Totally age-appropriate... but boy, I hated that one. :p

I feel your pain. NL 1 is nearly $300 (including state tax, 1 extra student pages). I wish there was something like NL but affordable (though I am leaning toward NL at this point....) But I've been also considering NOEO (about $100 cheaper). I've also looked at Sonlight's science, but I don't like the idea of our science being choppy or disjointed, which is what I hear often for SL. We've also been considering A Reason for Science, since it's somewhat of an all-inclusive kit. Anyway, I'd love to find an answer to this question!! :D

LOL, geographical term might be incorrect. Topographical? Physical landscape term? IDK.... Hills, Crest, Mountain, Valley, River, etc. So, for us: Chatham Hills Academy. :p

We have to have one, so sayeth the state. And I've got to decide soon because we have to register this coming summer/fall... I've gone through a ton of name combinations and we're probably going to use one we said we wouldn't: [town name] + [geographical term]. DH thinks it sounds like a fancy private school, haha. (He thought my other top contender sounded "country.") :D

Hmmm...so is it bad that I've bought/planned/scheduled/printed.....and I'm still looking??!! :blink:

Ah, you're right. It doesn't show Grade 5 Spelling Text on either site. Hmmm, weird.

I am looking on BJU Press *Homeschool* site. http://www.bjupresshomeschool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category_Curriculum-Products____23701 From there, you can pick & choose and look inside.

We use & like this: http://www.amazon.co...ywords=123 draw (123 Draw)

Ah, I'm so glad I read this. I'm not alone! I keep a spreadsheet of curriculum for my DDs, who are 4 and 6. I've got it planned through 12th. :o And I do spend time printing cr@p (but really interesting, I know I'll use it! cr@p)... and it goes in the trash later...

We tried WWE 1 this year (1st) and it was not a success. I do think we tried it too early -- and with a writing-adverse child -- so keep in mind that a child may not be ready for it til 2nd (which may be obvious, but it seems like everyone uses it in 1st.) (FWIW, we decided to go a different route altogether with writing. I'm not 100% sold on copywork/narration/dictation as the sole writing program for the early years... and yes, I've read the books & listened to the audios...)

I've got Harcourt Grade 1 Health & Fitness text on my Classifieds list. :p It's colorful and basic. Very basic. There are accompanying workbooks that can be found online & printed for free, IIRC.

I've been looking at a lot of BJU stuff lately and (at least for the lower grades) I can see in their teacher's manuals and student texts/worktexts...

Yep. I've had 2 curriculum dreams in the past week or so...

Well, could you box up any grade level specific items (that aren't shared between them all) to make them special when you show them to those younger dear children? I sort of know how you feel. For oldest DD we had a big box Kindergarten curriculum. It was full of awesome. But I didn't like it and got rid of it when we were halfway through, decided to do our own thing. So now that younger is ready for Kinder, we're just using a couple of workbooks. No box of Awesome. :( (I told DH this was part of my reason for choosing uber-expensive Nancy Larson science for this year -- wanted younger DD to have something fun like that!)

Got mine, never purchased from them. Last requested one a couple of years ago...

You're welcome! Those threads helped me, also. I've been debating between NOEO, Sonlight and Nancy Larson for next year. I am pretty sure I've decided on NL (though I haven't been able to bring myself to hit purchase yet.... that's a big chunk of change! :D)

Try this: http://forums.welltr...page__hl__+noeo http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/282135-larson-vs-noeo-vs-elemental-sciences/page__hl__noeo

Just another thought: I have BJU Spelling 2 lined up for next year. I think you could use it instead of ETC b/c it feels very phonics-based (with word sorts and word studies, etc) -- if you wanted to go that route and felt your DS didn't need ETC specifically. There would be some phonics-reinforcement with BJU. I planned on EIW for DD next year but she didn't like the instruction. (It is a little dry...) Then I planned on using BJU Writing/Grammar -- and it looks really awesome! But I wanted to have a bit more "fun" grammar and writing instead, so we're going to use the Aesop's books from Royal Fireworks Press and the 1st grade writing books from Just Write (Write About Me & Write About My World). So our lineup looks like: BJU Reading 2 BJU Spelling 2 Aesop's + Just Write (both include "lite" grammar and gentle writing exercises)

This has been really helpful! I've been vacillating between Sonlight and Nancy Larson (due to NL's price) and this has helped. Now to just buck up and fork out the $$.

Great-looking notebooking pages! I especially like the 2nd page!

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This year we've used: Math: Singapore, though we're about to switch to BJU Phonics: Phonics Pathways & ETC, currently using CLE LTR Science: ACSI Science and lots of books Grammar/Writing: Scholastic Success with Grammar 1 Bible: story Bibles

This might help: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/465139-explode-the-code-as-a-stand-alone/ If I were going to use it as stand-alone, I would use the guides. They're very inexpensive -- but have lots of ideas for actually teaching the concept before the child uses the workbook (multi-modal, different learning styles, etc).

Sounds fun! I'll add them to the "check this out" list. :) Thanks! Just to add: We already have a ton of manipulatives: counting bears & scale, pattern blocks and pattern pictures, pattern cards, geoboard/rubber bands & pattern cards... so I'm sure we could just *play*. But mommy needs structure...

Youngest DD is nearly finished with Singapore Essentials A, & we'll probably continue through B... but I'm looking for something FUN to add to it. Criteria: open & go ready-made (don't want to have to create/cut-out a dozen games) not writing-heavy mostly games/manipulatives FUN :) So with that in mind, what have you enjoyed? I would love a program, with activities laid out step-by-step, but feel free to share games or things from Pinterest you've loved. (FYI, feel free to share if you like RightStart A, but it's totally out of budget -- spent my last budget pennies on Nancy Larson Science for the girls; I can only swing one big ticket item!) Considering McRuffy K but it sure looks prep-heavy.....