:iagree: exactly. For awhile I had to line them up FOR her to "see" it.

So our current plan (what we will try the first week or so) ;) is to complete 4 lessons, and then use Friday as a review/memory work/game day. If 4 is too much, we will scale back to 3 and do 2 review/game days. I did email the company and was told that there is no set schedule, but that a lesson is designed to be completed in one sitting (of course you can use it anyway you choose). As to how many lessons in a week, he suggested 3-4 was fine, they usually just encourage at least 2 lessons a week to keep up with the review.

He is starting first and reading Frog and Toad? I would think that is doing pretty well actually. My dd is reading Frog and Toad and other books like it and those are the second grade readers from Sonlight. I would definitely agree with those that have said to continue with phonics though, there is still plenty to do! Either the next year of HOP or OPGTR???

Thanks. I thought a lot about your experience when planning. I am not really going to stress about "keeping up" with the Bible readings. we are actually going to read through Egermeiers during our evening family worship time, using SOTW as a super loose guideline. I think that if we keep consistent with reading, we can not stress so much about reading all that Bible at the same time, just attempting to have read it before we get to its "time" in history, so we can summarize it. Anyway, we plan to be super flexible about it...:)

we are using Avenues of the Mind timeline. It is colored stickers.

I finally got around to adding this list to my new blog, for those who are asking about it. For those of you using it or parts of it, I would love feedback as we will be starting next week! :) (Updated reading list is on post 18 of this thread) http://onemagnificentobsession.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the thoughts. I did some more reading through the TM and the beg. sp's so I feel like I have a better feel of the program. At this point I am trying to determine whether to do 3 or 4 lessons a week. For the other day (or 2) I would do review and memory work using the great resources found in the TM. I actually love the TM, such great stuff in it! Really adds to the program. While I agree it is certainly not necessary at the beg. level, it adds another level to it.

I am in the middle of writing a curriculum for our family worship time. Not sure if it is what you are looking for though. It will be about 12 character traits and we will study them one at a time by looking at a person in the Bible that exemplified that trait. Would love to hear if there is anything else out there like what you are seeking.

Do you have the teacher manual? I think for that age it is very important as it tells you how to use all the manipulatives, explains activities, etc. Also, in the back of the TM is a suggested schedule (for those of us who like it planned out for us!) ;) I followed that schedule last yr for K, and will do the same the same this yr. Good luck! It is a wonderful program!

Ok, so I was thinking about this, and I think the pic of all the books is fun to look at. So... I took one. This is our SOTW year 1 with supplemental books (some, we will use the library for others) :)

We love handwriting without tears. Especially the manipulatives aspect . . .

We are planning to use BSGFAA this year. I have the TM, beginner pages for dd6, and plan to copy the visuals for ds4 and dd17mo. I also have the beginner timeline, bible summary cards and CD. I am slightly confused on how to schedule this. Did I read somewhere that a lesson was supposed to be covered in 2 days? If so, front of the page day 1/back day 2? It looks as though the front is review and application, and the 2nd page the Bible story. I really would like to have the Bible story at least introduced the first day. Maybe read it in a Bible story book day 1? Also, I assume we will work on the Bible summary cards based on what book we are studying. How do you schedule the beginner timeline? Just use it when you get to it or intro them slowly not necessarily where you are in the lessons? The CD I really only got for memory work, so we will use that for memory review mostly. What am I missing here? How do you schedule it? Thanks! :bigear:

Yes, they definitely need more phonics! Language Arts is the bulk of our homeschool, about 1 hour a day. For us, this is what Language Arts looks like: Grammar: First Language Lessons Phonics: Abeka Phonics 1 Writing: writing with ease Spelling: All About Spelling 1 Handwriting: Handwriting without tears For phonics, have you looked at Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading? That might be a good place to start. I really like the Peace Hill Press curricula for first grade (first language lessons, writing with ease) I feel it is such a gentle introduction to everything. Here are a few options for LA that we considered-- Grammar: First Language Lessons, Growing with Grammar Phonics: Abeka, Ordinary Parents guide to Reading, Phonics Pathways Writing: writing with ease, winning with Writing Spelling: All About Spelling 1, Spelling Workout, Spelling Power Handwriting: Handwriting without tears, Zaner-Bloser All in one LA: Phonics Road Have you read the Well Trained Mind? SWB does an amazing job of breaking each subject down and helping us to keep our expectations on target...

