Hahahaha! I had posted that I hadn't yet accomplished a signature, but I guess I had! This shows how together I am at the moment. :lol: I had started the year with SOTW (we did the mummy and everything!) and then switched to TOG. I have since returned to SOTW. I love the idea of TOG and it was just so pretty, but I felt it was a little too much for 1st grade and I was also missing the narrative of history. I'm not yet enough of a history buff to deal with the subject in segregated chunks and really need the continuous-story format that SOTW offers. I still drool over TOG though and, who knows, maybe I'll come back to it for the L/R stages. Then again, MFW looks tempting as well....hmmmm ANYWAY, I'm getting way off track here, aren't I? mtcougar832 - we loved James Harriot's Treasury. :) So these ideas of audio SOTW or perhaps just reading it are great ideas. I really might do that. Child's History of the World is tempting too. Here is the thing with SOTW...I love it SO much and I am SO Type A that I would feel the overwhelming need to do it ALL (i.e. activity book, geography, etc.). Same with science. I DO like the idea of just providing copious amounts of readers and such. Arg! The problem is that there are so many wonderful things out there that I want to do it all and do it NOW!!!! I almost need to force MYSELF to slow down. If I were to drop history and science for now, I would want to delve deep into literature. Actually, I think it would be great fun to match literature to the story that WWE uses each week. I feel like I'm not providing the expansive literature that my daughter loves and needs at this special stage. But I could be way off-base here. I have some concerns about dropping these subjects. Are they valid? As follows: 1) Missed opportunity with narration and notebooking. Though perhaps I could utilize this in Lit.? 2) Missed "pegs". This is the time to memorize, isn't it? Is starting in 5th losing that opportunity? Or do they still have the ability to absorb? Or maybe I just need a box curriculum to get me through pregnancy and the newborn element...hmm..... Thank you for these encouraging responses and for the good advice. I'm sorry for rambling!

Hello Hive! I always receive excellent advice here, so I thought I would throw this one out there... I'm going to have a preschooler and 2nd grader next year. Would it be crazy to just drop history and science in the grammar years? I've seen threads regarding the LCC approach and know in some degrees this is done, though I see that Memoria Press does start to include Ancient Rome and Greek Myths beginning third grade. Are they LCC? Anyway, my floating-in-the-head thought is to literally focus on Math, Language Arts (including literature, lit. comprehension, and gobs of read-alouds), and Latin until about 5th grade. Is that nuts???? Would I be completely denying my child??? Here are my reasons, in order of importance: 1) I see the importance of focusing on the 3 "R"s in the grammar stage. Skills before content. The basics take most of our day as it is and it would be nice to be able to linger instead of feeling the pressure of the extra subjects. 2) I want a chance to spend time simply enjoying wonderful literature. I feel like that has fallen by the wayside in my attempts to complete history and science at this stage. I also want to develop my daughter's skills in understanding what is read to her, in addition to what she reads herself. 3) How much do they actually remember from first grade history? Science? Perhaps a lot, as more seasoned moms could attest to? I'm just a newcomer to this game...and then, I'd miss the "memory stage", wouldn't I???? 4) Practically speaking, we are considering having a third child this year. I always get quite sick and then, of course, there would be a newborn. I'm wondering if I need to be a bit more realistic in my goals for the next couple of years. Now, when I say I wouldn't hit these subjects until 5th, I mean that in a formal sense. I would still supply my daughter with gobs of great books along the way. Then I would intend to provide two complete cycles of both history and science. BUT, then again, I LOVE SOTW. I love the literature and history readings tied to it......BUT, then again, would an older child appreciate SOTW more? AND, I LOVE the Apologia series and am becoming enamored with the Nancy Larson Science.......Arg!!!!!!! I'm sorry this is so long. Thank you for bearing with me this far. Any thoughts from the seasoned pros???? Thank you!!!!!!!!!! P.S. YES, you wonderful folk have taught me how to add a signature...I just haven't done it yet! :001_smile: Taylor

I loved 100 EZ Lessons! My daughter was so excited to be reading and I think it really helped teach her the process of connecting multiple sounds. Loved it! Upon finishing that, we used Phonics Pathways. Although 100 EZ builds a great foundation, it doesn't include several of the more advanced sound combinations. Phonics Pathways provides them all. We started the book at around Pg. 30 or 40 (or 50?), since we already had done 100 EZ. My daughter just finished Phonic Pathways and is now a very fluid reader - the speed and consistency really improved. For fun books, I used recommendations from the Sonlight and Veritas Press reading lists. They've been great! Hope that helps! Taylor

I really want to check out the church history schedule, but the link on that website doesn't seem to be working for me. Do you know, is there something special I need to do? Thanks!

Thank you SO much, ladies. It is very comforting to hear your seasoned responses. I like the pace that we are at because my daughter seems challenged, but not frustrated. It is good to hear I'm right on track and don't need to rush! And you are right to remind me that I need to do what is best for our family, without any comparison (sometimes hard! Especially when there are skeptical grandparents watching....). After all, isn't that why I am homeschooling? To give my a child a superior education at the pace she works best at? And good grief, that is why I love a classical education in the first place. The pace of the education works with their level of ability and maturity. I really need to remember that!

That is great to hear! One of the private school's in my area uses the "year ahead" plan, which is partly what made me nervous. But then again, that school also starts Omnibus in late elementary, which makes me wonder if they are just pushing it in general. Thank you so much for the tip on the signature! :001_smile:

Thanks, ladies...I think I needed to hear that. I think I have those new-to-homeschool jitters where I panic that we aren't doing enough. And Happy New Year!

