We used R&S 6 last year, too. This year, we are using Saxon Course 3 (not grade 3) with success. When I gave the Saxon placement test, he tested into 1/2, but I didn't want to do 1/2. I liked what I saw in the Saxon Course 3 much better and it was more visually appealing to me. You can download the entire text online (free). You have to purchase the solutions book. I also bought the physical text, and we mainly use that. Although my son is a good math student, he needs that large mixed review set that Saxon provides rather than large sets of the "new stuff," as R&S had. Why? Because he tends to rush through and not carefully consider what a problem is asking when they are all of the same type (although he did well with R&S and we used it to good purpose).

Everything in my signature, so far, is a hit. He doesn't *love* anything, but these are making him step it up a notch, which is exactly what I was going after 😉

Update for future readers of this thread :) I opted to skip R&S 6 and go straight into 7th. We have been at it for 3 weeks and it is going just fine. This route was chosen because there is more writing instruction in the 7th book, and I don't want another writing program but want English and writing integrated. So far, so good :), and I will update if anything changes as we work through the text.

We finished a similar program last year (Spelling Through Morphographs), and I've opted to use Spelling Power this year. Since ds has gone through all the rules, we really need to work on his particular trouble words. SP does this. I move a couple of words that he misses in his other curriculum onto his daily (short) list of words to study. For example, he spells body as "bodey", fifteen as "fifeteen", and finally as "finaly" so that was moved to his list to study. We are only a few weeks in, but so far I'm liking the individualized approach, especially since we finished a comprehensive program already. HTH!

We successfully completed the StM book last year (12 yo 6th grader) and it is certainly open-and-go and simple to implement. StM was excellent at teaching my ds rules he didn't naturally pick up (or hadn't been taught in ps). My ds is certainly a MUCH better speller now, though we aren't done with spelling. I've struggled with where to go after StM. With a young 9yo, I do think A&P would be appealing to me. Either way you go, you at least are working with a younger student than I was. I felt like an intense 1 year remediation was in order. You have time to work through several programs if you see the need to, and both of the ones you mention would be top on my list. I think either will be a winner. This was no help, huh?!? I'm feeling foggy, but wanted to offer up what I could since I may not get back to the forums (not too many StM users!)

Thank you, Emily and Reefgazer. Good idea, Emily, to have a back-up in case I stink at using the materials (even if not purchased, at least "picked out!"). Nice to know I'm not the only one. Reefgazer, this is so encouraging! Because, I *want* to be successful with it and I think DS would like it. I just really want the lessons all ordered with M-F explicit plans, so perhaps I need to do that before school starts. It is just so hard to guess what a good workload will be. Also, how many books I can get done for the year, etc. We are starting with Botany. Did you do the Level 2 assignments? (I really think that is what is throwing me, I can't get a handle on doing level 1 then 2, timewise). Did you do many activities? My guy isn't a crafty guy, but he likes games and will like watching the YouTube clips.

In your most honest opinion(s), would someone who struggled to implement TOPS science struggle to implement Ellen McHenry science materials? I need to be realistic, not idealistic. It seems as if I really need daily work completely spelled out for us, and I don't want to waste money and time on my "ideal" (McHenry botany and cells) if I'm unlikely to implement well. TIA!

I was hesitant to buy them at first because I had read that such guides were boring or not necessary. I quickly realized the lit guides were a favorite part of the day for us. Like another poster mentioned, I appreciated vocabulary being incorporated and did not have to have a separate vocab program. I'm short on time or I would offer up more, but did want to chime in to say they were a hit here.

We did R&S 5 this past year, and we almost always did all components (Class, Written, Review). A few times, we tried to skip Class, but then he would make errors on Written. Some lessons (usually the ones with correct usage, which were *easier* for ds, such as "teach vs learn" ) we would go through quickly and skip. On occasional lessons, usually long diagramming ones, I'd let him do even or odds only. If he missed anything, not only did he have to correct it, but had to do the "even" next to it. That was a motivator :)

We did the MP literature you mentioned this year, with my 6th grader. I found the reading level of the books to be just about right (and I'd consider his ability average). I loved the guides and feel they are very well done. Can't wait to do more. Adam of the Road was loved, too. The least liked was King Arthur, and I think it was because there were SO many characters to keep track of and the chapters were loooong. But, we really got a good immersion in Middle Ages through it, I felt, and the guides IMHO deepened our reading. As far as what to leave out, I can be of no help there.

Daily Subjects: -------------------- Grammar, Composition, & Spelling: R&S 7 Literature: MP 7 (Trojan War, Anne of Green Gables, Bronze Bow, Hobbit) Math: Dolciani PreA; Saxon 8/7 History: MP Online Academy, Middle School US History 3 days per week: ----------------------- Science: MP "Trees", Tiner "Biology" plus Ellen McHenry stuff for fun/hands on. 1 day per week each: ------------------------- Classical: Famous Men of Greece Geography: MP Geo.2 (1 day per week) Misc: --------------------- Computer: Typing Instructor......not sure how I will schedule this. MP Poetry for Grammar Stage, scheduled when it coincides with history, lit, science. LOVE this! Athletics at PS. 5 days/week

Yes, I know the shortcomings of ps grammar, and I consider these years as a golden opportunity to be sure he has a great base. Writing instruction in my ps is just as lacking (I have older dc). Therefore, I want to get ds through the writing component of R&S 8.

No, your experience is of great help. Mentioning that you bogged down in chapter two, but sailed through from there is great to know.

That is very helpful, Penguin. I'm leaning toward skipping 6 because I want more writing lessons.

We completed the R&S 5th book successfully in 6th grade (5th was chosen because ds came home from public school in 6th with no grammar under his belt). My rising 7th grader will transition back into ps for high school (9th), so I have two years left to lay a solid grammar/composition foundation. I won't be able to get him ready, IMHO, unless I skip a level. Otherwise, I'll be sending him to high school with only R&S 7th being completed (perhaps this is fine.) I really, really appreciate the skill build-up in R&S instead of asking students to make leaps on things they haven't been prepped for. So, skipping a level makes me a bit nervous; however, since we started a level lower, I feel we will need to do that. With all of that said: If you needed to skip 6, 7, or 8, which would it be? Keep in mind that the last level would indeed be the last solid grammar/comp he would get before college. (I'm not interested in other programs, as R&S delivers everything I'm looking for in one book. I like it. Ds likes it.).