This sounds like a fabulous idea! i'm in:lol:

I'm a bit unfamiliar with the 4 year cycle and it's benefits. Would someone like to explain, please? Thanks:)

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll look into Elemental Science:) My older two are going to do a whole year study of US history and US gov. I really feel like they need a strong understanding of our history before we branch out into world history. I certainly do see the ability to include my 5 year old in some lessons with.....coloring pages and such? I admit to not being the most creative person when it comes to creating a curriculum. I am comfortable with piecing together language arts with a different history and science, but actually designing lessons to form a lesson plan is still a reach for me:)

Thanks for your reply! My older students will be in 3rd and 5th grade and unfortunately don't have much that could be shared or done in a group. I made the effort of finding more independent materials for them so that I could do a lot of 1 on 1 teaching with my new kindy student:) Our home library is really a great collection of story books (lots of Bernstein Bears and Fables and such) This is only our 2nd year home educating so I'm not completely secure in not following some type of 'timeline' or structured guide. As far as videos, I did consider purchasing the "Sid the Science Kid" series and then doing activities revolving around each subject. Ex: Ice Melting and we could do some studies on matter etc.

I have embarrassingly exceeded budget twice over for next school years materials. I really miscalculated for 3 kids materials opposed to two! I have quite a bit more to get for my upcoming kindy student. We still need science, some type of social studies/history and health. I really wanted to do Sonlight for science but it's just not economical right now. What else is available for a kindy student for these subjects that won't break the bank? Also, we don't make it to the library often (we do have a large home library though) so simply checking out books won't meet our needs. Thanks!

Me! Me! Me! I'm saving all of my receipts so I can formally 'add up' this years homeschool investment...I'm nervous! Some how, with 3 students, opposed to 2, my expenses have more than doubled! I have 3 more subjects for each child and I'm easily near 1K. I keep reminding myself that I cannot put a price on my kids' education and in a public school I would have already exceeded this with field trip costs, book fees, lunch costs, material fees and gas to drive them daily:)

I've looked into FIAR for my upcoming kindergardener. Aside from the math and handwriting we've already purchased, I really think it could work for us! How long did each volume last you and your child? I'm unsure of how many to purchase. Is it unrealistic to go through volume 1 and 2 in kindergarden year?

I'm having the hardest time deciding on the spelling part (of language arts) for my kids' curriculum. We already have Wordly Wise 3000 and my kids seem to have done well with it this school year. I really try to push spelling and grammar since my 4th and 2nd grader don't seem to have gotten much from public school. If the choice were up to you, keeping in mind we already plan on continuing WW, which would you choose? Thanks!

We ended up dropping saxon for this reason! Now my kids are doing Singapore and loving it!

This is what I need! I've looked on quite a few sites for kindy material, but it seems that so many publishers just kind of graze over kindergarden and start at first grade. I'll definitely check out those you suggested...thank you!

Yes! I did plan to do a lot of read alouds:) I'll most likely be handling the read alouds while my older kids are doing their silent reading. DO you have any suggestions regarding activities to go along with them? This will be my first homeschooled kindy student, and I'm kind of at a loss as to how much to stuff into one school year (haha)

My future kindy student already has Singapore math 1A & B, Writing Without Tears and the first 3 "Explode the Code" books. I'm also purchasing a book of kindergarden poems, hoping to cover 1 a week with a few projects to go along. I feel like I'm missing so much...but I'm not sure what! My kids will be doing art and music together, so that's not a problem....but what about history and science? What did your kindy students cover while home educating?

Thanks for the comments everyone! My main concern was the materials weren't accurate, poorly written or poorly organized. I'm not concerned that they may seem dry or factual or that they are very spiral. While I'd love to make my kids' entire school day colorful, fun and entertaining, in reality with as many children as I have, it just won't be possible. We are christian and while our whole curriculum is a mix of secular and christian, if the materials are solid I am sure we could incorporate them into our school day. Thanks again!