Hello! I'm fairly new to the forum - I don't even know how to put in a signature yet! I did request advice on chicken mummies a while back and received some excellent tips. Thanks! We now have Corn-Tutankhamen, who will be entombed tomorrow. So just to introduce myself...I have a first grader and a toddler. This is my third year homeschooling if you count Pre-K and K, but my first year with all the subjects (i.e. history, science, LA beyond phonics, etc.) and I feel like I'm trying to get my bearings on what works for our family. I've noticed several threads stating that Saxon runs a year behind. So, for first grade, I should be using Saxon 2. Well, last year in K, we started with Saxon K. We managed to get through 1/2 the year before tears of boredom made us upgrade to Saxon 1 (MY tears, not my daughter's! :tongue_smilie:). We are going to finish Saxon 1 in another 10 weeks and will begin Saxon 2 in the last 1/3 of our first grade year. So does this mean we are behind????? I'm hoping, since the lessons don't add up to 180, that by the end of 2nd grade, we'll be more caught up. But is this something to be worrying about? Are the first lessons in Saxon 2 just review? Can any be skipped? I like Saxon now that we are out of K, but I want to make sure that I'm keeping my daughter at grade level. Thanks for any advice! Taylor

A pastor's wife here! Thanks for the laugh this morning! :)

Like what you are considering, I just recently switched from SOTW to TOG. In fact, your post described me perfectly! This is my first year teaching history, so I'm a complete newbie at it. While I love the way that SOTW is written and intend on using it a great resource, I also found the planning very time consuming. Having no background in history, I had no idea how to connect any dots and spent hours trying, even with the AG to help. Anyway, I actually have found TOG WAY LESS stressful in planning and I think it has helped me cut back from doing too much. The notes are amazing! I've learned so much in just one month and the connections are all there! I realize that this isn't everyone's experience with TOG, but for me it has been a HUGE blessing and time-saver. Hope it helps....

I've very VERY new to this forum, but have learned that raising an old thread from the dead is apparently a major no-no. However, I just can't resist raising my old thread on the how-to of Chicken Mummy Construction. To those that responded: THANK YOU!!! We combined all of the advice and are having instant success! We went with the cornish hen, soaked her in alcohol for 4 hours, and used a plastic container instead of bags. Also, the simple natron recipe you provided is frighteningly efficient. We are only on Day 2 of mummification and our hen's life force has been completely sucked dry. No goop for us! And only the aroma of Allspice.... So a humble thank you to you all! P.S. My daughter has decided to go with "CornTutankhamen". I think she just likes the fact that she can say "Tutankhamen"....:001_smile:

Tapestry of Grace! I've just started TOG myself, and love it. It is a classical, unit studies, 4-year-cycle history curriculum. More experienced TOG users will certainly be able to give more in-depth descriptions, but I've so far seen it include the following: history, literature, geography, timeline, vocabulary, arts/crafts, and writing. I'm in Year 1, Ancients, this year, and see that TOG dedicates quite a bit of time to more eastern cultures, rather than just Greece and Rome. Hope this helps!

Hello! Our family uses and loves "The Family Worship Book" by Terry L. Johnson. The book includes an introduction on the whys/hows and offers sample structures for the worship. It also includes the Apostle's creed, the Nicene creed, the Beatitudes, the Lord's prayer, the Ten Commandments, a children's catechism, and psalms/hymns to sing. In addition, we have really enjoyed using The Children's Bible by Catherine Vos. The author does a very good job of describing the meaning and concepts that surround the event in Scripture. The kiddos love it! Hope this helps!

Real Science 4 Kids! The Pre-Level 1 series is specifically geared to K-3. It is real science at a very kid-friendly pace. I have a first grader as well and we are really enjoying the chemistry; especially the smiley-faced atoms. :) Next week, we get to build molecules out of marshmallows and toothpicks. Fun, fun!

We just started the Pre-Level 1 Chemistry from Real Science 4 Kids and LOVE it. It is ultra simple, with kid-friendly happy-faced atoms. I am finally understanding some chemistry myself! :001_smile:

Quite right! Then perhaps we should go with Nefrecluckti. :lol: ...and seasoned with the children's choice of good ol "Generic Italian Seasoning Blend".

Chickenotep!!! Haha! Does that mean, if we take everyone's excellent advice, that we would need to name ours Cornhenotep?? :lol: Thank you, everybody! Lot's of great advice here that might help me avoid a giant ziploc bag of ooze. From what I've gathered, I need a small cornish hen, lots of alcohol, lots of salt, a dab of cinnamon, and the avoidance of dark closet corners! And thank you for that extra tip with the pool supply store, for I've never even heard of washing soda. Thankfully, pools are plentiful here in FL!

Hello All! I'm starting SOTW Ancients this year; my first attempt at grammar stage history. My dd and I are really excited about this and there is an eagerly anticipated activity to create a "chicken mummy" fast approaching. It sounds like a fun, yet rather gross, project. I'm wondering if there are any tips out there from more seasoned chicken embalmers????? :)

I've been having the exact same problem! Not only do all of the pencil sharpeners break, but the colored pencils have such soft lead that they are ground down significantly before finally sharp. I just bought a nice electric sharpener, hoping to solve the problem, when I saw a large warning label that read, "DO NOT USE WITH COLORED PENCILS". SO, after some research, it turns out that only small hand-held sharpeners should be used with colored pencils. The trick is in finding a good one, since they are usually soooo cheap. I've discovered that one called "i-gloo" seems to work pretty well in getting a sharp point. Hope that helps!