:iagree:

We have this Bible. It was great for the grammar stage. I would check the age range because I believe one was for ages 6-9 and one was the NIV Adventure Bible for ages 9-12. http://zondervan.com/9780310715481

I don't want the state to have anymore info than they require. We have both testing and portfolio option. I would feel invaded having someone assess what I do with my kids. I do the bare minimum to get by in the state, which is the CAT LA and Math. Even I think that is too much but to each her own. I just feel like it is no one's business what I teach them, how I sequence it and what we do. Also, we do many computer and online supplemental programs, it would be hard for me to get that on paper. Good luck on your choice!

My 11 yo dd has never done SOTW so she is doing SOTW as a spine and Human Odyssey as supplemental reading (thanks to Kate in Arabia for matching all that up). I know you are using HO as a spine, but here are some links that I found helpful for picking historical fiction: http://www.historicalnovels.info/Young-Adult-Historical-Novels.html http://www.muni.org/Departments/library/kids/Pages/HistoricalFiction.aspx http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=367164 http://homescool-ed.blogspot.com/2007/04/sonlight-books-arranged-by-well-trained.html http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/LITmenu.htm HTH, Jen

I'm sorry, but I can only think of Discovery Streaming Plus. We use it every week. This week it was the Ancient Indus Valley Civilization. There were so many clips and images, I feel it is worth the money. Now, I don't always hit a home run like that, but it has been great. I would look at getting it through Homeschool Buyers Co-op..

This is what I was going to suggest. We are doing their equine science and haven't seen its equal. I would think their animal habitats program would be up to the same par.

Pacing is a problem right now. I was hoping to do a lesson a week, but to get three modules done in a year would never happen that way. There are something like 57 lessons in Modules A-C. I called my homeschool ScienceFusion Rep and he got back to me today. The pacing schedule they put out was basically one unit a week. He said he was going to talk to upper management about it. I am going to have to fiddle with it and see how much dd can handle in one week. The lesson and test are no problem. I just might have to get more selective with the labs.

I think that could be a big mistake to preprint everything. Just as this quote says, I tweak things. I don't print it every day, but every week. My kids love checking boxes off from the reports I print out on HSTOnline. What if someone got really sick? What if it is a beautiful day and someone invites you to the park? What if your schedule started getting off track, would you print a whole other year?

I did it and I don't think you will regret it at all. My dc have gotten just as good of an education on writing with other curriculum than doing the key word outline method. They didn't like Pudewa (nor did I) and are much happier in a different curriculum.

I love the Disney version of Peter and the Wolf :)

Once I schedule everything on the digital part, she does it all herself. The labs, on the other hand, are a lot of work for me and dh. I think it is more complicated because dh is a NASA PhD in Chemistry and Microscopy. He bought a very nice microscope that was very expensive but on sale and he doesn't want dd playing with it without supervision. The labs require a lot of materials. We went through the whole module to see what we needed and got it online. Other things we will have to get at craft stores and around the house. Dd is going to have GREAT microscopy skills after al this! Dh loves helping dd on the microscope and he is teaching me as well so I can help dd myself. If your ds has a microscope he is comfortable with and you can get the materials, I think you could be really hands off.

We have Module A. The online subscription lasts one year. I would say it is quite rigorous IF you do all the optional labs. We are doing the digital only version with all the labs and my 11 yo is finding it rigorous. There are 2-3 labs a week with lots of microscopy and questions and lab manuals. I think ScienceFusion is a great program and my dc love it. Jen

NASA dh says its Aurora Borealis aka Northern Lights. It shows that the earth's atmosphere bends the ionic particles from solar winds. They hit the atmosphere and give off light.

oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to sound snippy. I don't really think the program could be changed enough to get a first grader involved. It is heavy duty. My 11 year old is loving it.

Have you seen the notebook for the program? It has a plethora of information and drawings to help make it a cohesive lesson.

We love Mythbusters! Great science-y show. Definitely modern. We also like Nova and Nova Science Now. All are on Netflix. I jus love using TV for education. We also can look up certain topics and find good streaming video. My kids are loving Ice Age Predators series. Who knew?

Have you looked at the Sonlight website to see what they schedule for that age? I know in Core B, we had Missionary Stories with the Millers, Akebu to Zapotec and a few others. I would look at the reading lists of Cores A, B and C and see which missionary biographies are on there. I just get them on Amazon with the 4 for 3 promotion if possible.

I highly recommend Globalmania. It's free, it uses all kinds of websites like seterra.net and we love it. I can't remember if it is secular or not. Good luck!

My dd is in 6th but for 7th or 8th I want her to do Notgrass' America the Beautiful. I had it here at my house to look at and we loved it! We just decided to finish world history first.

It is a huge hit here at our house. Since the elementary books are good for supplementing and your current plan is teaching him the basics, I would highly recommend LoF. It has been a game changer!

I have a 10 yo dd who has been so frustrated and dreading math every day. We switched to Life of Fred and she has been so excited to do math. She is on Fractions by herself and we are going through the elementary series together as a family. It seems to be enough for her.

I just searched "physics" on netflix and a bunch of titles came up but they were all on disc. Do you have only streaming? We learn a lot of physics on Mythbusters, Nova and Nova Science Now. My kids love the physics on Mythbusters the most. I think your 9 yo would love it.

I am really disappointed in Discovery Streaming Plus. Honestly, I find more videos on the web or on pbs or netflix than I do DE. I feel it was a waste of money. Maybe I am missing something? People seem to be getting all sorts of stuff out of it. This week I was looking up the Assyrians. They have a lot of great articles and images but no video to watch. Very sad.

I have a 9 yo ds and 11 yo dd. Both LOVE LoF Elementary Series. I think the story is hilarious and I can't wait to get to Calculus and understand the whole thing LOL My dd is doing Fractions as a stand alone curriculum this year and absolutely loving math for the first time ever. My 9yo wants to continue in TT5. I love the diversity that homeschooling offers me and that I can stay true to their passions and their styles of learning. Anyway, we are on Butterflies and are going to read the Elementary Series through just as a review and especially hone in on Farming and up with multiplication. I spoke to the author and he recommended going back over Farming to the end for those who struggle with multiplication and division. Flash cards don't work with my kids and even having them write out a multiplication table every few days doesn't stop them from counting on their fingers. Hopefully, Fred will come to the rescue :) If not, I have some other tricks up my sleeves.

We really disliked Science 4. It used TOPS Electricity and Magnetism and then a slew of other uncoordinated subjects that didn't seem cohesive at all. It felt like we were jumping all over the place and the TOPs experiments were tedious. We have never used SL for science again.