Meant to include we use Horizons and supplement with a bit of online work, like Xtramath or tons of games.

If she gets it... is she just bored? Is she ready to move up?

We are using Horizons 1 - and for summer I picked up a book on story problems from Kumon and she'll be working on the website Xtramath to work on mastery as a game.

Whenever I buy a large item online I send the file to Kinkos/Fed Ex to be printed. You can find online coupon codes for savings. It has been more than worth it - by the time we bring in time, ink, paper and equipment wear & tear... it is well worth printing and picking up.

We are using Horizons in conjunction with their reading/grammar program and they are wonderful!! I also add her weekly words into either Spelling City for some online time/fun with them, make a scavenger hunt or art project based on them and then now I am using Spelling Board on the Ipad adn enter her weekly words for review all week -- she loves it. Her spelling is pretty good! :001_smile:

Real binoculars. You can get small collapsable ones that are for adults, but SUPER kid friendly for under $20, sometimes even $9.99. They work way better then 'toy' kid ones. Blank Journal Colored pencils Magnifying Glass Bug Viewing Container Mini Bird Book (or laminated fold guide) Walking/Hiking Stick

I love the convention!!! I thought last year going in 'I already know what I am going to order' but seeing some of those products in person and really taking a look at them CHANGED my mind! I am so glad I went and saw them in person. I was able to see that some of my items were just not going to be good fits for my daughter, while others were great fits I would have never even considered or knew about. I like to touch it, open it, read it and spend a bit of time looking it over. As well, you can get some deals like free shipping, or discounted items at Rainbow Resource, art supplies, fun learning items that you might not have know of (games, kits, etc), learn about local resources & groups, etc.

We write in them. I want her to have any work shown in them or notes we make, we reference previous work a lot and it is just easier to have the book right there - completed.

Our feelings are that your child should have a pretty good understanding of where they are in the world, now before looking at the history of it. This year we are working the states/US Geography. (1st - 6) And doing the Pioneer Sampler too (more recent history she can relate to locally). Next year (2nd- 7) we will do a world studies introduction - what is out there beyond her little scope. What do people look like, where do they live, what are other countries like, geographical stuff, foods from around the world, art & music, clothing, etc. Then (3rd - 8) we'll start World History.

We have one now (16) and I have some learning apps loaded but not books for her. She has used it for watching some learning stuff and some Khan academy lessons, etc. We are just starting the Discovery US Geography game today. My concern is how much screen time to allow - there is a point of it being helpful and it being too much. We are not huge tv people and I feel that since we've brought the Ipad into our home it is a constant 'can I use it' moment... which less than thrills me. It has changed the dynamic for us. How do you find a balance? What exactly do you use it for?

We use Atellier (4), Usbornes Artist Treasurey and Usbornes Complete Book of Art and we LOVE them all!!! :001_smile:

DD (6 1/2) is in swim lessons two nights a week and Camp Fire one afternoon a week. We do participate in a weekly playgroup one afternoon a week, playing with friends. Other than that, we do participate in activities with our homeschool group - field trips, outings, sewing group, Nature Club, etc... throughout the month. So, really just two official 'activities' I think (swim & Camp Fire). The rest is for fun getting together stuff.

I adore everything we have used from Evan Moor - I had no idea this even existed! Thanks for the link... I'll have to take a closer look and see if it is a good fit for us!

For my DD, who is younger, she is just registered and started at the lowest level and slowly works her way up through lessons. The system tests her knowledge, reviews as necessary and then it moves her forward as she retains it. I am not her instructor or anything, they system does it all for you.

See I find it hard to keep a balance, trying to educate/defencd about our choice to homeschool with not offending them and their choice to public school. Why it all matters...? Who knows! For some reason though folks are curious, they really do want to know 'why' we do it. What makes us so different from them. It is hard to explain without putting their beliefs down or the way they know in the gutter. Such a fine line...

Always the dining table :001_smile:

I too look at this as my job, our family priority. However, each week offers a different schedule due to various activities we might participate in with friends. I do try to accomplish a weeks worth of work in that week still. I write our plan for the week and we do pretty good with it. While DD is too young for full on 'homework' style projects/assignments we will be experiencing some of this next year I think. So far we are pretty guided, hands on with her. That being said, we do a workbox method and she is very indapendent with it and a self starter so I can see it being pretty smooth down the road, she prefers to get going on her own. After all of this is typed up, I wanted to share that we are also fairly open to being outdoors and experiencing nature. That is a big part of our family values so often times we make shifts to get outdoors or bring school work outdoors with us.

We are using the 4th manual this year and LOVE it!!! I think we will look at doing a new one next year too - she does a great job! My daughter asks for it all the time.

I've been making a point to stop in quiet a bit, read and attempt to join in... but WOW I am overwhelmed by all the acronyms :001_huh: I will read a thread and literally have no idea what was just discussed, every curricula is abbreviated - so confusing. And, here I thought I kind of had an idea of what existed out there ~ ha!!! So much to learn. How long did it take you to get this all down?

We do listen to light stuff - on Pandora I have Peter and The Wolf as a starting spot and we hear great music from that channel. As well, Norah Jones, Louis Armstrong and Adelle. I keep it low, but in the background - it just softens the house :)

I am glad I opened this thread and read the WHOLE thing - learned a lot! I have not idea what about 80% of the abbreviations are though... yikes! I am concerned though as there appears to be no great math program - I think I've seen them all on here numerous times :001_smile: LOL!

I'd just follow the curriculum from this point on... that being said, you simply taught him more than one way to look at something - that is not a bad thing! In fact, learning more than one way is a good skill to apply across the board in life :001_smile:

We have 12 spelling words from curricula with rules - then I add anywhere from 2-6 other words from our weekly studies. However, we discuss them and are using them a lot that week. It has added to DD's vocabulary and her writing is improving a lot. It doesn't seem to stump her at all and in fact she gets excited to see that weeks challenge words.

We include play time outdoors (bikes, scooters, running, climbing, etc), park play, hiking, swim lessons, free swim time, soccer during soccer season, bouncy house activities, roller skating, etc. But, I also have a set of cards I created that include various physical activities that are included in her workboxes each day - some I randomly pull and some are planned. I would really like to find some better group experiences for her with HS friends like kick ball, basketball, etc... The few our group has had we've been unable to attend.

Thank You all for your ideas! I have purchased the Confessions of a Homeschooler Composer Study for either the end of this year or next year, have not decided yet. I am about to order the books to go with it. We do listen to music a lot, either by specific composures, singers or styles. We do Peter and the Wolf a lot... I just thought maybe I was lacking to much. I really like the idea of focusing on one composer for a selected period of time to truly become familiar with their work... So many great ideas - I appreciate them all :001_smile: