Can someone please compare/contrast these two programs? I have checked out the websites and I understand that CW is both analysis and writing - with hand-holding via the workbooks, whereas TTC is more learning analysis. Is this correct? I would appreciate any input!

I am trying to think through math for my DD11, who is going to be doing MUS Zeta for 6th Grade this year. We really like MUS, but I am thinking about switching to TT Pre-Algebra for Grade 7, next year - will this work? I have 4 sons that require more time and I will need my DD to work more independently. TT seems to be more independent, and I really like that she can use the CD's to go through any problems that she is having trouble with. Any thoughts? (I can't seem to edit out the double M in my title, sorry!)

I have ordered CLE Reading to go along with R&S Grammar. I am hoping that it will be the combination that I am looking for. You might want to take a look at the CLE samples on their website.

I am trying to get my head around the different types of dictation, as well. SWB seems to do it as a means to aid with holding thoughts in your head and hearing/writing good sentences. I tried Spelling Wisdom with my DD a couple of years ago - I used it for both copywork and dictation, but it seemed to move too quickly for her. Spelling Wisdom progresses to full pages of dictation at the end of the series, so I believe it is more a means to develop spelling within the context of good literature, not the memory part. I think SWB's way is great for Grammar-aged kids, and maybe I will switch back to Spelling Wisdom when I want to review more spelling in Logic and Rhetoric.

Thank you for chiming in, Becky! Is it something that is teacher intensive or can my daughter work at it fairly independently?

:bigear:

My DD11 is in 6th Grade this fall. I am planning Apologia General Science for 7th Grade. I was looking at the CLE 6th Grade Science program, and it looks like a pretty thorough overview of science. Would this be a good pre-cursor to the Apologia? We have done interest-led science to this point, and I want something that she can work at independently, but that would help her prepare for Apologia. Any thoughts?

We have all 50ish NEST DVD's - I splurged on them a few years ago. The cost was over $1200 Canadian, but they are one of the best investments we have ever made. My children watch them over and over and they have learned so much from them. My wishlist has 'Teaching the Classics' at the top.

Is there a curriculum out there that uses real books for upper grammar? I am looking at CLE Reading, but I would really like something similar that uses real books. My DD11, is a late reader, and is probably reading at a 5th grade level, instead of a 6th. She is not ready for Lightning Lit, but I am looking for something similar.

Does anyone use this? I am looking for a good reading program for my DS9 and DD11. Both are late readers, and probably read a grade level lower(Grades 3 and 5 respectively). Any other recommendations?

I have looked at Progeny Press. Is there another company that I can look at for upper elementary literature guides?

My DS5, really likes workbooks. Is their a phonics workbook that coincides pretty well with OPGTTR. He is just beginning OPG, and knows most of his letters and sounds, and is working on writing them. Thank You

I have just received my R&S English books. I ordered Grades 3-6, just to see where my children would place. I really like the look of it - I wanted something effective with no fluff. I am wondering if I should look at their spelling as well. I have really liked All About Spelling, but I need to move to something that is a little more independent and that has the phonics reminders built in. I will probably keep AAS for my K, but I am wanting some feedback on the R&S Spelling for my older DC.

I went over to request membership.:001_smile:

I would recommend going through 'The All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking' by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker. It is a big cookbook - over 1000 pages, but it gives you so much information. It really is an encyclopedia, as well as a cookbook. For instance, in the Vegetable 'Pepper' section, the first 6 pages are devoted to explaining the different types of peppers, with black and white drawings. Then there is a page about different ways to roast and prepare peppers, before going into the recipes. My DD, almost 11, reaches for it first if she wants to cook or bake something. She really likes it, because the recipes are written in the order you do things - not a list of ingredients, then the instructions. She is already asking for her own copy so she can make her own notes in the margins. You can probably check it out at the library to take a look.

I am looking for a free mini-book or something similar to do with my kids, on the days of creation. Does anyone have a link to something I can download? I am not worried about old earth/new earth stuff, just the basic 1st day, 2nd day etc. for grammar age. Thank You!

I am right in the middle of the fog - Week 2 of Year 1 Unit 1. My children's ages are listed in my signature. Up until this summer, we have always finished school before lunch. My children always had the afternoons off. This year is changing, with history and science being moved to the afternoons. After only a week of TOG under our belts, we love it. I do pick and choose what we will do. I posted our first week last week on this board. I am not sure how to link it. This morning when one of my 7.5YO DSs asked what we were doing in the afternoon, I told him we were doing our history program. His exact words were, "That is dessert! All this other stuff (meaning math, handwriting and language) is like the main meal." Those kind of comments are what makes it worth the extra work on my part. We are already talking about the projects we will do on our next round through TOG. I would recommend printing off the three sample weeks from the website and reading them through a few times. Honestly, I didn't get it until I had gone through them 3 times. After that, it clicked, and I couldn't wait to place my order. I am looking forward to the years to come and even if I do not do everything listed, I know that my children will have learned much more than I ever did in PS.

