To me, the most helpful thing about "integrated" studies is that it gives children a context for their learning. The program I use most is WinterPromise. The creative writing and readers are "integrated" with the history or geography them you are studying. This tends to make the writing easier for the student to be inspired with, and the readers more relevant. I don't think everything needs to be "matchy-match" with all the science tied in with the history and the reading... etc.... it's just a question of relevance and context for us.

ITA with this above poster. While I'm uninformed about some of the courtship procedures you are discussing, we are very much about chastity before marriage and not "dating around." My dh was nearly 20 and I was nearly 25 when we married. We helped each other through college. At the time we married, dh was in a good job, as was I, and I was also in college. I told dh I was willing to "give up" college in favor of homemaking, but his belief in the wisdom of finishing my course kept me in college. I supported him in deciding to do a two-year college course, which was his foot in the door for what has become a very lucrative and high level executive position. Both of us would have been less successful in college and finances had we not pooled our resources. (We come from very blue collar backgrounds where we of necessity had to pay our own ways even living at home).

Bumping for Siloam. She switched from WP to TOG and says WP is her close second pick. Hopefully she can help you.

We love BJU Math. Don't feel too badly about having some false starts on your math curric. It sometimes takes a while to get a feel for your child's learning style. He's still young and once his maturity matches the program you're using you're likely to see great strides in math confidence and ability. Here are the reasons I chose BJU Math: Strong concept development and problem solving, like Singapore. Appealing full color workbook. Uses manipulatives. The pace and scope/sequence "clicked" for me when I looked the program over. I like the "real school" teacher manual, which puts me in the driver's seat. *I* determine which hands on activities we do and which reviews worksheets to assign based on ds's needs. I like the possibility of DVD lessons in Jr High/High school if needed.

Last year, my then first grade ds did: MCP Math (we now know we prefer BJU Math) WinterPromise Animals and Their Worlds WinterPromise LA1 God Made Music 1 I Can Do All Things Art (this was not a hit)

We used both Unifix cubes and a base 10 set this year for 2nd grade. I think you can get by with just the Unifix cubes for K and 1st. It's not necessary that they be brand new manips from BJU though. Mine were second hand wherever I could find them most cheaply.

My ds heard a blurb about the recent pirates activity and said, "You mean pirates are real?" If he played pirates, it would be like playing Superman or space aliens... completely pretend. I believe in pretend play so long as good conquers evil. The "terminology" is not so important IMHO.

Looks great! We did Amer Story 1 and WP science this year and loved it.

We love BJU Math at our house. My ds (second grade) finally said this year (hasn't said it since K), "Math is my favorite subject!"

The main Christian resources are R&S's Our Father's World workbook, the missionary stories and then at the end of every section are Bible verse references you can use to discuss the literature selections.

I'm joining this thread late... we had a Wonderful Easter weekend! Just FYI, WP Animals and Their Worlds did not include an Answers in Genesis text at all until 2007, and my sense of the way it was integrated would be "tacked on". So it would be very easy to eliminate that resource and have a secular science program at the end. Of course, you'd also need to eliminate the devotional as well. As for Animal Habitats, the new "older kid" version of AW, the notebooking in that is mostly based on One Small Square and Easy to Create Outdoor Habitats (Habitats, Hollows, Homes notebook) and the DK Ency (Make Your Own Animal Notebook). These are all secular resources (the term Create in the title refers to the child creating habitats to attract animals), and the Answers in Genesis text isn't even included! I'd say this one is purely secular. We used World Around Me science this year and it is completely secular. My beliefs about creation are very similar to Carmen's... In the beginning does not necessarily mean at the beginning of man, and Day is most likely referring to a thousand years, making the completion of the first day 11,000 years ago at least. I also believe that species do adapt over time based on God's design for them, but that new species do not evolve from old ones. I have had no problem with WP science so far and plan to continue using them for the long term. Honestly, I find much in common with young earth creationist scientists, because I ascribe very little in creation to "chance" or "survival of the fittest" and would certainly never attribute creation to an "accident". I also believe that there are now many fewer species than there were when God finished His creation and that there will continue to be fewer and fewer until the end of time, which is the opposite of the theory of evolution. (Man and other primates came from a "common ancestor").

