second 1/2 of MUS Primer during the 1st semester and then moving to Singapore 1a in the second semester. This has been a great progression for her so far.

Our most recent favorite is "The Magician's Elephant" by Kate DiCamillo!! Before that, it was "Dragon Rider" by Cornelia Funke. We have listened to this one 3 times now. It is read by Brendan Frasier and he does a wonderful job!

I started out trying to plan everything on spreadsheets and make schedules and assign a time for each thing. I quickly found myself going mad. After reading the big filing thread linked above, I set up a modified version for our school. 36 weekly folders with a folder for each child inside. After I select our curric. for the year, I divide anything that is in workbook form into 36 parts and file it. There are a couple of workbooks that I don't take apart. For those, they have a red and green removable tabs that help us 'do the next thing' on the days those subjects are needed. Then, I simply have a list of all curric. that we want to complete during our year. I divide it out so that each subject is covered 2, 3 or 4 days a week, depending on the subject. I keep a Moleskine page-a-day calendar as a record book and each day I write down what we complete. I have found keeping a record of our accomplishments, as opposed to a schedule of what we 'should' be doing, is much more positive and encouraging for us. It allows us flexibility without guilt for Mamma! That is pretty much it. It has worked well for us and we even finished up this year 6 weeks early following this system. Good luck with your planning and organizing! :001_smile:

We used these and loved them as well. They start off similar to BOB books with cvc words and simple sentences and gradually progress. I have already sold mine, or I would take some pictures for you. We used A and B and found them to be very thorough. You can read a review of them that may be helpful on Pioneer Woman's blog here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2009/08/mcp-phonics-readers/

Second! :iagree:

If so, would you mind pm'ing me? I have a question for you.