If the poll was to check off every spelling curriculum you've tried, I could have picked something in every section. LOL We're trying SWR for the first time this year. I have middle schoolers, but I have another little one to use it with in a few years if it goes well. I've been going back and forth with whether I should make the effort to attend a seminar or not.

There are recording forms in the back of the "Tests and Worksheets" book that can be copied to use for each lesson and for tests. They have grid lines to help with lining up. You might not need that, but wanted you to know that they are there if you do.

My ds used Saxon math 8/7 last year, and I had planned on him going straight to Algebra 1, but by the end of the year I felt that he could use the extra practice to sharpen his skills. We actually just started the Saxon math 1/2 book this past week and instead of starting at lesson one, he took test one. He scored 100%, so I will let him skip the first 10 lessons. Then, he took test two and scored 78%, so he is starting with lesson 11. If he had gotten an A, I would just skip him to the next test and let him test out of the corresponding lessons. We've used DIVE, Art Reed, and Saxon Teacher. DS likes DIVE and Saxon Teacher. I prefer Saxon Teacher simply because it teaches the samples in the lesson and shows how to solve every problem in the book. You can just click on the numbers you want to see worked out from the problem set. You don't have to sit through all the other problems to see the one you need.

This blog has lots of free downloads to create your own planner. There are lots of choices. Some are editable. http://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/free-printables/7-step-curriculum-planner/

We are limping along. Science is done. Only eight more days of English grammar. I have all of next years books and need to watch some DVDs and map out their lessons, but I don't want to look at anything schooly this summer. I need a vacation or I will die. I do plan to homeschool through high school, Lord willing.

I went to the A Beka materials display today and spoke with the representatives there, a husband and wife team. A Beka sells an answer key and a Teacher’s Edition of the student book. He said that (speaking generally and not particularly science 7) there are some lessons where a workbook assignment is not assigned, but there is a lesson and it’s in the teacher’s guide. This I know to be true for younger years back when I used K phonics. I didn’t notice an example of this from the upper level science. The TM looked like a spiral bound student book w/ daily lessons in the back and short answers to some of the questions. If you get the TM, you would still need the answer key.

I plan on using ABeka Science 8. I won't know for sure until I go to the materials display next Friday to check out the books, but I'm thinking of just getting the parts that Christian Liberty sells. I've used their answer keys for BJU English before and that was all I needed. The TE seems to be geared towards classrooms as far as I can tell by looking at the samples on CBD.

I have two middle schoolers and a 2 y.o. My 8th grade son will be using: Math Saxon Algebra 1/2 English SWR, AG, English Lessons Through Literature 5 I really like the looks of this, but as I was writing it out in my planner, I think it might be too much to add to what we are already doing. Depending on how it goes, I may change my mind and add it back in. Lit: Teaching the Classics/WttW History Classical Historian American I have high hopes for this. I like that this is taught once a week and they work on their assignments throughout the week. It teaches "the tools of the historian", so they will learn to do research and write essays about what they are studying. Civics Our Constitution Rocks & One Vote by Ben Carson, possibly volunteer for a presidential candidate Geography North Star Geography I haven’t decided if I will do this in one year or use the two year plan. Science A Beka Academy Earth & Space? Not sure on this. I still have to check it out at a materials display. Piano lessons, nutrition, Chinese, starting career exploration Interest led: Stock market I’m still looking for resources to use for this.

I have a Lexmark color laser printer. I made sure that it had the duplex printing function, so I could print e-books w/ double sided pages and then bind them myself. It's fast and I love the high yield printer cartridges. I don't have to change them out so often. They are expensive, but at 4,000 sheets per cartridge, I'm spending about 2 cents per copy. The Lexmark website is great for helping you pick the printer to fit you, but the prices on Amazon are better. They have a printer cartridge return/rewards system where you can earn free cartridges for returning your old ones.

I would camp out on topics he needs help with for a while. He may be stressed out about having to learn new concepts when he is still not confident on what he has already been taught. I found this helpful graphic for converting fractions, decimals, and percents: http://passyworldofmathematics.com/Images/pwmImagesThree/PercentsAll540x399JPG.jpg I would flip to the back of the book and work on the supplemental practice pages. start around p. 679-680. I forgot those pages were back there at the beginning of the year, but I use them now even when a topic is just introduced if I feel the lesson practice wasn't enough to be sure they are solid on the new stuff. If you still need more practice, I like the Key to... books that were already mentioned. Khan academy has a video for this, too. If you decide to continue with Saxon, I suggest the Saxon Teacher CDs. I've tried the DIVE, Mastering Algebra DVDs by Art Reed, and the Saxon Teacher CDs. I think the Saxon Teacher DVDs are the best. They follow the problems in the book and show the work for every single problem step by step. The teaching is complete and to the point.

