Oh, oh . thanks ! My oldest is an avid bird watcher along with her grandpa . They will both love this :>) Plus it may help with one of her Girl Scout badges .

Wished I would of seen this earlier too . But hey I guess we can do this anytime really :>) Thanks !

Well you have alot of choices . My guess she is going to be 10 . Soooo with that said . It depends really . Do you want to study American History first , or World History ? If World History I would actually suggest the Core 1+2 condensed version . It can easily be adapted for ages 6-10 . If you are wanting to do American History then I would go with Core 3 .

Well for my 3rd daughter she went to our church's preschool this year. But its just a 3 day program for 2 hrs . And to her that just isn't enough school work :>) So right now I have a Kumon workbook for her and am trying to decide on getting her R&S preschool series or the Horizons PreK . I've always been a hands on momma but she is my workbook child . Other then the Kumon workbook right now and preschool . When she is home she colors , listens to stories , every once in a while an educational video like Leap Pad Talking Words Factory , lots of puzzles , cutting . Right now I'm trying to decide if I want to do more PreK stuff with her or if she'll be ready for K stuff yet . Decisions , decisions .

Christian Light and Christian Liberty have bible curriculum that is well put together too .

Yes. I've heard the same thing on the Christian Light Families Yahoo group . Rod and Staff and CLE seem to have nice , easy to read Bible programs. Thanks for sharing your review .

We've always enjoyed Sonlight's science program . With their science DVDs. Sonlight and Winter Promise are two that I can think of that I enjoy using multiple grade levels with .

Interesting . I Have the Saxon 1, 2, and 3 manuals . I've only used 1 . But looking at the manuals there is review of the last level in the next for some lessons . This is because Saxon is a school curriculum so there is always a bit of review in the beginning . I could see skipping 2. But for some children that maybe too much because Saxon 3 gets into division , exponents and some higher math that a 2nd grade may or maynot be able to handle at that age . So I don't think skipping levels at all really is wise . I think that all the levels from K-3 are well put together and worth it . I think it all depends on how well your child understands math . I don't see being able to do that with all children . If you have a child that sets into tears as soon as you say the word math I don't think that it would be wise to skip any of the levels . But you could do the assesment tests and when he or she starts to get less then 80% then you could start there .

Christian Light math is pretty inexpensive . Rod and Staff Miquon You could even purchase workbooks at a bookstore/Walmart for this age MCP math

Well so far in our house we've used BJU math , Saxon math , Miquon math , Singapore math , and Calvert math . Here are my reviews of each : BJU math : Pros: Loved it for my oldest daughter. We used K-3rd grades . It had just the write amount of work added in for each grade level . Not too much and not , not enough either . The manual was full of things you can do and lessons to teach . Cons: It was easy to skip the review because it wasn't added in the textbook . So my daughter wasn't getting enough review because I was skipping it alot of the times . The manual really helps but can seem cluttered full of things that you have to weed through . Over all I really like their program for a child that is good with numbers and likes math . Calvert : I've used this for grades 1-5th so far . I can't write too many pros about this because of all the math programs I've used this is the worst , at least for our family . Pros: Its colorful Cons : Not enough review of math facts , introduces too many different way to come up with an answer to a problem without enough review . The manuals are worthless . Sometimes they would bring up a concept like using Cuinaire rods , once and never bring it up again . I just don't recommend this program . But then there are some families it works well with . Miquon : Loved using it with my 2nd daughter. I started using it , then had put it away and think we're going to bring it back out . Pros : Not cluttered with a bunch of pictures. Introduces concepts of higher math at an early age . Uses Cusienaire rods . My girls enjoyed it . Cons: I didn't understand the manual very well . I think it was to help give ideas but didn't give much in the way of answers for us "math phobic" parents . Over all though I like the program . It gives children the chance to understand math at a higher level , yet achieve the answer in a way they can understand . Saxon math . I've used grades K and 1 . Pros: This program takes you step by step . Literally . Even to what to say to the child . Has lots of built in review and was the first math program I came across that didn't need anything added to it . It brought up concepts so that the student wouldn't forget , had flashcards and speed drill worksheets as well . Cons : No real cons other then this program most likely wouldn't work for a child that 'gets math ' quickly . For those children who need to practice a few problems this would be too tedious and repetitious . Other then that it was great . I did supplement in the area of word problems because I just felt I had to . I supplemented with Singapore Word Problems . Singapore math : We tried grade 1 with my 2nd daughter and there were more tears then anything . I liked the program but math is not her strong suit . Pros: Colorful , requires the student to think at a higher level . Cons : Not too many except not enough review , not enough in the way of practing math facts ( which you can easily get something like Calculadders ) . Just wasn't the right fit for my 2nd daughter that's all . I didn't have a teacher manual for it so I can't comment on wether it is helpful or not . Now that we've been through plenty of math programs I am going to try out Christian Light's Math . It is set up similar to Saxon but works a bit faster . It is a spiral program so it brings back concepts so that students won't forget . Has built in drill and so on . The teachers manuals take you step by step and are easy to use . So we'll be dropping Calvert math here and using this instead .

