I don't get it. Where is this Handle on the Art thing? I don't see it on Sonlight. I found a website for Handle on the Art, but I don't see any reference to Sonlight cores. The only thing I see for $20 on there is a start up kit, and it's on sale. Anyone have a link?

And there really was never a set of motions that was used universally with C.C. I think a group in Ohio came up with some motions, and they put them on C.C. Connected. I downloaded it, but the motions weren't clear to me. And my daughter's tutor didn't use all of them, so I just did what her tutor did. The cards that were used were made by Veritas Press, and there were copyright issues where the cards had to be hush hush on the internet. We can't even list the names of the cards online. If someone in C.C. has made a song for the cards, they can't share that on the forums either. That's why C.C. has just created their own set. While I'm bummed that I have to buy new cards after only using the VP cards for one year, I'm also super duper excited that the new cards can actually be talked about, and even included on CDs and such. I'm hoping there will be songs. :001_smile:

I really stink at punctuation. I managed to graduate from college with a B.S. in Elementary Education, but yet I'm not always 100% sure where I should put commas. I'm not sure how to use colons and semi colons. I feel like to a well educated person, my comments and posts probably look like a mess. I have read and studies the rules of punctuation a few times for big tests that require writing, and I pass. But I am still very unsure. I think I could probably stand to study writing in general, b/c I feel like I'm not nearly as eloquent with my words as others are. I'm quite embarrassed b/c while no one really points out my errors, I know they're there. And I'm always afraid that when people find out that I homeschool and they see anything that I write that they will judge my capability to teach. Is there a book, a website with exercises, a curriculum, anything to help me improve my skills? Thank you!

It's only $7, but you're right. The other pages can be done w/o the manual. The pages with the pictures will varie the instructions, though. So basically you describe what you want them to identify, have them identify it, ask them what the beginning sound is to enforce it, then tell them to do something to it. The directions usually say something like to draw a box around, circle, color a certain color, draw a basket around, etc etc. I still like that the manual tells you how to teach the sound. It will refer to flashcards, which I don't use. You can easily make your own flashcards.

There is a teacher's manual for them. It's great! It has actual lessons in it. And you only need one for all three books. The pages that have just pictures on it will have instructions like this: Now, which one of these pictures is an animal that swims in the ocean? Point to it. What is it? (fish) What sound does the word fish begin with? /f/ Now, put a box around the fish. Etc. http://www.christianbook.com/explode-code-teachers-guide-books-and/9780838808528/pd/379852?item_code=WW&netp_id=431363&event=ESRCG&view=detailsI just edited this link, b/c it wasn't working for me. I was using swagbucks as my browser. I don't know if anyone else had problems, but I went ahead and swapped the link with what I got with a different browser.

Hahaha! I was just thinking the same thing b/c I keep seing Life of Fred mentioned. So I looked it up, and I read a sample lesson from Apples. Maybe it's just my weird sense of humor, but I found it hilarious. Brilliant, but hilarious! I was laughing and DH asked me why. I told him b/c I was looking up a math curriculum called Life of Fred, and I can see why it's called Life of Fred. It tells stories about Fred! LOL! So I was reading about how Fred woke up at 5:00, and liked to jog in the morning, but since it was February it was still dark out. He can't go jogging in the dark b/c he'd trip on things and fall down. So he's going to wait 2 hours until it's 7:00, b/c the sun will be up by then. And then the story went on to tell about how 5+2=7. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who finds this approach funny. But I think it's brilliant b/c it's showing how math is used in real life situations. I'm going to think about using this as a supplement to our MUS.