Yes, we are using them. My son uses 8/7 and my dd is in 7/6. I help her myself. Having my son be able to watch the DVD lets him keep going at his own pace. I check his lesson practice to make sure he understands the new stuff and then he moves on to the mixed practice. I check that in the evening or the next morning and he can watch the DVD to see the problems he got wrong worked out. It's the only DVD I've seen that will show how to do every single problem. I'm glad we have it.

DD will be in 7th and I’m trying to combine her as much as I can for one last year with her 8th grade brother, so I can save time teaching. Bible: ? Math: Saxon 8/7 Spelling: SWR Grammar: Analytical Grammar (We used the junior version a few years ago), ELTL 5 Lit/Writing: Teaching the Classics and Windows to the World Easy Writing History/Civics: Classical Historian American (includes essay writing instruction) Our Constitution Rocks by Juliette Turner One Vote by Ben Carson North Star Geography Two-year plan Science: ABeka Earth & Space (with video streaming) I’m going to have her do this with her brother in 8th since she’s already done botany and zoology twice which is what ABeka 7th grade science would cover and I can keep them together. She’s using Ellen McHenry’s Elements right now, so I’ll have her do Carbon Chemistry and Cells in 8th when DS is in 9th. Ellen McHenry's Carbon Chemistry, Cells, Botany, Herbology-various resources Foreign language: Chinese Piano lessons I have Atelier Art 6 on the shelf, so we might use that

I agree with Chelli. I had TTC for years, but haven't took the time to watch it. I just watched the first DVD and I'm kicking myself for not making the time to watch it sooner. Excellent instruction on how to enjoy literature together for all ages.

yep, it's a scary beast, but doable. You could do just 4 days of math most weeks. Since the lessons + investigations + tests = 155 days.

I used SonLight (what is now called core b ) my first year of homeschooling. I made it to week 13. I didn't like the Bible portion and I had lots of other reasons to abandon it, but I switched the following year to My Father's World. I combined my two children and have loved the Bible study and the way all the curriculum content ties in together. They also use some Usborne books, but I haven't had any problems with the choices. MFW has worked with many publishers to have the books they use in their curriculum reprinted in a way that glorifies God. We've enjoyed the last six years using MFW and I highly recommend them to all my HS friends.

I was having the same trouble this year with Apologia General. My goodness, 7th grade feels like a huge step up from 6th. If my son has done the experiment before-no lab report. For the rest, I'm typing up his lab report in the correct format leaving blank lines for his results and conclusion, so he can focus on the thinking behind the experiment. I will continue to do this for most of the year, but hope he builds up enough hand strength and endurance to do the full lab reports by the end of the year.

We are currently working through week 3 of book 1, but I have book 2 on the shelf. The articles are taught as noun markers. Whenever you see an article, a noun is coming up. You will see that under the grammar notations on that page. (Yes, second would be an adj. if it was in front of a noun, but it is part of his title.) I checked on Dictionary.com and Second can be a noun (or a verb). http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/second?s=t

Level B covers everything level A has plus research reports and sentence openers. Yes, combine them both in the level B and you can use the level A source texts found here: http://iew.com/swi-help You may be able to return the level A for your money back, too.

What kind of scanner did you have before? I have a Doxie Go and love it. It's portable and works with PC or Mac.

I ended up buying a used second set of add/sub flashcards, so my 1st and 2nd grader could have their own since the cards are re-organized in 2nd grade a certain way. If your children are all 2nd grade and above, you can use one set of cards, but definitely get them. You can use any brand of multiplication/division cards you want though.

These are nice and cheap and there is an undated version available as well. The undated one is slightly cheaper. :) http://www.successbydesign.com/planners/middle-school-planners/2025d-middle-school-study-planner.html

We enjoy watching this, too. Thanks for the heads up on the start date.

Wow, I'm not even on the radar. LOL

Awe, Arctic Mama, I just gave you 5 stars because I think your avatar is cute! LOL Hope that helps. I didn't even know we could rate each other. huh? off to go see how I rate...

I purchased science from them and knew better to just order exclusives and the guide from reading lots of reviews. Those WP exclusive items took about 3-4 weeks to arrive. I was nervous, but they did arrive. You might want to try the sister site to try out some of the curriculum and see if it will work for you. They've broken it down some of the WP stuff in to unit studies here: http://spiritedautumnhope.com