I've only used Storytime Treasures, but it looks more comparable to The Wand than to Quiver. Some of the books in Quiver are used in MP Grade 3. Storytime Treasures has a student book with vocab, questions, and activities where Quiver seems to have a guide for the teacher with discussion and copywork. We started Storytime Treasures when we were about halfway through AAR2. I think it was helpful to have a firm grasp of silent e as well as some knowledge of the r-controlled syllables.

I believe it was a substantial revision, and is supposed to be much better than the original.

Geo III is not new, but newly revised. It looks wonderful. If you post on the MP Forum you will you will likely get the answers you seek.

For most MP books the quizzes and tests are in the Teacher's Guide, but the Forms Series is different in that they have pre-printed test books. I just purchased the Mammals Teacher's Guide and immediately received a link. I've always purchased the Forms as a set. Maybe you have to purchase the test book for the Forms Series??? I apologize if I steered you wrong. I hadn't considered that you would have to purchase the Forms test book because for just about every other book, you get the files when you purchase the Teacher's Guide.

It's fairly new and it's not just for Latin. If you order from them you get an email with a link and the files are added to your MP account. If you email them and tell them you ordered from elsewhere they will likely give you the files. It's so nice to print tests instead of copying them from the back of the teachers guides (most of their tests are not available in consumable books like the forms series). Plus I was able to reprint unit tests for summer review.

If you get the Teacher's Manuals you will get a link to the downloadable quizzes and tests and then you can print them - although I believe it is only $5 to get them pre-printed in the books. Yes, the CD is the black Friday special, but the email they sent out says free shipping continues through Christmas. And don't forget Quizlet - many people have created flashcards for the Forms.

Necessary - probably not, but It definitely depends on the kid. My oldest was a very natural reader, but my 9 year old son was not. He was very resistant and when we finally started he took forever to make it through level 1. Once we made it halfway through level 2 he had it, and we started to move much, much faster, but he definitely does better when he is explicitly taught the rules. I debated about purchasing level 4, but it took a lot of work and patience to get this child to the point where he is picking up books and reading for pleasure, and I didn't want to stop short and get to a point where he was frustrated with reading. I wish I could report whether it was worth it, but we've just begun.

There are 30-34 quizzes and tests in each of the FFL & SFL quiz and test books. Each lesson has a quiz and each review lesson has a test - plus there is a final exam. The answers are in the Workbook and Test Key. If you go this route you could purchase the FFL & SFL Latin desk charts, the test books and answer keys. The free shipping lasts through Christmas so if you find it's not enough, you still have time to order more.

I only have NEM 1, but the workbook is optional. It contains extra practice and tests. The Teacher's Manual gives answers to the class activity section as well as suggestions/solutions for challenger, problem solving and investigation sections. The Solutions Guide has complete solutions to the problems in the textbook.

You may want to post your question on the MP Forum. The ladies over there are very helpful and will give you lots of suggestions.

There's a group near me that charges a $20 deposit per family to register and the money is returned at the event.

Another simple idea is the Dominican Sisters Virtues in Practice program. It is a free resource available here: http://nashvilledominican.org/Apostolate/Evangelization_and_Catechesis

The best thing we've done is to start memorizing questions from the Baltimore Catechism. MP is working on a Catholic supplement and their plan is to use Faith and Life as the spine and assign related questions from the BC to memorize. The supplement isn't ready but I just find questions in the BC similar to those at the end of the chapters in F&L. I wasn't crazy about the idea at first and my youngest two children thought it was terrible, but they both love it now. Another idea is Children's Daily Prayer by Liturgy Training Publications. http://www.ltp.org/p-2743-childrens-daily-prayer-2015-2016.aspx

We use HWT from PK to 2nd grade and my kids' manuscript doesn't look like HWT manuscript. They develop their own style. HWT is efficient, logical and as a pp stated, it's great for lefties.

