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  1. I would give her a Saxon placement test to see where she is at. The 7/6 book is excellent at solidifying all of the math skills needed to go into Pre-Algebra.
  2. I have used both. I will try and give you a comparison. The first time I did ADV was with an eight year old and 6 and 5 year olds tagging along. It really was a good year. The 6 & 5 joined in on some science experiments, Bible, and the Jesus poster. They also joined in on the hands on activities for the history. The eight year old did the entire program with some HOD Bigger books added in for book basket that he read, some Apologia Astronomy added in, and his Awana memory verses. The second time I did ADV, which was this past year, was with 3rd and 2nd graders. I added Beyond to it, or you could say I did Beyond and added ADV to it. They both really enjoyed their history this year. Since they had done ADV hands on and Bible when they were younger I didn't do it a second time. They did do all the ADV note booking. If I had to choose between the two I would pick ADV. However, I did really like the Pilgrim history that Beyond brought to ADV this past school year. When I combined though I more or less did the Beyond history first (I wasn't using her science or LA since they were beyond it or math since they were beyond it or Bible since we had our own, so it was essentially the history and hands on projects), and then I did the ADV history and state study. The comparison: Beyond ~ it begins with the Pilgrims in England, follows them to Holland, and then follows them to America. The very end of the program goes through the Patriots and Pioneers book and then goes through the beginning of America, Gold Rush, and westward expansion fairly quickly. Carrie includes some copy work, Bible, poetry, Singapore math, Christian Light science (very basic), and hands on activities into the program. I actually started last fall with Beyond only doing the whole program. I quickly found it was too easy for my 2nd grader so I decided to pull the history out of it, add in ADV with the note booking, add in my 3rd grader, and use it for history while doing Apologia for science. Adventures ~ This program is based on the US History text, Pioneers and Patriots book, state sheets, and Usborne hands on science. It is a program that is fairly easy to use as a full program for a 2nd grader. A first grader could be pulled into it with LA and math for their level. A 3rd grader can be pulled into it with LA and math for their level. The Bible is the names of Jesus. The History starts with Leif Erickson and then touches on major events of American History up to 1850. It skips the war of 1812 and slavery (as does Beyond). It skips the Civil War, but mentions it briefly. It starts state sheets as they join the union on the time-line with the history. It adds in inventions towards the end. It also goes through the Gold Rush and westward expansion with the Pioneers and Patriots book. It includes hands on activities as well. I like MFW Bible better then HOD because I find it goes into more depth and covers more ground. The copy work in Adventures is of the scriptures memorized, rather then of poetry. The hands on activities are harder to get done but I have more memories of them (my oldest is now in 6th so it was awhile ago). The Pilgrims in HOD Beyond were interesting and it spent a lot of time on them. If one was really interested they could add the Christian Light Liberty Pilgrims book to the ADV book basket or as an extra read aloud story. I hope this helps.
  3. This thread was really interesting to read. Our favorite curriculum purchases that have worked for our family: Singapore Math (we have now used for K, 1st, & part of 2nd) All About Spelling Apologia Elementary Astronomy Mystery of History English 2 by Rod & Staff Rod & Staff phonics Greenleaf Old Testament/Bible History study Italic handwriting (saved handwriting for my oldest) All of the literature books I have bought that we have read over and over again. (includes books from Sonlight & Heart of Dakota) Wisdom and the Millers Prudence and the Millers All of the Bible memory work in Awana CDs for the car: Bible memory to songs, Geography CDs - world & US, First Language lessons CD, math fact CDs (add/subtract/multiply/divide)
  4. We love English by Rod and Staff. It starts in grade 2 and goes through grade 10 (it reaches college level English at the end of grade 10). For basic readers with comprehension questions I used Sonlight readers grades 2 - 4/5. At this point I have him dictate summaries to me of some of the books he reads (he reads too much to do all of them). For my second reader coming up I plan on using all of the early readers I have and asking questions that I come up with as we go. I hope this helps.
  5. I completely understand. I have felt the same way putting things together on my own. Using curriculums for two years has helped a lot in teaching me how to home school, and how to organize it. HOD is extremely organized. It was one of the ways it really did help me feel confident about putting something together. Another thought would be to use HOD and then add to or supplement as needed. Use the guide as a springboard and then add or edit as much as you want! Tailor it to fit your child. Tailor it so the curriculum is meeting your dd where she is at, instead of making your dd fit into the curriculum. Does this make sense? It is what I did more and more in the last year, and it helped a lot. Now we seem to be striking more out on our own, but I still plan on using the HOD and SL web-sites for buying books. I think the thing I needed to learn the most is that it is OK to take out things that don't work for your family and put things in that do. It is also OK to use curriculums as a big diving board and for whatever areas they work for and then leave the rest out. I hope this helps! :)
  6. You have stumbled upon the greatest challenge I have had as a home school mom. I completely understand! This could get long, but hopefully it is helpful. HOD was actually my last boxed curriculum stop this fall because of the issue you are raising. My oldest is 8, and I just can not do the one guide anymore. If it helps though I did manage it more or less for 2 years. MFW is wonderful, HOD is wonderful, SL is deeply touching on a missionary & literature level. The last is the easiest to add to BTW. It isn't the curriculums, it is the children who go faster than an 'average' classroom speed that are a struggle to use curriculums with (I have 3 of them, my youngest is actually delayed). My greatest struggle was feeling like I was pulling them back from where they could fly and pushing them farther in areas where they needed more time. So for two years I have given a lot of thought, time, curriculum choices, and prayer to the exact issue you raise. (My 8 year old (2nd grade) reads at an 8th grade level and writes at a 2nd or 3rd grade level and does math at a 3rd or 4th grade level and comprehends at a 5th or 6th grade level - putting this child into a curriculum guide is more than just a little difficult). So with a lot of time, prayer, and discussion with DH this fall we came back to some basics. Why did we home school? The reasons are fairly simple: 1. We want to share our faith & the Bible with our children. 