Well , yes . Either way if you plan on doing your own curriculum or using pre packaged your going to have to spend some time researching on what you want . Maybe a little less time with pre packaged curriculum because its all laid out for you . If you are leaning on going the all in one curriculum route you will want to find out what you are looking for . A christian curriculum ? A secular program ? Then you also want to find one that fits your familie's interest . Do you like curriculum focused more on literature ? A school book approach , on that focuses on world history or american history . Either way its going to take some part on your time . One good thing is if you think that a prepackaged curriculum may help your sanity , then go for it . We all need a break every now and then . Plus its all there for you . Some are more self lead ,, like Ace school of tomorrow or Christian Light , some require teaching by the parent . It just all depends on what you want and need .

I love owning books . We can go back to our favorite stories again and again . We live in a small apartment at th moment. But have a big three shelved book case full of books , and a small three sheleved book case with our homeschoolstuff . Plus I think alo tof books are always laying around because my girls love to hear the stories and read them . Plus growing up my dad always bought books so we didn't have too much of a need to go to the library . So I think having my own books and loving to have my own books came from that too :>) We have a small community library that we don't always get to. Plus I've noticed alot of the books are being replaced with comic books for the older children too . They put those up front so that my girls stop right there and don't make it to the back where all the true good stories are . So most of the time we're coming home with Pokemon . Not that I have anything against comic book stories but when its all the time every time that's when I have the problem with it . So we don't go to our library all that often anymore .

I haven't tried Math U See with her yet. This is one math program I haven't used . I'm not sure if the blocks would help her or not . They did when I used them with her oldest sister when we used BJU math and she understood this . I've used manipulatives with my 2nd daughter and it helps a little but not a whole lot like it did with big sis . I can't rule out MUS though . I'll have to look into it . But right now we're using the concept and its helping . As long as I stick with one way to get to the problem she does fine . Thank you for all of your advice :>)

As much as I love CHOW ,, and we don't find it boring at all here . It would probably go over their head at a 1st grade and pre K level . I have a preKer here and we read CHOW out loud when we do history because actually both my husband and I have learned quite a bit about world history from this book . But my preKer is in no way interested in CHOW . I think it would be great for children in at least 3rd grade to as far as 5th grade . It is written in a story type format and has about 4 pages per chapter . So its not long and overbearing . Its just written for a PreK or 1st grade audience in mind . I haven't used SOTW but I would recommend it for now and at least wait a few more years until you have at least one of them in 3rd grade . Well they do have a workbook that goes along with CHOW that Calvert sells . Its mostly an outline book . But in the back it has small enrichment activities like : recipes ( ex " Monastery soup , Babylonian break making ), build a pyramid , crossword puzzle , make a corn husk doll writing with quill and ink and a bunch of others . We really like CHOW , I almost thought we wouldn't because of all the review I read about it being boring and too much . So I dreaded it when we got it . But we found we really like it . I think the poor review may come from the fact the book is being used at too young of an age to understand it . So the child isn't really going to get into it if it is over their heads . My suggestion is you could get it . See if it works for your kiddos . It may since you say they like to listen to stories above their reading levels . If not then you could put it away and try again when they are older. Or just get SOTW , use it for a few years and then bring out CHOW at a later time .

