I just found one of these books used too for $1! I was so happy. Just wanted to add that this set of 8 is $69 on Amazon with free shipping, incase the shipping on Zulily is over $10, or they sell out. http://www.amazon.com/Draw-Write-Now-Book-1-8/dp/0963930796/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301801238&sr=1-1 Books individually are $10.20.

I was recommended the books by Thornton Burgess. They are nature/animal related. Very short, large print chapters. My 4 and 6 year old are loving the first one we are reading, "The Adventures of Bob White" (a bird). Looks like there are over 20 of them. Each chapter takes about as long as a picture book and they can chose a chapter or 2 in place of one book for a read out loud. Rebecca

If I am remembering correctly, you can also purchase study guides/quiz downloads on the publishers website for around $10. eta: sorry, just re-read question, disregard my answer!!

If you decide to not go get it, check out the free section on craigslist (if you have a local one). You would be suprised at what some people give away. Check it often and be ready to run right over and get it!

Thanks, good advice. I think we posted at the same time. Yes, I agree, I do not want her to get too far ahead. She will be between a 1st- 2nd grade age next year, so I would feel ok getting her up to that point. I do not want her to lose the love of math by pushing her. Last night she was making an addition math game/chart, so she does like to have fun with it! Also, in the middle of dinner she had a sudden urge to measure the table with her napkin rolled up. It was 6 napkins long.

Yes, I would like the more scripted way to teach. I guess I do understand the 5 and 10's way on a basic level. That is how they taught her in Montessori, so she gets it too. I think RS would be a great fit. As a child I also, with out being taught to, learned to add anything + 9, by putting one in with the 9 to make it a 10, if that makes sense! I will keep looking though! I did look at the placememnt for MM, seems like she could do most of Grade/Level 1, but has some gaps, so we would probably have to go through some of it over the summer to start with 2 in the fall. Has anyone done RS with something to reinforce on the side, since some people say it doesn't "stick"? Is that common, or is that just for certain kids.

I got replies!! Thank you! I will go check out MM, I had read someone did that with Singapore for more repetition maybe? It is interesting Singapore does units, I will keep that in mind to make sure I reinforce past learning if we go that way. I was thinking RS because of the way they do the 5's and 10's thing, I dont even really know what it is. It seems to be the way M thinks, but I want her to retain it as well... Off to google some more of the ideas mentioned! If she is between grades, such as one and 2, we will just catch up over summer and start on the next section in the fall. I am open to more ideas if you have them. I loved math up until 6th grade, and then I was lost. So I just want her to love learning math so she continues where I left off.

Hi, I am new here and hopefully will be new to homeschooling this summer and next school year with my now 6 yr old who will be 7 at the end of August, and my 4 yr old (and 1 yr old!!). I am very, very nervous and excited. I need some help narrowing down math curriculum to use next year. I would also consider starting something this summer since she enjoys it. There are 2 curriculums I am considering, Right Start and Singapore, but want to see what you would recommend. She would be in PS grade 1, but could have met the cut off for 2nd grade. Background: My daughter (M) was in a Montessori preschool last year and loved the math there. She would choose to do it several times a day. This year she is in public kindergarten and is working on more concept such as patterning and measurement. She told me she feels like a baby, but does seem to still enjoy it. I would consider her "mathy," if you can be at her age. I am NOT! She asks for math problems before bed, usually likes worksheets if I print them out, can do simple Sudoku, and can make up her own word problems. She can also do some simple multiplication which she mostly learned from playing Yahtzee (all the 2's, 10's, 11's, most 5's and random others). She can count small amounts of coins, and count by 5's and 2's. She can not tell time. Last night we had been talking a lot about ladybugs, so her math problem at bedtime was "If I have 2 ladybugs, how many legs do they have in all?" She answered correctly almost right away. I asked how she knew that so fast, because sometimes she still counts on her fingers. She said she knew it was 5+5=10 and 1+1=2, or 10+2=12. If that gives you an indication into how she thinks. Thank you from the newbie! Rebecca

What a funny first post, but we looooovee these. http://www.salsaxochitl.com/pages/products/totopos.html