I had a friend recommend using A Beka history and science for my kids next year. I've never looked into A Beka because I've never heard anything positive....never! Upon closer review on their site...everything looks ok! Their history is organized in a way that my kids could still work independently and with reviews and tests...I can monitor their progress. Is there something I'm missing? Are their materials subpar, not user friendly ect? Thanks!

I had a friend recommend using A Beka history and science for my kids next year. I've never looked into A Beka because I've never heard anything positive....never! Upon closer review on their site...everything looks ok! Their history is organized in a way that my kids could still work independently and with reviews and tests...I can monitor their progress. Is there something I'm missing? Are their materials subpar, not user friendly ect? Thanks!

To add a bit more; my eldest children are familiar with very basic bible stories and verses. My younger kids have little knowledge and we'd need to start in the very beginning. I went to a parochial school and while I am very comfortable with the bible, it's stories, characters and teachings...I wouldn't have a clue where to begin to teach. I've looked at Sonlight, and it seems they have a 'bible' study able to be purchased outside of their core curriculum areas. I just wasnt sure this was the way to go.

In short, I want my children to be able to grasp a solid understanding of both the Old and New Testament. I want them to understand the teachings in a way that they can relate them to their own personal struggles and lives. I want them to use verses as a way to encourage and develop their own character. Obviously this isn't something that happens overnight, but it's important that it happens before they become adults (atleast to me it is:) I'd like this time in the morning to be similar to their other subjects. I'd like them to read, but also relate, whether it be through copy work or memorization

For our 2nd year home educating, I'd like to introduce a few new subjects, one being a morning bible study. Half of our curriculum is non christian and the other is. We've been doing R&S Spelling, but my children have never had a formal 'bible teaching' so surely small bits and pieces of religious study in other subjects isn't enough (in my own humble opinion) So...my question is; Where do I begin? I have 5th, 3rd and kindy students next year, with a handful of much smaller ones ( 4 smaller ones to be exact) I'm having a hard time either finding a good bible study curriculum or simply reading through the bible ourselves (which I'm not entirely comfortable with seeing as I have nooo clue where to start!) Thanks again:)

Thanks for making me giggle:) I needed that after a rather exhausting discussion with my mother:/

I've been a home educating parent for (going on) 2 years now and I'm convinced we will never go back to traditional education. Sure, there have been some bumps and my 10 year old still drags her feet in everything she does, but I can already see the benefits and will never turn back. My family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) feel differently and make it known. I can barely make conversation anymore, without their concerns about my kids being aired. My mother is convinced my children will fail in life and are already ages behind their piers. My father considers my school day a failure if I'm not sitting, holding each child's hand for 5 or 6 hours a day. Clearly they aren't familiar with what home schoolers are able to accomplish or really what homeschooling is even like. Please tell me I'm not the only one that has encountered this type of resistance among family. I know I'm doing the right thing, but my word...their are days that they come down so hard on me...I too question myself.

Thanks for explaining! I'm taking a peak now, but i'll be sure to check back in a few weeks:)

After your post I had to go and check out their site! I'm not familiar with Sonlight, is there anything in particular that they do really well? I also noticed your 11 yr old DD and my 10 year old DD have a nearly identical 'curriculum' for this year:)

My upcoming 3rd grade son is an average reader. He sounds out unfamiliar words well and seems to enjoy reading, but will only read his expected 30 minutes a day. Most recently he finished reading the "Tin Tin" chapter book. Does anyone have a good list of books a 3rd grade boy might enjoy? I'm hoping to spark his interest with some great books next year!

This does look interesting! I found it for sale here; http://www.prometheantrust.org/usshop.htm but I'm having a hard time figuring out what I need. I see the teacher's guide and work books available, but is that all?

This sounds a bit far fetched. Here's a problem I see...If a child learns to read at 10-14 yrs of age, how does this child learn well in other areas. I suppose someone 'unschooling' their child would have ways of teaching effectively, but for a child learning in a more traditional way...wouldn't this be difficult to learn the other parts of grammar, spelling. writing...even history?