If I can give you anymore information on anything, just let me know. I may take the same framework of TOG for the first 2 units and then just wing it myself. Then I can just flow into TOG from there. Still just thinking it out though. The geography was great. I also like their word lists and people lists; just not until the second semester. ;) Good luck,

I'm currently using Sonlight and I've been researching TOG extensively for future use. I finally broke down and bought Year 1 Redesign because I'd never know more about it without really seeing it and feeling it and reading through more than 3 weeks. Now, keep in mind, I haven't used TOG yet, however, if you aren't wanting something overtly Christian, you may wish to rethink TOG for ancients. I've pretty much determined after looking through Year 1 that the first two units aren't going to be of much use for our secular family. Once TOG gets to ancient greece, Units 3 and 4, I think it should be fine. For instance, the core history book for all of Units 1 and 2 is the Bible and quite a bit of the reading is from heavily Christian books. I did, however, love the geography. :) Really, I'm still looking this over and learning as I go so I may not have it exactly right, but those are my thoughts as I read through Year 1 so far. I'm in the exact same position as you and I'm wondering if I should still with Core 6 and/or 7 or move on to TOG. I guess I still don't exactly know.... Hope that helps,

http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Encyclopedia-American-Smithsonian-Institution/dp/0789483300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263073832&sr=1-1 Hope that helps,

You might find something in here: http://www.smokiesstore.org/browse.cfm/2,12.html

Mine doesn't have the grids, I just put in horizontal lines. I did this in Excel and the labels are on each side of the timelines - on the left for the left page and on the right for the right page. I then have a template that I use for the actual timeline figures/pictures we put on it. I find any picture we like from google images and then just add whatever date and note below that that works. Then I paste it under the correct category/date combination. I made four of these timelines - one for each time period - Ancients, Middle Ages, Early Modern and Modern. They fold up into a nice stack and then unfold so you can spread it across the table or floor, etc. I can also add a page if needed, like that add a century timeline - the key is shipping tape. ;) LOL I just lined each side of the page with shipping tape and then use a tiny piece of tape to attach the pieces together. If you want to take it apart, just undo the tiny pieces of tape and put in a new page. I had done the wall timeline (took up a whole wall) and I'd done the book timeline (didn't have the same visual effect) so this is the best of both worlds and the kids love it. I can give more details or send my templates if you like. I'll try to take some pics later and add them so you can see too.

I do this sort of. I made my own timeline just like the Add A Century Timelines - they were just too expensive for me. I made grids on the timeline with History, Science & Technology, Literature & Theater, Art & Music, Misc. and Books Read. The only thing I think I wish I had added is Important People. I just put them in under History, but a separate one would have been better. Good luck,

So you want a timeline that is already setup for you including the events, pictures, etc.? What about any of these: http://www.learningthroughhistory.com/Store/CategoryTimelines.html

I went ahead and ordered this after I saw this post just so I could add in more African American History to our Sonlight Core 3 and Core 4 studies. Once I receive it, I'll give a review. She did email me and say she was updating the guides and so I'm waiting for that till she mails me the new ones.

Excel!!!! Even if I find a schedule I like, I have to tweak it so it will be "perfect" :001_rolleyes: so I just use it as a template and do my own. Occasionally I'll find something I like on DonnaYoung. Good luck,

Well, we always did RightStart and Singapore Intensive Practice. I'd have them do 1 lesson in RS and then a page or two in the Intensive Practice. I've just recently changed things up a bit though (in the last week actually), and now they are doing Teaching Textbooks, Singapore Intensive Practice and RightStart. They do a lesson (or two if they want) of Teaching Textbooks then a page or two of Singapore IP four days a week and on the 5th day, we do several lessons of RightStart. So far, so good. It's the first change we've made in a while and its helped streamline our day. RS was taking a big chunk of it, now its only on one day and its easy to do a few lessons at once. Good luck,

My budget is $1000 for each child. It's high but I've noticed that each year I spend more wisely and it will probably go down. Although I am known to buy too much or try too much. (I don't know anyone else who does that.....;) )

I think for that age, CHOW is great. However, you might want to start it first and just read that until you get to the USA stuff. Alternatively, you could just skip ahead in CHOW until you get closer to that time period and just start there. Either way, then you could add in the Pratt books. Good luck,

I love the Pratt books. We've read the first two. I highly recommend them. Not sure if you'd need CHOW at all, but it depends on what you are looking for - are you using it for a world view of the time frame? I haven't seen the VP cards but I'm sure they'd work fine. I, myself, wouldn't recommend the Hakim books at this age. Good luck, it sounds like a good plan.

Thank you - you just sealed the deal for me I think. :) I'm glad to hear that it is at least doable. Of course, I have to finish Core 3 and then Core 4 first. LOL Then I have to decide if I want to do Core 5. Any opinions? Would Core 5 content be covered already in TOG?