We're doing C.C. this year, and my oldest turned 5 in October. We love it, but I really hate the cost. Seriously, the cost really turns me off. We're going to do it again next year, and I'll re-evaluate how I feel about it. I love the concept and the philosophy behind it. Young children are like sponges and they memorize things so easily. So it makes sense to take advantage of that and make them memorize things that aren't usually taught until middle or high school. And yes, it is just memorization and there is very little understanding. If we wait until they are in high school to teach the Periodic Table, it will be a totally new concept and it will be intimidating. But if they have already been introduced to it, and have memorized certain elements and their atomic numbers, it'll be a lot easier to go into more detail. My daughter has memorized a lot from C.C. So don't underestimate a 5 year old. We don't even do C.C. everyday. Shoot! Some weeks we only do one day of memory work. But, we have the CD in the car and we listen to it over and over again. So even the weeks where we kind of slacked off are being reinforced. Back to the price. It ends up costing me $500, plus $100 for my youngest to be in the nursery. So that's $600 just so we can attend. That's not including the books and timeline cards. Which, I'm really upset that after I spent $100 on the Veritas Press timeline cards and then laminated each one, that they are replacing them. Well, my feelings are actually bittersweet b/c I am excited about the new C.C. timeline cards. Now that there's not a copyright issue, songs and motions for the timeline cards can now be shared. But, had I known that they were going to replace them, I wouldn't have bought the current cards. They are not making people buy the new manual if they have the old manual, thank God! Anyway, so after timeline cards, we're up to almost $700. Then I need to buy the rest of my curriculum. My homeschooling cost easily reaches $1,000!!! I hate that! I love C.C. but I hate how much it's costing me! I don't want to quit, but I'm not rich! Just thinking about how much homeschooling's going to cost once my youngest begins...ugh!

This is also helpful, and I will take this into consideration. I am actually familiar with the K SS books from Abeka, b/c I used to teach K at a school that used Abeka. So, I know it has content on children in other cultures, and it also covers some U.S. History. And before I read your post I was even thinking about using the Abeka books kind of like I'd use GTG. Although I've never actually seen a GTG lesson, so I'm only basing my idea from what I've read about GTG. So I was thinking about spending a week on each country, getting library books, looking online for crafts and recipes, etc. I think it covers 10 countries? And then we'd get library books for the history part too. I wish I could see an actual lesson from GTG. The sample pages that can be seen online do not contain a sample lesson. But, I know that in the description of the book it says that there are word puzzles and stuff like that. And now that you mention it, that probably would be too difficult for a kindergartner who's learning to read to do. Maybe we will wait. I still have a couple months to think about it. :) Thank you!

I'm just exploring my options for next year. My daughter will be in kindergarten, and I'm thinking about Social Studies. I've been looking a little into Galloping the Globe, but I'm not really sure if I want to invest in this. Are all of the recommended books necessary? I can't even find some of them. I can't figure out what "Our Father's World," even is. The GTG description says it's by Rod and Staff, but I can't even find it when I search for OFW and RandS. So I don't even know what it looks like. I'd rather check books out from the library, but I'd be willing to buy a couple books new or used. But I don't want to spend a whole lot of money on it. Some of the books are available at the library, but only about half. So basically, all I'm really asking is if I can still do GTG w/o all of the recommended books? Thanks a bunch!

I think we're going to spend about $1,200 on my daughter. Half of that alone goes toward her Classical Conversations tuition, and then I'm going to buy the new cards and even the science cards that go with the next cycle. I didn't buy the science cards this year, but they look neat. I'll try to save on language arts by using ETC books, the Progressive Phonics website, and Bob Books. For math, we'll continue with Math U See. We already have the blocks, so that saves us some money. But...I like the look of the Mathtacular Educational Kit as a supplement. http://www.sonlight.com/RM60.html. I also really want the Sonlight Science curriculum b/c it looks fun and very hands on. And I've thought about buying some other things that I probably do not need, but I want anyway. Like the Song School Latin, since we're doing some Latin in C.C.

Eh, we're doing Classical Conversations again next year, and this year was our first year homeschooling, so I don't have many resources. I'm sure I'm going to spend about $1,100 to $1,200 altogether. Although I've trying to earn some paypal money from swagbucks, and I'd use that for purchases from CBD.com. That could save me some money.

I'm thinking about next year. I definitely want to do phonics/reading and writing. Is there anything else I should have? I saw Wordly Wise for K on CBD.com, and I think I might look into that some more. Some extra work with vocabulary can't hurt anything, right? I just hate the extra cost, since you have to buy the $62 parent guide. Do you think vocabulary is necessary? Is there a way to incorporate it w/o buying something like Wordly Wise? Maybe an online curriculum or website with ideas?