So good to know. Thank you all for these ideas.

Thank you for your response, I will check this out!

Can anyone offer suggestions for a computer-based spelling curriculum? I am looking to squeeze out a little more time in our school day by having some of the teaching load transferred. It seems like spelling could be both taught and monitored easily via computer. I just don't know of any programs that do this.

As a faithful Sonlight user (Cores K-E so far) I must add that if you drop the IG and just use the books they suggest you risk missing some very interesting connections between the literatures across the subjects. Often, we have found that the exact Bible passage we read that day was written about/quoted in one of our Readers. Or, for example, the geography work that we did coordinated exactly with a sea voyage that was discussed in the readers. This kind of thing isn't essential to a quality education, of course, but I happen to love these moments. It makes me feel like my kids hear how connected all of these ideas and subjects really are. I will readily admit though, that I need to have the days' assignments laid out for me :), so that may explain my dedication to the IGs. Even if you do drop the IG, I still think you are getting an awesome experience. Sonlight's literature lists are wonderful.

I think your list is great. I wouldn't remove any of the titles you have. Others that you might consider adding would be: Moccasin Trail Across Five Aprils The Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson The Diary of Anne Frank

I concur with all of the titles that Sproutmaster listed. We use Sonlight, and all of those were wonderful. We also enjoyed Walk the World's Rim. I would consider it a "gem" because it felt so true to human nature and it so vividly described the people groups in the Southern U.S. and Mexico.