Keeping in mind I have not yet used QAW, but have used AW and AS1 and LA1/LA2- (Most Important) A day by day schedule, Check Teacher helps to hold my hand Not questions and discussion points, but user suggestions are provided and generic narration questions, and a program that will not CONFUSE me!!!!!(Or schedule that flows nicely) Check at this house for this teacher. TOG skeers me. Then, a choice of hands on activities, pre-planned and put together would be nice, or suggestions that are easy to do(IOW, not a suggestion to get a refridgerator box and build a castle, or grow a garden when most of our months are winter!!). And NOT just cut and paste stuff. Check, Check, Check, although you do have to buy the materials for your projects. As far as I know, only the Hideaways in History program has large box projects (that's the theme of that program) and I'm Ready to Learn has a "garden" theme. QAW should be *fine* on that level. Read alouds, and Readers. And not ALL about History, but a good balance of History, Fiction, Non-fiction, and classic literature. This could be a "lack" if you're unable to add other books. The read alouds and readers all pertain to the theme in WP. And being able to order a whole package, all put together, open it up, put it together and go. Definitely a big CHECK on this. Includes a good chunk of subjects within the curriculum. Hmm... TOG certainly includes MORE, I suppose. QAW with LA would include: A touch of science, but you can order another science program from WP if you like. History Crafts Creative Writing Grammar Spelling Vocabulary Copywork (Handwriting) Readers Read-Alouds/Literature Bible And need to be printed on PAPER. I hate, and my daughter hates to do ANY schoolwork on a computer. Using supplemental things are fine(like United Streaming and such) Definitely Check, although there are websites scheduled for fun and information.

When ds FLOORED me by balking all the way through the Courage of Sarah Noble, I decided to let him read my read-aloud for a reader while I read his reader for a read-aloud (it's nice he's a good enough reader for this to work). He didn't complain about Phoebe the Spy though. I'm presenting the books as if there is no choice in the matter, but the fact is I will do the "switcheroo" mentioned above whenever needed.

The CPSIA Feb regs put an end to the kit, but the instruction book (with supply list) is still offered. We enjoyed making a plum stone game, "leather" arm band, feather fishing lure, and are in the midst of a Conestoga wagon lamp now. We skipped the crochet hooked mini rug because it was a bit too difficult for me to have ds7 do. (there are more crafts in the kit, this is just what I remember off the top of my head For examples of crafts in WP that are not color/cut/paste or tape, look at More than Moccasins, Pioneer Sampler, and Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery. More than that though, I am also glad WP includes DVD and website suggestions. We also much appreciate the visually exciting books WP chooses. I'm using it with a 2nd grader (AS1), so yes, hopefully it's easier than Core 3, but if you go to Amer Crossing or All American, which includes FOUR Time Traveler Units from Homeschool In The Woods, I scarcely think it could be called "watered down SL".

History of US is *not* needed for the All American 1 set. It's an "add-on" which families who use WP for Amer History for High School (or with an advanced voracious reader) can choose to use.

What I love about WinterPromise: 1) Great book choices- visually appealing and easy for us to grasp, and both fiction/nonfiction choices. 2) A smörgåsbord of activities from which to choose, including mapping, notebooking, timeline work, paper crafts, cooking, construction crafts, DVDs, and websites. 3) Integrated readers and creative writing offered in the LA. 4) The LA is gentle but thorough. 5) The themes are interchangeable in sequence, so it makes it easy to combine kids who are far apart in age (mine are 3.5 years and 4.5 years apart). 6) Super simple easy to use instructor guide. 7) Everything is usually included, so there are no needed library trips. 8) A four day schedule and manageable pace keep me "caught up" most of the time. Plus if we really want to *add* something in, we can figure out a way to do that without getting way behind.

I can't really compare the two, since we have only used Amer Story 1. I will say that I am absolutely completely satisfied with AS1 (WP) and we are on week 35.

OhElizabeth gave you great info about BJU Math. If you really believe your daughter needs daily practice of previously learned topics, BJU is not the program for you, IMO. My ds is very unhappy when subjected to daily review of things he already knows well, and he speeds along happily when allowed to with a mastery program, so BJU fits us to a tee. NO, I do not believe BJU math is time intensive. At. All. But it does not include daily review of many topics. It provides daily review of a few topics, in the oral part of the lesson and on the back of the page (today it was two sets of counting change). Yes, there are absolutely fun activities in the BJU math.

Not a bad suggestion if you only need 11 doses... for me I was having to take it every 4 hours (as suggested on the bottle), so 11 doses would have been less than two days. That would have been the equivalent of 3 or 4 twelve hour Mucinex pills, which is less than $3-4 even at your higher cost (ours was $12 for 14 pills). Plus, there's a big benefit to having to take one pill when you go to bed and another in the morning versus waking up choking after four hours.

I agree with those who say to prepare for him to succeed. It's a "new broom sweeps clean" concept. Anyone can do a good job at teaching for a week or two. It's sustaining that success long term and simultaneously making a home for the family that is ultimately hugely challenging.

I took this, as it was one of the few things safe for me while pregnant. It was SO much better than the Robitussin or generic guaifenisen syrup I had been taking. Much higher dose too, and you don't have to take it so often so I'm not sure it's THAT much more expensive.

I agree with OhElizabeth. I would add that I highly recommend the reader package and think it adds much to the history content in the level I used this year.

Yes, thank the LORD! Recently dh made a job change, after a job loss scare, and he landed in a growth industry with a better job. I feel a bit guilty, since so many of my online buddies are still searching for work. I can only give the Lord my gratitude and praise for His continuous provision.

I detest Saxon math. BJU is the math curriculum for us! :auto:

We like WinterPromise for this age.