Really? I would love to not have to do a formal science program (and I didn't last year for 1st and 2nd). Last year for DD's 2nd grade, I just got a big workbook about animals and she did several pages at a time. Then about ever other week, she did a "report" where she chose an animal and looked it up in an animal encyclopedia and wrote a paragraph about it. Now DS is in 2nd grade but he is not at the educational level that DD was at his age. However, he might do okay with a similar plan if I helped him. Do you really think that's enough, though? Can formal science really wait until 5th or 6th grade?

Thanks. Mama is already crazy! LOL Getting schoolwork done with DS is not a problem. There is almost no one at the gym when we're there so he and I get lots of good one-on-one time (which he desperately needs). My DD is very good at working independently and she is usually able to get all her work done. The biggest problem I'm having is how to fit in the "together" subjects. Your replies have all helped and I've been re-working our schedule as we "speak." Literature isn't too difficult. The read-alouds work great during breakfast (I just get up earlier so I can have everything done and ready to go before they get up). And I can have DS do his lit assignments with the rest of his work. That would leave DD to do hers independently but that's okay with her (DS slows her down; LOL). I've scheduled heavier core subject days on Mondays and Wednesdays and deliberately kept Tuesdays and Thursdays lighter so we can do history and science. Fridays are generally "catch-all" days for them to make up whatever they didn't finish on the other days (surprisingly enough, DD is usually finished while DS still has work to do). I think if I just insist on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for history and science, the rest will work out the way we have it. I wonder if something like giving them a little break when we get home on Tues and Thurs would be helpful or if it would make it harder to rein them back in to work.

Hi, everyone. I'm a long time lurker and I have only posted once or twice. But now I'm in desperate need of scheduling help. I'm homeschooling two kiddos, one in 2nd grade (DS7) and one in 3rd (DD8). They both do workbooks for their core subjects (language arts and math, writing and vocabulary for my DD, Explode the Code and Time and Money for DS) in addition to spelling and copywork for handwriting. Then we have the subjects we do together: literature (read-alouds, worksheets, narrations), history and science (both using Usborne books and curriculums I've put together) and religious studies. I was doing history, science and religious studies once per week. But I'm thinking we need twice a week for science as I just can't seem to get it done in one lesson. But that's not my biggest problem, by far. My daughter is a competitive gymnast who trains 16 hours per week. She is at the gym Mondays-Fridays from 9 am until noon or 12:30. Then my son has just started year-round swim team and he is at the pool from 1 pm until 1:45 MWF. He also has speech therapy from 2 pm to 2:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, DS does most of his core work and his reading with me either at the gym or at home while DD is at practice (we live 35 minutes from the gym and 45 minutes from the pool so we don't come home on MWF). DD does some of her work at the pool, in the car, and while DS is at speech but that's not enough time for her. Also, we don't get home until 2:30 or 2:45 every day. My oldest son (PS- 10th) comes home at 3:30 and it's usually hard to get my younger kids to stay on track much after that. Then my oldest has his activites in the evenings, in addition to all of them going to church on Wednesday nights. And weekends are supposed to be family time, errands, etc. So with this kind of schedule, how in the world am I going to get everything done??? I read literature to them during breakfast. But after all the running around, we still have the literature assignments to do in addition to history/religion/science and getting my DD finished with her work. We started homeschooling so they could get a better, more thorough education while still being able to dedicate themselves to their chosen activities. Now I'm not sure how I can manage that. Please help!!!

I looked into K12 last year and I, too, had trouble understanding/navigating their website. So I called them and was told that you can't do the course without signing up for the online portion as well. The two are designed to work in conjunction with each other.

Thanks, everyone. Unfortunately, these aren't really what I'm looking for. I'm thinking hoping for free is too much to ask. :-(

I am looking for something like Time4Learning but with two kids (grades 2 and 3), I'm trying to avoid the $35 per month that T4L costs. I'd like something the kids can log on and do on their own, fairly comprehensive but it will be supplemental to my other plans. I've looked at Study Island (not free!) and it's okay except that it doesn't provide any instruction, just testing. Can anybody suggest something that has lessons the kids can work through followed by questions/quizzes, etc.? Thanks!

ABC Teach has a good handwriting worksheet generator. You have to be a member to use it, I think, but it's a worthwhile investment, IMO.

This is what we're going to do this year. I'm planning out four days and leaving Fridays for catch up, field trips, etc. I'm also planning five days' worth of school work in those four days (five math lessons in four days, etc). That way I can be sure that we're getting all the work done while still allowing for those "free days." And I can change things up easily if it doesn't work out.