Thank you! I'm going to buy the download of Math Skills Made Fun. DD loves anything involving crafts or art, so she will love this! I see you're using Singapore. I so wish it had worked for us. She really liked it, it was just frustrating.

It is sucking the joy out of math. I have R&S math on my shelf but...I just can't teach it another year. I love math. Love love love math. DD hates math. We tried both math mammoth and singapore this year but R&S was the only thing dd was able to move forward with. She could understand Singapore, but we both felt like it never got to the point. She finished about halfway through 1b. So please don't suggest Singapore, okay? :D I want something that will inspire dd and be fun for me to teach. I want color and fun and manipulatives. DD hates too much repetition, but she needs it. She might tolerate it better if it was in a different format (puzzles, etc...).I want a tried and true program and something we can stick with through pre-algebra. We use manipulatives for R&S and dd has a great understanding of place value from playing with cuisenaire rods. But the scope of R&S leaves her behind other first grade math curricula and I'm not sure what to move into next. I thought about BJU, but it is quite expensive (especially since my youngers won't use it) and I just can not get over the menacing look of BJU teachers manuals. Suggestions? (please include placement suggestions, too!) **ETA**This will be for 2nd grade.

There are 3 manuscript copybooks. Cursive is introduced in New American Cursive 1-3, and copybook 3 is also available in cursive. Unless they came out with a new copybook cursive series, then Copybook 2 should be manuscript. HTH.

She was saying if you are not a reformed protestant and/or an evangelical then you might not want to use HOD.

Yay! I'll check it out!

Where did you get it for free? I know they sell it in kiosks at the exchange/px...

We finished OPGTR in first grade (December). I don't think we used many readers because dd was resistant. She jumped straight into chapter books when she was able. You could buy OPGTR and the first 2 sets of Bob books for $40. I think Christian Liberty Press also has a set of readers for $10. You definately don't need all of the readers she reviews at PHP! R&S is more than just blanks to fill in. For example, you will take a word like *paid* and discuss why it is spelled with an *ai* instead of *ay* or with a silent e. Then you will have a page of quite a few words missing letters and your child is expected to use the correct form of the long a sound. OPGTR would have you read a group of words like *lake,save,same* or *paid,laid,maid*. I'm not sure what I'll use for ds next year. OPGTR is simple, but I feel like we missed out on other important skills that are covered in a more comprehensive program. But OPGTR is so simple and effective...

I have done part of R&S phonics for reinforcement of OPGTR but I'm no expert :) . I agree with pp--it really is a first grade program. My dd would have been completely overwhelmed with it in k. Hopefully 2 girls mommy will respond. I think she has modified it to introduce it towards the end of k.

Well, I'm almost persuaded :). Honestly, I'm a little disappointed with how many words dd is missing. We went through all of the 3 syllable words and she missed quite a few. Still more she kind of rolled around on her tongue until it sounded right. She can divide many of the words herself and pronounce them correctly if I divide them for her. In any case, this is giving her another tool to tackle the longer words she is unsure of.

I definately spent less money when I couponed. These days, however, I have more money than time (and I'm not rolling in either :tongue_smilie:). I shop at Sam's and the Commissary and stick to a budget. It works for us, but paying full price for toothpaste still bugs me!

Thanks! We made it through section 6 this morning. I'm going to camp out there for a day or two until those syllables are automatic (she read the words but had to think about the syllables) and then move forward. And, umm, I think I might need an answer key :blushing: :tongue_smilie: I wish I could wrap my brain around Webster's because I would love to use it for ds. I love the syllable work that OPGTR lacks but it's still fuzzy to me. *ETA* DD was reading well before we began (she reads the KJV daily), if it matters.

My first grader is working on New American Cursive 1. She will move on to New American cursive 2 and copybook 3 cursive next year. She sometimes practices her manuscript with CLE 1.

No. Use a concordance to reference the things the Lord hates. There are specific people He claimed to hate (e.g, Esau) and general people (e.g, a false witness that speaketh lies).

I also have a little girl who loves to write creatively. I thought she might need *more* as well... I considered BJU English but the more I think about it, the more I think that she will be resistant to all the revising and planning. My tentative plan is to do the writing in R&S, continue WWE across the curriculum (not the workbook), and do letter writing a bit more frequently than WTM recommends. I am also thinking of occasionally adding Karen Andreola's Story Starters for fun. Written narrations for books seem much more effective than "book reports". This seems to me to be a solid foundation in writing. The rest of her writing I'm not touching. I don't want to turn something she loves into drudgery. ETA: Have you looked at Bravewriter's The Arrow? I looked at it briefly and it looks like fun! :) Also, you might consider Writing Strands (another WTM rec).

If my daughter liked Saxon then I would go with it in a *heartbeat*.

:grouphug::grouphug: That happened to my grandma's cat in her driveway. She was devastated. :grouphug::grouphug: My in-laws sometimes keep SIL's pit bulls. These pit bulls killed SIL's cat IN HER KITCHEN and cornered her nephew. DH and I won't let our children anywhere near those dogs. They think we're crazy :glare:.

I admit that I sometimes get a bit tempted by AAS, but I stay away because my dd is also a natural speller. I haven't used either of these, but I do have Natural Speller and Spelling Wisdom on my list of programs I am considering. We use R&S and it does the job fine. DD likes it and it gets done consistently. I'm not sure if we will continue with R&S next year or try something else... I can't help with HOD's dictation. :lurk5:

I don't think the guide would be useful with a 5 yr old. Basically it is just a lot of copywork and discussion questions that are appropriate for a much older child, IMO. The guide is cheap so you aren't out much money if you decide to get it. Like the pp, I did not purchase America's Providential History. You could save yourself a ton of money by getting the books from the library. I wish I had checked out the first few books. However, some of the later ones we have loved and I am glad to have them for our home collection. Don't forget to copy the pages in the D'Aulaire books for your little one to color!

Reaching for the Moon: Buzz Aldrin

What about R&S?

:grouphug: Congrats! Praying for both you ad baby :) One day...wow :D:lol:. He must be really excited! Can't blame him for praying about what's on his heart...

A lot of people would argue that gold is not anywhere near its peak right now... :leaving:

DD gets these, too. I'm glad you have relaxed some. Your doctor should be able to officially calm your fears :). DD has had them from cat scratches, ear piercing, and general sickiness. It did freak me out at first, though.

Ugghh. I just typed a response to a lot of you and lost it. Grrr. 2 girls mommy--Does your CC mind the repetition in R&S? I **love** R&S and I use the phonics sometimes with dd (on the whiteboard). I would love if this worked with ds!

Thanks ladies! I think I will put dd in BJU 2 and let my little guy tag along. We'll see how it goes.