https://books.google.com/books?id=CPMAAAAAYAAJ&num=19 Modern Speller is what I was going to suggest. Goes through level 8

Okay, so the workbook is for use PRIOR to November (or whenever they do their challenge). I like the idea of letting the kids set their own goals or even just spend a certain amount of time on it per day. I think my next step needs to be to download the workbook and get eyes on it. This just sounds like such a FUN project to do that would give a sense of accomplishment.

How have you or do you plan to incorporate this into your school year with your kids? How did you set word count goals etc? (<----this would be the most difficult part for me) Was it a positive experience for you/your child? Would you do it again? I have one child that LOVES to write fiction, but has a hard time finishing a piece. She also writes poetry like nobody's business. Writing is definitely where her strengths are. I'm considering giving this a go with her and maybe my oldest as well, just because.

What made the difference between 8/7 being a fail and Alg 1/2 being a success? Was 8/7 too easy? The steps to take before Alg 1 in Saxon confuse me. (8/7 vs the Alg 1/2)

See, I do enjoy the feeling of an empty room, but the echo is a definite downside. The echoing voices of 6 small people can unfortunately feel smothering to me at times. Mama likes clean, serene, and quiet.

Another vote for Educating the Wholehearted Child. The Clarksons always inspire me.

I'd love this with white bookcases/furniture and minus the flowers. I'm one of those crazy people that doesn't like plants in the house. I've been slowly doing the 2015 challenge from the Nourishing Minimalism blog (getting rid of 2015 things this year). I flew through our first 1,000 things but have really slowed down. I think I just needed a breather. My kitchen desperately needs to be pared down. My tupperware is suffocating me. I'm not ready to say goodbye to anymore books, though. I love the look of empty space but with books.

The end of 4th and beginning of 5th were really tough for my oldest two kids. For my oldest we ended up going back several light units and starting afresh. With my daughter we just slowed down, did half lessons along with extra long division and multiplication problems. Both kids got over that hump and are doing exceedingly well now. My 12 year old is in the early 700's and my 10 year old in the mid 500's. I'm glad we pushed through instead of jumping ship.

We also are not using the student pages but rather writing the workbook excercises in a composition book. I like the smaller lines, not having papers scattered about, and being able to reuse the workbook.

KeriJ, Have you used Year 1 (Modules 1-3) with an early elementary student? If so, which resources did you keep?

I very much appreciate this explanation and this is a fantastic list. Very helpful.

Thanks all! We'll start with The Hobbit.

I have a silly question. The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings Series. . . which is meant to be read first? I know The Hobbit happens first, right? But is it better to be read after the series?

Christian Light is what I would (and do) choose.

I can't believe I'm asking this question. . . .but What would a week of IEW B look like? Assume that it would be spread out over a whole school year. Do you watch the DVD EVERY day? About how much time does it take?

Which level of W&R are you using and for what age/skill level?

Christian Light -anything sunrise This is what we've been most consistent with when we've used it through the years. I think I'm finally over trying to fit school time into my ideal philosophy of education and accept that it needs to just get done. CLE gets done here and then we can live and learn freely throughout the day without pressure and stress.

My main goal for my 1st grader this year is/was just to gain reading fluency. He's really getting there, so I'm happy with that. Other than that I just want him to make steady progress in arithmetic and handwriting as well as showing an interest in learning.

It makes sense to me. While I'm decluttering much of my life, I'm admittedly a book hoarder. I'm ok with it. Scratch that. I EMBRACE that. But if I lived only 2 minutes from a good library like you do, I'd purge a great deal and just go to the library every day. That sounds grand. Perhaps I should consider moving? ;)

I found this searching for scm threads. ;) We have volume 1 of Stories of Nations and Stories of America. They do make good independent reading. My son prefers Stories of the Nations to Stories of America simply because the American stories are just so familiar already. I personally liked read them aloud better than SOTW. I'm tossing around the idea of doing the SCM Early Modern module next year.

Yes, this is so good! We love it. We also watch Brain Games (does that count?), Magic School Bus, and some Nature Documentary stuff. After we finished The Little White Horse we watched Secret of Moonacre and did a compare/contrast. That's kinda sorta educational, right? I'd love more suggestions too. :)

10 year old is currently in CLE 502- she's done in 30 minutes tops 12 year old currently in CLE 608- closer to an hour (he dawdles and gets distracted but his work almost always shows 100% accuracy)

We've used it off and on over the years, and it really did get the job done, but I'm honestly at a point where I don't ever want to see it again. My kids did okay with it, but never liked it. Don't even get me started on the alphabetizing sections. . . I do REALLY like the writing instruction from 5th up, but OY! That font. . .my eyes. It is awful. I'm considering going the other way. ..TO RS English, but at a slower pace. I want to do more writing across the curriculum. If I can do more composition with them in other areas, I don't care if RS English lessons are spread over two days OR if my big kids take turns doing their English lesson with me (Ie Monday ds, Tues dd, Wed ds, Thurs dd). I really do want to simplify a bit. For me that means I really REALLY want to ditch some of the workbooks.

Oh my goodness! I'm loving these links!!!

Our state's cutoff for K is in December (which I think is nuts btw). . .I have a child turning 6 shortly before that who will be reported as "K" and not "1st". I have to report what she's doing each quarter and I 'd just rather report her as an advanced Kindy than a delayed 1st grader. It just fits her better.