To me it looked misspelled and for the American way of spelling it IS misspelled. Apparently the British spell it with the double L's My son copied his sentence from the book but I had him change it! I want him to learn the correct way that I have seen it spelled here in the U.S. I understand the book is written by the Mennonites? Could that be where the discrepancy is coming from? :lurk5: So what way would you have you child spell it? The way the book says or the way you know it to be? Loretta

Thanks everyone! I will check into those suggestions.. the Spelling Power and Natural Speller. I like the idea of pretesting and creating the list from missed words. That would be ideal for us, I believe. This week I googled common misspelled words and found a list from Donna Young It has a ton of words on the list that she has compiled from various sources. I just chose about 5 words from that list and added them to some of the TOG words for this week. It worked out well especially since the TOG list wasn't that difficult this week (which is unusual) Heading off to check out your suggestions! Thanks again, Loretta :lurk5:

I have been using TOG (Tapestry of Grace) spelling/vocab lists for weekly spelling tests. The words are hard, sometimes Very hard. He averages about 10 to 13 words a week and also is responsible for knowing the meanings. The words are associated with our history/geography teachings so that part is nice because it reinforces his learning. Also .. during our studies if there is a word he can't spell which I feel is a good one for him to know, I add it. Sometimes I remove words as well. He is a natural speller! I would like to find spelling lists for him that are more commonly used instead of words tied to our lessons. (well not instead of, in addition to lol) They also need to be difficult words. It is not as easy as it sounds. I have checked on the internet for sample third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, etc. lists The lists do not seem appropriate for him so I don't know where to turn. I know I could choose lists from a particular spelling program at a higher grade level but what grade level? I was wondering if anyone here could help me with this. I do plan on continuing to pick and choose among the TOG words. I also add science vocab words occasionally from Apologia. I am looking for general words. I don't really want a complicated Program, just some good, solid, lists! I Would get as part of a program if I have to, if the lists were just right Thanks again.. is there a test he could take online? (for spelling placement) It would be great if I could just take out the list each week and not have to prepare as much. thanks, Loretta mom to DS 7 Ben:lurk5:

That just puts a huge smile on my face :001_smile: It's amazing what they retain .. GO River Civilizations LOL!!

It looks like enough, like you have all your subjects covered. I wish we could finish by 1 .. seriously. I just made a post that our day is lasting till 1 thirty, uggh! I notice my 7 y/o DS wanting constant entertainment. I think it is an age thing. Of course now that we are in school it isn't as bad. On break, it was awful as I cannot be his full time activities director. Sigh.. The only thing I can think of is to provide him with a variety of things (which I am sure you already do) Sorry not much help except to say that my son also gets VERY bored when nothing to do! I hear what you are saying. I mean there is always Something to do .. but when he has not found something to engage himself in. Loretta (Ben DS 7)

My DS is 7, Second Grade We do the Tapestry of Grace Lapbooks. After our lesson, he does the section of lapbook for it. I schedule it on the daily plan. For instance.. learn about Hinduism religion. Do lapbook India Religion Also .. we do the notebook for Apologia Science. After we read and discuss the passage he fills out notebook section for it. It is just like a lapbook. Today we wrote in it and also glued stuff in it. We glued illustrations of flight principles in it which perfectly went along with our reading. Cool. But how do I determine or judge IF these lapbooks are aiding in retention or are just busy work? My day seems too long and that is just doing one lesson on each subject. Obviously we are doing too much (but maybe not) 8 to 2 thirty with breaks, lunch. Today we went to Stater Brothers as a half hour break to get a salad. We do R&S English one lesson. He also did a TOG writing assignment. Without the writing assignment from Tapestry of Grace, English would have been 6 minutes. One lesson Singapore math + flashcards The TOG lesson + reading + lapbook The Apologia lesson + lapbook I don't see what I could cut out? Obviously the lapbooks.. but I don't want to cut them if they are helping what do you think? :lurk5:

I don't know if the lapbooks we do are busywork. We do the lapbooks for history (tapestry of grace) After we learn about the subject I have him do the appropriate portion of the lapbook. We also are doing the apologia notebook (same thing as a lapbook) After we read and discuss the text, he fills out the section of the lapbook. This is time consuming. I was just thinking this same thing today. I *think* it is reinforcing his learning, but how can I judge that? I know my day is too long and that is just doing one lesson per subject not accelerating the lessons uggh. :001_huh:

Keyboard, that is what we do for our DS 7 He takes piano lessons and of course takes them on the instructor's piano, at her house. At home he practicies on the keyboard. My husband wanted it this way and he is the musician in the family, not me. He does great this way. His teacher thinks so, too.

I don't know but I was Instantly drawn to the title of your post! I will have to check into this .. We joined cubscouts to do camping, outdoor stuff LOL

TOG Tapestry Of Grace Okay well I didn't avoid it but it took me forever to decide and I had my reservations. I LOVE it and so does my DS 7:grouphug:

The second sentence should be separated into two sentences. Instead of Whenever she went to her grain bin, the mice scattered and she peered in the bin and saw the supply of grain was less than it was before, because the mice had eaten some. It could be Whenever she went to her grain bin the mice scattered. She peered in the bin and saw the supply was less than it was before because the mice had eaten some. I would point out not to run sentences together going on and on. He has a tendency to just keep putting commas in between his separate thoughts. Did he think of the idea of the mice stealing rice from the bin by himself? Because I really liked that idea and found it clever. I have to disagree with the storyline being too simple. The storyline would be just fine (mice stealing the rice, starving widow, cat hero) It just needs to be beefed up, expounded on! I also agree that the widow character needs to be felt more. What is she thinking? What is she feeling? What does she look like? Does she frown or cry when she sees the disappearing grain? Once the reader gets to *know* her they will be happy she is no longer hungry LOL. :lol:

Why does it say not to do the end of lesson review? Isn't the end of lesson Review made to be reviewed at the end of the lesson LOL. I agree .. it does seem like a lot to to digest (the reading) There are lots of science terms and concepts introduced in the reading! I am VERY excited to see that the level of information in the text is so in depth and challenging. Wow! I am leaning toward spreading out the reading. Shorter passages so we can have time to go over the definitions and really understand the science terms. For retention purposes if we read a smaller amount per day and then discuss it .. I think my DS will retain more. I don't really want to "do" science everyday though. Well .. the way you are doing it you are still "ahead" of schedule because you are completing one lesson in a week and a half, instead of two weeks. But it is more manageable because a little bit every day is easier than too much on 2 or 3 days. :D Thanks for your input. Obviously I am going to have to play around with this a little bit and see what works for us. I am liking the idea of spreading it out over more smaller lesson periods. Loretta

I just got my Flying Creatures Book. I read the schedule section, with suggestions for doing science 2 or 3 days per week, one lesson spread over 2 weeks. The first week for reading and doing the Journal. The second week for doing the experiment and recording the experiment. However I was wondering what you all are doing exactly? How many days per week do you *do* science? How exactly do you implement your apologia lessons. My ds is 7 years old. Just wondering what different ways you all are using this? thanks, loretta :D

I am a bit confused despite looking at the stuff online multiple times. I need to know what to buy .. what constitutes the "course" for second grade? I see the set (it has 3 books to it) called Preparing to Build. That consists of 6 units. That doesn't seem like a full years worth? Is it? What is the "years course" ..? thanks :lurk5:

SaDonna .. May I ask why you are using both MCT & R & S? Does one provide something the other doesn't. Would you say R&S is rigorous and thorough enough to use alone? Just wondering why you are using both. I really only want One LOL. ;)