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WIS0320

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  1. We use the TerraNova and I get it from Brewer Testing. We tested in early April - K. 2nd and 5th grades and my kids did beautifully even though we have not yet completed our school year.
  2. Does anyone know what the sale dates are for 2016? TIA!
  3. I am a longtime Phonics Road fan. I've used it with three children so far. My youngest child is my earliest to show interest in reading. I do not begin until my children actually seem not only interested but capable of mastery. There is no use if it will only lead to frustration. I use the first 5 weeks of PR1 in either K or first grade, gentle repetition for an entire school year. I've found most first graders are not ready to write the amount that PR1 requires. Reading, handwriting, grammar, creative writing and spelling are all very different brain tasks for young learners. There are benefits to combining them all BUT with very young children I think it is wise to focus on just reading acquisition at first. The underlying foundation of Phonics Road and the DVDs to teach a parent *how* to teach reading and spelling so a firm foundation is in place is invaluable. But looking at Level 1 as "I must complete Week 1 in 5-7 days" is faulty. You can use the program and tweak the time table depending on the student's age and ability. I think PR1 in second grade is the sweet spot after being drilled in the phonograms and Rule Tunes for a year or two. I supplement with Explode the Code and Memoria Press copywork books for my K/1 kids until they are ready for more.
  4. Phonics Road - it is teacher intensive and takes a lot of time to implement each day BUT it works. It is a full language arts program, not just spelling. It is one of the Spalding/OG program spin offs out there. It taught me how to teach my kids to read, write and spell and that has been invaluable for our family.
  5. I think slow and steady wins the race. My rising 5th grader will use PR 3 next year. My rising second grader will finish PR 1 - we did about half in first grade as his attention and retention of the material allowed. I do think for middle school I'd add in a writing program in addition to PR3.
  6. We are using 4A right now with my 4th grader. She does 2 pages per day unless they are "light" on problems. Then she'll do three. My 1st grader just started 2A. He also usually works 2 pages per day, sometime a little less as he's young and working ahead of grade level. I assign the entire curriculum. We do not skip problems. I've found the repetition works well for retention.
  7. We are covering the Renaissance and Reformation/Exploration and very early American history next year (4th and 1st graders). I would love to incorporate some American poets into our L/A mix but I am stumped on what to do because I have never really studied poetry myself! I am hesitant to always tie everything we do to history (literature, poetry, hands on stuff, etc.) as it is easy to do as a homeschooler. But I know there are some great writers and poets that would fit seamlessly into our history studies. I would like to study poetry with my 4th grader at the least next year but I'm wondering how a homeschooler goes about cultivating a love of poetry and good literature without making it part of "school work" or tied into something else, so it is simply viewed as an add on. I'm probably asking something that has an obvious answer but I feel a bit unqualified to figure this out on my own. I don't know how to teach poetry because I know almost nothing about it. I have looked at the Memoria Press Grammar Stage poetry curriculum and it looks fine but I think it seems like it would make poetry… tedious instead of interesting or exciting? I feel like our homeschool has devolved into something always having to have a point or a reason or an end scholastic goal that needs to be achieved in mind. I'd like poetry, art and literature to stay out of that somehow but I already feel strapped for time. I don't feel capable with making it be a seamless part of our day but I'd like it to be. Does that make sense? Help!
  8. Has anyone enrolled their child in the weekly online Socratic discussions offered by Angelicum? Could you share your experience please? http://angelicum.net/curriculum/3570-2/
  9. Angelicum also has book lists for each grade. http://angelicum.net/curriculum-2/fourth-grade/
  10. I'm curious if anyone has used the teacher manuals for MIF through Calvert? I'm leading towards using Math Mammoth next year but I'd like to know better what kind of teacher helps Calvert provides for teaching conceptual math before I make my decision. Also, is the Discoveries in Art program worth the $285? It sounds a little like Atelier which I've used in the past. It has a steep price tag and I have a local art class option that we are already liking that only costs a bit more so I'm not sure taking on art at home is worth saving only a little money if the program isn't really excellent and worth doing. I'm also curious about Discoveries in Reading. It sounds a little more formal that I'd prefer. Thanks in advance!
  11. The Door In the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli
  12. July Update - wow plans change! Math Mammoth Grade 4 Climbing To Good English 4 CAP Narrative CAP Rhetoric and Reasoning McRuffy Spelling 4 McRuffy Cursive A Living History of the World (Medieval/Renaissance) with added historical lit supplements HItW Middle Ages, Renaissance and Explorers CD projects (selected) Elemental Science Chem Grammar Road Trip USA (Confessions of a Homeschooler)
  13. I would say it is included in a thoughtful way that brings studying the Bible and Christianity into context but it would also be fairly easy to omit it if you are wanting to use the curriculum secularly.
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