I'm following this thread with interest, since I'm planning to use Galloping the Globe with 4 of my children next school year. The links listed above are excellent! A few resources we have on hand from when we did geography a few years ago: Material World Children Just Like Me: Celebrations I was pleased when I saw how Galloping the Globe integrated Considering God's Creation in the curriculum. That was something I wanted to use anyway, so it was nice to have it scheduled. For the animal studies, the Expedition Earth materials looked nice. A couple of other resources I'm planning to get that include science are: Usborne Geography Encyclopedia with World Atlas Science Chef Travels around the World Looking forward to hearing other responses. Blessings, Laura

Next year I'll have 6 in school - one starting high school, one starting K, and the others in between. The plans aren't complete, but this is what I'm leaning toward doing with them. dd 9th Bible - ? History - Biblioplan year 4 Science - Rainbow Science year 2 Math - Teaching Textbooks pre-algebra Language Arts - Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings, Sequential Spelling for Adults, IEW Electives - ? dd 6th CLE Bible 5 History - Biblioplan year 4 Science - Consjdering God's Creation Math - Teaching Textbooks 6 Language Arts - ? Electives - ? ds 5th CLE Bible 3 Galloping the Globe with Considering God's Creation Teaching Textbooks 4 Susan Barton Reading and Spelling Handwriting without Tears dd 3rd CLE Bible 3 Galloping the Globe with Considering God's Creation Teaching Textbooks 4 WWE 2, ? about other LA materials ds 3rd CLE Bible 3 Galloping the Globe with Considering God's Creation MathUSee Beta Susan Barton Reading and Spelling Handwriting without Tears ds K Galloping the Globe MathUSee Primer Explode the Code Handwriting without Tears Blessings, Laura

This year my fifth grader is using: Bible: CLE Bible 4 History: Biblioplan year 3 Science: Real Science 4 Kids Physics (Level 1) and The Elements Language Arts: IEW (Fun and Fascinating), Teaching the Classics, Sequential Spelling, Cheerful Cursive, Copywork for Girls Math:Teaching Textbooks (finishing 5, beginning 6) French: The Learnables year 1 Typing: Typing Instructor and Jumpstart Typing Next year I'll have another 5th grader. We're dealing with some learning issues with him, so right now this is the plan for him: Bible: CLE Bible 3 Geography/History and Science:Galloping the Globe with Considering God's Creation Language Arts: Barton Program for Reading and Spelling, Handwriting without Tears (second year of cursive) Math: Teaching Textbooks 4 Blessings, Laura

American living in Senegal (West Africa).

In my experience, this has a huge impact on schooling. I have a ds with ADD and mild dyslexia, and two other dc with ADD. If you can find the tools/techniques to help your dc with her focus, and the right approach to help her in overcoming the challenges of dyslexia, that will help your days go more smoothly. For us, medication has been one of the tools we've found effective. Before that, it was a real struggle for my ds who had both ADD and dyslexia. He processed things slowly due to dyslexia, but then would lose his focus as he was processing (due to the ADD). At that point, he would have to regain his focus and begin processing again. (Compounding my frustration was that he "looked" like he was focused, even when he wasn't, so it was hard to tell when he was drifting and help get him refocused). It was very stressful for him, too, and he really struggled with anxiety because he couldn't remember facts or even what he had been processing a few minutes before. Each day, after he had refocused a number of times, he would be mentally exhausted and just "freeze", in tears and unable to do any more work that day. Now, with medication and with some math and language arts curricula that are Orton-Gillingham style, he's doing much better, getting a lot more work done in a less time. Other ladies had great tips on scheduling and combining - those things will help you, too. Blessings as you work through all this. Laura

We've used RS4K for all of our children over the years. I love the pre-level 1 texts - each chapter usually has 4-5 short segments that only take a few minutes to read. Reading a segment each day works well with my K-3 children. The RS4K labs are real labs, having the children think through what's happening, what they think the results will be, and then recording actual results. Even though they are great, I've found them hard to do at times (due to the fact that each time I've had preschoolers with busy hands who want to join in). This coming year we will be using RS4K Chemistry and Physics (our 3rd time with Chemistry pre-level 1, second time with Physics level 1, and first time with Physics pre-level 1). RS4K courses are supposed to be about 10 weeks long, but it's usually taken us around 14-16 weeks to complete one. We've found 2 courses a year to be a good pace. I've heard others who take 20 weeks for a course - doing the reading one week, then the experiment the next. At that pace it would take close to 2 years to go through all three courses. I've not used Elemental Science, so I can't comment on it. Blessings, Laura I can't comment on

How about Alpha Omega - either Switched on Schoolhouse or the new online Monarch for LA and history. CLE is a great Christian curriculum, but definitely workbook-y. It might be doable for just one subject, though. Science: Real Science for Kids - Christian author, but the texts are not overtly Christian, nor do they discuss OE/YE/evolution. Rainbow Science - pricey, but Christian and very nicely laid out, creation touched on but neither YE nor OE promoted. Hope she finds the balance she needs

I love the CLE Bible program for early grades (Bible 1-4 and the Bible elective for 5th grade). The stories are nicely told, and besides questions and activities that help them remember the facts of the story, there is also at least one application question/thought in each lesson. Right now one of my dd's is finishing up CLE Bible 3. I chose not to order the teacher's manual. I haven't regretted not having the manual at all. Everything in the LightUnits has been clear without needing the teacher's manual. I haven't had any problems needing an answer key for assignments or tests, either. If you are considering Bible 2, I believe it is similar to Bible 1. I have 3 children using CLE Bible 1. There has only been one time I needed to check the teacher's manual about how to do an activity sheet. Also, for Bible 1 the teacher's manual has a more detailed story than what is written in the LightUnits. We haven't used the ArtPacs. I glanced through them at a convention and thought they were too basic, covering skills that most children that age would already know and not teaching much in the way of new skills or techniques. Blessings, Laura

