I'm interested in these Old Testament and New Testament lapbooks. The recommended age is 3rd-8th grades. I'm wondering if anyone has used this set and what ages did you use it with? I'm wondering if it could be used with a slightly younger age group (not the current age of my kiddos).... Maybe 1st or 2nd graders? I've looked at the samples, but it's hard to tell if it would be overwhelming for a younger kiddo...

There are a ton of game ideas you can find via google and Pinterest. If you want something organized/curriculum, Happy Phonics is all games and runs about $45 new (but you might could find it used). Here are some we've liked: http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/acosta/files/quick%20&%20easy%20phonics%20games.pdf Then there's something cheap and easy like the game "Snap it Up!"

I'm looking into TT as an option for next year (2nd). Has anyone gone from Singapore 1 (with CLE supplement) to TT3? Or should I go through CLE2 first? Thoughts?

I'm not sure what you should do ( ;)) but I can tell you what I did: My DD got nearly to the end of SM1A before we hit a wall and math became a chore. I started over with CLE 1... but for units 101 and 102 we just went through them orally, in just a couple of days, breezing through the parts she knew (counting) and stopping on parts she didn't know (money, skip counting). So maybe that could be an option for you, if you switch over entirely... start at the beginning, but accelerate through the first few units.

You could always check out Collage Video or Total Fitness DVDS (both of whom I've shopped with...extensively) and see their children's selection. My kiddos are very young and for the preschool set, I recommend "Hustle Bustle Move Your Muscles" which is BEYOND cheesy, but they love it. For older kids, we (even I) liked the Tae Bo Kicks dvd (Billy Blanks kid dvd). My girls also like to "march" (or wok-wok-wok) with Leslie Sansone.

We have it, and I totally think it's worth it! My 4.5 yr old is the main user -- my 6.5 yr old has moved on to Reading Eggs.

Yeah, I agree that for a K'er, all 3 might be overkill.... but she did say she'd intro AAS when she reached the appropriate point. (And honestly, she may find that isn't until 1st grade, maybe even partway through....) Also, I think it's fine to let the K'er sit in on FLL. Maybe just make sure not to have too strict expectations (this might also be the case for SOTW, Science, etc).

I think it looks good. I'll also have a K and 2nd in the fall. We're combining: science, geography (no history), Bible, art. My K'er is doing SM Essentials + ETC/Phonics Pathways. My 2nd will do SM, ETC/PP, spelling, BJU grammar/writing.

Well, we had WWW and I didn't care for it. I thought it was a bit repetitive and fairly narrow in scope. We purchased BJU English 2 for NEXT year (2nd) but I've been reading through it every night before bed. :p I like how it looks. With it you'd do Grammar OR writing everyday -- they alternate chapters. GWG + WWW means you're doing BOTH every day, which may be a lot of writing (it would be too much for my DD). I like the colorful look of BJU. Also, from all my looking through, I think it can be taught without the teacher's guide (at least at the 2nd grade level), which helps with the cost.

That's how we've been using it, too. We're consistently behind in Math because there's so much to do in the HIGs. I wouldn't worry about IP or EP or CWP unless there was an identified need for it....

This isn't the first time I've read about a situation like this here... It amazes me that doctors feel they have the right to do this! And it makes me VERY grateful for our pediatrician (who knows we homeschool and could care less, LOL).

I spiral-bind my student workbooks, too. Our Singapore texts and workbooks work great bound!

I'll also throw off your memorization stuff (timeline cards, books of the Bible). I wish they'd put out a chronological version for those of us too OCD to purchase the program as is... (ME!)

I like to remove the spines on my school books and have them spiral-bound. (I don't like binders; they don't fit well on my shelves.) I've also haven't had any problems reselling them, either. :) I've done: FLL, WWE, Singapore math, other workbooks that weren't perforated.

Are these scheduled to be done daily? I tried to find info on scheduling NL science on their site, but didn't see anything...

:bigear: I've recently realized that I'm in the same boat. Next year I'll have a 2nd and K'er and I've spent the better part of today looking at Nancy Larson science, LOL (which I'd previously decided was too expensive but not am thinking may be a serious contender! :D)

FWIW, I've been following this "situation" via another forum and Amazon has actually pulled that image on their site (the article is about a month old). If you follow the link in the article, you go to amazon and there's an "image not available" icon now. :p Looks like someone was paying attention... Don't know if it's still for sale or not.... ETA: looks like this item is no longer available to purchase. :)

Our K line-up for the fall: Math in Focus K (just the workbooks) McRuffy K phonics HWT Subjects combined with sister: Notgrass Draw to Learn Life of Jesus geography (continents, habitats) Magic School Bus - science art homeschool PE class

....do you use the Teacher's Guide? Or can it be taught from the student workbook? (We'll likely be using Grade 2 next year.) I like the look of the samples and think my DD would prefer it to R&S (my other choice). Who has used BJUP English and what are your thoughts on it? Do you use any additional English (more grammar? more writing? do you find if fully sufficient?) TIA!

I'm considering the need to use a formal reading program. I know many just let their kiddos read wonderful books and have these comprehensive discussions afterward, but I am worried that I'd miss some important concepts if we did that... So, if you use (and like) your formal reading program....please share about it! I'd love one that includes a reader or book list + some sort of guide to follow with (question guide or workbook or something).

My 6 yr old first grader is still a beginning reader, so I haven't done a formal writing with her. Instead, I chose a grammar workbook (this one) that included a small amount of writing but still covered some basic grammar topics. (So far, she's covered capitalizing sentences, periods, capitalizing "I"). I like it enough that I'll probably use it for my 2nd DD, also. Can't beat the price! ($5)

I have both of these and agree they're good. The 2nd one linked (Begin-to-Read) is probably appropriate for 2nd grade. (I bought it for my DD, but she's not there yet, so I'm saving it for 2nd grade.) Another option might be R&S Reading 2. It's 2nd grade reading program *is* a Bible Reader. Here's what it includes:

Phonics Pathways -- which we're enjoying and Rod & Staff Phonics -- which we started with and found very helpful (we only did part of R&S Phonics 1, but needed more practice so we moved to PP)

The student books have just the spaces to do the drawing (with titles/headings, verses). The teacher's book has all of the instruction, review questions, as well as sample completed drawings.

Well, I have it ... but I'll be honest and say we haven't used it yet. I think a 10 and 12 year old could use it, but it's not what I would call a Bible study. More of a multi-age, family devotional. It does have daily scripture to read -- and it does work its way through the Bible chronologically -- but often the passages are just a few (2 or 3) verses long. Then it's followed by a brief devotional "thought" and a few discussion questions. I plan on using in addition to our Bible study when the girls are older. (I also mean to buy Old Story New, which completes the set and makes it a complete 3-year devotional program, IIRC.... I think Long Story Short is supposed to span about 1.5 years of study.)