In all honesty I used BJU before I used Calvert with my oldest and really BJU isn't anymore advanced then Calvert . I believe that BJU is more richer and fuller though because of the presence of God in their curriculum . I think they are both really equal as far as levels go though . I wouldn't see any problems switching from one or the other .

As you can see in my signature below how old my daughters are . My oldest has a VERY good memory and can tell you the story of Troy , she remembers the stories from the 3rd grade Gods of Greece from Calvert , can remember things about the Egyptians , Greeks , Romans . But she too doesnot remember dates yet . That may come later . History is her favorite subject though . Then there is my 2nd daughter who just remembers none of it .

Yes. I've tried Singapore math and Calvert math with my 2nd daughter and its just too many strategies for her . My daughter does have a receptive delay so it takes her a little longer to understand things . Add too many different ways and her head is ready to explode . I can't tell you how many tears have been shed because I've shown her different ways to come up with the answer and she just goes into hysterics . Calvert teaches math using different strategies as well and she just breaks down . None of the strategies seem to help her at all . She starts to cry and tells me how stupid she is . I definitley don't want that for her. I want her to be confident in herself with math . She just wants to know there is one way to come up with the answer and not have to think if she adds 10 and subtracts 1 she'll get her answer . Now that works well with my oldest who is good with math . My 2nd daughter just wants to know that 2+2=4 and moves on . Math just doesn't come easy for her .

Thanks for the review . I may just use the concept with CLE math . I know Touch Math has lots of worksheets that you can copy off their site . I could use those for practice too . They do sell the workbooks but $53 -$80 for 4 workbooks is mighty steep for us when I can get CLE math for MUCH less and just use the concept . Thanks :>)

You could if you wanted to . Bascially the workbook is an outline of the chapters and has some small fun activities in the back you can do along with a time line . I think its helpful to cement important facts in . You may have to help your dc to fill in the blanks if he has difficulty writing . I think its worth it .

My girls like to play Go Fishing with their words. I just do a cheap version of it .If your crafty you can cut out fish and so on . But if you want the cheapo version . I just use index cards and write the words on them. Color the backs with different colors . Slip on some paper clips . Take a wooden spoon , and some yarn to make a pole and tie on a magnet . Then put the cards on the floor and let them "Go fishing " . If they got the word right they get to keep the "fish " . If they get it wrong the "fish " gets thrown back . They also like to play "memory" I just take those same words I put on index cards and put them face down on the table . They get to pick out the card . If they spell it right they get to keep it , if not it gets put back into the list but they have to pick another card . I also let them write their words on the dry erase board too . Also making crossword puzzles and word searches. There are free downloadable programs sites too . Here is one : http://www.puzzle-maker.com/ Hope those ideas help .

We've been finishing up CHOW with the Calvert 4 and my daughters have both enjoyed this book . I've been looking at both SOTW and MOH . Both look great . I maybe leaning more toward SOTW but not 100% positive yet . I want to add more to our history since my daughters are always wanting to learn more and hear things from a different perspective . I haven't decided wether I'm sticking with Calvert anymore either . Just in those beginning stages of what to do for next year . :tongue_smilie: Just wondering what everyone else's families have enjoyed .

Yes. I was just looking at this program and it looks wonderful ! I think this maybe just what we need. I could use this with both of my daughters at the same time . I may get the book Joanna suggested to . See if it would be helpful ,,, if not for my daughter , hey for me .

I've always wondered myself why its never been mentioned. I've enjoyed grades K-4th .

I just wish I could find an easy to use , inexpensive writing program that would take me step by step on how to teach the writing process. Writing is not my oldest's strong point and she just struggles with the whole process . I've read reviews on here and Homeschool reviews and can't seem to find what it is I'm looking for . We use Calvert but I donot like how they teach writing at all . Its so scattered and it just doesn't work for her at all . It never has . I've heard alot of good things about IEW . But its way out of our budget . Can anyone suggest anything that is affordable , easy to teach ? My daughter is in the 4th grade .

No . K12 is not run by the same person who runs the Jubilee Academies . The Einstein Academy went defunt quite a few years ago . I'm not sure how she is now collecting from public school districts since all of her academies are private and not public charter schools .