I'd love an update as well. I heard on the MP Forums that Chapter 4 of the physical science book was on creation and I wondered how it was presented. Is an acknowledgement that this is what God did or is it 7 days Apologia style?

I've never used MP below grade 4, but there are many families on the MP Forums who successfully use the lesson plans as written. Many use them as a daily checklist for their children. I have mostly-complete cores for 5th and 6th grades and while I use the plans as a guide for planning, I almost never use them as written. We started MP in grade 4 and didn't start cores until 5th. My daughter doesn't match up with any of the cores perfectly and she works at a snail's pace so we are constantly rescheduling. Plus, I already had materials for K-3, so I stuck with those for my younger kids. If you start from K, you are starting from the beginning and could easily use a complete core with lesson plans as written. I think what you need to consider is will you? Look at what is contained in the core and determine how much modifying you might do. If you think you will use them, they could save you a ton of time. I love MP, but I do way too much customizing and way to much rescheduling to make real use of the lesson plans.

Are you using US or Standards Edition? The Standards HIG has better guidance than the US.

I have the Replogle Cranbook. It's an attractive globe and has held up very well over the 3-4 years that I have had it. http://www.replogleglobes.com/products.php

We use a composition book (the kind where the pages are sewn in) as a science notebook. They write important terms, description of activity and results.

I have been looking for something like this as well and have not found it. Here is what I have found. A Photographic Atlas for the Microbiology Laboratory https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0895828723/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_of_26?ie=UTF8&refRID=J0JCXW3EKK4Z4N9CMD1J I haven't purchased this yet but it looks like what you decribe. However the price tag is high. A Field Guide to Bacteria (Comstock Book) https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0801488540/ref=mp_s_a_1_sc_1?qid=1443962611&sr=8-1-spell&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=field+gujde+to+bacteria This one is more of a naturalists guide to bacteria and doesn't have a lot of pictures. Bacteria: Staph, Strep, Clostridium, and Other Bacteria (A Class of Their Own) https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0778753883/ref=pd_aw_ppdp_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=F75EZ4QQ9FSXWK4E437R This one has cool pictures and art but certainly not a field guide, and is written for children.

I bought Sonlight twice. I have a lot of books that have never been read. I still try to plan to use them as read alouds but it never happens. Sitting on the couch reading seemed so nice, but as it turns out it wasn't my style. It just took me two tries to realize it. I now use a lot of MP. One thing that is good to know about MP is that they will customize any package for you. You said it was almost perfect. If you decide to use it again, email them with any changes you want to make and they will customize the package and price. Some of the simple customizations can be done on their website, but they do not limit you to those changes. So if spelling is too advanced, they will allow you to go down a level or drop spelling altogether. I don't use the whole core, but I buy the better part of one because after I buy the 4 subjects I do use, the rest is practically free.

I can't find the article either, but the previous poster basically describes the process except that MP erases the first line instead of the last.

In my Teacher's Guide it is on an unnumbered page following page 137. If you post on the MP Forum, I bet they will attach the PDF for you. I have it but it is too big to attach. It's much easier to print than to make copies.

If you post on tht MP forum you will get a quick throrough response.

If you have the 3A recitation it contains astronomy although looking back at my copy, there isn't much covered on the recitation. The main thing recited throughout the astronomy course is the 15 brightest stars. My copy is old - before the split into standard and accelerated tracks, but I assume it is the same as the current 3A. 3S Mammals/Greek Myths 4S/3A Astronomy/Greek Myths 5S/4A Insects/Famous Men of Rome 6S/5A Birds/Famous Men of the Middle Ages 7S/6A Trees/Famous Men of Greece The best way to see which topics will be covered on the recitation (at least for grades 3 and up) is to look at their core curriculum packages. If you select a grade you will see the standard track package. There is a link in the description of the standard package that will take you to the accelerated track package. The recitations (grade 3 & up) are pretty heavy on Classical Studies and Christian Studfies although there is some science.