Yep, we are doing ECC here this year, and I think my kids have learned A LOT! I am so proud of them! They are enjoying it and I think this is the first time I've actually seen them working very diligently!

We are using Properties of Ecosystems this year, it is a spine used in our MFW Exploring Countries and Cultures. I haven't used the other books that come in the set. With that being said, we have really enjoyed it! We have gotten more out of it than other science curriculum we've used in the past. Of course, it is written from a creationism viewpoint. I also like the fact that at the end of each chapter there are discussion questions. You could either use them as a guide line to use for narration, or just have the child write the answers down in a notebook. But you DC is younger, so you are probably going to do narrations, right? The book is very colorful! The books are actually written by Debbie and Richard Lawrence. I like their writing style and tone, I don't think it's "preachy" at all. So IMO it doesn't have the "Ken Ham" tone, but even if it did, he doesn't really bother me...I don't really understand what the hoopla is about him. I don't have a problem with him. HTH Katherine:001_smile:

OK OK, I confess that I've run the same load in the washer about 6 times now. I just leave it. It stinks. I rewash. Cycle repeats. Where are my socks? Oh, right, they're really stinky. Time to wash them. Again. And I haven't even worn them! This is SO ME! I went to Sam's Club and bought 2 gallons of vinegar and a huge bag of baking soda to get rid of the musty smell, but it's still the same vicious cycle! Is that not the definition of insanity? :lol:

Bumping for you. I haven't used WP, but we will be using CTG this coming year! I can't wait!

Needing to buy two good dictionaries this weekend for my two kiddos. In 3rd grade. Any good recs?

Read alouds, coloring, magnet kit (if you got the deluxe package). Maybe you could find some US sticker books? If you need more to keep her busy, maybe you could go to Donna Young's website and print out the free program for beginner's writing? http://donnayoung.org/penmanship/index.htm I also noticed that Donna has some things on this page for 100 EL as well.

:hurray:

Get your hands on a copy of Top 100 Curriculum Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy. It saved my life!;)

I tried to combine SL book list with Adventures. I copied out the list of books from SL, carried that and my Adv TM with me to the library, checked out my books and come to find out almost all the books were duplicated. After about two months I just threw the SL list in the trash. I wanted to do all the elementary Apologia books, I was glad that in some years it was already scheduled but I tried to fill in the years with Apologia that weren't scheduled. I ended up dropping that idea because it was just too much, my kids were whining, and we weren't getting everything done. It was LONG days. I got frustrated with kids and planning. So, you know what I did after about 16 weeks of this? I shelved everything that wasn't in my ADV deluxe set. I started all over again from week 1, did EVERYTHING 100%, as exactly laid out in the TM, didn't add or take away. I trusted that even though I didn't see the BIG picture right away, I knew that we were going to be fine. After doing MFW 1st, ADV, and now this year ECC I am starting to see the bigger picture. You know what it has got us? Joyful learning. No whining. Kids being able to play in the afternoons. Kids who have a heart for God, great character traits, memorized bible verses that no man can take out of their hearts, a heart for missions, they know how to pray for all people all over the world. They have beautiful notebooks that they will be able to treasure for the rest of their lives. They are exposed to beautiful music, poetry, and wonderful literature, they have there home made timelines, Jesus Poster and each has big keep box with all their crafts, projects, and even some science stuff in them. Academically they are testing above grade level. In the beginning I didn't understand how rich and thorough MFW is. I remember over a year ago, after realizing the depth of MFW I posted on the forum, that the only thing wrong with MFW is that they don't do them selves justice, by the way they advertise in the catalog or the website. If you could go to a convention and see just the notebooks in the flesh, you'd be surprised. I'm not here to sell you on MFW, but my advice would be that whatever you choose, do it 100%, don't add anything to it, or take away. Do your subjects, and then let your kids be kids. Spend time outside, spend time with them as "mom" not "teacher", do nature journals, MFW is light on Fridays and this has afforded us having a "fabulous friday" we go meet up with our homeschool group, go to the science center, catch the latest planetarium show, feed the sharks in the aquatic area, go to the Y and swim, go to the park, have a pic nic, go on walking trails, go to the movies, you get the idea!:tongue_smilie: HTH;)

DS7-2nd grade. Adventures in MFW, Horizons math 3, PLL first half, AAS 1, DD5-1st grade. MFW 1st, Do the program 100%, and maybe even cut her some slack, depending where she is developmentally. I know my daughter would have never been ready for MFW 1st at age 5. This program goes quite quick, so if you think she's having a hard I would either go very slow, or go back and make sure she has her K level phonics in concrete. This is coming from someone who tried to advance her kiddos quite quickly and it blew up in my face later on down the road. I wished that when they were younger I would have placed them in the grade level they would have been in PS, and let them go with the flow, and let them play, and be a kid.