If you go to the CLE booth at your state's convention, I believe they will give you a discount. I was offered a coupon at their booth when I went to a convention a couple of weeks ago. Sorry, I don't remember how much it was for. I didn't take it because we weren't ready to order more CLE materials just yet, and it was only good for 1 week after the convention was over. Blessings, Laura

My dd just finished TT5. As someone else mentioned, it also has 16 quizzes. One thing that really works well with my children is the spiral nature of TT. Each lesson includes questions that review previous material, so they have an opportunity to get it into their long-term memory. Also, even though there is something new every day, it is presented very incrementally. Those things keep the pace from being overwhelming. Blessings, Laura

We used Time4Learning for about a year and a half (quit due to issues with local internet provider; T4L is a good program). During that time, my oldest was in 4th and 5th grade, and she used T4L math without any supplementation. I remember looking at the scope and sequence, and thought it was quite thorough. :grouphug: You're not alone. I came to a point where I had to pick some curricula that did most of the teaching for me. That's one reason we're using Teaching Textbooks now. Blessings, Laura

What has worked best for us in K is FIAR and Explode the Code with Sonlight K readers. We've tried several different K math programs, but I haven't found one yet that we really liked. Blessings, Laura

My 7th grader is using Total Language Plus. It's simple in the sense that it's an all-in-one program, and the guides are nicely laid out and easy to break into daily assignments. Blessings, Laura

I tried Apologia Astronomy when my oldest was in second grade. I wouldn't recommend it for K and 1st - the detail and readings seem more appropriate for 3rd/4th grade and up. I know you would like something already put together, but for a K and 1st grader I'd recommend 3 things. Space and Time by Michael Carroll (from the God's Creation Series) Usborne First Encyclopedia of Space (with internet links) The Astronomy Adventure (Home Science Adventures - one of the kits put out by Stratton House) or another astronomy science kit for hands-on. I'd use the first book as your spine, reading one or two segments per session. Use appropriate pages/internet links from the second book as supplements, and do the hands-on activities in the kit in an order that fits with what you're studying in the books. Blessings, Laura

We're using 3rd grade Bible this year. So far I haven't needed the TM at all. I glanced through the TM to see if they included any additional enrichment ideas, but didn't see any (of course, it was a quick look). Blessings, Laura

Some ideas: Considering God's Creation - has lots of worksheets, cut-and-paste type things, and smaller lessons Home Science Adventures - this is almost completely hands-on; most of the teaching is done as you're doing the worksheets/projects Story Book of Science - really quite engaging and covering a nice variety of topics. You'd have to search out coloring pages or worksheets to go along. Blessings, Laura

Of everything we do, I enjoy using FIAR the most, so I suppose I am most excited about that. Coming in a close second are Biblioplan and Considering God's Creation. Blessings, Laura

My twins are in 1st grade this year. They are doing: FIAR (including Christian Character Supplement) ETC (ds is currently in book 1, dd in book 3 - both should get through 2-3 books this year) Happy Handwriting CLE Reading 1 - dd Sonlight Readers - ds Complete Book of Math for 1/2 grade combined with How to Teach Math to Your First and Second Grader Blessings, Laura

Last school year I went from 3 to 5 students (my twins started K, the others were in grades 2, 3, and 6). Combining was something I was already doing, but I had to schedule things more tightly/wisely as well. Things I've discovered work at this stage - 1) combine my twins in one group, and my 3 oldest in another group for history and science, 2) when combining several ages, it works best for us to have a spine or core part that everyone does together, then just add assignments for extra depth for the older ones, 3) it works best for me to begin and end the day with group studies, and use the middle portion of our school day for things done individually (math and LA), 4) my oldest does best if she's allowed to do her independent work first and group things last. Blessings, Laura

I have 1st grade twins. They are not ready to begin SOTW this year (older siblings are using SOTW 3), so they will wait until 3rd grade and begin the cycle with ancients. Like others said, don't rush it. Enjoy the full 4-year cycle. Blessings, Laura

http://www.guesthollow.com/ This site has a very nice (and free!) 2 year schedule for covering American history. The family who shares it consider hands-on activities an important part of the total curriculum, so those things are included - actually, there are so many I think you would want to pick and choose. It's for 2nd-6th graders, but if you drop a few of the harder things, it would be just fine for a first grader. For example, I took a peek at Week 9 (Vikings), and the scheduled books are Leif the Lucky, The Discovery of the Americas, and chapter 1 of This Country of Ours is one of the scheduled books - the first two are good for a 1st grader, and you could drop the text. Blessings, Laura

My ds 6 was halfway through K when we started the pre-ETC series with him. I assigned 2 pages/day. There are some days he wants to do more (the coloring pages and others with easier activities). Tomorrow he will do the final pages in the third book. It took us 6 months at this pace. So, since you have a full year of K in front of you, I would suggest assigning 1 page/day, then if your dc wants to do more on that day, let them. Blessings, Laura

I second the recommendation for Before Five in a Row. About half of the manual contains ideas for learning activities associated with specific children's story books. The other half of the manual has a huge list of ideas for learning readiness activities. Blessings, Laura

Little Pilgrim's Progress Stories from Africa New Toes for Tia The Gods Must Be Angry Granny Han's Breakfast Blessings, Laura

1) Bible 2) Language Arts 3) Math 4) History 5) Science 6) everything else (I start having them choose 1 or 2 things to study from a list of extra subjects - starting in later elementary. The list includes things like Latin, Greek, French, typing, and Logic) Blessings, Laura