2. We wanted our children to be able to work at their own pace. If they struggle in a subject and need to go slowly, we want them to be able to go slowly and get the help they need. If a subject comes easily or truly interests them we want them to be able to learn at the speed at which they are able to learn, and go as quickly as they need to & can. One room school houses were based on this model. Students went to the next lesson when the previous lesson was mastered. It made sense. They graduated at many different ages, but at least they all knew the material when graduation came. So how does this relate to curriculum. Well my struggle with HOD, was the same struggle I had with MFW, and a similar struggle that I had with SL. With SL my children were able to read through the readers too quickly and we read the read-aloud too quickly, and they were able to answer all of the questions for good comprehension. This put us going through Cores too quickly, and reaching mature material too quickly. With MFW the struggle was my ds comprehension was 2 to 5 grades above the material being studied, but his handwriting was slower in coming. Neither of us enjoyed what is actually a lovely program. Then the getting to ECC too quickly was also an issue for mature content (age 7). With HOD the struggle was too easy of material. They already knew what was being taught. The reading was great, but my children weren't being challenged at all. Moving up would have meant a large increase in writing that none of them were ready for. So I share these struggles in the hope it helps you. I do hope it doesn't confuse you. My DH is the one who came up with the solution. He picked his favorite curriculums that fit our children's comprehension levels, continue moving my oldest forward in note booking/narration/writing and allow them to go at their own speed in every subject. It is working beautifully. It is a relatively new plan, but I haven't enjoyed home schooling this much since pre-school when I didn't use a boxed curriculum. Now every subject can move forward as needed, and my ds8 & ds6 can work at a level they enjoy. So we are doing Mystery of History with note booking for my oldest, Apologia Astronomy (they all like the experiments) with note booking for my oldest, SL Science experiments (Level C), Greenleaf Bible OT study, a devotional from HOD, NT readings, lots of literature from SL & HOD, Singapore math, Rod and Staff English, Italic handwriting, and copy work by mom (Bible verses & literature), and Awana verses. HOD and MFW would have made me wait years for Apologia and World History, but I have two children who are ready now. Being released from the curriculum boxes was a relief for me. We never could follow a TM because by week 5 they had completed 1/2 of it in some areas and still be on week 2 in others. Frustrating for mom. Blessings for your own journey. You will figure it out, and what works best for your family.
  7. Thank you Colleen! This information is very helpful. :)
  8. Interesting. I thought it wasn't Christian enough so went for MOH. I just found his comment interesting. Have you tried Child's History of the World?
  9. My oldest is now in 2nd grade so I have been thinking a lot about writing. I have a question about Writing With Ease and The Complete Writer. The little I looked at Writing with Ease One once it looked like copy work and dictation. I have not used it though since I like choosing passages for copy work and dictation. So I would like to share what I am doing, and know if it is enough to prepare for The Complete Writer: Copy work by mom (Bible passage or sentence from a reader or read-loud) Dictation (increasing. I am trying to work it up to where I can dictate from a book he is reading or listening to). Narration: We do use for science. Summaries of books he reads: I have him dictate them to me. Grammar: Rod and Staff Spelling: All About Spelling I am very interested in Susan Baur's Middle Grade English program. If I continued the above through 3rd or 4th grade would he be prepared for it? What exactly is in Writing with Ease 4? Thank you!
  10. I thought after wards of adding the fact that she doesn't recommend the questions in the book for younger students. However, my ds has done great with the questions, and even enjoyed them. It sounds like your 8 year old too would be fine with Mystery of History since they worked through SL5. I also thought afterwards of adding that I do add books to it so we can continue reading literature. She has a lot of books in the back. At the moment though I have a stack from HOD book shop for readers and read-alouds. I am thinking of doing another SL box after we finish with it. I hope this helps.
  11. This question may be premature, but I am wondering what writing programs people use for 3rd grade (which will be next fall for my oldest), and what they like about them. For 2nd grade I have him do copy work (Bible & literature; I like to pick the passages so right now it is not with a particular program), dictation, spelling, and English with Rod and Staff. He also does narration summaries, but I tend to let him dictate them to me. He also dictates to me any creative writing that he does. He will write down a sentence or two of his own creation, but he isn't to the point of writing out a whole paragraph on his own. I was reading the Well Trained Mind tonight and it recommended 3 different writing programs as possible 3rd grade writing programs to help him move into writing and knowing how to write. I was just looking at the Writing with Skill and Creative Writer by Susan Wise Bauer for the middle grades, and they both look very interesting to me. What are considered the middle grades? So what writing programs do you use in 3rd - 8th grades, and what do you like about them?
  12. My 8 year old loves Mystery of History, and my 6 enjoys it some too. I hesitated too for my 8 year old because of what I read, but it is a great fit for him. I emailed Mystery of History before I started with him and they were very encouraging. They thought after Sonlight that he would be fine (we went through Core B), and they were correct. He begs for more readings from it, just like he would a Sonlight book. FYI: We have enjoyed doing the time-line and index cards with the program. I tried both My Father's World and Heart of Dakota after Sonlight. Both are wonderful programs, but they were both too light after Sonlight in all areas. Both of my sons knowledge levels were just too advanced for where their programs teach for 1st & 2nd grade. Then I researched, and the more I researched the more I liked what Mystery of History had to offer.
  13. Well said. You are correct that teaching the very best I can is the best I can do. Great advise.
  14. Me too.. complete flops at times with raved curriculums. It does seem to be a process.
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