This is exactly where I am at this point and why I've been asking so many questions too. I actually just went ahead and bought Year 1 used so I can really take a close look at it. Otherwards I'll never really know.

If you want to keep Saxon as the main program you can, but I'd highly suggest the Singapore Intensive Practice books. Choose a level just under or right at what they are doing now. I would use these with any program I was using. My son says the name fits, they are intensive but they stretch the brain which is exactly what I wanted. I think you can take a look at them at the singapore math site or maybe cbd or rainbowresource. If you have any questions, just let me know.

We didn't get a chance to go to Monticello but we went to Mount Vernon on our RV trip during the month of October. It was wonderful. My kids, 12 and 9, loved it. They liked it more than D.C. We spent the whole day there. The National Treasure tour, if you have seen the movie, actually even if you haven't, its great. Have a great trip. We can't wait to go again.

Did you use something different for year 1 then? By the way, I really value everyone's comments in this whole thread. It's really helped me narrow down what my thoughts/plans will be for the future.

:bigear:

Based on how busy your life may be, unless you really like to sit down and plan - I'd skip Ambleside for now. They do, however, have a year for K - not sure if its an "official" Ambleside year or not though. I'd go for Sonlight or MFW. I've done both SL and Ambleside. I'm back to SL though I do love Ambleside and will continue to use alot of it (both books and CM philosophy). For this age, my absolute favorite curriculum is Five in a Row. Good luck,

Contact me. I run a web hosting business and I'd be happy to help out a fellow homeschooler. Don't worry, no strings attached (did I mention free?). He'll just need his own domain name (he can get that through me too if he wants).

I personally feel that SL starts too fast and moves to quickly on creative writing, but that could just be me. FLL and WWE work together. If you use WWE, then you skip the copywork in FLL. However, while you are learning say nouns in FLL then shortly after, you will be concentrating on nouns in your copywork in WWE. FLL teaches the concept and then WWE applies it. I used FLL 1/2 (started 3 but didn't care for it) and WWE 1 together. We've now moved on to Writing Tales 1. It's very gentle and works great. You spend time reading a selection, say an Aesop fable, and then going over some grammar or punctuation with regard to it. Then the student rewrites it in their own words, keeping to the storyline. On the last draft, they can add their own creative touches to it, while also keeping to the storyline. It's been a wonderful approach for my kids. My daughters who likes to "write" in theory clams up on a blank piece of paper and just her own thoughts - but with this, she already knows where its headed and then can add her creativity to it. There are many great programs out there, but these are definitely two of my favorites. I think with your children's ages, if they already have some exposure to grammar and writing from public school, I'd try Writing Tales. Good luck,

I can't recommend enough the Singapore Intensive Practice books. You might want to look into those and just have them do a page or two every day also. It doesn't take long and, I feel, stretches their brains quite a bit. It has regular problems, word problems and challenge problems. I even get stumped on the challenge problems at times (not sure what that says :confused: ) :) I've always thought that using two approaches to math was a good idea. Good luck,

I ponder over this myself. My goal has always been the 3 R's as top priority. I figured TOG would work for the reading part and then add the gravy of history, fine arts, etc. Writing would work some with TOG but I plan to finish Writing Tales and then move to Classical Writing. Math just continues on. I've also added Latin and will also add more Logic. Science, again, I will continue but consider gravy. Will TOG work this way or will it be a waste for me in this plan?

Actually, that's part of my problem. Well not problem, but my son has had learning delays and also has dyslexia. We held him back in preschool so he did 3 years of it. Basically, he'd be 6th grade if we had kept him in school. However, he's been no way ready to do grade level work at all. He's only just recently made some huge strides in his reading level - finally on a solid 4th/5th grade level and its come hard for him. He's making huge strides lately and he's ready for some more challenges. Core 3 is actually quite good for him unfortunately, though slightly more of a challenge wouldn't hurt. I actually am reading TCOO to him now. I've been slowly passing over the readings to him as he's getting better. He's ready to "catch up" in a way though I question how fast he'll be able to do that. My daughter on the other hand is more advanced - so, the major plus for me, is that I've kept them on the same level and just adjusted where needed. She hates too many details, he thrives on them. She'll get there though. I think TOG would actually be just almost too much for him right this minute, not just the reading, but also the depth, however I think in another year or two, he'd be quite ready and he really likes discussions. We discuss all our books now all the time but only in an informal way. Anyway, all of this discuss has been fantastic for me and I thank everyone for their replies. It helps immensely. My thoughts are to continue and finish Cores 3 and 4, maybe do 5 and then move on to TOG - that may be his high school. That would be missing Cores 6 & 7 but I thought that would work well since TOG would cover that anyway. I'll never get DS to where everyone else is just because of time, but we school year round and for the first time ever, he's asking me if we can do more work and more school weeks in order to work harder. I've been waiting for that - it works so much better when he's on the same page. :) Thank you again everyone!!!!