Our duds are: Horizons Math Singapore Math Spelling Workout WWE OPGTR Mystery of History (not a good fit for grammar stage, imo) BJU Grammar 2 BJU 1st grade subjects Prima Latina AO Lifepacs

My Daughter too. She even picked it up and threw it across the room...I then went over, picked it up and shelved it.:001_huh:

We've been homeschooling for 5 years now. If I had it to do all over again I would: 1. Not have pushed my son in Pre-K and K with rigorous Classical Ed. 2. Not gotten stressed out when my daughter was not reading on grade level until this year. I worried so much, but last month her brain turned on and can read on grade level, go figure... 3. I would have used all MFW products, and used each program to a tee, 100% from Pre-K on. We didn't get the honor to do Pre-K, K, and my son didn't do MFW1st.

This is good information. We will be doing CtG this next year. I would say note booking, charts, or a "Fact or Fiction" notebook could work?

My 3rd graders spend about 40-50 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

Yep, MFW has plenty, imo I wouldn't add anything. And we tried to add latin and we just aren't there yet. Our curriculum is very thorough, and I'm not going to worry about it until 4th grade. I can understand why so many people say not to start a foreign language until your child is more concrete in LA. We've done MFW 1st and ADV. MFW1st is awesome! So is ADV but I would only recommend it for 2nd and 3rd graders.

:iagree: I think you will really like it!

I couldn't teach without it, for sure! But, I always look for scripted lessons, so all I have to do is read it and I am teaching grammar thoroughly. Plus I like the planning schedules in the back, and other teaching tips. If affordability is not an issue, I'd say definitely buy the TM, but if you are looking to save some mulah, and you are confident you could teach it off the cuff, then it might work!:001_smile::001_smile:

Saxon has scripted lessons for you to teach, so that would help with giving you the confidence of teaching each concept thoroughly. Throw in the manipulative box that's available for fun hands on. I have a 8 and 9 year old, and I sit with them, and a lot of times have to help them along, even if it's so we can finish in a timely manner. Then sometimes they get tired of me sitting with them, and if they are confident in what they are doing that actually say, "Mom, I got this...you can go.";)

I tried SM twice, but both times went back to Saxon because it was spiral, had scripted lessons which gave me confidence that I was teaching each concept thoroughly, and my kiddos enjoyed all the many math manipulatives that were available in the math box that you can purchase.

I just read about this in the FLL 3 teacher book. The instructions are to start at grade level, and Jessie recommends the FLL 1 and 2 CD to go with 3 or 4 as an added enrichment, to help concrete memorization of parts of speech, lists, etc.

MFW is IT for missions! We are doing ECC this year and it is SO awesome! My kiddos groan when it's time to stop reading the YWAM books. They can't get enough! We did Adv last year. I liked it better than I thought I would. The state sheets got kinda monotonous, but as long as you are doing everything 100% it's not so bad. As far as the library situation, you don't have to do book basket, it's really optional. And Marie Hazel says, if your library doesn't have the specific books she recommends, then just use the books on each topic that your library does have.

Yep, sit and read it to them. My sweetie girl (8) hates reading and she is just developmentally not "there" yet. She is still reading 1st grade level books. BUT let me tell you, she is almost finished with Saxon 3. A math whiz, and I'm so glad because I know that if she was behind in her other subjects she would have low self esteem issues with school work. I use this to build her up! My son is above grade level in all his school work, and I have to sit with him too. I think I heard somewhere, might have been here on the forums, that you should expect this until after 4th grade, then they will be mature enough to start being required to do some independent work.

Elle M, I know you've been trying to find a good fit for you and your kiddos with SOTW. I hope you find it! Keep us posted as to what you're final decision will be. I am looking forward and excited to see what you choose! ;)

I'll have 4th graders next year. We will do Spelling Power x4 FLL 4 x4 WS x2 Saxon Math 54 x5 Latin x3 MFW Creation to Greeks (Bible, History, Science, Music, and Art) x5 I expect it to take us between 5-6 hrs a day.