I just opened it in another window for reference. The file was way too big to print out.

Last week I spent way too many hours fiddling with several programs. After several dead ends I finally bought HST+ I am doing ok I think ;) (once I found the manual pdf anyway, the videos were driving me crazy!) :tongue_smilie: I think I figured out lesson plans, sequencing, the assignments, reports...but of what copy function do you speak? It sounds important. :lol:

Since you have Abeka phonics and like it, why not use it without the workbook? Honestly, I think the program is complete without it. Maybe add some additional practice on a white board or something like AAS or just the tiles. My ds will be doing Abeka k4 this year without the workbook, he is VERY hands on and likes the games (and we add more). DD did the first 65 lessons of Abeka phonics 1 without the workbook and had great retention. Didn't feel like she missed anything. We add phonics games and lots of reading... just a thought, as I am a big fan of using what you have if you can ;)

We have a school room, but we don't always use it. I love having it. It is a great place to organize everything, store everything, have a "kid" size table for writing projects and handwriting practice. However, often we "do school" at the kitchen table. Especially if dd is working on something semi independently, that way she can be close to the kitchen/living areas and I am available if she needs me. I wouldn't want to give up my school room, but I don't feel chained to it either.

:iagree: we are doing something very similar. I LOVE the idea of SL, but my dc are VERY hands on, so I thought SOTW with AG along with most of the SL core added in there was a good compromise...

:iagree: I was actually going to link to this book. I read this in a class on marriage in college. After a 25 year study on children of divorce, the conclusion was that barring abuse, children of divorce were almost always better off with parents that stayed together. (My very simplified conclusion of a detailed study) :tongue_smilie: Of course, substance abuse can mean very different things, and has its own set of ramifications to deal with, so not a clear cut answer obviously.

We have the readers 2 with schedule, and started it just last week. We are 2 books in (skipped the Bible reading for now, we will go back to those). So far, I like the books, dd is finding them more interesting than the other "readers" we used, more like "real" books. I like the schedule and comprehension questions. It is a great supplement to our phonics program.

Just for another perspective... We are choosing both HWOT AND WWE for this year... HWOT is such a light and fun program, that I don't think it is too much writing... (but this would very much depend on the child) We do AAS in addition to phonics as well. Phonics is so important, I don't think using ETC for phonics review would or should be dropped. AAS moves VERY slowly with phonics, so I would hesitate to have this be the only phonics program unless your ds is reading incredibly well. After we complete first grade phonics, our plan is to continue with ETC for review alongside AAS.

Looks pretty close to my first grade plans... As for math, just pick one. I would hold onto the other until you have give your first chance a try. That way in case you don't like it, you will have the others to fall back on. That said, I think you could easily add the RS manipulatives into either of the others. We have some of them and plan to add them in as needed/wanted to MM. My kids love the manipulatives and math games so it is a fun balance... Just remember to to give yourself permission to change as needed. If it gets to be too much, back off without feeling guilty for not sticking to your plan. We had great plans for this summer, but dd was less than thrilled, so I backed off. We still did a little math and reading, but amazingly enough, her reading has taken off this summer and she is actually starting to enjoy it instead of dread it. Who cares that we are still on the same phonics lesson as we were in May. We are adjusting as needed to keep learning enjoyable at this very tender age. All that to say, you have great curricula choices, just let them mold to your child, be sensitive to his needs and it will be great!

That. would be awesome!

Here is our plan for our (sort of) advanced first grader ;) Math Mammoth 2 (finishing up 1B in August) First Language Lessons 1 (grammar) Writing with Ease 1 (writing) Handwriting without tears 1 All About Spelling 1 (will probably finish this pretty quickly and go into AAS 2) Abeka Phonics 1 (will finish in the Fall, and then just use AAS and ETC 4-6 for review) Elemental Science SOTW Ancients w/AG

ah, good to know thanks! :)