Charlotte's Web should be mandatory reading for every K or 1st grader, no question. Trumpet of the Swan is excellent, too, but I'd choose Charlotte if I had to choose.

Charlotte Mason ran two simultaneous history streams every year--world and US (or in her case, British). You could look at some ideas on some CM curriculum guides (Ambleside, Simply Charlotte Mason, etc) for ideas on how they do that. I know that AO Y1 uses a few biographical picture books of famous Americans (Benjamin Franklin, Abraham LIncoln, etc) along side world history.

This is the pattern my DIY pads are made from, but my construction was even simpler, since I used fleece for the backing/wings. I made the tops exactly as she suggested, and then traced the shape of the bottom onto fleece, but cut wide around it (not exactly on the traced lines). I pinned my tops to the traced shape of the backing/wings, sewed in place, and *then* cut neatly around the outline of the fleece. That way I could fix any shifting that happened in sewing and cut things to the final shape I needed. https://sites.google.com/site/shewhorunsintheforest/008 I have always used the metal hammer-in-place snaps from the fabric store with great success, too. I never could justify buying a snap press for a dozen cloth pads. Although, it sure would be a fun toy!

I'm working my way through Salsa with my rising first graders now, and when we finish, we'll do Song School, I think. That should get us through 2nd grade or close to it, and I plan to do Latin after that.

I would say Charlotte Mason style narration, too. No prep, and completely free! You could do some reading on Ambleside Online or Simply Charlotte Mason on techniques for getting the most out of the practice of narration.

They're so easy! I put them in my old wet bag from my cloth diaper days (the smaller one that went in my diaper bag). At the end of my cycle, I throw them in a rinse cycle by themselves, then pile in whatever towels or other stuff I have that needs to be washed long on hot and wash & dry normally. I have never had one leak in almost a decade of use, but I am also not a heavy bleeder. I also think I bleed less when wearing cloth than I do when I wear paper pads. (No idea if that's even possible, but I still wear paper occasionally and they always seem more saturated.) I'd certainly buy (or make!) a couple and give them a chance! edit to add comment regarding stains: I have some stains, but not many, and most of my pads are YEARS old. In fact, I need to send some to the old pad graveyard and buy some new ones. But I have almost all bright or darker prints, which I think helps.

I actually made mine with just 3 layers of flannel. I love thin pads. I don't require super absorbency since 1. I tend to change my pad every time I pee, regardless of how full it is, 2. I have a small bladder, and 3. I don't have a very heavy flow to begin with.

I don't like minky on cloth pads. It's too hot and sweaty for me. My absolute favorite pads are ones I DIYed with flannel and fleece. Flannel is definitely my fabric of choice.

I just finished the book. It was fantastic. I do think that Sarah is marrying the CM concept of "spread a feast" and what Dr Perrin has said about schole and multum non multa. Dr Perrin actually did an interview with Sarah for the audio lecture component of her book that was fantastic. I love what Sarah has been laying out in her blog lately with regard to how she is planning for her upcoming year. This post in particular speaks to the conversation in this thread. http://amongstlovelythings.com/planning The book is unabashedly Christian, and Christian with a Catholic bent (although I'm very Protestant and LOVED it), so if you're looking for suggestions from a secular point of view, this isn't it. I found the book to be a treasure of inspiration and encouragement, though.

Have you considered Ambleside? I'm trying Y1 with my kids next year and I was SHOCKED by how slowly they have books scheduled to be read. Quite the opposite of Sonlight, etc. IMO, even if you don't like some of their book choices (I'm subbing out their history, for example) their amount of reading per year and pace of reading should allow time for more depth. Their FAQ on why they read fewer books, more slowly: https://amblesideonline.org/FAQ.shtml#canchi

I was just telling a friend the other day that I estimate there are no more than five of my FB friends NOT selling an MLM product. It's INSANE. Young Living oils (which I actually use and like), Mary Kay, 31 bags, Plexus (tried and GAINED WEIGHT), Rodan & Fields facial care stuff, Jamberry nail wraps (tried. They peel off my fingers within 2 days and I was told that was extremely rare and likely due to my body's PH and I should soak my nails in black tea before applying again. Um, no. How about I not apply again and we're all happy?), Melaleuca, Norwex cleaning products, and the list goes on. And yes, I've had people specifically message me when I say anything about my son's diagnosis (ADHD) and tell me that their product could cure him. Sigh. It's really irritating. I actually don't mind trying a product here or there, but I really get annoyed with my FB feed completely full of spam like it is.

that's interesting! the school I taught at has also switched to a Singapore method, using MIF.

Before kids, I taught in a private classical school that used Saxon a year ahead in all grades. So all of their 4th graders used 6/5. It can certainly be done. But I agree with the above posters. If I had a 4th grader who was strong in math I would move them to a more conceptual deep curriculum rather than moving ahead in Saxon.

We did FIAR at 4, along with HWT PK (mostly manipulatives and writing in sand, shaving cream, sidewalk chalk, etc). We did all of that again, along with the orange workbook in K, and by the end of K had moved on to copywork across the curriculum for handwriting. We also did beginning phonics and math (although we choose different publishers than you have). I think your plan looks good, and I would not add Abeka if I were you.

I have 1st graders. Picture books are still my go-to choice for school books. We used Five in a Row for PK and K, which is entire curriculum built around picture books. This coming year, I am using Ambleside Online, but subbing in our own thing for history. I'm doing an overview of early American history using picture books. I've got a loose schedule laid out of picture books in chronological order that cover the major people and events in US history through the Civil War, and we'll read and discuss one per week, with occasional art or other projects and field trips to go along. I have a few novels scheduled to supplement it, but those will be optional. The core of what I'm doing next year for history will be picture books. They're still my children's preference, and therefore we use them!

We eat like GF brownie mixes or rice krispie treats made with earth balance or some other butter substitute, but the regular rice krispies are NOT gluten free. They make a GF variety, but they can be hard to find.

I only have "Irish triplets"--twins and a singleton less than a year apart, but congratulations!! You're in for a wild and wonderful ride!

Absolutely a tourist destination! I lived in Houston for years and took Ikea for granted. Now I live 6 hours from Houston, but that's still my closest Ikea. Friends from here go to vacation in Houston. Their list when they're there? Children's Museum, beach at Galvestion, Ikea.

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We did social studies as part of Five in a Row in kindergarten last year. Was perfect for geography and discussion of cultures, relationships, etc.

We are moving from a unit study approach in PK and K to a more purely CM approach for 1st. We're planning to use Ambleside Online, with some substations for history.

Voted Chipotle of the choices given, but we do Chick-fil-A more often. Both of those are favorites because it's easy to feed my gluten and dairy free kid there.

all three kids: AO Y1, minus their history selections DIY Early American History, using picture books CM style LA with copywork and narration across the curriculum co-op class on the solar system and colonial America (yay for the US history tie-in!) oldest son: AAR/AAS MEP HWT twins: CM style spelling OR continue with Spalding (this is my only remaining question mark) MIF

I am planning to start something akin to morning time in the fall. We already have a good habit of reading aloud after lunch and before bed. I will not be messing with that. We'll leave read aloud out of it and do bible reading, memory work (poetry and scripture), and probably rotate between picture study, composer study, spanish, and nature study. That should take no more than 30 min except on the nature study day.