I am using our library and ILL. At the beginning of the year, I spend the time to go through the books that I know that I will need and put them on my library wish lists. Then I go through and just have to request them a couple of weeks ahead of time. I also found out that you can request books for longer than our allotted 3 weeks, as long as you do it when you pick them up.

Thank you for the great comments and ideas! I love the idea of printing out the geography on labels and just having them stick them in.

We just completed our first week with TOG, and I wanted to talk through some of the things we experienced. 1) I read all of the pages that were assigned in the Usborne book for UG, as well as the history core and in-depth spines for LG. I learned that this is too much. I have already gone through and chosen the Usborne pages that we will read next week. It will be half of what was assigned. Focusing only on the threads I want to cover in depth. 2) I found that I had to read the UG Lit book with my rising 6th grader, because she was glossing over the names and vocabulary that weren't familiar to her. I learned that this is going to take more time, but if I want to transition her to Dialectic next year, I will have to lay the ground work. I will also have to figure out how do add in the vocab work with each week. 3) Geography was great, but took a long time to do with my LG boys. I am not sure what to do here. I ended up doing the writing for my rising 3rd graders, because they were not writing small enough for the maps, and they were getting frustrated. 4) We did notebook pages. I wrote out 3 or 4 sentence summaries that they dictated to me and they copied them on to their pages. I was amazed at the quality and variety of output that they produced. They also did a sketch of something that peaked their interest. My DS9, who rarely draws or colors anything, did an elaborate drawing of King Tut's mask and colored it in gold and blue. I will be working to have the boys do their own writing by the end of the year. 5) We didn't get to any activity projects, because I only school 3 days a week in the summer. I know they would all enjoy these, so I have to try to fit these in whenever possible, but I have to give myself permission to maybe only attempt a couple a month. 6) I had my rising 6th grader do a one level outline on the corresponding SOTW chapter. This went okay. We have not done any outlining up to this point, and I want to incorporate it in. We will go to two level outlines after Christmas. I found that she wanted to summarize, not outline, so this will take some work. 7) I had a Dialectic discussion time with my rising 6th grader. I will be gradually incorporating more in-depth discussion times through the year, so that we will be ready for full Dialectic next year. This went well, but I realized I need to keep it light for the first little while. I feel like we covered the basics of Ancient Egypt, and the kids learned a huge amount. Even the 5 year old was answering comprehension questions from our reading. I asked everyone if they liked doing history this way, and the answer was a resounding 'YES'! Now I just have to figure out how to schedule it in to our full school day for the fall, without letting it get in the way of the basics.

I would love some input. My DD, who is almost 11, going into 6th Grade, is a horrible speller. Here is the list of programs that we have done: Abeka - K4 to Grade 2 - full language arts program Spelling Power - in Grade 3 - She did fine for the first little bit, but then things went downhill fast. It progressed too quickly for her. All About Spelling - Grade 4 - This lasted until she realized her brother who was in Grade 2, was in the same book that she was doing. Then she asked me to find something else. We floundered. Sequential Spelling - Grade 5 - This has been okay, but I am finding that it isn't translating to her writing. After Abeka Grade 2, she completed Book 3 - 8 of the Explode the Code series for phonics. I think that some of it might be laziness. Today I implemented the rule that if she spells a word wrong, she writes it out 25 times. She had 3 lists to write today. What do I do for 6th Grade? Do I make her going through All About Spelling from the beginning and zip through it? Her brothers are all working at various spots in the program, but I am tempted to lay down the law on this one. Is there an alternative? Thanks in advance,

Thank you for the great sites! Tina...you wouldn't happen to have vocab words from TOG Year 1 made up from Quizlet that you would like to share, would you? I see that there is a share option.;)

Great site, Stephanie! Anyone else? :bigear:

I am looking for some kind of online worksheet generator for vocabulary words/lists. Does something like this exist? :bigear:

I love this idea! You are brilliant! I have the textbook, have listened to all the writing audios and have downloaded all of the pdf's of all four level workbooks. I know about the evaluations, but I was still feeling that placement was still not clear after the evaluations. I have to think this through, but I think I will just print off the student sheets that correspond with the text samples. I will have my older two kids go through those until they get tough, and print off the remainder of the workbook and go from there! This has made my day!:party: