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warneral

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Posts posted by warneral

    Writing program suggesitons?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Thanks! I did see about the WWW program and, honestly, those weird dotted/slashed lines freaked me out. Why couldn't they just put in regular lines? When I looked at it, I thought that maybe it was too much like WWE but it is on my list to look at again more closely. We like GWG and I feel my son has learned a lot from that program.

     

    Thanks for the review of Writing Strands!

     

    They are regular writing lines. The samples were just goofy.

    Tough time deciding

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I have elemental science (all of the gramar ones except physics). I bought a bunch of books for them and also printed out biology. I was planning to do it this summer (double up and do the 2 day per week schedule but 4 days of it). I'm starting HSing this summer and am worried they won't care for this biology. You have to obtain books and then read from them according to the schedule. There are activities, narration pages, experiments (most are found in the purchased books) and lapbooking.

     

    But then I ran into this and decided to print out the first several units. I really like the "sciencey". I'm really liking the straight forward science terminology. The life science one is free and then you can purchase other ones for 50.00pdf. Not a bad price when you consider that there aren't additional books to purchase.

     

    http://www.eequalsmcq.com/classicsciinfo.htm

    Overwhelmed with teaching another language

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted · Edited by warneral

    I feel the same way! I feel that Spanish is especially important to know and understand in our culture. As an engineer there have been many times I wished I could speak Spanish.

     

    I am just starting to HS and don't want to overwhelm myself or my kids. They have actually been learning Spanish in Public School. This is another incentive for me to get them going in Spanish (to be with their peers if we ever return to PS). Our public school system does Social Studies in Spanish! My SSteacher friend does not like this LOL. I think it is a good way to teach Spanish - incorporating familiar words about life into the child's vocabulary.

     

    My current plan is to try Speekee for 2 months (I got a free subscription for 2 months when I signed up for the Old Schoolhouse Magazine).

     

    I also have a small CD rom that I got for 10.00 which is called kids spanish by GSP Classics

     

    I will do these small items in the short term while we get adjusted to homeschooling.

     

    My library has free down-loadable spanish for kids. So I thought I might put those on the IPOD for the car:

    http://www.amazon.com/Hear-Say-Spanish-Activity-Book-Amazing/dp/1591253497

    http://www.amazon.com/Foreign-Language-Twin-Sisters-Productions/dp/B000051XV2

     

    After that, I plan to consider either "Easy Spanish" which is cheapest from Rainbow Resources http://rainbowresource.com/product/sku/006900/1307023048-1864830

     

    or possibly this: https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/index.php?option=com_hsbc_epp_order&Itemid=1567

     

    My goal is to learn Spanish too! In the early years, I'm thinking that intro to pronunciation and common words is enough.

    Winning with Writing (from GWG writers) is out

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Hmmm... I was a science major and writing/language arts has always been like wandering around in a dark cave for us. :tongue_smilie: I really have no idea what I'm doing. Grammar, writing and spelling. It's like Kryptonite.

     

    I guess I'll keep browsing the samples and mull it over. :nopity:

    Oh I'm with you there! We are a family where language is not our strong suit.

    Winning with Writing (from GWG writers) is out

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I'm trying not to sound like a writing snob...but I looked at the samples and can't quite place my kids in their program (I guess because we've been following TWTM writing for so long). Anyone else? :confused: 9 yro is planning to do Writing Tales this year, but 8 yro might be pretty compatible with this program (he uses GWG also, so we know their format very well).

     

    Anyone else not sure what level to get their kid? :bigear:

     

    I thought my kids place nicely at their grade level (2nd and 3rd next year) but we are coming out of public school.

    writing paper for 1st grade?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Well, I use the Zaner-Bloser freebie set at the first grade level. I love that I can type in (or paste) whatever I need to for my son's copywork, and the font is close enough to what he learned for handwriting that he's not confused. I use Ubuntu, and I've never had any trouble loading the page, so it's obviously a very friendly site. (I use NoScript, and the only domain I have to allow is zaner-bloser.com.)

     

    Hope this helps!

    '

    This is so cool! Thank you - the writing looks just like reason for writing :)

    Math Mammoth users....printed version or download?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I just proclicked mine today! 2 sided allows you to fit one semester in a 1/2 inch comb.

     

    I had purchased a starter set via amazon as shown on this forum. They are sold out now. You can buy a proclick like this http://www.amazon.com/GBC-ProClick-Desktop-Binding-Machine/dp/B00006IAS3/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306863092&sr=1-1-fkmr1 for around 50.00 at office max. The starter set was nice b/c for the same price you got some binding combs and covers too.

    On the fence about Math?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I chose Math Mammoth for our first homeschooling Math program. I was going to do TT, but the kids tested a full grade ahead and I had heard some concerning things about retention.

     

    Math Mammoth looks like my favorite b/c it really looks to teach in a systematic way, while also teaching "why" and different ways of looking at math. The price was right too :D

    Need Writing Program Suggestion - 2nd & 3rd graders IEW or MC?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Hi ladies, I just noticed that the growing with grammar website must have published it's "winning with writing" program tonight. I looked through the program and it looks to be similar to what my kids are working on in public school. I think I'll give it a try this year as it looks simple, straight forward, and not too teacher intensive. I will try IEW next year as both kids will be in the target age and then I can make the investment at that time :)

     

    http://www.growingwithgrammar.com/1wwwProduct_Page.html

    Need Writing Program Suggestion - 2nd & 3rd graders IEW or MC?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted · Edited by warneral

    Hello,

     

    I'm Alison and I am beginning homeschooling our kids in a couple of weeks.

     

    They will be 2nd and 3rd graders.

     

    Here is what we have for curriculum:

     

    * Sonlight Core B and hopefully C for history as well as vocabulary. I plan to move through it at an increased pace in hopes to start D some time next year.

     

    * Growing with Grammar

     

    * A Reason for Handwriting

     

    * Spelling - I have sequential spelling but also have Spelling workout b/c it looks easier for ME. I think I'll try out SS first and if it is frustrating we'll move on to Spelling Workout.

     

    * Math Mammoth

     

    * Sonlight Science B. I also have several Elemental Science Grammar stage programs in queue.

     

    This summer I plan to do Sonlight Core and Elemental Science Biology (animals). This will allow for easing our way into Sonlight's reading and also provide some narration in the Biology.

     

    The biggest holes I have are Vocab & Writing. I'm torn whether I should have a Vocab program. I think I'll just see how it goes with Sonlight.

     

    Now for writing. We are not a verbose family. My husband and I are engineers and our minds are more technical and less verbal.

     

    I was thinking IEW or Meaningful Composition appear to be favorites with moms. I like the idea of Meaningful Composition as it is less expensive. It appears it only starts at level 4. Does this mean that it is too soon to start with Meaningful composition?

     

    For IEW - I was thinking of starting both kids on it together but it appears it is recommended for 3rd grade and up.

     

    Another option would be to choose a less expensive program for our first year as we get our bearings on homeschooling.

     

    If there are placement suggestions for IEW or Meaningful Composition, I would love those! Or if there are wise suggestions for our first year of homeschooling, that would be appreciated too.

     

    I want to do something that will work. I like the idea of using IEW because it would teach ME how to teach writing. I think the initial upfront cost for the Teacher DVD's is something we could handle right now - so this is definitely an option.

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